fatmat
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Posts posted by fatmat
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I'm planning on a still one at the moment, but I've got plenty of time to be indecisive
- I'm planning on drinking this for xmas 2006, so I'm in no hurryThe brew was working, but at quite a slow rate, so I added two grams of Gervin Minavit nutrient, which is a fertiliser/multivitamin blend. It seems to have done the trick - the brew is working really well now.
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I added the lemon rind extract today - only used half tho as it was quite pungent. The brew is bubbling away quite happily to itself, so all well so far...
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Inspired by this thread, I have set up my own mead experiment today. I'm a bit of a bucket chemist, so measurements are guesstimates.
3lb honey - clover
juice from 4 lemons
rind of two lemons - no pith
1/2 pt white grape concentrate
1 tsp all purpose wine yeast - high alcohol tolerance
1/2 tsp nutrient
1 gallon water
Boiled and cooled water. Disolved honey in water, less two pints. Squeezed lemons and added juice to must (saving rind of two). Added yeast and grape concentrate to one reserved pint to get a starter going. Chopped the lemon rind and put in bowl with other reserved pint, boiling. This will be strained and lemon rind extract will be added tomorrow. Starter was added four hours after it was mixed.
I'll keep you posted on it's progress.
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Try www.sausagemaking.org.uk - A great online source for sausage making and curing, with on hand experts to answer any technical questions you have
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All I can say is - Gary Rhodes, what a plonker. There is no need to be so unpleasant. It just smacks of insecurity and social incompetence.
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I moved to Southsea in December, so I'm still finding my way around. There does seem to be a lack of fancy places.
The Jaipur on Albert Road in Southsea is good if you fancy a good quality Indian - not super fancy, but worth a visit.
I have also been recommended Rosies on Elm Grove, which is a Bistro type place. Not visited yet tho.
I ate at the Loch Fyne in Gunwharf two weeks ago. I was a few beers to the wind, but I had a good meal and would go back again.
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slightly off the malt/hops track a little, but how about ginger beer... or belgian fruit beers such as raspberry, apricot or cherry. Also St Peters Spiced beer with apple and cinnamon, or something similar
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I was veggie for two years, I 'recovered' - I have only one word to say... BACON!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Fish and Chips
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MacDonalds should be tried for food crimes
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Just a tip.
When I first made pasta by hand, i didn't know that the dough was meant to be quite dry, and would be very difficult to knead and get smooth. I made the mistake of adding more liquid and ended up with dough that was to soft to work in the machine.
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stir fried fennel bulb
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Storage containers take up loads of space and do not get smaller as their contents go down. It means that your cupboards can be packed our with nearly empty containers. Even when they are empty they take up space.
I use re-sealable/zip-loc bags to store dry goods, cheeses, squidgy stuff etc...
I don't own any plastic containers any more.
I hope that this is helpful
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I'm trying to do the healthy thing at the moment - no booze, lots of water, veggie food, no dairy, no sweets, no stodge etc... etc...
I keep trying to convince myself that it is possible for food to be just as pleasureable this way... sometimes I even start to believe myself....
We're eating very well, feeling good already and the pounds seem to be falling off already...
But then I start thinking about all the good things... Bread... cheese...wine... salami... hams...pies...pastry...beef... chocolate...puddings....cream...hot buttered toast...pizza...pasta...juicy roast pork with crackling...roast potatoes...bacon...
Then the misery starts...life is somehow empty without overindulgence
P.S. Tarka have you tried eating fresh fruit to help kill the headaches - I did a detox before, and that is what was recommended
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Question - what counts as age?
The age on the shelf maturing or the age in the fridge festering?
I've eaten some scary stuff from the fridge after beer - do these count?
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Fleur de Sel is a little like mega expensive perfume. Most people can't tell the difference but it makes you feel good when you put it on (..... a meal)
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Five points -
(a) With regard to cell phones... let's put it this way.....how would you feel if someone came into a good restaurant and plunked down a small portable television on the table to watch during his/her dinner? Even if they listened to it quietly or even with ear-phones? Might that not be just a wee bit distracting to others in the restaurant? So be it with the cell phone as well.
Cell phones aren't portable TV's, they are a means of talking to someone who isn't there.
(b) With further regard to cell phones ....isn't it somewhat of an insult to your companions to be devoting time to phone calls when you should be in their company? Even half-wise people hold their calls when in conference in an office. Are we that important that we have to be in touch with friends, collegues, business acquaintances, etc during dinner?
It's the same 'insult' if you are with a friend anywhere. You know if your friend will be insulted. It's not for the restaurant to enforce your 'good manners' in this instance.
I do agree that people talking loudly is annoying, but the same is so, whether they are using a phone or not. Perhaps restaurants should also ban the consumption of booze for the same reason!!
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I like
Salt and pepper
Lemon pepper
Smoked Paprika and salt
Not tried it, but I guess that curry spices and salt would work
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(d) With regard to tipping.... I understand that in Australia most restaurants pay their waitstaff fairly and well and that tipping is no longer an issue. If we lived in a better world - one for example where waiters and waitresses indeed received fair salaries, I would agree that tipping would be unnecessary. Alas, the world is far from perfect.
I don't agree. If customers understood the tipping system, then it is fair.
Waiters are paid a flat wage - generally quite low. The remainder of their wage they earn by pleasing the customer. In theory, in a perfect world, the more pleased the customer, the greater the tip.
If the tip were to be abolished then restaurant prices would have to increase to meet the shortfall between the flat wage and the tip and therefore, power is taken from the customer. The tip adds a little extra motivation, which in my experience works. For me, it also makes the shift a little more fun
There are times when you work your ass off and smile sweetly all evening, and get just a few quid from a massive table, but in general, tipping worked in my experience.
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... er... I was wondering... what's the point of tipping? If it's not a means of offering encouragement for the waiter and the rest of the team, what purpose does it serve?
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Enforced tipping... how wrong is that?? Tipping (To 'Insure' Promptness = TIP).
Its frustrating when people don't tip, but I believe that it should be voluntary. It's what keeps waiters on their toes.
When I waitered, I enjoyed the challenge of earning my tip - It gave me a little more drive and helped keep a smile on my face even when I didn't feel like it
Interesting. So you feel the system that exists in most of the world outside the U.S. is wrong? How does that wrongness reflect itself in terms of lousy service in Italy, France, China, Japan, etc.?
Exsqueeze me...? don't get your question. My stand is that forced tipping is wrong. Forced tipping does not guarantee good service in any way, shape or form.
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...and they are my social inferiors in that context .
Ouch... I don't think so.
We are no better or no worse, we are just paid to provide a service, context regardless!!
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Enforced tipping... how wrong is that?? Tipping (To 'Insure' Promptness = TIP).
Its frustrating when people don't tip, but I believe that it should be voluntary. It's what keeps waiters on their toes.
When I waitered, I enjoyed the challenge of earning my tip - It gave me a little more drive and helped keep a smile on my face even when I didn't feel like it
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So basically, if people chat discreetly, then phones are no problem...?
Concerning your crack down...What about the incidents where people shout at each other face to face... Can I suggest that you introduce a no talking policy???
Guilty Pleasures – Even Great Chefs Have 'Em – What's Yours?
in Food Traditions & Culture
Posted
British/Scottish pleasures that I have never tried.
These may be folk legends as I have only met people whose friends have tried them, however, Scotland is famed for the deep fried battered mars bar.
If you think that this is bad, it is rumoured that they also batter and deep fry pizza slices and entire cheese burgers.
I suspect that no one would admit to having eaten either of these as it is the culinary equivalent of telling your wife that you just slept with a lady of the night. :)