2 Poppadums with Chutney's

small Onion Bhaji

2 Cobra Largers

1 Pilau Rice

1/2 Keema Nann

1 Chicken Tikka Jalfrezi

1/2 Mattar Paneer

1/2 Tarka Dhal (or Bombay Aloo)

Hot Towel (not eaten)

Couple of Mints

Warmed Brandy

Couple of pints of extra Cold Guinness

and a single Malt whisky before bed...

Do you mean you devour all that lot as a nightcap? I bed your bed constantly has crumbs all over it, and smells of various spices. At least you can honestly say about the brown stain on the sheets: 'That's a curry stain'.

I prefer a good book at bedtime. I'm about to embark on a readng of The Social History of English Cricket. I used to like a mug of cocoa to accompany my bedtime book, but I now don't like to get out of bed again once I've settled in, and cocoa requires a brush of the teeth afterwards.

And anyway, even if you're just asking if there's anything better than all those things you listed above, you have clearly forgotten about the existence of sliced bread, which remains the barometer against which all subsequent Good Things have been measured. Suffice to say, sliced bread has not been bettered yet. Heaven only knows what the best thing was before sliced bread came along. Probably 'bite sized chunks of bread'.

__________________
Just what is going off out there?

Fire possibly? or the wheel?

In food terms possibly sliced (insert part of animal meat here for our hunters) (and the gatherers diced herbs)

__________________
Watch this for a perfect about.
James May

I though about the wheel, but then I reckon 'bite size chunks of bread' must have come between the wheel and sliced bread. Of course, all this raises the idea of the history of Best Things.
E.g.
- at the moment the Best Thing is sliced bread
- before that, according to me, the Best Thing was 'bite size chunks of bread'
- before that, it was probably the wheel
- and before that, barbecued mammoth steak (after the invention of spears and the harnessing of fire)

And this raises the further question: What will be the next Best Thing (not to be confused with the Next Best Thing, which actually equates to the current Second Best Thing)?

I think it could be an improved version of the George Formby Grill (Yes, I know its real name is the 'George Foreman Lean Mean Low-Fat Grilling Machine Een Een Een', but 'George Formby Grill' sounds much better).

And one final thought: Is there a Best Possible Thing, just waiting to be discovered?

__________________
Just what is going off out there?

I think the best possible thing to be discovered would be a source of energy that is:

a) renewable
b) very little/non polluting
c) gives off enough energy to be worth it

The next best thing will most likely be some technological advance, most likely the ability to travel at light speed using infinite power. (Love the idea of accelerating half way to your destination then turning round just to slow down).

__________________
Watch this for a perfect about.
James May

Speaking of cricketing books, right now I'm progressing through Dickie Bird's "White Cap and Bails", which my father gave to me. Very good read it is too, and I hope to re-read Freddie's book soon.

Hmmmm! The 'infinite' in this implies, to me, that this won't be the next likely technological 'best thing'.

Don't know what is going on here?!?

One thing that is much better than everything stated above has to be a good cup of tea, with a nice - but not too big - slice of cake, eg. walnut sandwich or Angel cake.

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Whatever your difficulties in mathematics, I can assure you mine are far greater!
Albert Einstein, 1879-1955

Let me assure you, low cholesterol isn't a bad call for being better than all the (admittedly lovely) food you mentioned. Let me guess, Flanflinger, you're made of the same stuff as Rob Key [queue a witty Mongoose comment!]?

By the way FF. Love the grocers' punctuation.

__________________
Whatever your difficulties in mathematics, I can assure you mine are far greater!
Albert Einstein, 1879-1955

Basically (learnt this recently in Physics by the way). There is a theory that we can use nuclear fuels (e.g. Uranium or Plutonium) and basically use them to power an engine which will give "infinite power". Infinite in the sense that once you reach the speed of light you can not actually get any faster (I don't know why). Now, because you are going so fast that you have to start braking (this means turning round and firing the thrusters the other way basically) once you get half way so you acutally get down to a reasonable speed.

Clearly there are problems which are known. The only way we understand at the moment to exert huge amounts of chemical energy from Radioactive substances is to start Nuclear Fission or Nuclear Fusion. Fusion is when hydrogen atoms collide at a high enough energy level to bond and form helium (what the sun does). Fission is the breaking up of the substance into smaller atoms (mass) and giving off huge quantities of heat. (normally mass explosives all around the the core of the substance itself) Basically blow it up! (e.g. an atom bomb) We cannot control this in a reasonably small object so things would have to be looked at in that sense to give us the chance to see other galaxies.

__________________
Watch this for a perfect about.
James May

A fondness for Indian food FF?

Well, my raceday routine is quite similar. Twice a year I embark on a journey to the racetrack, Moonee Valley and Flemington. Moonee Valley for the Cox Plate, Flemington for the Victoria Derby.

Routine:

-Wake up at 7:30 am
-Shower, put on the dressing gown
-Glass of scotch whisky, preferably Johnnie Walker Blue Label, if not then an expensive alternative.
-Six pieces of bacon and three eggs, nicely cooked
-Glass of Cognac.
-First Cuban Cigar, smoked inside the house. Only two days of the year I'm not shot for doing that, not that I smoke regular cigarettes.

This is all by about 9am. Normally, my dad worships the same routine or if a mate has slept over the night before, he does, too.

9am comes and...

-I get suited up in a strapping suit. Varies each raceday, each year.
-Time for a bottle of Becks or Nastro Azzuro. Or two. Or, as it was on Derby Day last year, five.
-Normally I'm quite tipsy after that routine so it's time for some chips. Thins Light and Tangy or Salt and Vinegar.
-Several Savoury Snacks
-Plate of Pasta for lunch, normally Ravioli Bolognaise.
-Followed by a second and third cuban cigar, do the hair and then I'm off to the track. Unfortunately at Flemington I cut out the lunch part because it is a little further away. Aftershave and Mouth Fresheners, including chewing gum and mouth wash eliminate the taste of the cuban cigar.
-Bring a hip flask along to avoid shocking prices at the track. Happy Punting.

Is there anything better than that?