Galley Slaves' Tips

[Serendipity]

I've just been bollocked severely reprimanded for opening some cheese ("oh Moley, that was for Christmas" )

 

But it's only a piece of Stilton, and it's only a Sainsbury's mature, and it was only a quarter of a ring, and it's okay but nothing special, and tastes like every other supermarket's mass produced offerings.

 

So where can you get a decent Stilton?

Any recommendations please?

 

Well it's a shame you don't have a Waitrose up there, as they source some lovely creamy stilton from small scale producers. Even then I buy it when it's reduced at end of life, then put it in the fridge for two or three weeks before I touch it.

[matt]

So where can you get a decent Stilton?

Any recommendations please?

 

There is a blue callled Blacksticks Blue available in Sainsburys.

 

I usually call in to Didsbury Cheese Hamlet in the week before Christmas and get a selection - since we notified all friends and relatives we've stopped doing presents a couple of years ago - my food budget has swollen - and there is no stress worrying about what to buy people - I can calmly go shopping for food instead.

 

Matt.

[Moley]

Serendipity: We had a Waitrose until quite recently, closed now, but there are a couple within 10 miles, and come to think of it, one of 'em's got a little cheese deli close by. Stupid, this other town's only 6 or 7 miles away, we used to live there, and now it never ever even occurs to us to go and shop there.

 

Matt: That Blacksticks sounds well worth a try, thanks for that.

[Orphiel]

Hopefully you found something to do with your celeriac in December, but for future reference I do a good soup with it.

 

You cut it up into chunks, along with potato and leeks, put them all in the pot till they're a bit cooked, (also can add onions and garlic here). Then add some vegetable stock, and simmer until everything is cooked. Then you can either liquidise it for a thick creamy soup, or mash it with a potato masher (this is better) for a thick soup that still has nice chunks in. Add some cream to make it, well, creamy, and season with salt, pepper, and parsley. You can probably chuck some more green stuff in there to taste.

 

If you go here:

http://www.abel-cole.co.uk/Default.aspx?tab=Recipes

There are recipes sorted by vegetable, for loads more ideas.

[Gillie]

Celeriac is really nice in a pan of roast vegetables..our favourite mix is celeriac, fennel, carrots, beetroot onions and garlic..all tossed in a small amount of olive oil with a sprig of rosemary and salt & pepper to taste..slow roasted for an hour or so..basting and turning every so often...yummy...

[Orphiel]

Celeriac is really nice in a pan of roast vegetables..our favourite mix is celeriac, fennel, carrots, beetroot onions and garlic..all tossed in a small amount of olive oil with a sprig of rosemary and salt & pepper to taste..slow roasted for an hour or so..basting and turning every so often...yummy...

 

Does everything not turn pink? Happens whenever I make anything with beetroot.

 

Meg

[Gillie]

No..Doesn't seem to..I get the oven very hot before I put the veg in and don't stir them round too much initaially untill they heated up..maybe the beetroot sort of gets sealed a bit...amd I also only use the spray olive oil so there is hardly any liquid...maybe that makes the difference?

[Orphiel]

No..Doesn't seem to..I get the oven very hot before I put the veg in and don't stir them round too much initaially untill they heated up..maybe the beetroot sort of gets sealed a bit...amd I also only use the spray olive oil so there is hardly any liquid...maybe that makes the difference?

 

Could be. Could also be that I tend to use beetroot with mayonnaise, which soaks up the pink something wicked. Makes my salads look practically radioactive!

[Theo]

Cut up, boil until soft, mash with a bit of butter.

 

Eat as a veg like mashed parsnips. Has a flavour storingly reminicent of celery.

 

Delicious!

 

Nick

[Lizzy J]

I like roadkill. Eat it, rot the rest and put the bones on the mantle piece -lovely. Well, that is always the intention but I haven't got very many... I like skulls best. Perhaps I should provide my postal address so you can all send me your unwanted spares!

 

My other half falls into this category. If we find an owl pellet he tries to work out what said owl has eaten by reassembling the bones.

 

The various skeletons found at my Nursery are always carefully assessed to find out what the deceased was. Currently they all appear to be small rabbits which is great as they have been devouring my plants....the purpetrator.......a lovely Tawny owl who has moved into the Kestrel box we put up 18 months ago!

[Barry]

Sharpening knives............

 

First - buy a good knife. I have Sabatier but there are Sabatier and Sabatier (something to do with the number of stars next to the elephant next to the blade - mine have 4)

 

Second - Patiently and carefully put a good edge on the blade with a fine oilstone - I hold my blade at an angle of 10 to 15 degrees I think

 

Third - with a good quality steel hone your edge with a few strokes EVERY time you use the knife

 

Mine are beautifully sharp now and have been for a long time

[DHutch]

Yeah, one of the few items of kitchenware i own is a decent sabatier knife. 8inch long, about £15, plus £2 to get my name put on in.

- Decent knifes worth its weight in gold.

 

 

Daniel

[Jason Wilson and Family]

TIP: Remember to label EVERYTHING in your kitchen, last I was there you could get a rather spiffy "Galley Slave" button at the store at Tooleys in Banbury.

[Christine]

The various skeletons found at my Nursery are always carefully assessed to find out what the deceased was.

 

Blimey - don't the parents mind?

 

Bazza - I think the right angle is 22.5 ^o - i.e. half 45^o

 

Mother-in-Law always sharpened her carving knife on the brickwork outside the kitchen door - worked a treat.