Chitchat thread #24

[Nicos]

Mornin n’alln’all
Sunny and clammy here …sorry to be pinching the sun today, but I have been waiting very patiently for my turn!

It’s been a Mrs Mop morning for me so I’m taking a break between washerloads. I accidentally pushed the child lock on on the washing machine…what a faff trying to work out how to turn it off…5 seconds press on one of the buttons sorted it. These things always happen when you are rushing don’t they?
I’m not into rap either tbh. I thought it was skilful though when I first heard it as impromptu

I feel sort of intrigued by your dough sheeter Snoop.
We helped out once at a French bakery at very stupido’clock.fr ( tbh it was at the end of a very long evening meal which went on into the early hours and sober me offered to drive a very drunken guest home - turned out he was the local baker and was leaving ‘early’ at 3 am to start preparing the morning bread. He could hardly stand so we offered to help him .
Talk about skilful - one in the bakery he suddenly became enlivened and set to in a very professional way, including directing us
what to do. I seem to recall he mentioned something about 64 layers ( not 32 he pointed out) and plenty of butter being the secret to the best croissants. We took some uncooked croissants home with us to bake but he said they wouldn’t be the same as his industrial oven reached higher temperatures than home ovens. I guess a wood fired oven can get as hot as you are happy to let it reach!
Certainly something to hold at the back of your mind Snoop?

Enjoy your day peeps…come rain or sun

[Snoop Puss]

Must have been a great experience, Nicos, seeing a proper baker at work. Bet your OH enjoyed it.

We've got some chilly nights coming up at the end of the week. So I'm going to give pains aux raisins a go. Before that, though, I'll make some puff pastry, see if I can get the hang of how the sheeter works. I've never made my own so it'll be interesting to see how it compares with shop-bought stuff. And if the butter melts into the layers a bit, not the end of the world. I imagine it'll still taste nice. I'll just call it rough puff or flaky and get away with it that way.

[Nicos]

My favourite Snoop!….I think the custard part and the raisins are my draw

I’m actually feeling rather excited for you

[Snoop Puss]

My favourite Snoop!….I think the custard part and the raisins are my draw

I’m actually feeling rather excited for you

Yes, I really love them. In fact, of all the croissant dough family, croissants are my least favourite. Heresy, I know. But the tips often come out baked a bit crispy in comparison with the body of the croissant, and when I bite or tear them off, I end up mortified by all the crumbs all over me.

And almost anything custard (not Bird's Eye, though) is fine by me. I've got those Portuguese custard tarts on the list...

[rary]

Good afternoon it has turned out quite a nice day there were some heavy showers, before and going to church, but was sunny after once we came out though a cool wind blowing. All this talk of bakerys reminds me of the time I used to deliver rolls in the morning, I was 12 at the time and started at 6 o'clock 6 days a week, on Saturdays as we collected the money for delivery and the rolls we worked till 12 midday if finished early there was work to do in the bake House, where along with all the bread, rolls and cakes they made mince pies, any that were damaged went onto a tray set aside for them, the head Baker told me the damaged pies were there for anyone who wants them, so I duly helped my self and ate what I wanted, at the end of his shift the HB. went to collect some for himself, only to discover I had ate them all, though there was only ten or eleven damaged pies that day, for some unknown reason he limited me to no more than three pies after that 🤔😒

[Bren In Pots]

Evening

Just caught up with todays chat, it’s made me feel hungry
The paintings almost finished but we’ve had enough so will be finishing the rest tomorrow.
Rary I worked briefly in a restaurant the kitchen did the best toast ever for morning break, it was thick with a big puddle of butter.

enjoy your evening.

[rary]

Good morning, raining just now, but forecast is for it to slacken about 9, then heavier by 10, so won't be doing much gardening today, need to go and take grandson to his work, have a good day whatever the weather

[Nicos]

Mornin n’alln’all
Wet, windy and chill here too. It’s forecast to stay that way today so the only gardening I’ll do is collecting windfall plums and picking something for supper.
We should plan to go out in the car somewhere…

I love your story about mince pies Rary

Enjoy your day peeps

[Bren In Pots]

Morning

Since Rary mentioned mince pies I've remembered I've got half a jar left so I'll bake some while the ovens on this evening, they're not just for Christmas.
Not much happening here just the last of the stairs/landing decorating to finish.

Enjoy your day.

[rary]

Bren the pies I am referring to are what I think are called Scoch pies in England, they are about 4inch diameter and filled with beef mince, they are great with beans

[Florence Fennel]

Good Morning All Drizzling here but warm. Have a good day

[greenishfing]

Good morning.

It's another, grey, damp, drizzly morning here with heavier rain forecast for later. I cannot believe tomorrow will be the first of August and we are Summerless. I look outside and it looks so Autumnal. I've just realised how few salads we've eaten this year, we're still fancying Winter "stodge".

Both mince pies, the Christmas type, and Scotch pies would be enjoyable today. I've just realised it's one of my brother-in-law's birthdays in about a month and his favourite food is Christmas pudding (we do sometimes give it different names depending on the season). I ought to check I've got everything in to make him a couple. In fact I know I've run out of marmalade so I ought to make some marmalade first as some goes in the pudding.

Off to write a shopping list next.

[Snoop Puss]

Morning all.

Nice story, rary. I too thought you meant the festive style of mince pie, not the meat one. You must have had hollow legs to manage ten or eleven of the meat ones.

Bren In Pots, I've got half a jar of mincemeat in the fridge too. Hate to throw it out, so it's still there, months after I opened it. What do you reckon? Safe? It smells OK and no sign of mould...

Right, meanwhile, in the Vine's southerly regions, it is another hot day again. The bit of rain we were forecast for the end of this week has been cancelled. Still, I should be grateful. Had a message yesterday from a friend in Italy near Milan. He describe hailstones as big as his hand and says lots of big trees have been destroyed and cars look more like colanders than motor vehicles.

The usual work on the cards for today. So exciting. Not. But tomorrow is 1 August. So next to no new projects will begin till 1 September. Bliss.

Have a great day, everyone.

[greenishfing]

Snoop, I'd think the sugar and alcohol would keep the mincemeat healthy if it's been 'fridged. When I was young jams, chutneys, pickles and mincemeat weren't ever 'fridged. We didn't have one!

[Snoop Puss]

Snoop, I'd think the sugar and alcohol would keep the mincemeat healthy if it's been 'fridged. When I was young jams, chutneys, pickles and mincemeat weren't ever 'fridged. We didn't have one!

Just what I wanted to hear! Thanks, GF.