Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => General Forum => Topic started by: TC on July 27, 2011, 05:49:47 PM
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I wondered who would be the first to look at this post - it would have to be a lady member. Anyway, today has been the ideal Summer's day. Wall to wall sunshine, a gentle breeze and a temperature of 23c. Coming back from a trip down the coast, my lady wife suggested that we stop at a fancy ice cream parlour for some ice cream. This is a fancy place that make their own ice-cream, chocolates and patisseries - they have a French cook and choclatier(correct spelling?). The ice cream was good and the chocolates looked highly desirable. On the way out, I came upon this notice. This is open for discussion !
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My wife says that I am a man ;D
Roland
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....and I was away eating some reconstituted beans of happiness.......
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Chocolate....whether ground from beans, or not........ is definitely happiness.
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Chocolate....whether ground from beans, or not........ is definitely happiness.
I second that. I am at my happiest when eating chocolate. But don't ask me to share.
Angie :)
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Hi . My name is jandals ( not my real name ) and I am a recovering chocoholic . It took me many years to face up to my addiction and even longer to build up the courage to tell others . I have been in and out of rehab many times . Choc ... its no good , I can't even say the word . It drags me down whenever I feel free of its cocoa bonds . Peppermint , duo , mousse .. it has many guises . It even covers my raisins and some of my biscuits . I can't escape , it's everywhere I turn ,
and this week ... .Well, this week , in Dunedin, its the annual Cadbury cho ah chcl it festival . Whilst all and sundry are having fun racing jaffas down the worlds steepest street and learning how to sculpt the unscrupulous brown stuff , I sit at home tormented by thoughts of drowning in a pool of a sweet sticky mess of hazelnut supreme.
This festival is always a difficult time for me . This year my team of counsellors had a great idea . Distraction is what I needed apparently . "Why don't you sign up with an online interest group . A group that has nothing to do with cho .. clte .. it . Perhaps a gardening group " . What a good idea I thought . I will rejoin the SRGC because there is no way they will have topic such as chc .,. clte .. arrgh it .
So here I am, shot by both sides . The festival and the forum . Thats it . Back to chocolate for me and its all your fault !!!!!
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In spite of the Festival and in spite of having two runners in the Jaffa Race, I have my own addiction almost under control. I can now eat only HALF the packet of mallowpuffs in one sitting, leaving the other half until other persons are out of the house. I tried bitter chocolate in the hope it would be so unpalatable it would have the effect of turning me away but no, I quickly learned to make it into a sauce with brown sugar and cream and pour it generously over ice-cream. I am now able to make this sauce in small quantities so that I can have only one helping at a time. So I feel I'm doing very well and will soon have conquered my problem.
In view of the fact we are both from Dunedin Jandals, perhaps we should start a mutual support group?
Funny, I would have sworn it would be the Global Moderator who started this thread. ::)
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In view of the fact we are both from Dunedin Jandals, perhaps we should start a mutual support group?
Yep , you're on . One condition , we have some of your yummy chocolate cake ;D ;D ;D
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Still waiting for the guy to bring the new oven and wire it in. But anyway, aren't we supposed to support each other NOT to eat chocolate? ??? ??? ???
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Went into Thortons( chocolate shop ) to buy a box of chocolates for my neighbour and when I got to the till to pay for my £6.99 box of chocolates the lady said if you pay £10 you get a bag with three boxes of chocolates and a few more goodies, guess what I did ;D
Angie :)
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But anyway, aren't we supposed to support each other NOT to eat chocolate? ??? ??? ???
Who agreed to that Lesley? Certainly wasn't me. ;D
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You payed £6.99
(http://truebelievers.blogly.net/images/big_grin_smiley_face_sticker-d217746367994550126tdcj_120.jpg)
Roland
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I did but do you believe me. Roland love that big grin 8)
Angie :)
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Went into Thortons( chocolate shop ) to buy a box of chocolates for my neighbour and when I got to the till to pay for my £6.99 box of chocolates the lady said if you pay £10 you get a bag with three boxes of chocolates and a few more goodies, guess what I did ;D
Angie :)
One of the downsides to emigrating is there's always someone who wants to remind you of just what you're missing. Thorntons........Ahhhhhhhhhh...they are THE best !!!!
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(http://images7.cpcache.com/product/243091187v4_480x480_Front.jpg)
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Chocolate was created to make men unhappy. Buy chocolates for a woman and she happily eats them. THEN blames you for her having put on weight. Its a hard life for us blokes! ;D
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It's not only chocolate Paul
(http://multiply.com/mu/graythorn54/image/4/photos/26/1200x120/252/Smiley-chocolate.gif?et=wgVE7qMqDcCqKITlcT4ezw&nmid=245929107)
woman do that with lots of things
"Do you want some ..................................."
and later they blame you for ....................
(http://i798.photobucket.com/albums/yy263/justin1600_2009/zfull-full-food-fat-smiley-emoticon.gif)
the most dangerous one is
if somebody wants to explain something
She says: note .............(your name)
Now if something goes wrong
she will blame you for the fault
and will be angry against you
(http://im-smiley.com/imgs/merende/fighter.gif)
Roland
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Sorry Lesley . When you said mutual support group , I thought that meant that I could support you by eating all your chocolate . Ignore by big diatribe on chocoholism.
Well done Angie , I would have done the same thing .
A few years ago Cadbury produced some novelty blocks of dairy milk for Christmas . They were available as a 1kg block, or a 2kg block , which from memory was NZ$20 . My extended family thought that this was just great because they all knew I loved chocolate .
I received 3 2kg blocks and 4 1kg blocks from Santa . A grand total of 10kg of Dairy Milk . Was mid January before I finished it all . Them were the days
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(http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs12/f/2006/337/7/a/Zangoose_by_Gnight.png)
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(http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs12/f/2006/337/7/a/Zangoose_by_Gnight.png)
Are you saying I'm fat ?
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I wouldn't dare
(http://www.sacredwaste.com/c/big_grin_smiley_face_sticker-p217746367994550126tdcj_400.jpg)
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Chocolate was created to make men unhappy. Buy chocolates for a woman and she happily eats them. THEN blames you for her having put on weight. Its a hard life for us blokes! ;D
Now that's true, but a hard life for blokes, ::) :o ;D
Angie :)
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I wouldn't dare
Well , actually I am fat . Don't tell anyone ;)
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(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f351/Shotqueen/smilies/innocent2_smilie.gif)
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The best chocolate I have ever tried was from a small firm called Cocoa Mountain. Their main "factory" is in Balnakeil craft village, Durness in the Cape Wrath area of N.W. Scotland. They export world wide - if you can afford it. Check out their website and drool !
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:o poor men, what a bitter life all you have :o get some chocolate ;D
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There seems a lack of sympathy for us blokes. Nothing new. ;D
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oh, yes i really feel for you guys ;D (http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i76/arykana/finom%20etelek/csoki-1.jpg)
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After a marvellous cake like this
there is always an unpleasant job to do
(http://smileys.on-my-web.com/repository/MSN_Emoticons/MSN-Emoticon-heart-008.gif)
Roland
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The best chocolate I have ever tried was from a small firm called Cocoa Mountain.
http://www.cocoamountain.co.uk/truffle-collections/ (http://www.cocoamountain.co.uk/truffle-collections/)
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I like real chocolate and chocolate scented flowers - Helianthus kellermanii
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What about the orchid that smells deliciously of chocolate? It has arching sprays of small yellow flowers. It is definitely a house plant here but must be hardy somewhere.
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Oncidium sp http://www.1888orchids.com/chocolate_scented_orchid_p/880600.htm (http://www.1888orchids.com/chocolate_scented_orchid_p/880600.htm)
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A stunning helianthus, Mark - how tall is it?
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12 feet / 3.5m in a good year but this year it is only 6 feet / 1.8m due to the spring drought. They may be short because they have been in the same spot for 5 years. It perennial and grows from what looks like a bunch of baby carrots. All the flowers are at the top.
This year I gave half the stems the Chelsea chop and removed the central flower from the rest of the stems. By removing the central dominant flower the rest should be larger. I do this with my roses also
Over thirty stems this year.
It's leaning this year because of the heavy rain on Wednesday
and yes you can when they go dormant
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;)
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Getting back to chocolate ;D a new eatery has opened up directly opposite the front door at work called "Piece de Resistance" and they make hot chocolate with real chocolate! :o This will be a problem as I can resist anything but temptation ;D
Just as well we are moving the Allied health Team to another office next month! ::)
But I'm sure we'll have to come back to the main office for meetings quite often ;)
cheers
fermi
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Getting back to chocolate ;D a new eatery has opened up directly opposite the front door at work called "Piece de Resistance" and they make hot chocolate with real chocolate! :o This will be a problem as I can resist anything but temptation ;D
Just as well we are moving the Allied health Team to another office next month! ::)
But I'm sure we'll have to come back to the main office for meetings quite often ;)
cheers
fermi
Fermi sounds like a heavenly place to me. You maybe will be in luck they might open one next to your new work place ::) ;)
Angie :)
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Saw this and thought of you!
http://www.epsrc.ac.uk/newsevents/videoaudio/corporate/Pages/chocolateprinter.aspx?utm_medium=email&utm_source=Zen+Internet&utm_campaign=Zen+Monthly+Newsletter+August+2011&utm_content=chocolateprinter&dm_i=IJT,HCUP,3BG0QF,1EX7F,1
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OK....I've just patented the Chocolate Sequoiadendron giganteum. Hands off Angie ;D
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;D ;D ;D
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Angie you should live in our village, Population around 1200, two chocolatiers, Maggi can vouch for the standard of one of their truffles, the other is a company called Booja Booja which produces equally good products. You could spend your whole time wandering from one end of the village to the other :D
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Angie you should live in our village, Population around 1200, two chocolatiers, Maggi can vouch for the standard of one of their truffles, the other is a company called Booja Booja which produces equally good products. You could spend your whole time wandering from one end of the village to the other :D
Oh, yes, indeed I can!! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D 8) 8) :-* :-*
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OK....I've just patented the Chocolate Sequoiadendron giganteum. Hands off Angie ;D
Is this forum not all about sharing. :o :-*
Brian the your village sounds lovely. You might be seeing me soon ;D ;D
Angie :)
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OK....I've just patented the Chocolate Sequoiadendron giganteum. Hands off Angie ;D
Is this forum not all about sharing. :o :-*
Brian the your village sounds lovely. You might be seeing me soon ;D ;D
Angie :)
That's certainly what I thought when you shared your chocs with us the other day, Angela.... very good they were , too!
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Remember you don't have to eat it. You can get the same buzz by just smelling chocolate. ;)
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I don't really believe that Anthony, though it is true, for me at least, that the smell of freshly ground coffee beans is even better than the taste of the drink freshly made from those grounds.
I'm afraid my 2 jaffas did not win in Cadbury's Jaffa Race at the weekend. They were not even placed and probably bounced off the track into someone's garden. There is another kind of jaffa in NZ though. It has only one F and you may know of it already Anthony, though it is a term largely used south of the Bombay hills. It means "Just another f...... Aucklander" ;D
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Remember you don't have to eat it. You can get the same buzz by just smelling chocolate. ;)
Anthony I tried it and I can only say that's nonsense :-X ;D
I went to eat my last chocolate from my box and I dropped it on the floor before I could bend down my dog had gobbled it up. So much for him slowing down. I wasn't to happy then my husband came in and said I popped into Asda for milk and there is chocolate buttons in the bag. These are my favourite, 3 bags of White chocolate buttons for a £1, See how cheap I am to keep happy ::) ;D
Angie :)
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Not sure what a Jaffa Race is. In the UK we have duck races where you 'buy' a numbered rubber duck and they are tipped into a river and the one that reaches the winning post first wins. Not heard the other Jafa term, but I'm sure there are some equally derogatory terms for South Islanders kicking around, perhaps involving sheep. Sheep seem to be universal when it comes to insults - in the UK too (e.g. for certain Yorkshire rugby teams and certain Scottish football teams).
I love milk chocolate buttons too. Your husband must know you well, Angie, or perhaps he's hiding something? ;D
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Is this forum not all about sharing. :o :-*
Plants...yes, Seeds...yes, Photos...yes, Chocolate......no chance ;D ;D ;D
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Did you not have jaffas in the UK Anthony? They are balls of solid chocolate about 1cm in diameter and coated with a crunchy white substance that looks like enamel with the outside coloured bright orange and flavoured with orange. Choc and orange is always a delicious combination.
Anyway, Dunedin is reputed to have the steepest street in the world, Baldwin St (I believe a street in Cornwall makes the same claim) and each year during the Cadbury's choc festival, there is a jaffa race, involving some 10,000, maybe more, numbered, larger jaffas. They're probably made of something else for the race. Tickets can be bought beforehand for a gold coin, and the proceeds go to local charities. I had two runners this year.
When I was a child, I and others would buy a packet of jaffas and sit right at the back of the picture theatre which always had a wooden floor except in the isles (think I've spelt that wrongly). We'd "accidentally" drop the opened packet at a tense or romantic moment and listen to the jaffas rolling and bouncing all the way to the front. Sometimes we were asked to leave! ???
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We are learning a new language Lesley (and I don't mean what seems to be the main language in the Botany/Howick area: Korean ::)). Lucy has found out that lollies are sweeties here, not the boiled lollipops on sticks from back home. In the UK a Jaffa is an orange, and Kia Ora was an orange drink you bought at the pictures. New pronunciation too, although I suspect many words read out on the radio are due to the readers never having heard the words said, such as "tonnes" (i.e. metric ton) which perhaps should be pronounced "tuns" not "(t)ons"? Many words seem to have adopted American pronunciations, such as vitamins, cicada and geyser, and that's not touching the "a" sounds like "eh" or even "i". Lucy thought here friend Gabby was called Gibby! No problem - I went from a Leicestershire accent, to broad Yorkshire to Scottish. I wonder if my children will talk like Kiwis? Another thing I find amusing is the road markings, which like the electric wall sockets, are upside-down, so you have "WAY GIVE"; "LANE BUS" etc. When you see these as you drive along you see the whole statement, not one word at a time, hence they look odd. I suppose to a Kiwi they are equally odd in the UK? It's what you're used to.
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Yes, I could take 4 Forum pages to reply to that one but won't. NZers have terrible pronunciation of just about everything. And yes, many do use Americanisms. Skedule for schedule, rout for route, obligate when they mean oblige, orient when they mean orientate etc. But one I really hate is the way (many) NZers substitute a's and e's. Albert becomes Elbert and Wellington becomes Wallington (as in Albert). In most cases it is sloppiness, started very young and never corrected.
I'm now sounding very like my mother, something I swore I'd never do! ???
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"Pass the bu'er."
"Pardon?"
"Pass the bu'er!"
"You mean 'pass the butter......please'."
"Okay, pass the butt-ter p-leeeeease."
"That's be'er!"
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When did vanilla pods become beans Lesley?
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Is this forum not all about sharing. :o :-*
Plants...yes, Seeds...yes, Photos...yes, Chocolate......no chance ;D ;D ;D
Can't blame you :D ;D
Lesley when I go to America I have to take Jaffa cakes to my friends mother, at Xmas time I had a whole suitcase full of goodies.I wonder what customs thought. We have tiny Easter eggs that sound like your jaffas. Anthony will be having so much fun trying all these things. Wish I was there, it's heavy rain here. I want to emigrate.
Angie :)
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Back to chocolate. I heard some weeks back that Thorntons are going to close many of their stores. Hope it's not our local shop.!!
To celebrate their 100th anniversary they have brought back some of their first sweets. My favourite is liquorice and aniseed boilings with a chewy centre.
It takes me back to my early childhood when sweets were on ration. Staring at all the jars of sweets and wishing I could have one all to my self instead of the 4 ounces which would have to last me the week. It never did and I would be forced to pinch some from my big sister who hoarded hers partly to annoy me ! We would all end up with the roof of our mouths and cheeks covered in ulcers from sucking them until they were like shards of glass.
My dentist told me that Thorntons toffee is the best filling remover ever invented.
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Strangely enough, I found that the early versions of sugar-free chewing gum were even better!
It's ok now though, and is even beneficial. (The chewing gum, not the toffee) ::)
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Strangely enough, I found that the early versions of sugar-free chewing gum were even better!
It's ok now though, and is even beneficial. (The chewing gum, not the toffee) ::)
I heard that if you chew gum it makes you feel that it is full up. Doesn't work with me ::) ;D
Angie :)
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Toffee works for me, but then I broke one of my teeth on a whistling lollipop bought in a chemist's shop! As a youngster I hated milk (on its own) and cheese. My younger brother was the opposite. Once I slipped in the bath and chipped a tooth. He slipped in the bath and chipped the bath!!!! ::)
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When did vanilla pods become beans Lesley?
I don't know. Did they ever? ???
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It seems they are here in Auckland, but seems to be worldwide! I see it everywhere - even a paint colour! First I thought how odd, and wondered what kind of bean (those things inside the pod of a legume are beans, not the pod) they were adding to vanilla. This web site says they are called Mexican beans in Mexico. http://www.vanilla.com/index.php/TROPICAL-FOODS/VANILLA/vanilla-beans.html No they are NOT!! I can understand coffee beans, as they are bean-shaped, but vanilla pods aren't and the seeds are microscopic!
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Anthony
It was difficult
You have to register first,
but you can give a nonsense address,
but I added your (sorry I didn't ask you)
and my comment on there site
lets see how they react
Roland
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Sweet as, Roland. 8)
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I suppose vanilla pods do look a bit like blackened french beans?
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I think that is why they are called vanilla beans, but the French bean is really a pod with beans inside.
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Um.. I think I knew that. ::)
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We're off to Bruges next month, it's got a Chocolate Museum and dozens of wonderful Chocolate Shops. I can almost hear the drools dripping from your lips :D
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I can understand coffee beans, as they are bean-shaped, but vanilla pods aren't and the seeds are microscopic!
Errr, no. Small, yes.
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I suppose vanilla pods do look a bit like blackened french beans?
Don't stir Anne. Anthony's on a crusade here. ;D
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I can understand coffee beans, as they are bean-shaped, but vanilla pods aren't and the seeds are microscopic!
Errr, no. Small, yes.
All orchid seeds are microscopic. That's the black specks in vanilla ice cream.
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I suppose vanilla pods do look a bit like blackened french beans?
Don't stir Anne. Anthony's on a crusade here. ;D
You suggesting I'm a crusader Lesley? True blue me! ;D
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I haven't had my chocolate fix yet today, so I'm a little grumpy.... to my mind, something "microscopic" is something that one needs the aid of a microscope to see. Even with my eyes (deteriorating badly after all the years of chocolate excess) I can see vanilla seeds without such technical aid.... so, I'm with Lori : they are small, very small, but not microscopically so. ::)
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You would need a microscope to see them clearly, so perhaps almost microscopic? ;D
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First flower open today on my old plant of Cosmos atrosanguineus. Had a good sniff mmmmmmm :) I think it has been in the ground at least 15 years and has survived several hard frosts. It was covered in a good depth of snow last winter when we had a longer than usual spell of severe frost.
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That's good to know Roma, I will give it a try with one of my old ones. Is it in a sheltered spot?
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You suggesting I'm a crusader Lesley? True blue me! ;D
You're on a hiding to nothing then Anthony. I'll stick with the Highlanders, which is a bit of a misnomer because most of the Scottish forebears who came to NZ (Otago/Southland) were from the lowlands, especially the Borders, or at least Edinburgh south, exept my grandpa who was frae Aberdeen. I believe there were more Highland Scots emigrated to places like Waipu in the north.
Poor northern hemisphere people haven't a clue what we're talking about here. ;D
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Does your Cosmos set seed Roma? It is frost hardy with me but really doesn't like drought so has to be watered copiously through the summer.
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You suggesting I'm a crusader Lesley? True blue me! ;D
You're on a hiding to nothing then Anthony. I'll stick with the Highlanders, which is a bit of a misnomer because most of the Scottish forebears who came to NZ (Otago/Southland) were from the lowlands, especially the Borders, or at least Edinburgh south, exept my grandpa who was frae Aberdeen. I believe there were more Highland Scots emigrated to places like Waipu in the north.
Poor northern hemisphere people haven't a clue what we're talking about here. ;D
Some of us do! Now if only it was proper rugby ;D
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We have proper rugby her too David, with The Warriers. ;D What's happened to The Giants? I had high hopes! :( Where is Leeds? :o
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Re reply 76, it seems to me I am finding it increasingly difficult to remain "on topic." We all suffer to some extent, but I find my mind wanders off in any direction except the appropriate one. Is this telling me something? Following my "time out" episode of a few weeks ago, and the subsequent doctor visit, I now find myself with an appointment at the public hospital at a clinic I didn't know existed, the "Older Persons' Health Clinic." When the appointment card came I immediately felt myself to be 85! I go there on Tuesday, but have a further appt with my doc to discuss x-rays which show "serious joint degeneration." In other words, some arthritis is getting worse. Oh hell!!!!!
Does chocolate have a beneficial effect on joints? See, I can get back on topic quite easily. ;D
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We have proper rugby her too David, with The Warriers. ;D What's happened to The Giants? I had high hopes! :( Where is Leeds? :o
Do you mean Warriors or Worriers? :)
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We have proper rugby her too David, with The Warriers. ;D What's happened to The Giants? I had high hopes! :( Where is Leeds? :o
Do you mean Warriors or Worriers? :)
Not lately. They're doing well. Anyway, I've discovered the gentle art of chai tea which exercises my right elbow and relaxes me at the same time. ;D
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Does chocolate have a beneficial effect on joints? See, I can get back on topic quite easily. ;D
Maybe if you rub it in, Lesley?
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Does chocolate have a beneficial effect on joints? See, I can get back on topic quite easily. ;D
Maybe if you rub it in, Lesley?
There's an avert on the telly for crisps here where a couple are in a field and the girl drips, then pours honey onto the exposed torso of her prostrate male friend. Then she goes off and eats a packet of crisps!
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Wikipedia gives these stats for oils in cocoa butter....
Saturated fats 57-64%:
Stearic acid: 24-37%
Palmitic acid: 22–29%
Capric acid: 0-10%
Myristic acid: 0-4%
Arachidic acid: 1%
Lauric acid: 0-1%
Unsaturated fats 36-43%
Monounsaturated fats 29-43%:
Oleic acid: 29-38%, 35–41%
Palmitoleic acid: 0-2%
Polyunsaturated fats 0-5%:
Linoleic acid: 0–3%, 1-4%
Linolenic acid: 0-1%
So.... with all that oil in chocolate made with cocoa butter it must be some use as a joint lubricant, wouldn't you think? ;D Hope costs nothing, y'know!
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'Arachidic acid: 1%'.... sounds like something to do with spiders, Maggi. Maybe I'd better look after your chocolate for you. ;)
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That's good to know Roma, I will give it a try with one of my old ones. Is it in a sheltered spot?
It is in a fairly exposed position about the midle of a slightly raised bed. We are quite sheltered from the north but exposed to wind from the south. In recent years the Cosmos has become overgrown first by Fragaria 'Red Ruby' then a Viola, I think riviniana. A white japanese anemone is encroaching fast from the other side so I think a rescue operation is needed. I am a little worried that once I remove the 'weeds' it will feel too exposed.
No Leslie, I have not seen seeds on the Cosmos. This year I have a few plants of a dwarfer version called 'Chocamocha' so will try to transfer pollen if I remember. I am not sure how this one originated but it seems to be available as plants from seedsmen and garden centres.
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I've discovered the gentle art of chai tea which exercises my right elbow and relaxes me at the same time. ;D
David N would say that lifting a pint would give better exercise and relaxation as well.
I rather like that honey ad, the look of increasing bewilderment on the poor guy's face as the drip becomes a stream and finally the whole jar is upended. ;D
Chocolate rubbed in eh? It would be hard to keep Teddy and Cain away from me. Roger's never been a chocolate fan though.
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Anyone got a really good recipe for making tablet? The children like the smooth type that breaks easily.
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What, precisely, is tablet? "The Tablet" used to be the official journal of the Roman Catholic church in NZ. I think it went under some time ago. It was published here in Dunedin.
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Sugar, condensed milk and unsalted butter boiled and allowed to crystallise.
http://www.scruss.com/tablet.html
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There you are then Anthony. Have you tried it yet? I'd say it sounds disgusting except that knowing my own eating habits I'd probably love it.
First cake in my new oven, the timer is beeping now. Gotta go.
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That is an internet version Lesley. I want a home made recipe. There's tablet and there's tablet.
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Anthony
Probably the amounts of the internet receipt are good
taste depends on the quality from the cream
and the butter
just go to the organic marked
they have much better tasting stuff
to make your own condensed milk is difficult
but you can try
and as wit Fudge
always use a wooden spoon
By the time you are ready
you can send me a sample
and I tell you if it's good or not :P
Roland
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In the last few weeks we have had tablet sent to us from different sources. Not only does each taste different, but the texture is different too. Each make, though, is generally consistent in all aspects. I find it strange that the local Scottish bakery doesn't make it!
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I've discovered the gentle art of chai tea which exercises my right elbow and relaxes me at the same time. ;D
David N would say that lifting a pint would give better exercise and relaxation as well.
He certainly would ;D
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Lifting a pint? How singular! ;D
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;D
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Perhaps Lesley or Susan could tell me where to get ham stock cubes? All the supermarkets seem to have Oxo in beef, chicken and vegetable stock cube form, but no ham, nor in any other make!
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Scotch tablet Preparation time 20 minutes. Cooking time 45 minutes Makes 20 pieces. Cost 5/- ( this dates it somewhat)
Here is a recipe which has been used for about 40 years. We made some a few weeks ago when our granddaughters were staying. They demolished the lot in short time, including scraping the inside off the pot
1/2 pint milk
2 lbs. granulated sugar
1 oz. butter
1 can sweetened condensed milk (size equivalent to 1 3/4 pints milk)
A few drops vanilla essence - other flavourings may be used - maple is particularly nice
20 walnut halves - optional but again adds to the flavour.
Put the fresh milk, sugar and butter in a pan. Stir over a low heat until the sugar dissolves - about 20 minutes. Add condensed milk. Boil slowly for 25 minutes, or until a fudge like colour. Add essence. Take off heat;beat for 10 minutes. Pour into well-oiled 9 inch square tin and put walnuts on top of tablet -optional. Leave to cool and set;cut evenly into twenty even pieces. The "cook" is permitted to scrape the pot!
The preparation may sound simple but over heating the mixture can end up with fudge or toffee. The secret is to end up with a slightly granular texture.
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It occurs to me the only way to squeeze more calories into this would be to dip it in batter and fry it.... ;)
But then Scotland did invent the deep-fried Mars bar so I'm sure some enterprising chippy owner has already tried it. ;D
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Thanks Tom. That looks good.
I don't think Scotland has the monopoly on deep fried Mars bars. Lucy went to a friend's house for a sleep over a few weeks back. Her friend plays netball and her mother is the team coach. I asked if she'd enjoyed herself. Yes, especially Saturday tea. Chicken burger and chips and a deep fried Mars bar. I asked if her friend Emma had been allowed one, only to be told Emma and her mother had each had one as it was her mum's suggestion! The chippy at Buckland's Beach (where we stayed for the first three nights) even offers to fry your own for a dollar!
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There is this lovely sweet shop in Stonehaven, 14 miles from Aberdeen and every so often I treat myself to their tablet ice-cream, it also comes with hot toffee sauce, maltesers, chocolate buttons, small marshmallows and off course a chocolate flake ::) ;D ;D
Angie :)
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Can't help with the ham stock cubes I'm afraid. I occasionally used to be able to buy a Maggi bacon stock which was OK for a soup but can't get that now either, and Campbells don't seem to do one though their other liquid stocks are good - though expensive. I usually use a smoked pork hock or some bacon ends from my market now.
Re tablet, I'll ask at the Scottish shop in Dunedin. You can get odds and ends there unexpectedly. They stock Irn Bru!
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Lesley, how is the new oven?
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You can buy Irn Bru is Pack'n'save! :P
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Can you Anthony? I'm never in there as it would be an extra 5km across town from my usual supermarket. Besides, I don't want to drink the stuff. Thought I could use it as an oven cleaner. ;D
Maggi all is going well so far except that I'm taking time to get to know it thoroughly. It is slower to heat, slower to cook so that I've had some undercooked things, including the cake I'll put on Cooks' Corner in a few minutes. It was still jolly good but could have been used as a dessert. I'm not sure when to use bake, classic bake, fan bake or fan forced. Too many functions. And last night the chips I was cooking in the roasting pan stuck to the pan, same as they did on the old one so I'm going to buy a non stick roasting pan. The chips were to go with the sole fillets from the market and I was frying them in butter, egged and crumbed. As you see, we only eat healthy foods in this house. ;D
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Suggesting Irn Bru could be used a s oven cleaner is flattering it. It is one of the worst causes of hyperactivity in kids and seeing a child with Irn Bru in a teeted bottle and brown stumps where teeth should be speaks volumes for how bad it really is! It's dreadful stuff. My children are only now acquiring a taste for fizzy drinks as we only ever bought them for party guests or when cousins were visiting. Coca Cola would go flat in our house and end up down the sink (until I hit on the idea of buying a bottle of rum - the dark stuff, not Bacardi, which is well marketed rubbish)
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Well we saw the shocking and disgusting results of kids eating sugary junk from an early age, on TV1's Close Up programme tonight. A dental nurse said she had had to remove the full 20 teeth of a 4 year-old. Little kids with nothing but rotten stumps.
Perhaps I was a gorgon to my children but when they were young and wanted soft drinks in their school lunches or as drinks at home, I simply said "No" and that was the end of it.
I suppose this was extremely hypocritical of me. No-one ever told me "No" when I wanted chocolate and the results were quite predictable.
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I think this is a good place to ask about chocolate grape /as the catalog call it/ Akebia quinata
Sombody have this climber and how it is act in garden? My husband would live one
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I think Akebia is available in UK garden centres.
I like Irn Bru!
Yesterday I bought a bar of Green and Blacks 60% cocoa chocolate and cherries. Sweet chocolate and then a hit of sour cherries - yum.
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That chocolate with the cherries sounds good! 8) My niece drinks vodka and Irn Bru! :P
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I think this is a good place to ask about chocolate grape /as the catalog call it/ Akebia quinata
Sombody have this climber and how it is act in garden? My husband would live one
I have this climber in my garden, growing through some shrubs. I have had it for three years but sadly it has never flowered for me.
Angie :)
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The Akebia grew for many years on a north (sunny) facing wall in my mother's garden (built over now :() and flowered madly. The flowers are a sort of greyish brown colour and yes, it does smell not so much of chocolate (in my opinion) but of a really strong chocolate drink, lovely if you like those sorts of things. I seem to remember that there were male and female flowers on different stems or something like that. It didn't ever set seed that I can recall but I do remember that it was EXTREMELY VIGOROUS!
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Thank you! We would like to use as a pergola cover over the porch - seems it would work perfectly
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Also vigorous here, Arykana, growing in shade. It flowers very well, but has not had fruit.
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I take you have read http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-14679497
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The new Galaxy orange and shortbread isnt worth buying. Cant taste the orange and the shortbread is tint crumbs.
I'll try the new triple chocolate Mars tomorrow
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"If you want to reduce your heart disease risk, there are much better places to start than at the bottom of a box of chocolates" according to the news item linked above, by Neil. I absolutely agree. Why would one start at the bottom of the box? Start at the top and work down towards the bottom, is much more sensible. ;D
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I love the climber Akebia quinata we have had one for several years and it flowers well but never fruits. I particularly love the fact that you have the male and female flowers on the same stem.
P.S. Only 7 days till Bruges and Chocolate Heaven.
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Same stem was it Shelagh, not different as I thought though I knew they were on the same plant. Anyway, Mother's never had fruit either. Maybe a different clone is needed?
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OK I have finally got the pictures from Bruges sorted. I kid you not there is a Chocolate shop every 10 yards, here are just a few to whet your appetites.
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well I don't know what happened to the last 2 pictures, perhaps a choclate loving gremlin got them so here goes for the 2nd time.
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The gremlin obviously hard at work this morning will try again later.
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The gremlin obviously hard at work this morning will try again later.
Sorry Shelagh.... don't know what's going wrong.... I haven't eaten them, honestly..... :-X ::)
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Was it white Chocolate? ;)
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Well here goes with my final attempt at the Bruges chocolate shops. Also although we found the Bruggesians very friendly I've included a sign to show you what they really think of us Brits ::) ;D
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What a cheek! ;D
Did they serve rump steak?
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OK I have finally got the pictures from Bruges sorted. I kid you not there is a Chocolate shop every 10 yards, here are just a few to whet your appetites.
We love our chocolate, that's a fact...Did you visit the chocolate museum while you were in Bruges?
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We love our chocolate, that's a fact...Did you visit the chocolate museum while you were in Bruges?
Now that raises a question.... how could there ever be any chocolate left over to put in a museum? :o ::) ???
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We love our chocolate, that's a fact...Did you visit the chocolate museum while you were in Bruges?
Now that raises a question.... how could there ever be any chocolate left over to put in a museum? :o ::) ???
;D
Belgium produces about 170,000 metric ton of chocolate every year and we only eat an average of about 11 kilo each...so there are some leftovers ;) ;)
Oh, and the museum produces it's own chocolate....
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We love our chocolate, that's a fact...Did you visit the chocolate museum while you were in Bruges?
Now that raises a question.... how could there ever be any chocolate left over to put in a museum? :o ::) ???
Are you sure we only eat a average of 11kilos each ::)
Angie :)
;D
Belgium produces about 170,000 metric ton of chocolate every year and we only eat an average of about 11 kilo each...so there are some leftovers ;) ;)
Oh, and the museum produces it's own chocolate....
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We love our chocolate, that's a fact...Did you visit the chocolate museum while you were in Bruges?
Now that raises a question.... how could there ever be any chocolate left over to put in a museum? :o ::) ???
Are you sure we only eat a average of 11kilos each ::)
Angie :)
;D
Belgium produces about 170,000 metric ton of chocolate every year and we only eat an average of about 11 kilo each...so there are some leftovers ;) ;)
Oh, and the museum produces it's own chocolate....
I meant "we Belgians", Angie. I'm sure "we forumnists" eat a lot more on average....the leftover tons have to go somewhere ;) ;)
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I don't believe even I eat 11 kilos of chocolate in a year. :o :o :o
At the beginning of 2012 I shall buy 11 kgs and see how much is left at the end of the year. ;D Will have to mortgage the house though.
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I don't believe even I eat 11 kilos of chocolate in a year. :o :o :o
I am saying nothing :-X :-X
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I don't believe even I eat 11 kilos of chocolate in a year. :o :o :o
At the beginning of 2012 I shall buy 11 kgs and see how much is left at the end of the year. ;D Will have to mortgage the house though.
Lesley my favourite is Asda White chocolate buttons, 3 bags for a £1 . Each bag is 70g I wonder how many bags I would have to eat to get to my 11 kilos of chocolate. I would be willing to give it a try but could I wait till 2012 to start. ::) ;D
Wim see what you have started :D
Angie :)
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As it happens, I don't really like white chocolate. :o
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At the beginning of 2012 I shall buy 11 kgs and see how much is left at the end of the year. ;D Will have to mortgage the house though.
I am saying nothing :-X :-X
Wim see what you have started :D
Angie :)
;D ;D ;D ;D
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I don't believe even I eat 11 kilos of chocolate in a year. :o :o :o
Actually, I really think I do... 11kilo on average means that 50% of the Belgians eat more ::) ::)
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I don't believe even I eat 11 kilos of chocolate in a year.
It's not actually that much ;) have I done the sums right - 11 kilos a year = 30g a day (for those metrically challenged, it's not much more than an ounce). There must be quite a lot of people not eating any to make up for the rest ;D :o ::)
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Do they still sell Leonidas chocolates at Schipol? Not much of a chocolate fan, but the white pralines with coffee butter cream are incredible! :D
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Do they still sell Leonidas chocolates at Schipol? Not much of a chocolate fan, but the white pralines with coffee butter cream are incredible! :D
Yes, they do: http://www.leonidas.com/pralines?id=shop3NL&shop=843&country=154&postal=&place=leiden
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Perfect, thanks! :) I couldn't find it when I was there in July, but it was a tight connection so I probably just over-looked it.
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As far as I know you have to go through customs when you fly into Amsterdam to get there, it is not in the tax-free zone but near the big entry hall ("Aankomstpassage") so that's probably why you couldn't find it. Shoot...., now I will have to check next friday when I am there and probably end up buying some chocolates.... ::)
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As far as I know you have to go through customs when you fly into Amsterdam to get there, it is not in the tax-free zone but near the big entry hall ("Aankomstpassage") so that's probably why you couldn't find it. Shoot...., now I will have to check next friday when I am there and probably end up buying some chocolates.... ::)
Think of it as important ancillary research, Pascal..... ;)
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Well...., I have not been active in this thread because I am a bit of a chocolate addict and didn't want to be tempted by all that was discussed......
After just eating the last of the cream truffles I bought 2 days ago I told myself to refrain from chocolate for at least a week but I am probably a lost cause and definitely respsonsible for raising the average consumption in Holland. I walked past all 3 shops in Amsterdam yesterday where they sell Leonidas and could resist, hopefully I can too on Friday.....
Problem is I pass the Schiphol shop again when I land on Tuesday and no doubt will be hungry from the flight as they never serve enough, certainly not on 1.5 hrs flights with those minute packets of snacks.... ::)
Ah well, let's call it scientific sampling...., the polyphenols in pure chocolate apparantly are good for the vascular system so I don't mind being a human quinea pig. Too bad the white chocolate has no positive effects apart from being nice to eat.
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Too bad the white chocolate has no positive effects apart from being nice to eat.
That never stopped me! ::)
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Thanks! I think I usually arrive on the Schengen side, have certainly never passed thru customs, but then no one in their right mind would ever smuggle anything in that direction! ;) Have plenty of time to look for it tomorrow, if it's a tight connection I usually end up spending the entirety inside the smoking cage behind Het Palais...
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I don't believe even I eat 11 kilos of chocolate in a year. :o :o :o
At the beginning of 2012 I shall buy 11 kgs and see how much is left at the end of the year. ;D Will have to mortgage the house though.
Lesley my favourite is Asda White chocolate buttons, 3 bags for a £1 . Each bag is 70g I wonder how many bags I would have to eat to get to my 11 kilos of chocolate. I would be willing to give it a try but could I wait till 2012 to start. ::) ;D
Wim see what you have started :D
Angie :)
You would need to eat 3 bags a week Angie, with an extra bag as a treat on your birthday. :D
Once upon a time I could manage that quite easily, however after 8 years attending "Fat Club" I could still manage it easily I just chose not to as I know how much exercise I would need to do to burn off the calories. :'(
sometimes it's just better not to know, ignorance is bliss.
Susan
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No Wim we didn't get to the Chocolate Museum, went round a Brewery though.
Actually the Chocolate moment of the trip was when Johnnie D asked for hot chocolate in one establishment and was brought a cup of hot milk and a small container of chocolate drops so you could determine your own strength, in fact the container was chocolate too so it all went in. John pronounced it GREAT.
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No Wim we didn't get to the Chocolate Museum, went round a Brewery though.
Oh yeah, we love our beers too ;) ;) ;)
Actually the Chocolate moment of the trip was when Johnnie D asked for hot chocolate in one establishment and was brought a cup of hot milk and a small container of chocolate drops so you could determine your own strength, in fact the container was chocolate too so it all went in. John pronounced it GREAT.
That's wonderful, isn't it? ;D Until a couple of years ago you only received hot chocolate like that in the chocolate bars; now more and more tea rooms and pubs do it too...
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I don't believe even I eat 11 kilos of chocolate in a year. :o :o :o
At the beginning of 2012 I shall buy 11 kgs and see how much is left at the end of the year. ;D Will have to mortgage the house though.
Lesley my favourite is Asda White chocolate buttons, 3 bags for a £1 . Each bag is 70g I wonder how many bags I would have to eat to get to my 11 kilos of chocolate. I would be willing to give it a try but could I wait till 2012 to start. ::) ;D
Wim see what you have started :D
Angie :)
You would need to eat 3 bags a week Angie, with an extra bag as a treat on your birthday. :D
Once upon a time I could manage that quite easily, however after 8 years attending "Fat Club" I could still manage it easily I just chose not to as I know how much exercise I would need to do to burn off the calories. :'(
sometimes it's just better not to know, ignorance is bliss.
Susan
Should I be honest, I wonder. Well ok I will be. I can eat three bags in one night :o
Susan I can't believe you were ever in a fat club, as for me I was a fatty when I was young and even though I lost a bit of weight a few years ago it's creeping back on again. It used to upset me being overweight but since my sister died my attitude has changed. Life is very short so i try and not fret about my weight. But I suppose eating three bags of White chocolate buttons won't help ::) I blame Asda, they shouldn't sell three bags for £1 ;D
Angie :)
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Angie,
I have a similar problem with Thorntons, they always seem to have a sale on and are practically giving chocolates away ...... to make it worse the shop is right next to the entrance to the gym. :-X
Susan
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This one is for Maggi
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-15273355 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-15273355)