Table talk

So That's why they call it rack rate

Business a bit slack? Then you might like to take a few tips from the Country House hotel in upstate New York.

As reported in sado-masochists' magazine Skin Two, Country House offers visitors "the chance to stay at an isolated location, combining beautiful countryside, pleasant accommodation and a fully equipped dungeon".

Dinner certainly sounds tempting. The magazine reports: "You'll be expected to eat on the floor, face down, hogtied in 50 feet of rope by oriental bondage expert Madame Sang!"

I think I sense another theme restaurant coming on.

A Meal with toothpicks included

Anyone out there know of a recipe for baked hedgehog? If so, TV chef Gary Rhodes would like to hear from you.

He received a letter from a man who found a dead hedgehog, took it home and baked it in clay, only to find it tasted revolting. He wanted Gary to recommend a good recipe.

Although Mr Rhodes tries to answer all correspondence personally, he didn't take this one too seriously. But several weeks later the correspondent was at it again. He'd found another dead hedgehog, put it in his freezer and was waiting for a reply from Mr Rhodes so he could cook it for his wife.

Sounds a bit of a prickly character to me.

Checking out - big time

I noticed a somewhat unusual entry in a hotel room's guest book while on holiday in northern California this month.

"Everything was just wonderful. Thank you," it said. "When Frank had the heart attack in this bed, the hotel owners and the paramedics were so thoughtful.

"Although Frank won't be joining me next year - I will be back, with a more virile, youthful companion." And who says the Americans lack humour?

Brasserie manager pleas for real men

Despite their rugged image, it appears Yorkshiremen are more shrinking violets than white roses.

Tuckwoods Brasserie in Sheffield has been busy planning a singles evening, called "Sleepless in Sheffield". But, despite a major advertising campaign and 52 applications for tickets from women, only one brave man has applied.

Manager Aiden Massarella said: "I can't entertain them all, and there are going to be a lot of disappointed women. I certainly could do with some help."

If you're man enough for this challenge, Tuckwoods would love to hear from you.

Something fishy about aubergine

The likes of Aubergine and other Michelin-starred London restaurants clearly hold no clout in East Anglia. I overheard one Norfolk hotelier recently mistakenly refer to Aubergine as "Gordon Ramsay's famous restaurant, the Anchovy".

Once upon a time, before tipping…

Pre-opening research for the latest Browns Restaurant & Bar, to be located in the old law courts on London's St Martin's Lane, has found the origin of the word "tip".

Before the building was turned into courts in the mid-19th century, it was the Old Coffee House, whose landlord was determined his loyal staff should be suitably rewarded for their service.

So he put a large wooden box in the centre of the room, with "To Increase Promptitude" etched into it.

This sounds perfectly plausible to me, unless any reader can tell Table Talk otherwise. A suitable "tip" will be awarded for the best alternative explanation.