CHATTERBOX

[Sakkarin Profile]

Mind you, I am reminded that KK is having to put up with astronomical inflation, so probably pales into insignificance.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Fish is expensive, those unfortunately look like the going rates

Nice gurnard in the back corner a good alternative to mullet, but I do like Cornish red mullet

I stood in the fishmonger just before Christmas when people were stocking up for the holiday, the faces when they realised they'd probably spent more on fish for secondary meals and starter than on the turkey / goose / roast were pictures

Fortunately, Johnny takes credit cards

[Renée Profile]

What a lovely evening you had, Petronius and six year olds can be quite delightful! However, I bet that it won't be long before she's beating you when playing games! I can remember that my youngest always won at Monopoly, although I was well experienced from a mis-spent youth!!

What scary prices, Sakkarin! I was in Booths today looking at fish; most of which were £13 per kilo. I bought twelve large raw prawns which came to £1.86, so I was well pleased with the price and made Pad Thai tonight.

[Petronius Profile]

Quite right Renée, but at least I had a brief moment in the sun! Just so you know, we no longer go to the pictures/cinema – it's now called the Movies. Bless.

Fish Sakks, well at least your fishmonger prices some of his items – ours doesn't price anything, I thought it was illegal but I guess the days when Trading Standards checked everything have long gone.

It's not clear on my screen, but is that £25 a kilo for sole? That's horrendous. Sam our fishmonger does have some stuff at high price – we paid £10 for Wild Bream the other day, but it was delicious and large. Similarly for a large Plaice but four fillets did two meals for us. Last Saturday he was selling Dab at £5 for three. Made a lovely meal that night.

185gs salmon piece in Waitrose is now £4.19. Sam does tend to cut his on the thick side!

About two months before Christmas I asked about the price of lobster. He said, in the month before Christmas it will go up about 10% each week to almost double in price to normal. One Christmas Eve afternoon Waitrose were selling whole salmon for £8 each just to get rid of them.

[miss-mouse Profile]

well at least your fishmonger prices some of his items – ours doesn't price anything, I thought it was illegal but I guess the days when Trading Standards checked everything have long gone.

The fishmonger in my relative's small coastal town does price stuff but the measurements are so bizarre. A quarter pint of shrimps for example, presumably a volume measurement, are they packed in firmly or is it about six artfully placed? Fish priced per item, will I be the lucky one and get the big fat fish or the skinny three weeks dead looking crab? Stuff priced per pound then the measurement suddenly changed. Thank goodness for supermarkets and clear pricing and I don't much like fish anyway so that leaves lots more for the rest of you.

[Uschi Profile]

I meant to say, Petronius, that your grandchild sounds a really lovely kid. I would always ask my grandparents to tell me of "the old days" and I loved hearing all those stories. I am glad now that I did that.

[Petronius Profile]

Thanks Uschi, yes she is. Parental boundaries and lots of open love does help. Also, I remember our children being fascinated with tales from the oldies.

At one time, when they were cheap, prawns were sold by the pint - that was in the old days of course. I think it was something to do with using a pint glass to scoop them up from the pile. As you say miss mouse it can be a variable feast now.

Unusually we did a shop in Sainsburys last Sunday. Unusual because it involves a car drive to an out of town shopping centre. Pieces of salmon (180g) were £2.75 each and rainbow trout £2.50 each.

[Renée Profile]

I tend to buy salmon fillets from Aldi, which cost about £2.99 per pack of two. Obviously, they are not large fillets, but quite sufficient for me.

[Luca Profile]

I tend to buy salmon fillets from Aldi, which cost about £2.99 per pack of two. Obviously, they are not large fillets, but quite sufficient for me.

Good morning Renee and all. . I get the same from Lidl. Wonderful with sorrel. Good to 'see' you.

[Renée Profile]

Luca!!! It's great to see you. You've been missed so much!

Speaking of Lidl, a new one is going to be built on the main road, near to me, which is good news! The in-store bakery, however, will be a temptation, because of the lovely apple turnovers that my man friend buys when I'm down in Wokingham staying with him. I try to avoid temptations like that.

[Luca Profile]

I'm glad to be back too Renee. 2017 is going to be less work and stress or at least the latter... and more food and fun! The last few years have been a bit of a challenge. Time to get a better life balance!

I shall be heading to Lidl later They are having an Italian week and lots of goodies at a good price. Tonight will be a massive antipasti sharing platter and a film with eldest son. If we agree on the film......

[Lusciouslush Profile]

Luca............!!!

It's about time you showed up around here - I thought we'd have to come & drag you back by your feet!

Less stress sounds like a good plan

[Sakkarin Profile]

Posting here, because this flour thing is dominating Joan's thread...

Made a plain flour pizza in response to comment about Dominos using plainflour, not strong flour. Looks passable, but it has that short (?) texture I expected, like those bready fake naan in supermarkets. Edible but not nearly as good as strong flour. It's ham and mushroom with olives and onion, but I scattered the cheese over the ingredients, so you can't really see them. And cheddar/emmenthal as that's what I had ITF (in the fridge).

[jeral Profile]

I've been itching for a pizza all week as a flyer came through the door with tons of options for veggie toppings so eyes bigger than belly

Anyway, I remembered this link about an accredited pizza. It uses (has to be) 00 really fine flour but a little 0 is permissible: http://www.pizzanapoletana.org/images/f ... 8%20UK.pdf

Yours looks delicious, especially as I can't see the ham I'm not sure about strong flour myself - maybe it holds more of the yeast flavour or something but I seem to taste the base more than the toppings. Probably just me, or maybe not if Dominos don't use strong. Hmm.

[Renée Profile]

Oooh, what a feast for the eyes first thing in the morning, Sakkarin! That's a lovely pizza. Just a question though, where do you get those small open mushrooms from? I usually get mini Portobellos, but they're not that small.

[Sakkarin Profile]

They're sliced olives, Renee! The mushrooms are white ones, they're hidden under the cheese, as is the ham!

[Petronius Profile]

That's a wonderful pizza Sakks, shame today's food is already sorted!

Dan Lepard's recipe is 50% OO flour.

Lovely moment in Waitrose this morning. On the till behind us is a woman and little son (assumed), first item on the belt is a red pepper. When that goes through she hands it to him and he happily munches away. Raw unwashed pepper, great to see. Everyone smiles at the scene.

Nice to see you Luca.

[Renée Profile]

Oh, so they are, Sakkarin! Yes, I have been to Specsavers recently!!!

What a lovely story, Petronius! Maybe we are getting too fussy about germs.

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Hi Luca.

What, no pineapple, Sakkarin?

Renee has indeed just been to specsavrs. Excellent timing.

Dennis, that's a super story. I can picture the scene.

[Sakkarin Profile]

"Pineapple, Sakkarin?"Nope, never have, never will!


This The Week magazine article amused me because all three of these gadgets have been discussed here in recent weeks, Sous Vide, Spiraliser and Actifry.

The other two items were a Morphy Richards slow cooker and a Smeg Juicer.