Forman and Field are wonderful wonderful genius-es

I can place my hand on my heart and say thank goodness for the internet and thank goodness for folks like Forman and Field .

F&F is a fine food mail order company operating under H.Forman & Son. The parent company has been in business since 1905, first starting as purveyors of fine Scottish smoked salmon to leading chefs. Now, this has expanded and F&F offers a wide range of traditional British produce from small independent producers. Hmmm.

I was introduced to them via a chef mate who uses them exclusively for his pork products and although I have never placed an order until today, their range is extremely tempting!

You can tell they take their meat seriously- they have a seperate for sausages and another for bacon. You have to respect that. But one of the crowning glories of their meat range is the whole suckling pig. I sampled this last year at a friend's and it's just as it states on the website: "Silky, melt-in-the-mouth meat which is softer and sweeter than pork, with a thin, crisp crackling." I was shocked at really how accurate their statement was and even more so when I learnt all the cook has to do is bung it into an oven and drink wine whilst waiting for the sweet, sweet meat.

So anyway, I have to cook on thurs/fri for some folks and being on nights hasn't improved my temperament for supermarkets (which is thin at best) or my organisational skills (which is probably thinner). So I gave them a panickied, hasty ring to beg if they could deliver by this thursday, a variety of seafood and meats.

I spent the best part of 20 minutes on the phone to a very helpful and accomodating chap who sorted out everything, and I mean everything for me. I chose:

• Six boneless fillets of Mullet, prepared with saffron threads and smoked garlic.
• Crayfish cocktail with crayfish tails, wild smoked salmon julienne and keta caviar.
• Lobster bisque- okay, okay soup.
  

I also managed to get the rather omniously named Forman and Field BBQ Box which conjured inages of a ready made barbeque pit with mean on top of the grill- just pull the cord which will release the contents and simultaneously start the Braai. In truth, it is nowhere near my imagination's conjurings.

Instead, it is: Luxury Beef Burgers, Traditional Sausages from Musk's of Newmarket, Boned and Stuffed Chicken Legs, Tiger Prawn Brochettes, Denham Estate Venison Steaks and Marinated Pork Chops, Plantation Jalepeno Jelly. Which translates to: lots of meat and a bit of relish. Just what I like.

So, I await the order and will post up what occurs in the aftermath, but before I go, my sincerest apologies to the man on the phone, as I entirely forgot to get your name, but my hat's off to you and Forman and Field!