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Messages - bickie

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1
Introduce Yourself / Re: I'm 99% there...
« on: June 05, 2012, 11:26:47 am »
I was in the same boat as you Sandra - trying to talk myself out of it. One thing I thought would be a downside is the 'loss of traditional skills' but in fact, I am a much more 'traditional' cook now as I can be bothered to make bread, sauces from scratch, lasagne etc. BT - (before Thermomix) I knew how to make a white sauce or knead a loaf of bread - I just never had the time to do it. I am a very busy working FT mum of 3 and I wanted my children to grow up with a sense of 'homemade meals'. The thermomix is the only was this has been possible. I still use stove top, wok and oven a lot as I find night after night of thermomix a bit too 'soft'. So don't feel it has to be the only piece of equipment you will use. It just makes cooking a lot more fun and fast. Hope this helps. And hope you get one - it is worth it.

2
Chit Chat / Re: Jubilee Weekend - anyone from the UK cooking?
« on: June 05, 2012, 07:16:47 am »
The cream - I know! I realised when I was putting it all together that I had run out of cream. It was too manic by then to go out and get some - so we had 'war-time ration ' Victoria sponge. Last night when we finished it off - 'lashings' of cream! Agree about the concert 🎇 brilliant. So happy for them that the sun shone. Everyone hoping the Duke will be fine. Thought poor old Ralph Harris did well before they cut him off!

3
Chit Chat / Re: Jubilee Weekend - anyone from the UK cooking?
« on: June 04, 2012, 01:42:57 pm »
Well we did it! Very wet - but we bravely waved our flags on the Thames and then scuttled back home for a bit of warmth and dry! I am still an Aussie at heart - couldn't stay out in rain for too long. Here is my Victoria Sponge - was too nervous after the mixed reviews to use the thermomix for the sponge - so used my KA instead and a Donna Hay recipe - in her modern classic cookbook. It uses the Genoise method - i.e. no baking agent - just lots of whipping of eggs and sugar and then folding in flour and melted butter. I was pleased with results but a bit dry - more to do with my new oven then the method. Hope all had a great day.

4
Chit Chat / Re: Someone you know is moving....
« on: June 02, 2012, 06:40:17 pm »
Best of both worlds! You sound like an amazing person so I am sure this next chapter will be positive. A good friend of mine said to me after i had been through a rough patch - Put it in a box and mark it 'interesting'.  I still laugh about that expression - and I don't open  the box to look at the contents very often!  I will be jealous of many things - but the main one will be you don't have to pay such horrendous prices to ship over thermie cook books!

5
Chit Chat / Jubilee Weekend - anyone from the UK cooking?
« on: June 02, 2012, 02:49:16 pm »
We are having a picnic in the park - I have Coronation Chicken palm pies and mini pork pies in oven, and tomorrow will do a Victoria Sponge, cupcakes, egg and cress sandwiches and jam drop biscuits. The children have put out the bunting on the front of the house with a huge Australian flag in the middle! The streets are all looking great. Happy Jubilee everybody!

6
Chit Chat / Re: Someone you know is moving....
« on: June 02, 2012, 02:33:15 pm »
I think I understand the excitement and sadness you must be feeling. I miss Australia dreadfully, and will be excited/nervous to go back one day. But 20 years of living here and I still get a thrill with the beauty, culture and history of Europe. As you say - if only not so far apart. Good luck with the move. Sunshine Coast hard to beat as a place to land and settle.

7
Chit Chat / Re: What's for Dinner Tonight?
« on: May 29, 2012, 11:39:00 pm »
Pork Larb - review under the recipe. But if you haven't tried it - do. Very nice and easy midweek meal. Ate it standing around kitchen bench with friends - no plates, no cutlery, happy husband who had no washing up.

8
Main Dishes / Re: Pork Larb
« on: May 29, 2012, 11:35:45 pm »
I made it tonight and agree - delicious. I wanted to try it in thermomix and was very happy with results. Great conversion thanks! I think the wok might give you quite a different dish, but as I'm not familiar with the dish I was happy with the thermomix result. Had no peanuts and was a bit unsure of the toasted rice approach and so (Gert cover your eyes) used cashews. Sacrilege I am sure!!! But yummy :)

9
Chit Chat / Re: Newsflash
« on: May 29, 2012, 07:40:57 am »
Congrats Dede, a godmother daughter relationship is so lovely. In UK you're out the door pretty much as soon as possible. I don't think I was ever there longer than 12 hours . But the midwives come and visit you in your home for the next week.

10
Cakes / Re: Lemon Yoghurt Cake
« on: May 29, 2012, 06:48:36 am »
I agree - I think the key is the lemon juice. I usually find any recipe Barefoot contessa has adapted gets it spot on for flavour. Unfortunately also means it has double the fat!

11
Cakes / Re: Re: Lemon Yoghurt Cake
« on: May 28, 2012, 10:46:41 pm »
Really nice - thanks for the conversion. I have seen another recipe by Barefoot Contessa which is obviously same base recipe but zest of two lemons and 1/3 cup of lemon juice and 1/3 cup veg oil. The rest was same. I will try this next time as Ina the star of making flavours work and for me this could have been a touch more lemony.

12
Chit Chat / Re: Question about meals...
« on: May 28, 2012, 10:35:50 pm »
I know what you mean about falling asleep. A lot of our friends here are French, Italian or Spanish and you don't even arrive as a guest until 9. And then there is a good hour or so of aperitifs, and usually a cheese course after main before pudding - and so I am often very ready to put my nodding head on the placemat by the time pudding is served - well after midnight! And that can very easily be on a school night. Arghh - makes me tired just thinking about it. But what I will say is the pace is always good - not too rushed and not too slow. I think you should try to do it while you still have the energy to get up and put it together. But not so it's rushed.  So, if no cheese course - half an hour later.

13
Chit Chat / Re: What's for Dinner Tonight?
« on: May 28, 2012, 10:21:24 pm »
Oh wow those tartlets look so delicious. I had tenina's spinner Vietnamese chicken - but I did it to use up roast chicken leftovers. Great way to use up chicken that has gone a bit dry.

14
Chit Chat / Re: Good electric weighing kitchen scale
« on: May 28, 2012, 12:00:37 am »
Courton a tip I was given at a cooking class once was to go to a commercial kitchenware place and buy a pastry chef scale / I did and it was great for about 10 years. Just packed up on me and I don't have a commercial kitchenware place near me and so bought the Heston Blumenthal ones. They seem fine.

15
Hot day in London today and this was perfect way to use up left over roast chicken. Also added some sliced nectarines and this was a delicious addition.

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