Nice People Thread Number 11 - A Treasury of Nice People

PasturesNew

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

I've jealous of your strawberries; I only eat them here when they are in season, because out of it they are a pale imitation of their real selves. In season, fresh strawberries, raspberries and cherries get your angels going, though.

I grew up in a strawberry growing village/region; tons of farms on the outskirts did Pick Your Own. There was a jam factory in the village. We grew strawberries in the garden.... had a lot of strawberries when growing up. I even went strawberry picking for a part-time job once, but it's a short season and wages were by weight, so I wasn't that good at it.
We used to go to PYO - eat one, put one in the basket. By the time you'd picked them and got them home you were already full (and fed up) of strawbs

lostinrates

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

Mostly, yes - but there's a Chinese food shop near the Barbican that sells lovely ones, though. And papaya, fennel, ginseng, all sorts of goodies.

I've jealous of your strawberries; I only eat them here when they are in season, because out of it they are a pale imitation of their real selves. In season, fresh strawberries, raspberries and cherries get your angels going, though.

Last year we had some strawberries grown in morroco as good as any English supermarket ones I've eaten.

There are amazing little gems of stalls or shops and they must have common suppliers meaning there are probably gems all over. We talk about the muscat grape shop, the persimmon stall, the fresh date stall ( though DH recently found anther date stall). There are water melon shops, and mango places, and avocado places.


Very little beats really good examples of raw fruit and veg. Fruit plates are something DH makes for me and makes me feel so loved. I like lovely fruit salads, lightly fragranced with flower waters or even a little appropriate liquor and spiced.

We had a lovely spiced and sweetened ( I rarely sweeten) or age salad at cristmas, and ATM the only thing I really crave is a simple salad of avocado and grapefruit, nothing else at all. Maybe a little salt.

GDB2222

I've been so busy, and there's 10 pages of NPs that I've just skipped. I hope I haven't missed anything too serious.

I spotted an estate agent's blurb that says "This property excludes elegance and charm..."

Generali

PasturesNew wrote: »

Sausages are just minced meat and some flavourings/seasonings.... so you could make your own with just some mince and stuff you like... and shape them into sausages, or go the whole hog and get one of those sausage skinning contraptions with some sausage skin.

I have the machine to make it but not the time.

It's always interesting talking about stuff like this with people that aren't parents: it is unbelievable how much time kids take up. I'd tell you but you wouldn't believe me.

Most parents don't believe how much I do in the kitchen.

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

Mostly, yes - but there's a Chinese food shop near the Barbican that sells lovely ones, though. And papaya, fennel, ginseng, all sorts of goodies.

I've jealous of your strawberries; I only eat them here when they are in season, because out of it they are a pale imitation of their real selves. In season, fresh strawberries, raspberries and cherries get your angels going, though.

Is that on Whitecross St by any chance? The best places in the UK for mangoes are places that are known as 'p@k1e shops'. Not a term I use by choice but it is the vernacular.

In September, Alfonso mangoes are in season on the sub-continent. They're not the best mangoes but they are the best I've found in the UK. The best mangoes I've found are from Northern Queensland. They are a thing of beauty.

blin

lostinrates wrote: »

Can I ask, what prompts a long term lurker to read for so long, presumably enjoy our 'company' but not feel they can/want to join in?

Can we do more to make you feel welcome here?

Hi LIR and others. You are not in the least unwelcoming - it's more an issue of how fast the thread moves and how much time it would take to keep up / post properly.

I signed on to mse about 9 years back, in the course of buying a house, and later started reading CarolT's first NP thread. (The current name dates from last time I forgot my password.)

I like the friendly and civilised interactions, and the occasional dog / cat photos. I think of you all every time I make a mushroom omelette. I may even post a bit more often in future.

lostinrates

blin wrote: »

Hi LIR and others. You are not in the least unwelcoming - it's more an issue of how fast the thread moves and how much time it would take to keep up / post properly.

I signed on to mse about 9 years back, in the course of buying a house, and later started reading CarolT's first NP thread. (The current name dates from last time I forgot my password.)

I like the friendly and civilised interactions, and the occasional dog / cat photos. I think of you all every time I make a mushroom omelette. I may even post a bit more often in future.

Oh, do drop in. People do, we have several repeat drop ins and they are as welcome.


Hello any lurkers :wave:.

PasturesNew

GDB2222 wrote: »

"This property excludes elegance and charm..."

Sounds like the sort of house I'd buy

PasturesNew

blin wrote: »

Hi LIR and others. You are not in the least unwelcoming - it's more an issue of how fast the thread moves and how much time it would take to keep up / post properly.

I signed on to mse about 9 years back, in the course of buying a house, and later started reading CarolT's first NP thread. (The current name dates from last time I forgot my password.)

I like the friendly and civilised interactions, and the occasional dog / cat photos. I think of you all every time I make a mushroom omelette. I may even post a bit more often in future.

A proper fan!!

PasturesNew

I watch all these TV cookery programmes. Just watched a meatballs recipe on Sunday Brunch .... then looked up the recipe as he rushed/skimped it and produced one "prepared earlier".... in the real world, having made the meatballs (10 mins?), then the sauce takes about 15 minutes or so to add the ingredients/cook out ... then you have to simmer them for 1 hour. There's a recipe that won't get made then!

lostinrates

PasturesNew wrote: »

I watch all these TV cookery programmes. Just watched a meatballs recipe on Sunday Brunch .... then looked up the recipe as he rushed/skimped it and produced one "prepared earlier".... in the real world, having made the meatballs (10 mins?), then the sauce takes about 15 minutes or so to add the ingredients/cook out ... then you have to simmer them for 1 hour. There's a recipe that won't get made then!

Those recipes I find quite useful. After work they could be prepped then while simmering for an hour I could have a bath and get changed and do some chores, knowing after supper all that needed to be done was the dishes washed up.

Even now when time is mine the sort of ' then put in oven' or 'cook for x time' adds a schedule to that day, a deadline during which that time can be used constructively knowing there is finite time. E.g. Now I am back on a 'take it easy' warning, there is not too much harm I can do pottering house work for an hour, but if I put macputer down and got too stuck in I could get carried away. Or just see the endless work and not put macputer down to start!

An hour is long enough to give the kitchen 'benches' a good clean, and get the inside of the windows down, or maybe tackle the wood work of the two big doors. Wipe out the fridge, that sort of thing.

Or long enough to pour a glass of wine/ drink of choice, and have some crudite or a salad first course having prepped what ever having with meat balls so that can be turned on at appropriate time, so that when the things are cooked, you dish up, sit down and relax.


Oven door open after ward is heating for kitchen, and you can cook other stuff in oven to heat up more quickly or eat cold for other meals.....