Nice People Thread Number 11 - A Treasury of Nice People

neverdespairgirl

Yup - already prepared lamb kebabs with peppers and tomatoes, they are marinating in olive oil with garlic and rosemary. I can put them in the oven, set the timer, and beat a retreat while they are cooking to avoid the smell (-:

lostinrates

Generali wrote: »

Cheers.

If this works out ok then I might have a go at making a sourdough starter with the Generalissimos. They seem pretty excited by today's bread making. The yeast action is quite magical as is getting the gluten working.

We're ok with bread, but no success with sourdough, The time we got it closest the cats went and slept in the bowl with the dough:mad:

michaels

Generali wrote: »

If there's one thing worse than me making bread Mrs Generali doesn't like it's me making bread that Mrs Generali doesn't like and then scoffing the lot! It's bad enough that we're having chicken pie for dinner tonight (I confess to using pre-bought puff pastry) as she's not a chicken fan. Unfortunately for her, neither of the Generalissimos like chicken pie: they LOVE IT! (their favourite joke at the moment).
.

You have the patience of a saint. In this house the fact that one person doesn't like something doesn't stop everyone else enjoying it.

Generali

michaels wrote: »

You have the patience of a saint. In this house the fact that one person doesn't like something doesn't stop everyone else enjoying it.

It's funny. I think you're the only person ever to have described me as patient but you're right. Then again, that is the only thing I've ever been described as being patient about.

The bread is slightly burnt but is very good apart from that. I think my extra bit of reading has given me the knowledge I need to make bread.:T

I finally understand where I've been going wrong. Overproved and undercooked. I'm going to start a starter I think.

PasturesNew

Generali wrote: »

... (I confess to using pre-bought puff pastry)

I've heard many TV chefs say "Buy it, life's too short".
Last night I did a calculation - I compared the cost of cheap ingredients -v- buying Jus-Rol when it's cheaper .... and it works out the same price.

I've some strange fears about kitchen cleanliness and what might be going into pastry when you're rolling it out (No amount of OCD cleaning could remove these fears/shivers down the spine) ... and even though I could roll it in cling film that's another level of faffing and things going wrong. Once I've got a freezer I'll go down that route. I'll buy it, cut it into the right sized pieces, then freeze it..... pasties on tap

So I figure I'd probably just buy pastry - seems rude not to.

PasturesNew

I love chicken pie ....

Generali

I make short pastries because they are quick and easy. Puff pastry takes days to make.

I even make my own stock, I clarify and reduce it properly. Mrs Generali met an Aussie celebrity chef at an event who was surprised that a normal person made his own stock. For me it turns a cheap dish like risotto into something amazing.

Puff pastry is too much.

My chicken pie gets the tongue angels looking for their dancing trousers.

neverdespairgirl

Generali wrote: »

It's funny. I think you're the only person ever to have described me as patient but you're right. Then again, that is the only thing I've ever been described as being patient about.

You are definitely patient. Everyone else I know would make and scoff the soda bread, and those who didn't fancy any could lump it.

PasturesNew wrote: »

I've heard many TV chefs say "Buy it, life's too short".
Last night I did a calculation - I compared the cost of cheap ingredients -v- buying Jus-Rol when it's cheaper .... and it works out the same price.

Generali wrote: »

I make short pastries because they are quick and easy. Puff pastry takes days to make.

I even make my own stock, I clarify and reduce it properly. Mrs Generali met an Aussie celebrity chef at an event who was surprised that a normal person made his own stock. For me it turns a cheap dish like risotto into something amazing.

My mother makes almost everything - bread, jam, chutney, normal pastry, biscuits, stock, lots of stuff.

She buys puff pastry though, reckons it's not worth the effort to make her own.

PasturesNew

Generali wrote: »

I make short pastries because they are quick and easy. Puff pastry takes days to make.

I was looking over an easy pastry recipe the other day - one of those that says "do this, it never fails, use it for everything". Puff's nice, but makes a right mess when you eat, so I'd wonder if it were worth the effort/time.

Generali wrote: »

I even make my own stock, I clarify and reduce it properly. Mrs Generali met an Aussie celebrity chef at an event who was surprised that a normal person made his own stock. For me it turns a cheap dish like risotto into something amazing.

I've not any use for stock ... Oxo do good enough cubes for me

Generali

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

She buys puff pastry though, reckons it's not worth the effort to make her own.

I made puff pastry at school and there was a thing on TV last night about patisserie.

Home made is amazing but maybe not amazing enough.

I've got 12 days off work so I might try to make proper puff pastry, just to see how it works and to try to end up with a thousand leaves.