A new craze is set to hit the nation! Working it’s way across form the East it’s a revolution in restaurant dining. The Beijing Hot Pot not only provides a tasty warming treat to share with friends and family, but in these hard times it’s the simplicity and price that is pulling them in.

The idea is simple. The Hot Pot is essentially a big bowl of water heated to boiling point by placing a container of red hot coals in the centre. A simple stock mix is added which may be of spring onion, ginger and garlic. Customers order the various ingredients to go in, which they add as and when they like. Popular choices are mixed mushrooms, various vegetables, tofu, and noodles. These are allowed to cook for a few minutes before being picked out and dipped in a sauce before eating. The stock in the pot also turns into a tasty soup as the various vegetables and mushrooms are gradually cooked throughout the meal. This alternative style of eating not only keeps the customers amused it also cuts out the need for chefs to prepare the cooked dishes as the customers seem more than happy to do it themselves. No one would have believed it was possible to make people want to pay to cook their own food in a restaurant, until now.

Crowds of restauranteurs have been seen queuing every morning from 5am at newly opening branches of Hot Pot Harry’s, the leading supplier of Hot Pot merchandise in counties around the world. It has been gradually spreading west and looks set to hit the UK in the next few months. Several restaurants are already preparing for the expected demand from hungry Hot Pot diners and are ordering online to beat the rush.**

This from Gurtrude, 87, born and bred in Beijing,

“Well it started with Derek down the road last October, as t’nights were drawing in.. He was the only one ‘ere with a hot pot at t’time, but then Eileen and Authur they kept popping round begging him, they’d tried it once and now they were hooked. They wanted his Pot. Eventually all t’neighbours were round all t’time and ‘e couldn’t keep up tha nos. And that’s how it all started. He got a restaurant, made 365 kerzillion Yuan in a week and then they were all at it. In all my 87 years I’ve never seen anything like it!”

This happy couple were spotted in a restaurant in Beijing recently and were reported to be having the time of their lives!

“We’ll I used to think Andy was the only hot pot for me, but now it’s all about the Beijing Hot Pot! It’s just so tasty. I can’t get enough. We’ve been back here 5 times already and we’ve only been here 2 days! I can’t believe I didn’t know about it until now. Now I know where true happiness lies.”

*This may or may not be true. All rumours are made up, with no evidence to back them up.

** This rumour was started with the intention of making fiction reality. Hopefully by the time we get home through my huge readership this nonsense will have spread far enough for people to believe it. Then when we get back we will find Bejing Hot Pot restaurants springing up everywhere and we will be very happy bunnies.