Pondering on supper this afternoon as one does when one is a high powered publishing exec, I mooched by James Elliot Master Butcher in Islington.

Since Peter, the mad Irishman left a year ago, this place has gone downhill a bit to say the least. But, today, they had some rather nice looking quail on offer. £5.50 for four, I could hardly say no.

So, supper tonight was the four little birds spatchocked, marinated in cumin, cinnamon, paprika, chilli powder and a little honey and then grilled until crispy.

Served, simply, with a crispy salad and a few glasses of Dashwood Pinot Noir from Marlborough in the South Island of NZ ( one of the wineries I visited last year ) it was a very passable supper.