This article was also published in the Financial Times.
Nick’s top five starters to serve at home:
James Baxter's Morecambe Bay potted shrimps with a small dressed salad and wholemeal toast
English asparagus with hollandaise or melted butter
A big bowl of clams with or without the spaghetti
Ceps a la bordelaise, wild mushrooms (ceps) sautéed with shallots and parsley
A really well made soup, ideally a tureen of fish soup with all the trimmings.
Five restaurant starters not to be missed:
Roast bone marrow and parsley salad at St John, London EC1,
When in season, soft shell crabs with polenta at any good restaurant overlooking the water in and around Venice
As many oysters as possible at the Oyster Bar, Grand Central Station in New York
Millionaires’ salad at Nu Nu's restaurant, Palm Cove, Queensland which incorporates fresh, local hearts of palm with chillis, lime and herbs
Nitro-green tea and lime mousse and whatever else constitutes the first course of Heston Blumenthal's tasting menu at The Fat Duck in Bray.