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Its rare that we can find smoked fish but we do get the more unusual fish so I'll experiment. Mrs Chulla and I were at school together and we often exchange recipes, in fact its about time we exchanged some more

Must try it Mrs C but the problem is can't find smoked haddock very easily here. Will try Carni's adaptation.

I remember you cos you're from R.o.t welcome back.

Thankyou kind sir. You will have to try my sons restaurant. Alex is chef. Look on trip advisor or his web site. "Wine story" Castagnole Lanze. Asti or even my daughters, L'oca Giuliva. ( merry goose) I miss the friendly atmosphere that we had in Radcliffe.

Yes Fly do tell. I agree theres much more to italian food than those mentioned. Every provence has its own specialities. Piemonte where we live is well known for good food and wine especially being close to Barolo and Barbaresco. Is Jamies Jamie Oliver. In Nottingham ?

We are in the throws of San Remo fever. Started on Tuesday and we have to put up with it until Saturday. Don't say change channel as the fever affects other channels. Its only a song contest but the workup to it is unbelievable. They talk about what so and so is going to wear and what they are going to do. Who is going and how far theyve travelled to get there. They have film star guests and have the presenters of other programmes drooling over the male and female guests. Its really pathetic. one of the guests last night was Robbie Williams. Ear phones in and conversation was transl

I too love english dinners only if they are properly cooked. Italian visitors to UK always say England is beautiful , shame about the food. I always reply it depends where you go because english cooking is wide and varied. and good. Any sort of food be it english, french, german etc is good if cooked correctly it may not be everyones choice but how boring not to savour the flavours of other countries. Even here if I were to think of the dishes I hate were the typical food of the country I would say Italian food is awful. You have to try to appreciate. Not criticising you Chu

Lizzie we don't get the option its either "do it yourself"or pay a nurse. Carni reminded me of an incident a few years ago when I had to have a CT scan with contrast. They got me in early to prepare me. The male nurse had problems finding a vein but eventually after much prodding and poking he found it, plastered me up so it didnt move then came the news that the Dr doing the scan was delayed . Waited and waited ....then I needed to go to the loo. Trying to undo trousers etc was very difficult as you have to keep your arm straight. By the time the Dr arrived I had to go twice and when they eve

The last few posts have made me laugh and remember a few things. Like Carni I have my blood tests every 12 weeks and they take 6 phials. I always offer the same arm as its easier for me and they can always find a vein, but as the nurses know me they suggest the other arm as the veins if over used get hard and it gets more difficult to take blood. Sometimes I use the other arm but dont like it. When they have difficultly I can see them looking at my hand and halfway up my arm, so clench my fist double quick and ask them to try again. I hate the blood taken from my hand its so uncomfortable. Car

Found it Judi! Well would you believe it Judi and I were next door neighbours. Nice to hear from you and say hello to Avril and George.

The other night my SIL reminded me of a recipe that I 'd made years ago that she liked and couldnt remember how it was made. It took a lot of thinking which one it was but in the end I remembered, but I made it with chicken wings, this time I used drumsticks. Marinate drumsticks or wings taking as much skin off as you can and add a little garlic and tbsp or two of EVO and the juice of 2 oranges and a little bit of peel aand add a sprig of thyme. Place in fridge over night, season and either cook in oven basting once in a while with marinade or cook in pan adding a little of the marinade,

I went to Haydn rd school . I must have been there ' 52/ 53 just for a year. We had left Huntingdon st to live on Glendon Drive Sherwood. I remember the name Judith Coles from Haywood school where I was there with Barbara Taylor, Valerie Taylor, Ann Krause, Linda Cassidy, Rosalie Simmons, Brenda Green and if I think a bit more can maybe name some more.

I dont like shortening names. My daughter and daughter in law are called Deborah ( daughter) and Debora (in law) its confusing but I found the pronuciation helps distinguish one from the other. My son Is James with my fathers name as his second name but it wasn't until I saw a document of my grandfathers also James that I realised that it could be shortened to Jim. Fortunately everyone calls him by his full name but his wife calls him Je. My daughter gets called Deb and Debby but to us she is Deborah , thats her name and thats whats she is called.

We had a local " chatty" person who always smelled awful. My brother in law served him in the bar one morning and asked him if the smell he was wearing was the same smell he wore last year. Gave the locals something to think about

Good on yer Ben, especially your espresso in a tiny cup. You cant beat it to wake you up to a good start. Can't think of anything worse than alcohol at 9 am. It'd put me off all day.

We have a few beggars who usually stand outside the supermarkets. Our shopping centre hosts a coloured young man and he just stands at the foot of the escalator. Hes all wrapped up against the cold but he doesnt ask for anything though. We have been asked not to give to beggars but occasionally he offers to take the trollies back or help pack your car what do you do tell him to get lost. He is unbelievably polite. This morning shopping in the local supermarket another young man also coloured was standing outside. He always says good morning like the other one. My husband has got to know him qu

Cake knlfe . I have 2 the same. Carving fork , sugar tongs as Kath said, imagine a dessert spoon or serving spoon. Perforated spoon for " skimming"or acting as some sort of strainer..

Re #4 Hazlenut cake. Chulla pointed out to me that the recipe given gave yeast to be added to the flour but no yeast was mentioned in the ingredients. The flour here is mostly plain flour and baking powder is added to make it SR . I always buy SR flour and on copying the recipe never gave it a thought. Hope no one had made it and was disappointed. Sorry Mrs Chulla but you should have phoned or mailed me.

Cranky, neither did my dad, but whenever he ate with us more often than not I added a TOUCH of garlic and he always said he enjoyed it and couldnt taste the garlic. It depends how heavy handed you are.

Just a collection of strays Was that a cat I saw. Come on lets go and annoy the neighbours, put on your best barking voice.

Lizzie I have to agree with everything you say and we have 2 dogs. They too sit watching for them . Our neighbours have 3 cats.....but keep them indoors. The problem is strays, not long ago there were 15 of them now its got down to 9. But still a niusance. They poo and dig up the troughs we have at the front soil everywhere. They sleep in the troughs too. On our terrace upstairs they poo everywhere and are starting to scrabble at the cement. Next door feed them and weve told them they have to clean up after them. We face south and now all the cats are sitting in the sun, up on window

Don't know about the cities in Italy but in the village and I imagine in all the villages here Sunday opening is quite normal and as far as I know its always been like that. Closing day is Monday all day but food and bread shops are open only in the mornings. ( Mondays) Probably arises from the fact that most provisions are better fresh than a day old. It took a while to adjust to these hours and the fact that summer and winter have different opening hours. All shops close at lunch time not for just an hour but 2 1/2 hrs and in the summer do not open until 4.30 and stay open until 8.00 o

You are right Alan. Its not been on the news at least I hadnt seen it. I think it will still take place. It takes place in a busy area on the Grand Canal so I suppose the ice will be broken up.

Today is the Epiphany . Tonight children will be expecting " la Befana" the good little old lady that brings goodies for good children and a piece of coal for the misbehaved , all put together in a fancy sock . My grandchildren have had their Befana in the form of helping to bake. They made 48 jam tarts and promptly ate 24 of them . They also made muffins and a sticky marmalade cake. I think La Befana will probably pass again with sweeties and chocolates. Tomorrow in Venice there will be the annual gondola race between the Befane. All the gondoliers dress up as old women its a lovely site