I agree with you on the banter side too...I think more people might be interested if there was a bit more conversation on the board of a more light-hearted, non-curry-related aspect, I mean, we all know we like curries, but after that we know nothing of one another. Obviously meets would have to be at a designated public meeting place as I would not advocate anyone inviting a group of complete strangers into their homes because, as you say "any of them could be serial killers, raging paedophiles or just ****holes." I know I don't qualify for the first two groups but I'm not big-headed enough to say that I don't fit into the ****holes category ;D

I haven't seen the member map for some time although I did add myself to it not long after I joined the forum so maybe it's been lost through the anals  sorry annals of time.

How about a poll to judge interest in curry meets where members can post their general locations and whether or not they'd like to attend a CR0 curry night might be more appropriate? If I remember rightly there were some replies in the member map thread from members who couldn't get the map to display for them.

But would you be willing to go to an Edinburgh meet if enough members from that area are up for it Bobby?

As with all things it is personal taste/preference..When I make a curry for the first time, I follow the authors recipe to the letter and judge the curry based on that. However, the next time I make it I will make any alterations which I see fit to make the curry exactly or more closely to my tastes.

In my opinion, it would help if when a member posts a recipe, they state which base and which spice mixes they used as just altering the base gravy can have a huge effect on the resulting curry.

I also use the bruce edwards spice mix (unless a specific mix is mentioned in the recipe itself). I have tried a few, but I guess the Bruce Edward's mix is my default mix .

When using dried methi or curry leaves I either crush them and add them to the spices or I add them just after adding the base gravy, I don't see a vast difference in taste (if any) using either method, but what I wouldn't do, (sorry Bobby ) is sprinkle dried leaves over a finished curry.

To answer about premade curry powder....I prefer to only ever use a mild one and add heat to my dishes using either fresh chillies or chilli powder as I like to be in charge of the heat myself

Quote from: Curry King on February 22, 2008, 09:59 AM

If your supposed to be me does that mean I'm replying to myself 

PMSL...well if you are me that would explain why my hubby's been looking at me a bit strangely lately although I hope that you're not the reason he's been slightly more amorous than usual :-X Please don't tell me he's after your erm...... plums and not my *mangoes" Don't worry about talking to yourself luv, it's a sign of old age, you only need to worry when you start losing arguments against yourself (or so my trick cyclist says.. : ;D

If distance were to be a problem for a forum-wide meet, then how about lots of smaller, more localised meets? I'm "oop norf" in Yorkshire, but I'd be happy to travel to Leeds, Bradford, Dewsbury, Barnsley etc etc but any "darn sarf" meets would be out for me. Any meets I did go to I would have to take my hubby : but then again, I'm confused, because if I am Curry King, wouldn't that mean I'd have to take my wife....I mean, his wife....oh damn! I'd better go and take another valium No wonder I had problems putting me bra on this morning :-X

Maybe a thread asking where members are actually from may be a good start...there would be no point organising a meet in the Orkneys if there's only one member from that locale.

Quote from: George on February 22, 2008, 11:22 AM
CK

Thank you to responding to my suggestion that I might be able to invite members round to my place after I build a tandoor. But I don't think anyone else even commented, so I was hardly trampled over in the rush for people to register an interest!  I'm not sure of the reason why the idea of get-togethers may not appeal. Perhaps it's to do with people preferring to remain anonymous. I don't know. I wouldn't have thought travel distance was the main deterrent, but I could be wrong.

Regards
George

Hi George

Maybe people didn't take your offer as a serious one? or maybe, as you say, people are reticent regarding the loss of anonymity, although even if you do turn up to a meet, it doesn't mean that you have to give away any more details about yourself than you would wish to....

I like the idea of meets, not because I need my social circle to be widened/enhanced, and not because I'm nosey, it would just be good I think to9 thrash out in person (and over a tasty or not so tasty dish ) about what is and what is not a good curry ;D I know we all have differing ideas : and we could get a better idea via thumbs up and thumbs down in the restaurant reviews section, or maybe a kind of CR0 curry guide designed by members for members .

Having read the suggestions thread, my interest is piqued

I'm wondering how many members would turn up for a curry meet if one were arranged.

Would you go? If so, how far would you be willing to travel - would it have to be local to you?

I'm assuming that bookings would have to be made as it could get awkward if a mob of twenty (or more?!?) curry-mad freaks crash an unwarned restaurant  ;D

I'm not saying I'd go to one meself, before anyone gets scared :

I'm just wondering how many of you are erm......."up-for-it"

Don't laugh UB! You'll only encourage him ;D

Didn't some daft bloke actually make bacon and egg korma amongst other full-English based dishes on Come Dine With Me?

hehe I don't like lentils so I've always given dhansaks the swerve

but I have had madras with spring onions and what looked like swede in it :-X rather I should say I once was served madras with spring onions and what looked like swede in it.....I never got past a taste of the sauce go figure!

I guess we'll have to all get fired up about what makes a perfect curry, whatever the name If I had sleeves I'd be rolling 'em up and getting set for a long drawn out war lol ;D

lol It is if you're in Yorkshire

Which leads me back to a point I've brought up before (I think it was in the North/South curry divide debate) which is that we're all looking for different versions of a certain named curry. A pathia needs mango chutney, jalfrezi needs egg etc etc to be what I'd term as authentic BIR since that's how jalfrezis and pathias are made in BIRs here. You could walk a whole street in Bradford and order the same curry from each and no two curries will look or taste exactly the same.

I look for curries which suit my tastes and that of those around me. I noticed in another thread that curry meets are in the pipeline, I hope they take off because it would be interesting for a whole group to turn up and try the same menu cooked by the same chefs - I think it would set up some lively debates and give a more balanced view for the restaurant reviews sections.

Like I've said before SS, you can't knock it 'til you've tried it luv