1 DECEMBER 1984, Page 22

Reference books

Sir: Alan Watkins's snarl at the present foodie cult (Diary, 17 November) may be justified but please could he keep his fangs out of me? He really shouldn't charge 01 with not describing a brown ragout when describe a daube. Does he know the diffe- rence? Should we care that clearly he doesn't? Yes, we do: so may I refer him to Larousse Gastronomique, le Repertoire de la Cuisine, Andre Simon's Dictionary of Gastronomy, or various works by Prue Leith Prudence Leith Limited, 94 Kensington Park Road, London W11 P.S. If he'd cook the recipe that's agitating him, maybe he'd emerge as great a fan of mine as I am of his.