The Caterer Blog

I've been told I'm not the only one. There are apparently other victims out there. You know who you are, and what your affliction is. For the rest of you it can be summed up in two words: Raisin' Views.

Yes, Raisin' Views; the quarterly newletter of the raisin community, including movers and shakers in the raisin world, a list of new raisin-themed products and a calender of raisin-themed events.

It seems to arrive every three months, from God knows where, in the letter trays and pigeon holes of people not the least concerned in raisin developments. Despite my best attempts to de-subscribe myself from this hard hitting morsel of journalistic finesse, the people over in Raisin Towers just won't listen, and still it keeps coming.

So, rather than battle them, I have decided to get on board and help the magazine. Read below for my open letter to Raisin' Views.

Forget fish - its not sustainable these days anyway - pigeon and chips is the new dish of choice.

Unlike cod, the humble pigeon is plentiful these days and infiltrating the trendiest of menus.

Marco Pierre White lists a stuffed Bresse squab pigeon in a sea salt crust as one of his ten favourite dishes. Bresse pigeon with fois gras even ordains White's menu at his restaurant at Chelsea Football Club.

But for those of you who can't get hold of wood pigeon, remember that every city centre street is filled with the flying rat, some of whom clearly want to be remembered fondly by hungry diners.

A Worcester chip shop last week told the tale of a hapless pigeon flew directly into one of its deep fat fryers. Yes you read that right - the bird embarked on a kamikaze mission of flying head first into boiling fat.

"It must have been a painful death," said Dawn Jennings, owner of the Angel Plaice, with no hint of irony. "It was quite distressing at the time, but we can laugh about it now."

One wonders what would have happened if the pigeon had gone into a Glasgow chippie. Deep fried pigeon with tatties anyone?