The Night Mail

[Dave Hunt]

3 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

There was almost but not quite a French Revolution replay here this afternoon

Aditi, There is no cake for afternoon tea

Me, We could eat bread, we have plenty.

Aditi , I will make some

 

Tony

 

Sometimes we need a drool button.

 

Dave

[Northmoor]

3 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

Having spent most of my adult life not being allowed to visit Ireland due to being in HM forces (you could only go there during the troubles if on duty or having near relatives living there*), since being able to I've had four long holidays there and seen most of the island.

A clear indicator of how much things had changed (improved) during my time in the defence industry was the security rules.  In 1996, we were MoD public servants and I needed a security brief just to visit Northern Ireland (for the NW200, which is an incredible event).  By the time I left that (now privatised) company in 2011, my last manager was a very impressive woman - from County Clare.

[newbryford]

6 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

I refrained from trying to put in the new fence panels this afternoon, and instead started on the taming of some of the hedging

 

 

I almost read that as "taming of the hedgehog"

[newbryford]

5 hours ago, SM42 said:

Better get that fence in sharpish HH. 

 

Heavy rain and gusty winds tomorrow and snow on Thursday.

 

Some years ago ( almost 16 actually) I did the tour of the Lech brewery in Poznan.  

 

Expecting some tale of special wells for the water, I was quite surprised when they said they get the water from the city's water supply 

 

Andy

 

And Boddingtons brewery next to Manchester Victoria *apparently* used water from the passing River Irwell....

which also meandered through the grounds of Salford Uni where I once frequented. 

Let's just say that you wouldn't swim in it.

 

I guess that's why I never developed a taste for beer

 

 

 

 

Edited February 6 by newbryford

[Hroth]

A recent episode of "Inside The Factory" visited the Guinness plant.  Apparently, in order to comply with food standards their Liffey Water is basically what everyone in the district gets from the tap, treated, chlorinated and fluoridated.

 

Well they used to say that "Guinness is good for you", your chances of tooth decay will be reduced!

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001vp8p/inside-the-factory-series-8-5-stout

 

Its iPlayer, so its UK only and you have to get through the BBC login...

 

Edited February 6 by Hroth
Link to programme

[jjb1970]

Neither my wife or I drink much. Although Mrs JJB is Christian she grew up in a Muslim country. Indonesia isn't dry but alcohol consumption is nothing like as popular as in Europe.  I  like sake, it's the only alcohol I genuinely like, and she likes soju but it's rare we indulge.

[J. S. Bach]

34 minutes ago, jjb1970 said:

 ...snip...  I  like sake, it's the only alcohol I genuinely like ...snip...

I tried some sake but but the only thing that I ended up doing with it was using it as fire ant killer.

[J. S. Bach]

A late early over there? Night Owl from the Piedmont.

[jamie92208]

And good moaning from the Charente. 

 

Jamie

[jjb1970]

On disappointing places, I'd suggest avoiding Bali. There are many wonderful places to visit in Indonesia but Bali unfortunately isn't one of them. Well, if you go inland it's lovely, but the coastal areas are awful. I'd recommend the Central Javan highlands, beautiful and with a lovely climate.

[GMKAT7]

Good morning folks,

 

Following on from newbryford's comments about Boddingtons beer, when I was an apprentice in Crewe Works the locals used to say about Boddie's:

 "If the bottom has fallen out of your world, drink Boddie's and the world will fall out of your bottom" .

 

Although I later heard the same in Derby about Shipstones beer. Sometimes known as Sh1tstones.

 

Cheers, Nigel.

[SM42]

Boddingtons is a fine tasting beer.

 

Then it leaves the brewery gates and something happens to it. 

 

Some sort of proximity fuse I think

 

Andy

[New Haven Neil]

I only drink maybe once a month nowadays, and then with caution.  Alcohol plays havoc with my arthritic hips and crunchy foot, to the point it is just not worth the pain.  Worst is red wine - which I love....pah!

[iL Dottore]

11 hours ago, Tony_S said:

There was almost but not quite a French Revolution replay here this afternoon

Aditi, There is no cake for afternoon tea

Me, We could eat bread, we have plenty.

Aditi , I will make some

 

Tony

 

11 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

 

Sometimes we need a drool button.

 

Dave

Without casting any aspersions on what looks like to be superb cinnamon rolls, I wouldn’t click the drool button. Sweet things really aren’t my thing.

 

Now this may come as an unbelievable shock to @Happy Hippo @polybear @Dave Hunt @Tony_S @jamie92208 and other crustulamphages of this parish, but I could be hungry, be placed immediately adjacent to cakes and I wouldn’t touch the cakes! *
 

It may be unbelievable, if not completely alien, to some but I really have to be in the right mood to scoff sweetmeats (cakes, buns, biscuits [US: Cookies] or chocolates) - which is probably why desserts are a weak part of my culinary repertoire (although I make a very decent crème brûlée and my spotted dick [no sniggering in the back] with skoolboy custard is a satisfying winter warmer).

 

The continental (and now increasingly British) tendency towards sweet breakfasts - is anathema to me. Apart from the refined carb overload, the huge amount of sugar ingested (most commercially prepared breakfast food stuffs are high in sugar) will result in insulin spikes, which as @New Haven Neil (and others) would agree Is Not Good News!

 

Give me a Full English Breakfast anytime (sans baked beans, fried tomato and [sadly] without fried bread) and I’ll be a happy and satiated lagomorph until dinner at 7pm.

 

But if you really want to have my undying bounteous gratitude; then offer me a proper Lasagna Verde alla Bolognese (like the one you get at the Osteria dell’Orsa in Bologna) or slow-roast pork belly with crispy, crunchy crackling, goose fat roasted potatoes, apple sauce, English mustard and (for the sake of diversity and inclusivity 🤣) a token green vegetable - such as a stem of broccoli or a half-dozen peas 😁

 

* this has actually happened before on numerous occasions!

[iL Dottore]

3 hours ago, jjb1970 said:

… I  like sake, it's the only alcohol I genuinely like, and she likes soju but it's rare we indulge.

Me too, I acquired an appreciation for it when I was recently in Japan for a month.

3 hours ago, J. S. Bach said:

I tried some sake but but the only thing that I ended up doing with it was using it as fire ant killer.

Heathen! 😳😁

There’s some very very good sake out there, but most of the really, really good stuff doesn’t get exported. Sadly, some of the exported sake is pretty grim, but I’d still drink it over Budweiser or Coors.🤣

[iL Dottore]

1 hour ago, jjb1970 said:

On disappointing places, I'd suggest avoiding Bali. There are many wonderful places to visit in Indonesia but Bali unfortunately isn't one of them. Well, if you go inland it's lovely, but the coastal areas are awful. I'd recommend the Central Javan highlands, beautiful and with a lovely climate.

I’d also suggesting avoiding Davos, Zermatt and Crans Montana if you want to see the real Switzerland. The places mentioned (and a number of other ski resorts as well) are not only eye-wateringly expensive (even by Swiss standards and that’s saying something) but also overrun by Oligarchs, the nouveau riche and Hooray Henries and Henriettas.

[SM42]

I definitely have a sweet tooth and with tlusty czwartek on the horizon ( this  Thursday) I think resisting the onslaught of doughnuts will be an issue 

 

The local Polish shop ( not a big place) has 1000 on order. (Not just for me but I think they are expecting HH) 

 

This will do nothing for my annual blood test results when I can summon up the courage to have a needle jabbed in me.  

 

Having said that, I also quite like savoury too and given the choice would probably take the latter over sugary stuff, but a bit of cake to clean the pallete would definitely sneek in. 

 

Meanwhile Mrs SM42 is planning a summer trip to the Suwalki gap. 😯

 

 

Andy

Edited February 6 by SM42

[Dave Hunt]

I would take a bacon butty over anything sweet any time. And although we often have porridge for brekkies, a full English (but no black pudding or beans) is absolutely top of the pops. I do also like chocolate but it has to be dark - at least 70% cocoa solids. As for the average sugar laden shop cakes - yuk. I do, however, appreciate a good lemon drizzle cake as long as it is not too sweet - like the ones I make - or a rich fruit cake. And marmalade on toast is quite yummy.

 

Dave

Edited February 6 by Dave Hunt

[Oldddudders]

Sherry and I just aren't sweet-toothed. When we went on the (indifferently successful) Great Railway Journey holiday to Germany, we were amazed at the majority of fellow-passengers who, in every town we visited, would look for the café offering the best creamy gateau. As the majority were our age or older, so median age 70-ish, and most a bit overweight at least, this seemed rash.

 

I believe I have had lemon drizzle cake once, in a rehearsal for 'Allo 'Allo in 2022. Everyone said it was really good, but I found it boring. Taste is a personal matter. 

[Tony_S]

2 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

superb cinnamon rolls

Chelsea Buns.

[Tony_S]

4 hours ago, jjb1970 said:

On disappointing places, I'd suggest avoiding Bali. There are many wonderful places to visit in Indonesia but Bali unfortunately isn't one of them. Well, if you go inland it's lovely, but the coastal areas are awful. I'd recommend the Central Javan highlands, beautiful and with a lovely climate.

Some years ago Aditi’s parents did a world tour (not a sea cruise) and were very keen to visit Bali. I don’t think they mentioned the scenery once, their main interest was to see the Hindu temples.  

[SM42]

I'm anticipating the next 2 weeks to be quite cake heavy. 

 

It's the sister in law's 50th next week and I will also complete another orbit next week.

 

On top of that we will be in the motherland, the national food being cake, it is inevitable that my diet will need  to be postponed. 

 

Andy

[jamie92208]

I have a real sweet tooth and get stick from Beth about it.  However there are times when I really do need a sugar hit.  So far my HBA1Cis fine.  Rich fruit cake is lovely.  I do have to be careful with all the delights on offer in the pattiserie. One of my favourites is glacé cherries.  By some strange force, tubs of them falinto my shopping basket when I am out alone. The containers are great for storing things such as cable clips or screws. 

 

Jamie

Edited February 6 by jamie92208

[Tony_S]

3 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Zermatt

I have been there, only for a day trip though. Drove from Stresa via Domodossala, over the Simplon pass to the big car park and got a train to Zermatt. We had to stop near the big eagle statue at the top of the Simplon pass as our Renault 5 hire car was misfiring. Not due to altitude it seemed but just about every electrical connection was loose. All adjusted with Swiss Army knife. No further problem. 
I have been to St Moritz too while touring in Switzerland. I don’t think it was particularly worth visiting but it was at the end of a very nice train ride. 

[New Haven Neil]

Zermatt

 

Down there....under the cloud on the right.