Mundane News

[Reynard]

Whoops, it's South Africa v Ireland. Knew I'd made a boo boo when I didn't see any of those egg-yolk-coloured jerseys...

 

[Reynard]

You're just making up daft names!

Oh no I'm not!

https://www.applesandorchards.org.uk/product/green-harvey/

https://www.applesandorchards.org.uk/product/cocketts-red/

https://www.applesandorchards.org.uk/product/barnack-beauty/

 

[Reynard]

Your soup would probably not work in a soup maker as it would stick to the heating surface and you would end up decanting the lot into a pan anyway. You are left with a task of getting the burnt stuff off by methods the instruction manual tells you not to use. Don't ask how I know.

Here, a soup maker would be one of those kitchen gadgets that either a) sit there gathering dust or b) put unused on a cat show raffle. It's just far less faff to use a pan and a stick blender - which takes up far less cupboard space.

I do like soup and have a Bosch Stick Blender. I also have a six year old Granddaughter, your comment has got me thinking that I can now be " The Stick Man " as in the Julia Donaldson book. ( I was going to suggest to Mrs TKK that she could be the Soup Dragon as in the Clangers, but with age comes wisdom...)

Mine's a rather elderly Braun. It'll want replacing in the not too distant future.

 

[Reynard]

Hello from Silverstone - eventually.



Turns out it's a full weekend closure from Northampton to Towcester, not just down to one lane as it has been. I took a punt on this and went across country to Milton Keynes and then the A421 & A5 to Towcester. Two and a half hours to do what normally takes just over two.

Weather's dry & warm and I'm currently at Maggots waiting for the 2nd practice for the Touring Cars.

I thought of that as soon as I saw the closure blurb. That's actually the way I go (when I do go to Silverstone) as it's easier than getting lost on the A43. (Yes, YOU, Northampton Ring Road...)

 

[Reynard]

We love the Stokes Ketchups / Sauces. The Heiz Tomato Ketchup ad copy I read boasted that they use 140 grammes of tomatoes for every 100 grammes of Ketchup. Looking at the Stokes ketchup I see they use 200 grammes. 🍅🍅

I've made my own ketchup in the past, and bloody lovely it was too. Trouble is, I simply don't eat enough of ketchup to make that truly worthwhile.

Bottles of ketchup turn up in the damaged goods bins in Tesco on a reasonably regular basis anyway - usually because someone's broken the flip top lid. As long as the seal on the bottle neck isn't broken, they're perfectly fine.

 

[Reynard]

And the others I mentioned...

https://www.applesandorchards.org.uk/product/thodays-quarrenden/

https://www.applesandorchards.org.uk/product/jolly-miller/

https://www.applesandorchards.org.uk/product/wayside/

 

[tom73]

Oh no I'm not!

https://www.applesandorchards.org.uk/product/green-harvey/

https://www.applesandorchards.org.uk/product/cocketts-red/

https://www.applesandorchards.org.uk/product/barnack-beauty/

Out of all the many way Victorians had for growing apples. Many of which we now know are not just practical but scientifically good for yields. I,ve always fancied having a go at growing a step over. Just need to find the right place.

 

[classic33]

It's been a lovely if slightly chilly day here chez Casa Reynard.

Slept well, but am still very chesty. Had a lovely time in the community orchard picking Green Harvey and Barnack Beauty apples. They've all been moved to cardboard trays and stashed in the hallway. The house now smells of apples.

Hadn't intended on picking so many, but the gales earlier in the week dropped half of a considerable Green Harvey crop onto the ground and they were already rotting away. As there were other people picking them when I arrived (the trees are right by the gate), I thought that while I was there, I could just as well take advantage of them. Plus the fact that the ones I was *really* after like the Thoday's Quarrenden, Wayside and Jolly Miller had all fallen off and rotted while I was laid up with covid.

Having said that, the Green Harveys are keeping apples, so they'll certainly last - they're a dual purpose apple, so on the sharp side, but very nice regardless. And the trees invite climbing into them to get the nice big ones up top, so that's exactly what I did, lobbing them down the front of my jumper.

Still plenty of Barnack Beauty - a keeping dessert apple, and the Cockett's Red will want another two to three weeks depending on the weather before they're ready.

Spent the rest of the day watching men in tight shorts playing with funny-shaped balls. Off to find some supper before watching Australia v Ireland. That one could be a final in its own right, so should be a good 'un.

You certain it's Australia V Ireland?

 

[Reynard]

Out of all the many way Victorians had for growing apples. Many of which we now know are not just practical but scientifically good for yields. I,ve always fancied having a go at growing a step over. Just need to find the right place.

And the apples taste so much better than anything you can buy. Supermarket apples tend to either be a) tasteless or b) ridiculously sweet. The community orchard here has some fabulous old local varieties - I've learned by eating (and storing) which ones are good, and which ones, like the Red Victoria (an early season cooker) are a bit meh.

Edited to add that I've my own apple trees too, but they're a bit long-in-the-tooth and, other than the Bramley, don't fruit terribly well.

 

[classic33]

I've made my own ketchup in the past, and bloody lovely it was too. Trouble is, I simply don't eat enough of ketchup to make that truly worthwhile.

Bottles of ketchup turn up in the damaged goods bins in Tesco on a reasonably regular basis anyway - usually because someone's broken the flip top lid. As long as the seal on the bottle neck isn't broken, they're perfectly fine.

Once bought a pint of milk, got home and put the kettle on. Went for the milk, in the fridge for the milk bought earlier. Lid off, and stopped for some reason. Turned round to pick the milk up, having removed the lid and noticed a small needle sized hole in the paper seal.
Left the cuppa, and took the milk straight back, asking to see/speak to a manager. Customer Service placed near the entrance/exit with a little interest being shown in what I was doing. A quick explanation and a show of the receipt got the milk replaced. The rest was removed from display.
Helped in this by the person who'd served me at the till, still being there.

 

[Illaveago]

Evening.
We have had a pleasant day at the races !
Castle Combe Autumn Classic car racing . My wife wasn't going to come as we had a friend's son doing our roof . He said it was okay so my wife came with me . We had already booked the tickets in advance and couldn't find anyone else to go with me . It was nice and sunny , cooled a bit when the sun went in but not for long . I saw a car which I have been wanting to see since the 60's . A lotus 49! It was Graham Hill's in green and yellow , it was in the Lotus tent ! This year's event was better attended than last year with a lot more classic cars . We were even treated to a fly past by a 2 seater Spitfire and some biplanes in the distance . We left early whilst a race was going on and missed the last race . We were getting a bit tired .

 

[Jenkins]

<Snip>
Slept well, but am still very chesty. <snip>

You're just making up daft names!

And boasting!

 

[Reynard]

And boasting!

 

[Jenkins]

Nice & easy drive down to the hotel after the end of the day's racing. Quick mug of coffee and still time for a slow couple of laps of Willen Lake in the fading light before a shower, some food and a catch up with the F1 qualifying.

 

[PeteXXX]

Nice & easy drive down to the hotel after the end of the day's racing. Quick mug of coffee and still time for a slow couple of laps of Willen Lake in the fading light before a shower, some food and a catch up with the F1 qualifying.
View attachment 707567

Did you get to the Peace Pagoda?