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Post by toonia on Sept 26, 2006 8:57:45 GMT
Mmm! It's interesting that we all get Chester in Europe! No wonder they think the Brits can't make cheese. It's probably made out of some horrid by-product and the sweepings from the dairy floor. Here's another site which sends shopping to Europe, I've haven't used them yet, I did a list of all the things I wanted and when I saw the cost I panicked and didn't confirm the order! www.britsuperstore.com |
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Post by Rosefriend on Sept 26, 2006 11:04:44 GMT
Oh toonia - thanks - I will have a look - oh english things - forget how homesick I get at times..
Don't think that I will tell OH about it though - leave it as a suprise......Just use my credit card and hide the bill when it comes.... and then hope that he doesn't glance at the bank statement...........
Rosefriend
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Post by anneliesje on Sept 26, 2006 12:53:40 GMT
AARRGGG I need to take vitamines to keep the little grey cells going. We buy CHEDDAR of course, mature one. It was my father who ate the chester <doh>.  Will read the replies from Obelixx tonight at home, just wanted to clearify. Back to work now  HUNGRYYYYYYYYY |
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Post by obelixx on Sept 26, 2006 15:52:47 GMT
Annaliesje - your W cheese was probably Wensleydale. You can buy it at Stone Manor in Everburg which is not much of a detour off the E40 (Bertem exit) on your way home to or from Leuven. I expect it has a website so try google for the address and opening times.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 27, 2006 13:32:57 GMT
Just dying to know if you've decided exactly what you are going to feed the french?
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Post by toonia on Sept 27, 2006 14:51:42 GMT
I haven't invited anyone yet! I am tempted by Obby's lamb. The French tend to be late and then spend a lot of time talking about meals they have had and meals they are going to have while things burn in the oven or go cold on the table!
It may be why they've not got an obesity problem yet -well, it's starting over here too.
I am going to print off everyone's suggestions though!
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Post by rhodadendron on Sept 27, 2006 15:11:24 GMT
I wish I hadn't read this thread I'm on a diet after too much French cheese! Cullen skink is wonderful and so is that rasberry dish mentioned. Oh no, I am going to have to go and have a rice cake.  |
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Post by obelixx on Sept 27, 2006 15:47:40 GMT
I just did Rhoda. Possum had a friend round to play for the afternoon so I made banana and chocolate speckle cake, iced with melted chocolate. Yum. Back to the diet on Friday when all the cake will have gone. Have to squeeze into a dance frock in 10 days time. Yikes!
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Post by rhodadendron on Sept 28, 2006 10:25:30 GMT
Toons
Is this true about France not having parsnips? Not my fave veg but I make a mean curry parsnip soup. In fact if I was feeding French people I would probably give them curry of some sort I think they miss out on English versions of Indian curries.
Rhoda
PS. That was mean of you to mention cake Obs.
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Post by obelixx on Sept 28, 2006 10:53:26 GMT
Hi Rhoda - can't speak fro France in general but have never seen any pârsnips in markets or supermarkets I've visited there. It's hard to find them in Belgium too as they are considered to be cattle fodder. However, some markets have them occasionally and the smarter supermarkets in areas with ex-pat populations have them occasionally too.
I grew some last year but forgot to sow any this year. I love roast parsnip and parsnip soup with a dash of curry......and Jane Grigson has a recipe for them baked with sausage meat in her Vegetables book. Yum!
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Post by toonia on Sept 28, 2006 11:25:13 GMT
Yes, it's true! I don't mind as I'm not that fond, they're too sweet for me and have an unhappy knack of impersonating spuds when roasted so I have been fooled and suffered disappointment!
In fact, it's one vegetable I always have to look up in the dictionary....have just done so again "panais" (m)!
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Post by MamIDdau on Sept 28, 2006 12:16:47 GMT
Well.... I'd say a British dish would probably start with prawn cocktail then either Roast Lamb or Beef (with roast tatties and yorkshires <drool>) then an apple pie with custard for afters. Not sure it'd be a best of british but it would be flippin tasty! Might do it for sunday lunch akshully mmmmmmmm
There was that program on recently over here about finding a chef to cook for the Queen's birthday and they had to prepare dishes that represented Britain I believe. One of the chefs made a tandoori type dish and pointed out quite rightly that indian, amongst others, culture is now part of british society so therefore is now also british.
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Post by Susie Snowdrop on Sept 28, 2006 12:28:43 GMT
[glow=red,2,300]HI OBELIXX[/glow] ;D ;D. Please, please can I have the recipe for your banana and choccy speckle cake  . It sounds absolutely divine Susie x |
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Post by obelixx on Sept 28, 2006 13:24:46 GMT
Hi SS - it was a cheat. Possum thinks she doesn't like bananas so I make her a chocolate banana cake which she eats up before I tell her what it was. It needs cocoa powder but yesterday I didn't have any left so used grated chocolate instead and it came out speckled. The real recipe is 150g flour with 3tbs cocoa powder. It can be made as a sandwich cake in two 7"/18cm tins but I make it as individual buns for after school treats. Her Belgian friends also love my cakes now they've got used to the idea of having the occasional carrot in them. Here's what I did yesterday.
120g butter
120g sugar
25g runny honey
2 eggs
2 ripe bananas
180g plain flour
1 tbs baking powder
160g grated dark chocolate (56%)
Heat the oven to 180C.
Cream together the butter and sugar and then add the honey and beat some more. Add the eggs slowly then the banana in pieces and whisk till well combined. Then add the flour, baking powder and grated chocolate or cocoa powder and combine well.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes if using sandwich tins or else for 15 to 20 mins as individual buns. This depends on your pan size.
I ice my buns with melted chocolate to which I add a knob of butter to get a shine. The sandwich cake can be assembled with a butter cream icing with or without added banana and a dash of lemon juice.
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Post by Susie Snowdrop on Sept 28, 2006 13:39:29 GMT
Yummy.....off to the shops now Thanks Ob ;D |
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Post by obelixx on Sept 28, 2006 16:01:55 GMT
Let me know how you get on. If you like it you'll also like Coconut Rough Cake which is also speckled with chocolate.
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Post by Plocket on Sept 28, 2006 16:23:13 GMT
LP and I have just made individual cakes and used half the quantities. Oh WOW they are gorgeous!!! LP absolutely loves them too - that's one to do again and again I think.
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Post by Susie Snowdrop on Sept 28, 2006 17:37:09 GMT
[glow=red,2,300]SCRUMMY![/glow]. I also made individual ones (full recipe ) and they really are heavenly! Drizzled (more like flooded!) melted Galaxy on top of mine  ..............oh no.....now I need to eat another...................... |
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Post by Plocket on Sept 28, 2006 17:48:21 GMT
I didn't top mine - I don't give LP much chocolate and she'd be hyper with anything more than the cake. And they are delicious without topping!!!
I love the sound of the coconut cake too Obelixx if you wouldn't mind posting it when you get a minute. I ADORE coconut!
I've also passed your recipe to a friend who's going to try it sometime with gluten free flour/baking powder. I think there's probably enough moisture in the mix to cope with the drier flour.
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Post by obelixx on Sept 28, 2006 19:52:42 GMT
Here's the Coconut Rough Cake. I got the original recipe from an Australian Women's Weekly book of recipes. I've also added a recipe for gluten free cake - no flour. No chocolate either but it's delicious too and I got it from a gardener.
Enjoy.
COCONUT ROUGH CAKE
125g butter
90g sugar
2 tbs demerara sugar
2 tbs syrup
2 eggs, beaten
45g dessicated coconut
60g grated dark chocolate
185g self-raising flour
170ml milk
Icing:-
200g milk chocolate
90g crème épaisse (crème fraìche in England)
Heat the oven to 180C. Grease and line an 8"/20cm diameter tin.
Cream together the butter and sugars then the syrup. Beat in the eggs and then the coconut and chocolate and finally fold in the flour and milk. Stir till smooth.
Bake for 50-55 minutes then leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning onto a wire rack.
When cool, gently melt the milk chocolate then stir in the cream and spread on the cake.
STEPHANIE'S SWISS POPPY SEED CAKE
This comes from a lady in my gardening group and is delicious. Make it the day before you eat it. If you can't get poppy seeds in the supermarket, try a health food store.
150g butter
100g caster sugar (S1)
5 eggs, separated
2tbs caster sugar (S1)
1tbs baking powder
100g poppy seed
200g ground almonds
Heat the oven to 180C. Grease and line a 1kg loaf tin.
Beat the butter and sugar till light and creamy, then whisk in the egg yolks. Add the poppy seeds and ground almonds and mix well. The mixture may feel stiff at this stage. Don't worry.
With a clean whisk, beat the egg whites till fairly firm then beat in the sugar and baking powder plus a pinch of salt. Fold the egg whites into the butter mixture.
Pour into the tin and bake for about 60 minutes. Cool 10 mins in the tin then turn out onto a rack.
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Post by Plocket on Sept 29, 2006 7:19:21 GMT
Mmmm both of those sound delicious - I don't know which one to try first!
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Post by blodau on Sept 29, 2006 8:55:13 GMT
I've been reading this thread with interest because I will have to feed some French at New Year. An old friend of OH's from his days in Paris is coming to London. I thought we might be going out for a meal but then OH said oh it would be much nicer if they came to the house for a meal because they've hosted us when we've been in Paris. Instant panic on part of Brit faced with cooking for French. Double whammy - I'm a vegetarian. Aaaaargh!
Have not cooked meat for 20 years but have a feeling I will have to. They cook veggie dishes for me when I go to them.
On a happier note. I lurve French cheese and am about to have a whole week to indulge. Will also have to try and find something resembling Cheddar for OH who when faced with a whole array of cheeses turns to me and says can I find him something like Cheddar! Ah well, each to their own as they say!
Blod
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Post by toonia on Sept 29, 2006 9:04:50 GMT
Hi Blod! It will be easier feeding Parisians who are more ..let's say ..open to new taste experiences!
You could try veggie curry dishes, I wouldn't down here as anything spicy is just too radical for the locals! I do know that the French love Indian breads and things like samosas. Do you eat fish? You could do a prawn korma as your main.
PS I used to make the curries myself but get bread from the Indian restaurant when I lived in Amiens. It doesn't taste so good if it isn't cooked in a tandoor.
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Post by blodau on Sept 29, 2006 10:56:11 GMT
Thanks for this Toonia. It hadn't occurred to me to think of Indian food. I've been aware that the French aren't really into spicy food but you're right that Paris has a wider selection of different cuisines. Will check with OH as to whether his friend is into curries. It would make veggie cooking much easier. Carnivores don't tend to miss the meat so much when it's a curry or such. Having read your thread, I shall be going for a traditional pudding and maybe a crumble. I'm afraid I'm the awkward sort of veggie in that I don't eat fish either. Although I cause some raised eyebrows in France, we have always found restaurants to be most helpful and OH is now used to explaining that there is nothing on the menu I can eat. Actually that's not true. There are usually several starters and they are quite happy for me to have one of those as a main course and I suspect that they make them slightly bigger for me. Had a wonderful conversation with a French gentleman whilst out with a walking group. Along the lines of well what on earth do you eat. I was forgiven my eccentricity when he found out I love mushrooms and cheese.
Blod
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Post by toonia on Sept 29, 2006 13:31:04 GMT
Rhoda thought of Indian. The only Frenchman I know who's never picky!  |
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Post by obelixx on Sept 29, 2006 14:43:01 GMT
Play to your strengths Blod. I would recommend starting with spicy mushroom tartlets followed by something like fennel baked with sun dried tomatoes, goat's cheese and pine kernels which could be served with crusty bread and some green salad then hit them with a wicked British pud and proper custard/crème anglaise.
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Post by sleepysunday on Sept 29, 2006 14:51:38 GMT
Or... take them down the chippy.
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Post by obelixx on Sept 30, 2006 7:28:30 GMT
But you can't get mayonnaise in an English chippy.........
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Post by anneliesje on Sept 30, 2006 7:32:43 GMT
Obelixx! I'm on a diet !!!!!!! Chips and mayonnaise , or sauce tartare, or sauce américaine are STRICTLY forbidden. Oh, this thread makes me so hungry!!! Off to work now <grrrrrrr>  Anneliesje (- 2 kg) |
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Post by jlottie on Sept 30, 2006 21:53:36 GMT
But you can't get mayonnaise in an English chippy......... Frites and mayonnaise can't beat it - and English mayonnaise is yuk - but you can get it in an English Chippy but it comes in a little sachet not a good dollop  |
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..............oh no.....now I need to eat another......................
