[Billcat]

Of course I was just having a bit of fun. Apart from the fact that many of the more ordinary eateries in the UK do seem to feature chips quite prominently, I think that a couple of the Monty Python routines have done a lot to shape the world's view of British cooking (chips, chips, chips, chips, baked beans and chips).

I confess to a fondness for chips that taste of potato, so I prefer the larger chips usually serve in the UK to those skinny, overly salty shoestrings at our fast food joints. Also, I used to be a part owner of a couple of restaurants, one of which merited a three-star rating from the NY Times (not easy to get, especially as the Times food critics have usually been quite snobbish about eateries in the suburbs). Many Americans seem to be extremely worried about the quality of food they will find in the UK, but I am happy to tell them that, with just a bit of careful work (no greater care, in fact, than one would use when visiting another part of the USA) they will have some delightful meals.

One place I recall with particular fondness when I last visited your area is the Freemason's Arms in the village of Wiswell. The lunch we had (Pendy, David, my wife and myself) in this off-the-beaten-track pub was outstanding. Hope they've managed to maintain that standard of quality!