Table Talk

This little piggie went to market The packet warns: "They're not good for you, they look awful, and they tread a fine line between delicious and absolutely disgusting. You'll either love them or hate them." In an unlikely move, Pret A Manger has introduced pork scratchings to its range of sandwiches and sushi. The traditional pub snack, not recommended for those of you with false teeth, has gone on sale in a handful of outlets. Judging by the packet warning, Pret is hedging its bets on their popularity. But, apparently, low-carb scratchings are becoming a hit with followers of the Atkins diet.

…and a bowl of hash on the side Every chef likes to claim that there's something in his recipes that keeps customers coming back time after time. In the case of restaurants in the Chinese province of Guizhou, there was a very good reason why customers couldn't get enough of the soups, stir-fries and noodles - they were liberally seasoned with opium. More than 200 restaurants have been closed by health officials after checks found that dishes were laced with opium seeds and poppies. Opium spiking, believed to make the dishes more delicious, has led to drug addiction among some restaurant customers.

Who needs a tanning salon?
This summer's weather is up and down, but one spot in Manchester is becoming a real scorcher. The terrace of the Lowry hotel in Manchester, which overlooks the River Irwell, is such a sun-trap that general manager John Philipson isn't taking any chances with the welfare of his guests. Very sensibly, given the litigious world we live in, Philipson has taken measures to avoid lawsuits from sunburnt and partially blinded guests who spend too long under the fierce Mancunian sun. "To make sure they are as comfortable and safe as possible," he explains, "we now stock a store of discreet and unisex sunglasses that can be borrowed for the duration of a visit to the terrace, as well as a range of lotions."