Early Risers.

[jjb1970]

On celebrity cooks, I kind of miss Delia. Yes, I know, but whatever her faults she did a lot of shows showing how to do basic food with basic equipment and which were aimed at novices. Her menus may not have been haute cuisine but she did help a lot of people to cook, much more so than other celebrity chefs I expect. I love watching Heston Blumenthal and would love to eat at his restaurant but I imagine watching his shows would be a bit like watching Mozart or Beethoven make a show on how to compose music. If it could happen it'd probably be hugely informative and enjoyable but I'm not sure many would go out and manage to compose anything worth listening to.

[Hroth]

11 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

 

 

Heres a radical  idea, why dont the same folk who give you a photo license also offer the same thing but with "Drivers Licence" crossed out and  "Proof Of Identification" or similar in its place?

 

 

 

 

 

The drivers licence looks ok, but why does it appear to have a Triffid on it?

 

Is it another dangerous thing to be aware of when visiting Australia, or is it just endemic to NSW?

 

[DaveF]

It's raining, the local bit of the Met Office forecast is for rain to contnue until about breakfast time tomorrow.  I don't think I'll go far today.  There's almost no wind (it should be from the north) and it is 6°C.

 

Some dusting has been done, my cleaner from Age Co starts later today so after I have shown her where things are she can do the vacuuming etc.  Then next week she can do other things as well.  However I will do the dusting - there are far too many ornaments and model bits, if I break them then it's my own fault!  I don't want someone else worrying about what might happen.

 

My day will be spent continuing to sort out photos and model making - or at least that is what I hope.

 

I had an email from Microsoft today about family safety, so updated the app to let me decide if I want to change anything.  The app no longer works, despite being the latest version it says it needs updating.  Judging by comments elsewhere it isn't just me.  As I don't use Edge it doesn't really matter anyway.

 

After I wrote on here yesterday I went to the beach just as it was getting dark.  There was plenty of space to park as the cafes were closing.  There were a number of ships off Tynemouth each showing a lot of light, as well as the lights on the local wind turbines.  It made a nice change, I quite often used to go at that time of day, I'm not sure why I stopped.  I don't like being there when it is really dark as there can be too many idiots and "odd" people there.  I am sure you will know what I mean.

 

David

[tigerburnie]

1 hour ago, jjb1970 said:

On celebrity cooks, I kind of miss Delia. Yes, I know, but whatever her faults she did a lot of shows showing how to do basic food with basic equipment and which were aimed at novices. Her menus may not have been haute cuisine but she did help a lot of people to cook, much more so than other celebrity chefs I expect. I love watching Heston Blumenthal and would love to eat at his restaurant but I imagine watching his shows would be a bit like watching Mozart or Beethoven make a show on how to compose music. If it could happen it'd probably be hugely informative and enjoyable but I'm not sure many would go out and manage to compose anything worth listening to.

I used to like watching Nigella................apparently she did some cooking as well....................................................who knew?

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Had a lot of grumbling from the Arthritis last night but it didn't stop me going to sleep and when I woke it had gone. I will have to notify the DLVA that the car is scrapped today. I tried to last night until I got a message that I can only do it from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. which seems ridiculous as it's a completely automated system operating seven days a week. I'd better get on with it as I will lose a months road tax refund if I delay any longer. 

[Smiffy2]

3 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Had a lot of grumbling from the Arthritis last night 

Me too - bad at the moment. Must be the weather.

[iL Dottore]

3 hours ago, Barry O said:

....I never fail to be amazed at somenof the "recipe" books which either need a master chef or every possible kitchen gadget in the world to concoct. .. as much as a chocolate fire guard for use with a log burner.

Not really.

 

Most of the recipe books I have use standard kitchen equipment - even something like a Kenwood Chef or a food processor are pretty mainstream nowadays - mainstream to the point that you can even buy them (or inexpensive [ahem] copies) at Lidl and Aldi.

 

Very few of the "celebrity chef" cookbooks require any of the things that I would regard as the province of the serious amateur cook or the professional, such as:

• Salamander
• Deep fat fryer (although domestic versions have been around for yonks)
• Sous-Vide setup (vacuum sealer, sous-vide cooker), although these are getting pretty mainstream, I have a sous-vide cooker from Lidl which works brilliantly
• Pasta machine (but again getting pretty mainstream)
• Cook's blow-torch
• Blast chiller
• Self-refrigerating Ice cream machine (again reasonable domestic ones are available)
• Plancha

I have everything in the list above except the salamander and the blast chiller (although my ice cream maker is professional and my plancha is a domestic version from Solis [which is sort of OK]).

 

The one thing I don't have (and have only seen two professional versions thereof) is the air-fryer. Nisbets has this  https://www.nisbets.co.uk/lightfry-high-capacity-air-fryer-lf18ehc/cj785 at

£11,699.99 (plus VAT).

 

[Hroth]

14 minutes ago, tigerburnie said:

I used to like watching Nigella................apparently she did some cooking as well....................................................who knew?

 

Definitely well worth watching!

 

[iL Dottore]

2 hours ago, jjb1970 said:

On celebrity cooks, I kind of miss Delia. Yes, I know, but whatever her faults she did a lot of shows showing how to do basic food with basic equipment and which were aimed at novices. Her menus may not have been haute cuisine but she did help a lot of people to cook, much more so than other celebrity chefs I expect. I love watching Heston Blumenthal and would love to eat at his restaurant but I imagine watching his shows would be a bit like watching Mozart or Beethoven make a show on how to compose music. If it could happen it'd probably be hugely informative and enjoyable but I'm not sure many would go out and manage to compose anything worth listening to.

Most "celebrity chefs" are perhaps not "pretentious w*****s" (© Gwiwer at The Polybear Culinary Establishment), but they do an incredibly poor job of convincing many Britons that there's more to life than takeaways and microwaveable [ahem] "food". Plus they also have to deal with a deeply ingrained inverse food snobbery found in much of the UK population as well. An inverse food snobbery not seen in many other places around the world. For Italians, the French, the Spanish (and many more besides), regardless of occupation and/or social status, either food is good or it isn't.

 

I have eaten at one of Heston Blumethal's restaurants (Dinner), not inexpensive (given the amount of labour involved and the cost of quality ingredients), not just a fantastic meal but an amazing evening out as well.

 

Ironically, the menu at Dinner has many historic (as in rarely seen today) British food items such as Meat Fruit (c 1500), Duck and Turnips (c AD 79) and Sambocade (c 1390).

Edited January 29 by iL Dottore

[monkeysarefun]

1 hour ago, Hroth said:

 

The drivers licence looks ok, but why does it appear to have a Triffid on it?

 

Is it another dangerous thing to be aware of when visiting Australia, or is it just endemic to NSW?

 

 

 

 That sir is a Waratah, state flower of NSW and a bit  temperamental to grow but look spectacular if you see a bush full of them.

 

Edited January 29 by monkeysarefun

[Grizz]

On 28/01/2024 at 11:08, monkeysarefun said:

 

 

Its an obvious  trick!!!!!!       it was hoping to fool  you into getting  up  close enough so it could give it a flick  and have your eyes out.

 

  You need to put  heavier chains on them.

 

 

 

Pick who does the most murdering  of innocent  Australians:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wow I would never have thought it mate. Seriously I would probs have put money on snakes taking out more people than horses in Australia. Every day is a school day. So where do spiders come in the league table of things trying to kill you? 
 

In other news …..Mrs Grizz is on the mend. I can tell that because she now can’t sit still and is getting bored. Which means that I have to more careful as she will now go off on short test trundles around the castle to gauge how much it has worn her out when she then lays back down again.
 

Apart from Grizz taxi duties, with all the windows down,  I have remained in my workshop most of the time, muddling and listening to episodes of Clare in the Community radio show.

Last night was an exception as I did a late night field ornament fodder drop. To be fair they are associating me with food delivery so I am not seen as a threat by the looks of it. Last evening was warm, despite a clear sky, and with the moon out it was very pleasant. 
The biggest risk when feeding them is if they have a fight over who’s food is who’s. Then getting trapped up against a stable or fencing is a very real possibility or even just being run over by one of them in full flight panic mode. They don’t normally do this though. 
 

 

[monkeysarefun]

6 minutes ago, Grizz said:

So where do spiders come in the league table of things trying to kill you? 

I think it goes:

 

Horses 

horses

horses

horses

crocs

sharks

snakes

everything else.

 

 

Officially no one has succumbed to spider bites since 1981 when Funnel Web anti-venom was developed , but  it would be interesting to find out how many heart attacks and fatal  car accidents have been caused due to a bloody big Huntsman suddenly appearing out of nowhere.

 

Edited January 29 by monkeysarefun

[southern42]

' morning all from red dragon land.

Dark for this time of morning.

Wet - as in raining, 5.2C.

 

On the menu, today: a couple of clothing returns - one massive, one teeny weeny. Company product size guides seemingly useless! Ah, well. <<Musn't grumbIe!>>  I did get one out of three items to keep!

 

Later...!

Packages at the door ready for tomorrow's collection.

 

ION

Toot on the flute. It is now just two days* before the plan to start adding the twiddly bits to the second half of song#3. Scary - as in can I do it?

*Two days in which to get two little notes on the first line just as I want them Every time I play them. <<Hmmmm!>>

 

Saturday, I watched a TV repeat of a certain celebrity's landscape with parallel bits of metal for the second time. I must have been very attentive (not) the first time as I hardly remembered a thing! Lots of little useful things came to light this time which could easily spark off some muddling ideas of my own. Well worth a second visit! And anyway, I'm a fan of Jools...;)

 

Lunchtime beckons.

Take care. Be good. Don't miss an opportunity.

Polly

 

[PhilJ W]

57 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

The one thing I don't have (and have only seen two professional versions thereof) is the air-fryer. Nisbets has this  https://www.nisbets.co.uk/lightfry-high-capacity-air-fryer-lf18ehc/cj785 at

£11,699.99 (plus VAT).

As they are in effect a fan oven you might as well go for the real thing. I know I am a fan of air fryers but I am also aware of their limitations. Where air fryers come into their own is when cooking for one or two people they are quicker and more economical than a conventional oven. The worst thing about them is the name which IMHO is misleading, they can do many things that a deep fat fryer can't do but can't fry chips.

[Grizz]

9 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

I think it goes:

 

Horses 

horses

horses

horses

crocs

sharks

snakes

everything else.

 

 

Officially no one has succumbed to spider bites since 1981 when Funnel Web anti-venom was developed , but  it would be interesting to find out how many heart attacks and fatal  car accidents have been caused due to a bloody big Huntsman suddenly appearing out of nowhere.

 

 

Couldn’t help thinking of this ad….dont know whether the beer is any good mind you, 

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=castle+maine+ad+crocs&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-gb&client=safari#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:870a8ec8,vid:mpYNMQX41Gs,st:0

 

 

[southern42]

4 hours ago, Barry O said:

I never fail to be amazed at somenof the "recipe" books which either need a master chef or every possible kitchen gadget in the world to concoct. .. as much as a chocolate fire guard for use with a log burner.

 

Two of my four books, the third an early Delia one, having got "lost", the other Afternoon Tea which I picked up at work just before retirement, thinking that is what I would be able to do everyday. Did I? No. <<Don't be daft!>>

 

The larger one (1970, 15th impression 1977) contains words like continental, Italian, Irish, Hungarian, Swiss, Traditional/Old English, French, Scandinavian, Welsh, New Zealand, Malayan, old-fashioned, Milanese, Danish, Monte Carlo, Oriental, Bavarian, Spanish, Poland, Greece, Hungary, Ayrshire/other counties. In all these years, of over 300 recipes, I have barely used a couple of dozen or so, the latest to be tried out was a scone topping to turn my chicken pie into a cobbler, nice but I prefer my usual thin(ner) pastry.

The book always surfaces just before *C* for the *C* cake icing. Next year I am thinking of making my own marzipan from the recipe on the same page.

 

The smaller one (1975, 4th reprint 1976), bought after seeing the TV programme, I have used for making mincemeat, dumplings, puddings, cakes, main meals. A fascinating book, even just for a read.

 

Talking food... <<It's lunchtime....!>>

👋

[Hroth]

2 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

 

 

 That sir is a Waratah, state flower of NSW and a bit  temperamental to grow but look spectacular if you see a bush full of them.

 

 

Temperamental?

 

I suppose they ARE safe to handle once decapitated...

 

[petethemole]

13 hours ago, jjb1970 said:

 

It's the big fight, the four n'twenty steak pie versus the Greggs cheese and onion pasty face off to decide which can inflict the most painful permanent tissue damage by being hotter than the inside of the sun!

A local Southampton bakery, Plested Pies, would have been in the running or that, years ago.  They had a shop by the Hants & Dorset bus station and were very popular, but if you bit into a freshy bought one you'd get a spurt of searingly hot gravy.  They are still going, in different premises but I don't think the gravy is as hot, though I haven't had one for years.

[PupCam]

Afternoon All

 

23 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

You sound like the Copper’s Copper Commander Vimes* who was of the opinion that “a good copper can always find a crime, if he looks hard enough”

 

*Discworld

 

Which isn't surprising given the vast number of Acts on the statute.   Whilst the fundamental intent of ignorance of the law is no defence is understood (and it would clearly be impossible to train every citizen on every Act) really for laws that do not follow common sense and common decency (whatever they actually are) it's all a bit one sided really and could be taking the Micky if someone were prosecuted under some archaic and bizarre but never repealed act e.g. "For treading on the cracks in the pavement after twilight whilst carrying a brace of ferrets" or whatever.     One hopes that  folk are no longer subjected to such ridiculousness although I suspect that on some occasions that might be a forlorn hope!

 

22 hours ago, Ohmisterporter said:

I have a bit of a problem here. Kath has been told not to drive on medical advice so we are going to notify the DVLA of this. I know it will result in them asking for her driving licence to be returned but that will leave her without any form of photo ID as we do not have passports either. We have previously been told that our bus passes are not acceptable proof of identity other than for bus rides. It seems just a few short years since the government, with their usual forward planning, abandoned a scheme to have all UK citizens issued with identity cards; following complaints from the usual suspects on the grounds they were damned un-British IIRC. I remember it caused some amusement among our foreign uni student at the time. Now we are told we will need an ID card to vote in future elections. Does anyone have advice on what type of photo card is obtainable and legal in the UK without the faff and expense of buying a passport?

 

19 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Why would you do this?

 

Follow medical advice by all means and not drive, but why create the headache?

 

Because she may well be obliged to.

 

18 hours ago, TheQ said:

We were always taught it was a surprise for guests, the blackbirds weren't actually baked in there, but placed live under a pastry cap.

When the big pie was brought in and the pastry broken, birds would fly everywhere as a surprise.

 

Can't say I'd relish tucking into a pie that include gravy avec bird guano.   Birds usually find the need to minimise take-off weight immediately prior to take-off.

 

4 hours ago, Hroth said:

Definitely well worth watching!

 

Certainly far more attractive than Fanny Craddock!

 

ION

 

We've now returned from a few days away well on the way although not "Over the Border"  to the Distant (Signal) West (© Gwiwer)  and very nice it was too.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We returned via the country route from the east of Swindon but had to avoid the roadworks at the Botley Interchange.   We saw quite a bit of Oxfordshire we'd not encountered before including Witney.   It seems that Oxfordshire in general and Witney in particular is trying to emulate Wales ..... Some would say FFS whilst I might be a little more restrained but I have the same sentiments.

 

Today has been very laid back.   I'm feeling extremely tired and apart from sorting out a couple of medical appointments and some internet surfing nothing has been done.  If I can stay awake I might have another play with some of the most recent astronomy data.  But then again I might not.

 

TTFN

 

 

 

 

Edited January 29 by PupCam

[Hroth]

19 minutes ago, PupCam said:

Certainly far more attractive than Fanny Craddock!

 

Didn't Johnnie once remark, live, on air, "May all your cakes look like Fannys"?

 

[TheQ]

39 minutes ago, PupCam said:

 

 

Can't say I'd relish tucking into a pie that include gravy avec bird guano.   Birds usually find the need to minimise take-off weight immediately prior to take-off.

 

You weren't expected to eat that pie, , it was purely a pastry case, the real pie would appear shortly once the birds had flown out of the windows.

 

Oxfordshire "de trunked " the through routes many years ago IIRC  over 30years ago, long before Wales went into 20mph mode. It is / was their announced intention to force everyone down onto the M4. They're just reducing the limits again to force even more traffic away.

 

Afternoon Awl,

Gerfingerpoken only took an hour and a half, I'm getting quicker at it.

 

Swmbo went into sort out mode, and expressed a wish for a 5 level shelving unit in the muddling room. So I've extracted that and replaced it with two stacked side tables. It's worked out well, as the 3D printer now sits on top, clearing the main table for muddling.

Awaiting further orders on shuffling stuff around.

 

Some muddling has taken place on the table on a Bedford MWD, a Bedford QL and an Austin K6 others are lined up to be done soon. Still can't find my other K6 s, I will have to order more anyway...

I can see more of the unit of unmentionables, as the above has moved from the layout.

Edited January 29 by TheQ

[Ian Abel]

Morning.

 

Weekend was quite busy and almost glad to be back "working"!

Friday evening - neighborhood happy hour, we provided some appetizers the creation of the Mrs., that were well received. Interesting discussions around the fate of the upcoming elections here and the monetary demise of the US "clown". Also featured discussion(s) of how frail the NFL/male members of the macho kind are in reactions to Taylor Swift "taking over" their NFL spotlight - w**kers.

Saturday - some errands followed by dinner with friends. We made a lemon bundt cake, probably somewhat similar to the renowned UK LDC, went down very well.

Sunday - I had to spend time installing decent lights in the closets of the main bedroom of the rental property. Blqqdy nuisance doing that, but result, finally.

Then some relaxation.

 

Today, as stated, back working, a quiet day expected, we'll see.

 

Weather, definitely NOT "in the bleak midwinter", +1c and sunny first thing, 9c the expected high!

 

Carry on.

[Barry O]

Lots of muddling items now back in place in the loft. Boy are cast locos extremely heavy.  Some repairs need to be undertaken then some more making things dirty.

 

Herself went on her shopping expedition and came home triumphant.. no sign of how much it cost... yet.

 

She has also retrieved 3 recorders which she has "recorked".. only cost £140,,,, OW MUCH?

 

Baz

 

Ps it's still chuckinitdarn here

[Grizz]

35 minutes ago, PupCam said:

…..Certainly far more attractive than Fanny Craddock!

 

 

 I think that you can get ointment for that these days……

 

 

 

….well no one else had said it! …………..I’ll get my coat! 

[DaveF]

As predicted today has been wet throughout so I have only ventured as far as the garage to get the wheelie bin ready to go out first thing tomorrow.

 

The new cleaner came on time and so far is very competent, I suspect the carpets and floors are cleaner than when I do them, the bathroom taps now gleam.  She lives in the next town but her relatives live near to me so she knows the area well.  She is used to her clients having lots of things in their houses, one man she cleans for is a military modeller and has a very large number of figures and equipment on display.

 

I've spent much of the day sorting out photos of things which move on steel strips taken in Switzerland in 1990.  I was pleased as there was only one location for which I had to look up the name.  The next step is to write the full captions.

 

I've just had a large batch of photos accepted for a flickr group, and almost as many rejected.  I hardly recognised some of them, they had been uploaded in 2021 so the group moderator must be a long way behind in his selection process.  I also note that the rules for the group have changed, you are now supposed to add the locations on a map, I am not sure I can be bothered.  A few of them are very quiet places and I am not sure it is a good idea to make the exact place too easy to find - there was an article in the latest Countryfile magazine about tourism pressure on some remote quiet locations without parking and suggesting that photographers should be a bit more vague ingiving exact locations.

 

I think I may just not bother, there are many other groups available.

 

Now it is time for tea and more reading of a book about things moving on steel strips in Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire in the 21st century.  It looks very different from when I lived in the area.

 

David

Edited January 29 by DaveF