"telephone" news and stories

Here's a bit of odd food-news. In Cumbria, the department of tourism has set up a dedicated telephone line, the Lakes' Escape Line, that is supposed to help people beat the winter blues when it is light out only a few hours each day. Callers will hear "cheerful sounds," including "a reading of Wordsworth's Daffodils [and] the sound of water lapping at Windermere." The sound of sizzling sausages - Cumberland sausages, of course - will also be prominently featured.

Daylight or no, you would think that people would be capable of comforting themselves with sausages at any time of year without calling a phone line to hear them sizzling in a pan. And wouldn't it be better to smell the sausages than to hear them anyway?

I got the impression that the Escape line would be a free-call, but if they charge for the sounds, residents might want to start saving up and stocking their freezers with sausages before winter sets in and they consider calling.

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Popular British chef Jamie Oliver is starting a new series, but he won’t be seen on your TV. Jamie will be doing podcasts that deal with advice and cooking how-tos. Every topic tackled during the podcast will be in response to a query from a real cook who needs help in their kitchen. To get your question to Jamie, all you have to do is dial the dedicated phone line that takes podcast messages: 44 (0)207 043 8223. There is a 30 second time limit for messages and, as it is a standard London number, standard rates apply from wherever in the world you are calling. The best and funniest questions will make it on the air when the podcast launches later this year.

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