Food

Clefty, that trout looks wonderful.

Jacqui, I can't recommend anywhere, but would be willing to do them for you... How many knives are we talking and what brand are they?

If you can bring them to me, I'll get them done for a few locally brewed beers!

@arantrek - there jean partridge knives, 5 of them - I dont think they're too special but they're what i have.. so making due. I'm afraid I cant bring them to you either, I'm not mobile at the moment..broken ankle

Shit Jacqui, heal up fast ...

I have the same problem, need knives sharpened as well ... cheapo block from Robert Dyas, Sabatier something ... still!

@arantrek - there jean partridge knives, 5 of them - I dont think they're too special but they're what i have.. so making due. I'm afraid I cant bring them to you either, I'm not mobile at the moment..broken ankle

I have the same problem, need knives sharpened as well ... cheapo block from Robert Dyas, Sabatier something ... still!

To be honest, I have never heard about needing to have them sharpened professionally the first time. I am the only person I would trust to sharpen my knives! The offer still stands Jaqui, and I am happy to deliver it to you if need be.

Pascalo Sabatier can be a good make of knife but they have a couple of ranges (my favoured sabatier knife being Lion) that range from decidedly average to great. Same to you if you wish to borrow my whetstone I can lend it to you.

@arantrek - there jean partridge knives, 5 of them - I dont think they're too special but they're what i have.. so making due. I'm afraid I cant bring them to you either, I'm not mobile at the moment..broken ankle

To be honest, I have never heard about needing to have them sharpened professionally the first time. I am the only person I would trust to sharpen my knives! The offer still stands Jaqui, and I am happy to deliver it to you if need be.

Pascalo Sabatier can be a good make of knife but they have a couple of ranges (my favoured sabatier knife being Lion) that range from decidedly average to great. Same to you if you wish to borrow my whetstone I can lend it to you.

Aww man that sucks :-( Where are you based? More than happy to come to show you how it's done.

I would agree with Bobbo in that I wouldn't want anybody to sharpen my own knives, but it's always good to have someone show you how if you're unsure.

Leftover Trout salad.

baby new potatoes, bit of leaf, warmed the trout in a pan with creme freche and fresh dill, made a vinagrette with olive oil, lemon juice and more dill, drizzled over the spuds, then combined.
lush.

clefty, will you marry me? x
(just kidding of course, but ...damn lady, do you know how to make nice food!)

:-D

Come over for dinner when you're more mobile - the one thing we like more than nice food, is making nice food for nice people :-)

Elderflower Champagne currently brewing, which is nice.

I saw a recipe for elderflower cordial today. It sounds nice, but I always think that elderflowers smell a bit like cat's piss. Does that smell go away?
Apparently you can use the cordial as a marinade for chicken.

Elderflower cordial is lovely, definitely no cat's piss. Would be interested in the recipe - if I could find some elderflowers in Ealing...

http://caughtbytheriver.net/2011/06/allotment-watch-june/#more-14037

You need to scroll down the page a little bit. My favourite website (apart from here obviously).

Leftover Trout salad.

baby new potatoes, bit of leaf, warmed the trout in a pan with creme freche and fresh dill, made a vinagrette with olive oil, lemon juice and more dill, drizzled over the spuds, then combined.
lush.

Please stop posting.

I see no trout

It's in there hidden amongst greenery and spuds, go back a page for the original - this is just leftovers.

I saw a recipe for elderflower cordial today. It sounds nice, but I always think that elderflowers smell a bit like cat's piss. Does that smell go away?
Apparently you can use the cordial as a marinade for chicken.

There's a fair bit of lemon in our champagne.
The flowers smell exactly like cat pee, the champagne doesn't, luckily.
Saturday and it'll be bottled.

The reason is I'm in Devon so we had to, can hardly move for perfect.
Also have access to all the eggs I can eat (chickens) and a proper veg patch...
Basically bought nothing except pollock today and some flour.
Fresh baked bread (soda today), the eggs, then ploughmans, then whatever I can find...
Best thing- spinach and broad bean risotto.

Nothing special, but fresh as possible.

Pittcue I love you... That is all.

ooo. .claire that's a great tip on the bread crumbs. nice. I will try this with Tim at the weekend. (we are cooking together)

on a slightly different note, I need my knives resharpened. They're past the point where a steel will do. Does anyone know a good place to take them?

Ive googled and theres a place in Brockley but would prefer a place someone can reccommend.

Not really a recommendation, because I haven't used either myself, but I think that Divertimenti on Marylebone High St have a sharpening service. And there's a newish Japanese knife shop round the corner on Blandford St that do it as well.

Pascalo Sabatier can be a good make of knife but they have a couple of ranges (my favoured sabatier knife being Lion) that range from decidedly average to great. Same to you if you wish to borrow my whetstone I can lend it to you.

These were dirt cheap. Problem with a stone is: what do I do with it? Could you show me how to use it? Does it take long / a lot of effort?

dark choc ices are the greatest

^racist

I agree. the increased amount of cocoa makes them much improved.

Pittcue I love you... That is all.

Damn right! Went there today as one of the guys behind it used to work with me and I'd heard good stuff. Perfect pulled pork, slaw, pickled kohlrabi, bread, brisket, gherkins, a massive garlic bulb roasted in pork fat (seriously good), some light pork scratchings, a bottle of Kernel IPA and all finished off with a shot of whiskey and pickle juice chaser! Seriously good, I tell thee.

tonight i will stay up late

doing some smoked meat for BDW

2 huge pork shoulders have been sitting in the fridge for over a day, covered in garlic, salt and chili powder

there are also 2 full beef ribs, covered with chili, salt, garlic, cayenne pepper, brown sugar and toasted cumin

will stay up late and fire up the smoker about 2 hours before bed, once up to heat the pork will go on, once the temp has stabilised i shall go to bed.

given the rain etc i think it will take quite a while for the meat to cook - probably 12 hours or possibly even more.

just debating whether to put the ribs on at the same time as the pork, or to wait until morning

given the degree of flesh on the ribs i think they may well take a similar time to the pork

I have some pecan and hickory chunks to use for smoking flavour

James, can i commission you? I want smoked meat

I'm in Portugal and contrary to the fantasies I had of grilled sardines and salad every night, I'm finding it very hard to buy fish. I think it all goes straight to the restaurants. To get my hands on itI have to go to a Market 2 villages away before 9am. Weird as I'm in a fishing village... Right on the slipway in fact. and the sea here is teeming with the fucking things. I may buy a fishing rod today.