Sausage trifle? Roadkill pie? Come Dine With Me has served up some weird and wonderful dishes over the years, but none so downright disturbing as these offerings. Warning: may ruin appetite.
Swedish sandwich gateau Evelyn Friede, Leeds
Proving that there is much more to Swedish dining than Ikea meatballs, Evelyn blurred the boundaries of art, food and engineering with her spectacular smörgås tårta thats butter, mustard, cheese, pâté, gherkins, ham, eggs and prawns, all layered up in a giant sandwich, iced with mayonnaise and decorated with cucumber, eggs, ham and seafood sticks. The incredible starter may be de rigueur for our Scandinavian cousins, but her fellow Leeds contestants felt theyd met their Waterloo.
Sausage trifle Annierose Crone, Coventry
Now, were all for culinary experimentation. If people didnt try out new combinations then the world would never have known the joy of chilli chocolate, or peanut butter and jam sandwiches. But when glamourpuss and kitchen novice Annierose served up a trifle of sponge, custard and, er, sausages to her fellow Coventry contestants, we had to conclude that some foods will just never be friends.
Honey-roasted pig's trotters Forbes Robertson, Ayr
We've all heard of nose-to-tail eating, but Forbes embraced the concept down to the ground with his offally good main course in Ayr. The Donald Trump of Ayr cut back on his ingredients after splashing out on the champers, paying just 30p each for his pigs trotters. Sadly the fancy footwork had his guests squealing all the way home though we cant confirm any cases of the trots.
Chicken divan Perry Jones, Watford
Last we heard, a divan was something you slept on. But not so in the world of Perry Jones, where its a delicious dinner party dish made from chicken breasts, canned chicken soup, mayonnaise, curry powder and cheese all topped off with a crushed up packet of crisps. Actually, after a dish that confusing, we could do with a nap.
Road kill pies Alison Brierly, Harrogate
Waste not, want not! Nomadic eco-warrior Alison Brierly redefined the notion of fast food with her optional starter of pheasant road kill pies - fresh from the tarmac. "I can taste the rubber," said Tim.
English breakfast curry Stuart Moss, Leeds
If two wrongs dont make a right, then combining two rights can only make something even more right, right? Well, no. When Stuart Moss combined two of his favourite meals to create the English breakfast curry, his bacon and egg, sausage and mushroom and tomato and kidney hybrid creations were less vindaloo and more wheres-the-loo for his reluctant guests.
Olive oil ice cream Peter Stringfellow, Celebrity Special
Just as being a celebrity doesnt mean youre any cleverer, more interesting or talented than the rest of us, it also doesnt necessarily mean youre a better cook. Case in point: legendary lothario and nightclub king Peter Stringfellow, who took inspiration from his fine dining experiences to dish up a starter of peppered tuna with olive oil ice cream. The dish could have been a taste sensation had he not used vanilla ice cream to make it. Better stick to the nightclubs, Peter.
Chocolate Freddo curry vol au vent David Davis, Down Under
GDay, food fans! Mercifully proving that Australian cooks can sometimes get it just as wrong as us Brits, Davids turn on Come Dine With me Down Under is one that has stayed with us for a long time (as it did with his guests, we imagine). Because a giant vol-au-vent filled with beef curry wasnt enough of a creative endeavour, David added a secret ingredient to the mix Freddo chocolate bars.
'Strange Thing' Linda Shanson, London
A humble combination of cheese, pastry, courgette and sweetcorn, Linda Shansons starter was by no means the strangest thing wed ever seen on Come Dine With Me but it did have the least promising name. Still, better for your guests to be pleasantly surprised, eh Linda?
Irish odlums Sean Hughes, Comedians Special
Those heading to Seans dinner party hoping for a taste of traditional Irish cooking wouldnt have been disappointed when the first course turned out to be stew. However, when the main course and dessert also turned out to be stew, the latter deep-fried in batter and served with cream, even Danny Boy himself might have lost his appetite.
