Nice people thread part 4 - sugar and spice and all things

PasturesNew

silvercar wrote: »

How is the healthier one coping?

Not good. It seems to have set off more dementia.... maybe that's their coping mechanism "go loopy". Thanks.

PasturesNew

I think the bedroom NEEDS a good proper big light, in the middle of the ceiling. There are times you will need to do stuff in that room when it's dark outside. Maybe decorating, reorganising the room, looking for something important ... just stuff and things - and you'd be really annoyed when you couldn't just flood the room with good light while you were doing whatever.

Generali

Not for the squeamish.

Well I got one thing out of being jet lagged. I found this book (the title translates as Forgotten Cuisines) which apparently contains a recipe for Blaireau au Sang (trans Badger in Blood). Blood was traditionally used as a sauce thickener in France and the UK in times past. Coq au vin for example was traditionally thickened with the male hen's* blood and jugged hare was thickened with the hare's blood.

Basically you stew pieces of badger in sparkling wine and ginger and then add the chopped badger liver, some pig blood and egg yolks to thicken the sauce and finally stir in some creme fraiche to finish it.

I sort of collect older and unusual recipes. At the moment I'm interested in stuff from the 1930s-1970s where they start to use food technology like MSG, packet soups, ready made sauces or partial sauces and so on. I'd like to get into some more C19th stuff but that gets a little more expensive. I'd love to get into the earliest cook books: a lot of the early US cookbooks have been reprinted and are available on Amazon as have things like Hannah Glasse. A lot of it you need to buy the originals and that ain't cheap.



*can't use the correct translation of coq as it is censored. It's not like I'm recommending silver as an investment or something. Bah!

vivatifosi

Good luck for the interview tomorrow Gen!

lostinrates

Generali wrote: »

Not for the squeamish.

Well I got one thing out of being jet lagged. I found this book (the title translates as Forgotten Cuisines) which apparently contains a recipe for Blaireau au Sang (trans Badger in Blood). Blood was traditionally used as a sauce thickener in France and the UK in times past. Coq au vin for example was traditionally thickened with the male hen's* blood and jugged hare was thickened with the hare's blood.

Basically you stew pieces of badger in sparkling wine and ginger and then add the chopped badger liver, some pig blood and egg yolks to thicken the sauce and finally stir in some creme fraiche to finish it.

I sort of collect older and unusual recipes. At the moment I'm interested in stuff from the 1930s-1970s where they start to use food technology like MSG, packet soups, ready made sauces or partial sauces and so on. I'd like to get into some more C19th stuff but that gets a little more expensive. I'd love to get into the earliest cook books: a lot of the early US cookbooks have been reprinted and are available on Amazon as have things like Hannah Glasse. A lot of it you need to buy the originals and that ain't cheap.



*can't use the correct translation of coq as it is censored. It's not like I'm recommending silver as an investment or something. Bah!

I have some copies of early recipes but not cook books. There have been a few floating a bout ...historic collections, in recent years haven't there? I'm not in the market for new cook books atm. I have had good fun making old milk and almond puddings and some other stuff. Flummery.

There is a great restaurant in Florence which is all ''old'' food....eating like the Medici (the chef is some old noble) (edit: its called Alessi. Youused to have to be some sort of member I think but not sure now??) . I really love that antiquated european sweet/sour food using dried fruits....I also really love that in middle eastern and N. african sort of food.

My mother has some of her really old family cook books, the ones they wrote in, lots of 19th century stuff there for you Gen.

What I do have are some brilliant American community cookbooks...sort of like somehting the WI would produce here, but because its for such a different palate they are hilarious and amazing. I love them and would like more community cook books from all over. I got really into Jewish cookbooks for a while. I really look forward to unpacking books. Dog-dogs broken leg means we certainly won't get the study done (and the first room of bookshelves) this year as planned.


fwiw a Korean chap once tried to convince me to collect bits of road kill badger to send to him to sell as aphrodisiac. Is there still that blood drains from your face smiley?

edit: I was just on phone to dh who thinks you still need to be a member but said to tell Gen if he's ever there I can get dh to sort it.

lostinrates

Gen, is the long term plan still the south of france? Or did the trip ''home'' make Oz feel more homely? I'm just getting excited about popping over for a meal.

fc123

PasturesNew wrote: »

I've had a tough 2 weeks, not mentioned it here... but it's now confirmed I am managing an end of life situation. The M nurse will be arriving tomorrow/Friday to sort out care etc, attendance allowance will be sorted (terminal/automatic) and I guess I'm going to be quite busy with the various/changing needs around me ... until. And I don't know when until is... until. But it's probably not this month, but I don't think Xmas plans will be needed.

vivatifosi wrote: »

Pastures, how rotten for you. I'm glad that M is now visiting and that attendance allowance will be automatic. Hopefully they will also be advising how to get the allowance for the other "old". The whole "I don't know how long it will be" thing will be tough on you Pastures and you'll possibly find yourself in a situation where you are lacking black and white answers. Unfortunately this is often how things go. When my aunt was dying and I was sitting with my cousin, they wouldn't tell us. When I was sitting with my cousin's daughter when her dad was dying they told her it would be weeks and in reality it was days. It is very hard.

If you want to sound off, blow a gasket, kick a metaphorical cat or whatever, we're all here for you.

Are the siblings helping out?

PasturesNew wrote: »

One's visited/left, but is on the case.... and now kicking the butt of the other one. I have to go away, which was mentioned some time back, so one might be covering that week.... but after that I was doing a whole holiday/round robin, that's now probably cancelled.

I am so glad (if that's the right word) that the M's are helping/assisting. It's going to be a hard one this but with their support I am less fretting about you a little bit.
Plus the siblings are on board (just) so that's a good thing.

The memory loss could be a kind of coping mechanism too as she must know what's going on and, as you said before, is very dependent. I am always on the end of an e-mail (as I am sure others here are too) so if you want to vent, feel free anytime.

I missed the closing of that last thread so can't quote from it Thanks for the responses to my Q's.


Am I the only NP that is OMG lemon J reads soooo many books and now feel a bit feeble as it, I confess, has been 5 whole weeks since I finished a trash novel (and am waaaaay too embarrassed to post the title here....but it was really good despite having some pastelle pink and gold embossing on the cover).
I must go through the list to see if anything grabs.

I have a copy of Pidgeon wars...anyone reat it? What I really fancy to escape to is something like Tractors in Ukrainaian stylee book as I loved it.

Lights....someone removed the pendant from half our lounge (and we never got around to putting it back) and it's a PITA. The other half has a pendant but the non half just has wall lights. Keep the pendant in with a nice fitting then it's there of you need a bright light sometimes.

I forgot to say congrats to Viv on relocation of job too.........I think I have missed loads of stuff ...and is NDG preg or planning preg? Or am I confused

Gen Interview? Oooooooh what interview pls tell.

....and moi? Well, after much very heated debate we made some very key decisions today after some v good news. Scary ones as they involve going 2 steps back to go 4 forward ...and I always worry that we will trip over when we do stuff like that.

On a risk level....mmm...they are up there on the top guys but they feel right. Doesn't involve taking on debt (as if ?!!!) but does mean giving up a significant turnover of a sum I would be too ashamed to post.
But I am looking for affirmation from the NP's that turnover is vanity and margin is the main man.

elona

Pastures

Glad you now at least know what the situation is if that that does not sound tactless. My father went from climbing up ladders doing his own decorating to being diagnosed with terminal acute leukemia in a few months.

McMilllan nurses are fantastic but if you can get the "old" into a hospice then you know pain management will be there,as will the constant attention a hospital cannot give, especially if the partner is demanding attention at the same time.

You should not be dealing with this on your own and make sure your siblings





is demanding attention at the same time

lostinrates

fc123 wrote: »

Am I the only NP that is OMG lemon J reads soooo many books and now feel a bit feeble as it, I confess, has been 5 whole weeks since I finished a trash novel (and am waaaaay too embarrassed to post the title here....but it was really good despite having some pastelle pink and gold embossing on the cover).
I must go through the list to see if anything grabs.

I got six from the library on last Thurs I think. I've got one left. Nothing hard going though, one a long bath and bed time.

(of them so far favourite is certainly. The Orange Girl, picked up because I quite liked Sophies world.).

edit: LJ is in a different situation, he has to fit in with his conventional work hours.

Not sure how successful the library thing is going to be for me. There is an online search facility that tells me nothing I've asked to reserve is available. the reservation is seventyfive pence IF they have them in the area in other libraries,which while not bad could add up quickly...when you also count petrol to go in and out. not sure how much from outside the area, but think might be cheaper to buy used on Amazon. , I'm going to persevere for a few weeks though.

...and moi? Well, after much very heated debate we made some very key decisions today after some v good news. Scary ones as they involve going 2 steps back to go 4 forward ...and I always worry that we will trip over when we do stuff like that.

On a risk level....mmm...they are up there on the top guys but they feel right. Doesn't involve taking on debt (as if ?!!!) but does mean giving up a significant turnover of a sum I would be too ashamed to post.
But I am looking for affirmation from the NP's that turnover is vanity and margin is the main man.

Sounds exciting. Margin seems good for your captaining this ship...I don't know though, is turnover more imp if/when you come to sell the label later?

lostinrates

elona wrote: »

Pastures

Glad you now at least know what the situation is if that that does not sound tactless. My father went from climbing up ladders doing his own decorating to being diagnosed with terminal acute leukemia in a few months.

McMilllan nurses are fantastic but if you can get the "old" into a hospice then you know pain management will be there,as will the constant attention a hospital cannot give, especially if the partner is demanding attention at the same time.

You should not be dealing with this on your own and make sure your siblings





is demanding attention at the same time

elona raises an excellent point about hospice care...on the spot help, pain relief etc. Might also be an easier transition for the other old?

It might be that controlling old won't contemplate it but might be worth voicing anyway? Maybe sound out siblings?