Kosher For Passover Chocolates, Cranberries, Matzoh, parve and seder recipes

Chocolates

 I was invited to the second Seder night. I took kosher for Passover chocolates. I had asked the hostess whether she wanted food, drink, flowers, a pot plant, a scarf or accessory. She said, kosher for Passover chocolates. (See my previous post on this.) Kosher for Passover wine, like kosher for Passover chocolates, requires tracking down a physical or online shop before the close for Passover.

When I arrived at the Seder meal, the hostess asked me, 'Are the chocolates parve?' 

I misheard. I thought she said, Passover or pesach. I said, 'Yes, you can see the label.'

Parve

Parve, or Parveh, Yiddish for neutral, means no milk (nor meat) products, so can be eaten with either milk meals, or meals containing meat. 

(Kosher food laws cover not only the ban on eating pig meat, but also the treatment of meat to remove blood. You are supposed to kill animals as quickly as possible with a sharp knife to lessen their pain. Then there's the cost of inspecting meat to be sure the animal is not diseased. Plus not eating shellfish. Finally, not eating milk and meat products at the same meal, to prevent killing the animal in front of the parent, which I have seen on video done in streets in modern times for festivals, and meat stewed in milk is served all year as it is the national dish of Jordan. You 'build a fence around the law'.)

We were having a meat meal. The hostess checked the labelling. I had noticed the word parve on some of the chocolate packages, but not thought about it. Since parve chocolates contain no milk and no meat, that might make them acceptable to vegans. Jews and vegans also avoid animal sourced gelatin, used to refine wine, which is one feature of kosher wine.

Kosher.com will send you a recipe book to download if you want it.

Verdict On Kosher Chocolates

Chocolate Truffles. Shufra label. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

The wrapped chocolates are good if you like to be sure nobody has touched the food you are eating. They look smartest for a gift.

Chocolate Covered Cranberries

But my favourites were the chocolate covered cranberries. Tasty. Seemed healthier. More unusual. No wrapping paper making litter. You can diet on just one, or keep going back for more as there are lots of them.

Chocolate Coated Cranberries. Label Medley Foods. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Useful Websites On Parve

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareve

https://www.kosher.com/article/what-do-the-different-kosher-certification-symbols-mean-960/

Chocolates Galore from Italy, from Marcantognini

 

At the Real Italian Wine & Food trade show in London and saw some unusual products. What Italy does so well are nut chocolates. but these chocolates were also filled with fruit flavours and other delights.

Marcantognini is an Italian diminutive of Marc Antony, or a surname related to the first name, as you may have suspected. The name of the contact at the company is Valerio Marcantognini. The master chocolatiers are Davide and Daniela Mancantognini.  i colori del ciocolato translated as the colours of chocolate.

These chocolates look gorgeous and taste fabulous. The handy leaflet tells you their chocolates, as well as looking great, are made from organic ingredients, gluten free and low in sugar. 

Their flavours are transated into English on an English leaflet, but most of the words are almost identical in both languages, such as (alphabetically)

blueberry cheesecake  (cheesecake mirtillo - the adjective usually comes after the noun in Italian)

caramel (caramello)

classic (classico)

cream (crema)

crispy caramel

gin tonic

hazelnut (nocciola)

lemon (limone)

peanut butter (burro di arachido - di means of)

pistachio crunchy

raspberry  (lampone) cheesecake

salted (salata)

strawberry (fragola)

strawberry & lemon (fragola e limone - e means and)

tart/cake - torta (torta Sacher - Sacher torte)

tiramisu

They make chocolates, bars and Easter eggs, items created to suit their clients' requirements.

They were looking for an importer to the UK.

Look at their Facebook page and you can watch videos showing their creations for Christmas, Valentine's Day and Easter. At Christmas they make Christmas trees, the size of the larger Easter eggs which you see in Supermarkets, in chocolate, of two colours, dark and light brown, and green chocolate. The shop is in  Mondavio PU in Italy.  

www.marcantogninicioccolato.com

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PORTUGAL. Oporto and the WOW wine and food museums

 

The Disney World of wine for families, Oporto in Portugal was absolutel the top place I reecomend everyone whould visit. It ihas everything.

The Portuguese are keen on visitors, keen on the British. The Port wine facotries had many British founders and traded with England the the UK is still a prime market for Port and Portuguese wines. 

The WOW complex is on a steep hillside one one side of Oporto. The public car park is at the bottom of the hill and from the terrace you get a wonderful view over Oporto and the bridges over the river. Porto of course is the city grown up at the estuary. Wines grown on the steep hills inland could be sent by road or rail but the river route was directo and quicker. 

The river is wider than the perilous sheer drop roads which snake up and down the inland hillsides even today. You would not want your wines bouncing along the potholed and avalanche prone rock srewn roads road when the barrels could sail smoothly down the river.

The WOW complext has something for everyone including chidlren and non-drinkers. 

The shops sell hats, tee-shirts, aprons, socks, chocolates. 

You could start at the chocolate museum. Or the cork museum. 

The history  of wine is equally fasinating.

We booked a gourmet lunch with matching wines. 

Outside on the terrace you can order cheaper snacks such as chocolates.  Watch the peacocks parade past and display their feathers.

Find First Class Friendly Service And Experience On Airlines - or copy and create it

Heathrow goodbye. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Your Memorable Names

When I was a frequent flyer, before Covid, I used to get welcomed aboard by staff who said my name.

A polite way to ask somebody's name is to ask, "How may I address you?" 

If the person beside you does not speak good English, you could show them your name on a conference badge, or give them a shortened nickname. If they look doubtful, puzzled, repeat your name.

Crease-free Clothes

When I reached my seat, the chief steward or other nearby member of staff asked if I wanted to take off my jacket. They offered to hang up my jacket. Sometimes you can ask staff to hang up your jacket. The put your boarding pass in the jacket pocket or on the hanger so that when they want to return it, they can find you.

Stowing Luggage

They helped stow my luggage in the overhead compartment. 

They offered me a pillow, and a blankets.

I remember a line from a film (Americans say movie) Gosfroth Park, which I watched on a flight. The chief housekeeper said, "My job is to prepare what the visitors may need or want, even before they have thought of it themselves." 

They always had a pen and paper to lend or give me when I needed one. When asked, they could point to the nearest exit to my row of seats, and the locations of toilets in front of and behind my row.

Chocolates

My husband travels with a couple of chocolates in his luggage. After a meal he finds me, if the seating has separated us, and gives me a chocolate. A wrapped chocolate? Less likely to melt over your hands and pocket. More likely to be saved and eaten discreetly so as not to excite desire or jealousy in others. But 

If you eat very quietly when others are asleep, they are less likely to notice. Rattling paper might annoy them.

If you have lots of food, in small pieces, it might be polite to share. The other person might decline. They might be vegetarian, or not hungry, or paranoid about being poisoned, or not want to eat your food and deprive you of it. I always think offering shows goodwill. You stop wondering if the other person is sitting there wanting it. If they say, "Thanks, but I don't eat ...," I feel that I have established goodwill, started a friendly conversation. I can relax. They can convince themselves that they don't need my food.

What can you do to help yourself on a flight? Or to help others.  

 If you are in an economy seat, never mind. That means you have people next to you to help you, or people you can help.

I have just ordered a tee-shirt which says, 'I am an author, ask me about my books'. I like souvenirs of what I enjoyed about the journey, and try to copy it. I used to be a higher grade of frequent flyer, before Covid. The staff on the airline would welcome me aboard, using my name. After you have smiled and said hello to the people next to you, you will feel less awkward about asking them to stand up. When they go to the toilet, I go after them. 

If you are in an economy seat, never mind. That means you have people next to you to help you, or people you can help.

I have just ordered a tee-shirt which says, 'I am an author, ask me about my books'. I like souvenirs of what I enjoyed about the journey, and try to copy it. I used to be a higher grade of frequent flyer, before Covid. The staff on the airline would welcome me aboard, using my name. After you have smiled and said hello to the people next to you, you will feel less awkward about asking them to stand up. When they go to the toilet, I go after them. 

If I am in first, and put some items on the middle seat, I say, "This is our seat to share. Shall I move my things back to my half so you can use your half?"

Usually, they smile and say, "No, that's fine, leave your stuff there. I don't need it.

To help getting out, you can lift up the armrest on the aisle seat. There is a button hidden under the arm rest somewhere. If you cannot feel it, squat in the aisle when nobody is using the aisle and look for the button, convex, bulging out. On my last flight the button was not underneath. Neither I nor the person across the aisle from me could find it. Then I had a look. It was right at the back, where the underneath of the arm curves upwards. Sorted!

If you chat at the start, but want to sleep, you can inform the other person and still seem friendly. For example, on my last flight, the passenger in the window seat told me, "As soon as we are allowed to, I shall put my seat back and try to sleep. This is my second flight. I started in Australia. We've already been travelling seven hours!"

If you are in the aisle seat and want to shut eyes, and sleep, you might first ask the person in the middle seat if they need to get out to the toilet. (The British say Toilet. It is also called a rest room, as some Americans might say). 

My extended family's flight packing lists include;

1 Folding walking sticks. Wheels for luggage. Straps to keep a handbag (Americans say purse) fixed on top of a wheel on bag. 

2 Emergency or fun food and drink and containers. A plastic stemmed glass (in a solid cardboard container) for drinking Champagne, Prosecco, other sparkling or chilled white wine, a Platypus for storing wine, or water. 

3 Travel Clothes. A light, large scarf. A waterproof quick zip off jacket with secure pockets inside and out. A pocket large enough for my passport, credit card and money so they stay safely with me when I go to the toilet or if I had to evacuate a plane or building. Quick release sandals for security. (I don't wear heels because they are not suitable for plane travel. If I did wear heels, I would keep flat shoes for the plane, and a bag for my shoes, with a ribbon to attach the shoes to other luggage so the shoes never get left behind.)

4 A colour stick on all six sides of a suitcase, especially if it is black, to identify it quickly from a distance. A photo on my mobile phone of my wheel on bag. (So I can spot it quickly on a carousel 

Please share links to your favourite posts.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer, public speaker, blogger, author.

Valentine's Day

Spanish for happy Valentine's day, literally happy day of love

Heart shaped box of chocolates including some heart shaped chocolates

Bouquet with a difference.

If you have forgotten, make a card with hearts. You can find heart signs in symbols, on Wikipedia, or draw around a saucer and print the colour or paint in the red with paints or watercolour pencils or red felt tip pen, or spare cloth. Or a thread from a red garment could sew a small red heart or just a line under a heart.

 Useful Websites

https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/21221674/marks-spencer-valentines-day-menu-revealed/

The challenges of Greek, Hebrew, Russian and Cyrillic

 

 As far as I'm concerned the Romans did one good thing for us. They gave us the Latin alphabet. I have been struggling today with a message in Russian on Facebook. 

I went onto Wikipedia thinking it's time I put up the Greek, Russian, Hebrew and Arabic alphabets where I can see them easily. For example, on a pin board or wall behind my computer screen.

Greek

Is Greek 'all Greek' to you? Until you have learned every letter of the alphabet you can only read a few simple words, which use about 5 common letters.   For example, I recognized Athens on a road sign and Exit in the aeroplane. 

My attempts at learning go back so far it is embarrassing to recognize and admit how long it has taken me - without finishing!  I started seeing the Greek alphabet in school, in mathematics. In my late teens as a student I first went to Greece. I took more holidays in Greece as an adult.

Much later, I was in Singapore and as Area Director of toastmasters International speakers' training clubs, I had to visit at least twice in six months a Toastmasters group called Toastmasters in Christ. I was astonished to find the well educated leader giving an analysis of bible texts, explaining the meaning of Hebrew words. at a Christian Toastmasters speakers training clubs. Oddly, Christians who train to be priests learn Greek for the New Testament and Hebrew for the Old Testament. 

From Greek To Hebrew

Why do I need Hebrew nowadays when I am not in nor visiting Israel? Looking at packaging of chocolates and wines in supermarkets. For myself, or when buying gifts. Also in prayer books at funerals.

When would I need Cyrillic? On holiday in Bulgaria.

It is almost all Russian. What about Russian?

Today I had a post on my Facebook page? What did it say?

I need to translate.

Useful Websites

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabic_alphabet 

About the Author

Angela Lansbury teacher of English (advanced and English as a Second Language or English as a Foreign Language, French and other languages, aspiring polyglot.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Member of many toastmasters  speaker training clubs and speaking contest judge.

Angela Lansbury, the author of 20 books including Wedding Speeches & Toasts, and Quick Quotations, has lived in the USA, Spain and Singapore. 

She  has several blogs and writes daily on at least two of the following:

travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com

dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com

translateforfun.blogspot.com

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Chocolates at Changi Airport, colourful, weird and wonderful - and Chocolate paint

The chocolates you can paint on your body caught my eye.

Then I looked at the strangely shaped chocolates, like little oval quails' eggs, and lego bricks, a riot of colour.



The chocolates look very attractive.


Janice Wong Chocolates. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

If chocolates contain fresh cream you are supposed to eat them within a certain time.

Over a week later, in England, I didn't find the flavours very strong or pronounced.

If you want good flavours, try the Rajmahal shops in the East End of London. Admittedly a member of my family bought their chocolates in London and ate them next day.

I suggest when buying chocolates, if you cannot taste and they sell a selection, buy one and taste it before spending a large amount of money on an entire box.

Useful Websites
janicewong.com.sg
janicewong.online
https://www.visitsingapore.com/travel-guide-tips/travelling-to-singapore/changi-airport-singapore/?cmp=SEM_LEISURE-TRAVELLERESSENTIAL-
singaporeair.com

About the Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please bookmark and share links to your favourite posts.

Fabulous Fazer Chocolates and Chocolate Factory visit in Finland

Fab chox! 

I was given Fazer chocolates in Singapore. Alcoholic centres. Crunchy. Great chocolate. Different colours wrappers for different flavours. gold and green, or gold and red and green and blue wrappers.

The alcoholic chocolate wrappers have letters in various languages about the contents.

Maraschino by Fazer. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

Maraschino is a liqueur made from the Marasca cherry. The bitter sweet cherry comes from a European coastal tree.

Chocolate Factory

I looked Fazer up on the web and found they had a factory you can visit in Finland. Open every day of the week. 

You can visit their factory shop during opening hours for free. They sell chocolates, bread, cereals, t-shirts, magnets and more. They also have a cafe. The winding path to the factory leads past the trees and bushes which contribute ingredients and flavours to their products, such as chocolate, and sugar beet.

Booking Tours
But you must book a factory visit with guided tour. The fee (at the time of writing, Jan 2019) eleven euros plus the ticketmaster fee.

Where
The Fazer factory is about 40 minutes from Helsinki city centre.

Chocolate Worldwide
You can do chocolate factory visits all over the world. I've been to shops and factory tours in the UK, Cadbury's, in Switzerland, Alprose. Americans lover Hersheys. Chocolate fairs take place in London, England, Perugia, Italy, and many other places. (See my previous posts on chocolate.)

Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

More Information from
https://n.stuccu.com/s/Fazer+Chocolate

Visitfazer.com

https://www.visitacity.com/en/helsinki

https://www.visitfinland.com/

Author

Angela Lansbury

For chocolate cake in Singapore, see last post.

Christmas Beer Festival, Essen, Flanders, Belgium Dec 16, 17 in 2017

Essen in Flanders, Belgium. The building in the middle has the stepped gable typical of this area.

Problem
Belgium produces so many beers that it's fun to try several. If you like beer, you want to try new ones. If you don't like beer, it's a chance to try new varieties and find out if there's one you like. Where?

Answers
Big centres with cultural attractions are:
Brussels: You will ask to see, or be taken to see the Mannekin Pis. Big city with historic areas.
Bruges: A pretty place with bridges and lace and swans.
Essen: Beer festival in December, cycling moto
Ghent.
Antwerp.

What's Where In Europe?
Spain is to the south. Going north we come to the French border. Further north is Belgium, a country sandwiched between France and Holland, with those speaking French in the South, The Netherlands or Northern Lands to the north. Germany is to the East.

Tell Me About Essen
Now there's a new place to add to the old favourites.
Essen. Essen is not familiar to those who live in England, but it's easy to remember because the German word to eat is essen.  Essen in Belgium is twinned with the town of the same name in Germany! If you go to Essen in Belgium it's a place where you will both eat and drink, Belgian food and drink.

It would be fun to do visit both places named Essen on the same or subsequent trips. Lots of opportunities for punning captions to photos: "Here we are, fressen in Essen."

Fressen sounds like German, or Yiddish, which is mostly German with the occasional Hebrew word) Snacking in Essen. I checked. Wiktionary says: From Yiddish פֿרעסן (fresn) or German fressen (“to devour, gobble”), from Middle High ... fress (third-person singular simple present fresses, present participle ...)

Travelling To And Through Belgium
Belgium is a country I have often crossed, usually by car, occasionally by train or coach, on my travels going from England to Europe. Where is Essen? Essen is on the Northern border of Belgium. Essen is in the middle of the border going east from the coast, or west from central Europe. Essen is north from Brussels, in the twelve o'clock position.

The train passes through it as well. The next train station stop going north from Essen in Belgium is a town in the Netherlands.

Biking Race and Contest
If you are into cycling, The Grand Prix Rouwmoer is a cyclo-cross race held in December, which is part of the BPost Bank Trophy. Cyclo-cross racing can be in the town or countryside or both and involves meeting obstacles, dismounting and carrying your bike across. More challenging for the participants, more fun for the supporters and observers.

Learning Belgian Languages and Spotting Signs
Now that I remember the country's layout, geography, it's easier to guess that you might find more people speaking French in the south, and more speaking Dutch or Flemish, going north or east. Flemish and Dutch sound like a softer version of German, less clearing your throat with the CH sound familiar from the Scottish words Loch Lomond, and more pursing your mouth to make oo sounds.

Belgium's Bilingual Signs
Belgium is the place where you see signs in two or three languages. I remember driving along looking for a place name in French, missing the turning. I soon realized that Gent was Ghent. It took a look at a map for me to recognize that place names in Flemish and French, Gent and Gand, were both the same place, the one we wanted.

I had been looking at Duolingo and wondering which language to learn next. Belgium is a great country for brushing up your schooldays French or German or adding Dutch to your existing smattering of languages.

Belgium For Fun

A popular Belgian books series features Asterix and this one is set in Belgium. You can buy it from Amazon before your visit.

Let's Be Serious
Where next? Also in Belgium, a huge number of wartime sights and museums and trails.
If you are into recent history, where Dad and Granddad were sent in WW1 and WWII, Flanders Fields is the place to go. With the centenary of the 1914-18 war, all the places with connections have made maps and routes and enhanced museums and visitor experiences.

If you are into literature, you will recall the words, "In Flanders' fields the poppies grow, between the crosses, row on row ..." by a Canadian soldier, written at a funeral in WWI and now repeated on Memorial Day, a Monday in May, in the USA.

Belgian Food
Marks and Spencer in the UK and worldwide sell Belgian chocolates at Christmas time and all year. Belgian chocolates are renowned for their soft, smooth milk chocolate, and their brittle dark chocolate formed into unusual shapes. You can visit chocolate factories and go to speciality (the online dictionary seems to like a word which to me sounds like an Americanism, Specialty) chocolate shops in Belgium.

Belgium For Food
Belgium is known for chips which you can buy from stalls, like fish and chips in the seasides of England. This meal or snack will keep you going on your travels, when either driving or walking. To keep warm, instead of cakes, try hot waffles. The French for waffle is gaufre. I thought I had also seen gaufrette. You can buy big ones or small ones.

Belgian Beer

Beer

Belgium is to beer what France is to wine; it is home to one of the greatest beer traditions in the world. Like other European countries in medieval times, beers were brewed in a huge variety of ways with many different ingredients. In addition to the standard ingredients of water, malted barley, hops and yeast, many herbs and spices were also used. This activity was often done in monasteries, each developing a particular style. For some reason, uniquely in Belgium many of these monasteries survived almost into modern times, and the process was handed over to a local commercial brewer if the monastery closed. These brewers would often augment the recipe and process slightly to soften the taste to make it more marketable, but the variety survived in this way. These beers are called Abbey beers and there are hundreds and hundreds with a range of complex tastes unimaginable until you've tried them. 

The Trappist label is controlled by international law, similar to that of Champagne in France. There are only six Trappist Abbeys in Belgium that produce beer qualified to be called Trappist. In order to carry the Trappist label, there are several rules that must be adhered to during the brewing process. The beer must be fermented within the walls of the abbey, the monks of the abbey must be involved in the beer-making process, and profit from the sale of the beer must be directed towards supporting the monastery (similar to a non-profit organization).

Belgium offers an incredible diversity of beers. Several well known mass-produced Belgian beers are Stella Artois, Duvel, Leffe, Jupiler, Hoegaarden. The names given to some beers are pretty imaginative: eg Verboden Vrucht (Forbidden Fruit), Mort Subite (Sudden Death), De Kopstoot (Head Butt), Judas and Delirium Tremens. 

Warmly recommended are also Kriek (sweet and sour cherry beer) and, for the Christmas season, Stille Nacht (Silent night).

Plain blond draughts (4%-5,5%): Stella Artois, Jupiler, Maes, Cristal, Primus, Martens, Bavik.

Trappist ales (5%-10%): Achel, Chimay, Orval, Rochefort, Westvleteren, Westmalle.

Geuze: Belle-Vue, the lambic Mort Subite (Sudden Death), Lindemans in Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, Timmermans, Boon, Cantillon, 3 Fonteinen, Oud Beersel, Giradin, Hanssens, De Troch.

White beers: Hoegaarden, Dentergemse, Brugse Witte.

Jenever

The city of Hasselt is well known in Belgium for a local alcoholic beverage, called jenever. It is a rather strong liquor, but it comes in all kinds of tastes beyond your imagination, including, but not limited to, vanilla, apple, cactus, kiwi, chocolate and much more. Hasselt lies in the east of Belgium, and is about one hour away by train from Brussels or Antwerp.

Pubs

Pubs, or cafés, are widespread. They all have a large variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic, hot and cold beverages. Some serve food, others don't. Some might specialize in beer, or wine, or cocktails, or something else. Since 2011, smoking in pubs has been forbidden by law.

Souvenirs and Gifts

In the old days I preferred to purchase permanent souvenirs for myself and others. After all, food and drink will be finished in a week or two. Now that so many people have houses full of clutter and travel souvenirs, some are happy to have food and drink instead.

Buying Gifts
After that I gave gift recipients a choice. Would you prefer something with lace or something to eat? For people who have everything, or whose tastes you don't know, Belgian food can be a good gift.

Once you have acquired a taste for Belgian types of foods and specific brands, you will be able to track them down in supermarkets around the world. In both UK and Singapore supermarkets we have found Belgian biscuits with nuts, suitable for eating with coffee or topped with cheese.

Belgian Towns In Three Languages
Brussels
Antwerp (nl: Antwerpen; fr: Anvers)
(fr: Bruxelles; nl: Brussel; de: Brüssel)
Bruges (nl: Brugge) (West Flanders)
Essen (Flemish region, Antwerp province)
Ghent (nl: Gent, fr: Gand) (East Flanders)
Liège (nl: Luik)
Mons (nl, de: Bergen) (Hainaut)
Ostend (nl: Oostende; fr/de: Ostende) (West Flanders)
Ypres (nl: Ieper) (West Flanders)

Dates For Your Diary
16 Dec - 17 Dec 2017 Beer Festival in Flanders at Essen, Belgium.

14 Oct - 15 Oct

Jenever Festival, Hasselt ...

18 Oct - 22 Oct

Amsterdam Dance Event ...

28 Oct - 29 Oct

Poperinge beer festival
Dec 2018 Beer Festival in Essen, Flanders, Belgium.

You are so near the border with The Netherlands, that you might as well pop across at least for a coffee.

BELGIUM

FLANDERS

ESSEN

UK Government Advice to travellers
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/festival-travel-checklist

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.

Delicious After Dinner Dessert Chocolates From Ireland, Sold in London

No time to make creme caramel for dessert, and no time to try key lime pie? If you are passing a Morrisons supermarket in London, look for the O'Brien chocolates. They have classic desserts encased in chocolate, and make a great gift for your host or hostess, if you are invited to a dinner at somebody's home or a restaurant.

I sampled them at a dinner club dinner in somebody's home.

Translation

Torte - French for tart

Posset  - an English word for something like a syllabub. 

"A posset was a British hot drink of milk curdled with wine or ale, often spiced, which was popular from medieval times to the 19th century. The word is mainly used nowadays for a related dessert similar to syllabub. Wikipedia

Syllabub is an English sweet dish described by the Oxford English Dictionary as "a drink or dish made of milk or cream, curdled by the admixture of wine, cider, or other acid, and often sweetened and flavoured."Wikipedia "

Banoffee - a combination of banana and toffee

Crème Brulée - French for burned cream. The down accent on the first e means you pronounce it as crem to rhyme with hem or them. The up accent on the first e in the second word means you pronounce it as ay to rhyme with say or pay or day. The word burned is because in some recipes you use an electric flame to burn and turn the sugar scattered on top into a rock hard lid. But in these chocolates as in many modern versions it is served just as a very rich custard cream.

Key Lime

An Indian friend asked what was key limey. 

 'Key limey pie', which I read as Key Lime Pie, is a variation on the American favourite, Key Lime Pie, served in many restaurants and fast food outlets as a dessert or tea time snack, in Florida's Florida Keys area and the South of North America. 

The pie is a strongly flavoured lime pie, like lemon curd but made with lime, usually open top so you see a yellowy green. Heavenly. Limey was a word for British sailors who took limes on ships to prevent scurvy, caused by lack of (fruit containing) vitamin C.

Aperitifs and Mystery Wines
We started with olives, cashew nuts, smoked salmon canapés and salamis, standing chatting in the back living room.  One of the group of visiting diners, a single widower, was celebrating a birthday and had brought along a half bottle of Sauternes to share as an extra unexpected dessert wine.

Dividing Wines
Each bottle of wine was divided amongst about twelve of us, just a small sample of each wine, less for the drivers. I am not keen on either red or dry wines, so I had just a small sip of most, using a spoon to not contaminate the glass. Then I passed my share on to somebody else. Later I tipped unwanted wine into the overflow beaker. We kept our wine glasses throughout the evening and meal from aperitifs until dessert wines and had to empty our glasses after each wine for the next wine.

We sampled two mystery whites to start and a guessing game to see which country and grape had been selected. Having chosen a chatting companion, we moved into the dining room, no set places.

Main Courses
The giant casseroles of meats were brought in and had a choice of venison stew (similar to beef stew) or pork, or both, with roast potatoes and green beans. The root vegetables of parsnip and carrots were placed on a side table. I was wedged in and had a full plate by the time I saw the extra vegetables and decided to finish my food before opting for yet more.  Red wines go with meat.

After that along came the cheese (a runny, soft brie, a hard cheddar and a tasty blue stilton). The cheese was accompanied by two assortments of crackers and biscuits.

I was beginning to think I would get neither dessert nor chocolates, when along came the chocolates which were a combination of miniature desserts encased in chocolate.

Wine Tasting Clubs and Dinner party Clubs
I belong to two or three wine and dinner clubs, run as part of or offshoots from wine societies. They way the club works is, you rotate member's homes. The mailing list of participants, perhaps 10-80 people, is sent the venue and menu of the wines in the circulation list of a wine club, the food in the list of a food club.

To cut down on the time spent cooking, you can serve olives and cashew nuts or peanuts or crackers on arrival. Alternatively, serve smoked salmon with crackers, or bread cut into small pieces.

Dinner Party Clubs
The first dinner club I belonged to was started by some members of a National Childbirth Trust Group. They had become friends whilst attending ante-natal classes. Since they needed babysitters, it was convenient to have a dinner at home. (Some only attended the meal they served.) Or to have babysitters from the group. Or to attend cheaper dinners when they had the expense of a baby. Or to have dinners where other guests were interested in talking about babies. These clubs and dinners were sometimes teetotal, because of the mothers breastfeeding, or not drinking during the recent pregnancy, or to keep down the cost of the dinners as well as reducing the washing up.

Empty Nesters and Triple Venue Clubs
I've heard of other clubs for older empty nesters, couples with teenage children or no children who need babysitters. At least one of these clubs evened out the work and cost by having a dinner for three or four couples at each home. This is done for people who live on the same housing estate, a small village, or one street, or all within walking or ten minutes' driving time. You start at home one for a pre-dinner drink (juice for anybody driving) and nuts or canapés or tiny snacks and get to know you or catch up chats. You might arrive prompts at 6 pm for 6.15 start, 6.45 leave, and fitted minutes walking or driving to the next home. You might have the hosts leaving five minutes before the guests.

Then you drive to home two for the starter, which could be something easy and cold such as a slice of melon with decoration, half a grapefruit.  Perhaps serve with bread and butter or a glass or half glass of white wine and/or juice and/or water.

Home Three for Main Course
Home three has the major preparation of a meat or vegetarian (or both) main course, often white chicken or white fish, or a vegetable quiche, made without eggs for vegans. You could have wine provided by another couple, if they make up couple number five. Alternatively another couple, a fifth or sixth couple, could make a second main dish, brought in a pot or dish and heated up in the oven or microwave) or the vegetarian option.

Home Four provides dessert. To save time this can be a cold dessert. (Or one which you heat up in a microwave.) They might also provide coffee. And / or after dinner drinks and chocolates. If you have more couples or wish to spread the time load, effort and cost, you make the coffee providers the Fifth or last couple.

You can also have an arrangement  where the host of each section provides only the seating and a cleared or laid table and glasses. One or more of the guests brings the  contribution such as a box of chocolates, bottle of wine, bottle of juice, biscuits or bread, cold vegetables or salad.

Another variation has each couple given the entire menu. Each cook prepares food enough for two couples.  The food is brought to one host's house. To your amazement, although everybody has cooked from the exact same recipe, you get to taste either two half portions of each course, or a tiny mouthful of each. But the result is that you get six totally different versions. For example, apple pie, simple.  Either you don't bother giving out a recipe.

Or you give out a recipe - but still get six different results. Either one person could not get sultanas and used raisins. One person forgot the cloves or left them out because of not liking them. One person mis-read the recipe and made crumble topping.  One person cooks a pie shape and give you a clock face cut, almost an elongated triangle. Another does squares. Another makes an individual circular pie for each diner in disposable foil or even a china ramekin. The result is different flavours and presentations.

Self catering holiday dinner parties
This would also work on holiday as a dinner party idea in a house party in a villa, or a complex with several self-catering flats. You could plan it at one or more venues for a group dinner on the last night, or first night, or second night.

For the easy end to the dinner, cook miniatures or buy the Lily O'Brien chocolates. Note the use buy and temperature control requirements of chocolates when travelling.

Go to the website of the lilyobriens company and you can watch the video made by the founder of the company about how she was inspired to start her chocolate company when she was travelling. The company is based in Ireland and is named after the daughter, Lily. According to the website, you can order a box of mixed gift packs, and chocolate boxes with your family photo printed on the outside.

https://lilyobriens.co.uk/

Angela Lansbury, travel writer, photographer, author, speaker.

Bombay Central café, bar and restaurant, Harrow and Wealdstone

I was delighted to see that the boarded up building site near Harrow and Wealdstone station, Waitrose and Homebase has opened with a smart brick exterior as the Bombay Central restaurant.

Once upon a time this was an old-fashioned downmarket pub called The Wealdstone Inn with an upstairs room where Harrovians Toastmasters used to meet on a Monday night. On the front of the pub was a heritage sign saying that this was the site of the original Weald Stone, marking the boundaries of Harrow and the Weald (field). Hence the name Wealdstone.

I was glad to see history preserved, with a bit of the Weald Stone still intact outside and alongside the boundary of the buildings now blocked driveway. (Apparently, they assured me, when dining at the restaurant, you can park round the back.)

Unfortunately the heritage plaque has disappeared. I must admit that I researched on the internet years ago and found protesters saying that the lost Wealdstone had mysteriously emerged in the basement of the pub, having not been seen for several centuries. In other words, the writer was of the opinion that the stone was a bit of a blarney stone, or blarney story. As the saying goes, why let the trust get in the way of a good story. I would be quite happy to have it recorded as the legendary stone, or a reproduction of the stone.

Maybe Harrow Council or the present owners can be persuaded to put up some sort of plaque.

Anyway, you can still look at the stone outside. Also admire the flower boxes. But most visitors will be distracted by the modern little vehicles parked outside. I went inside to speak to the new owners. The place is family owned, currently just the one business, but they plan to expand.

The two little vehicles look like motorised trishaws and have the signs for hire. I thought they must be parked by customers, or run as a free  shuttle service to a local Old People;s home or the station buy the owners. But no, they are purely decorative (you would need a special license to operate them). They are reminders of the vehicles you would see outside Bombay Central station, on which the restaurant is modelled.

Inside it is all bright and clean, with brick walls and amusing touches, very modern and very Indian, with a central bar and lots of tables.

Downstairs is a function room.

I photographed the evening menu. You can also see the menu on their website and on Facebook. They already have four reviews on TripAdvisor (probably more whilst I am writing and by the time you read this).

They plan to have a lunch time menu which I hope will be cheaper as my family would like to try it but feel it is beyond our budget for an Indian meal.

The man I spoke to was really friendly. I noted a bowl of chocolates at the pay desk. A nice touch. I am a sugar and dessert person myself.

I noticed that the starters and side dishes included a stuffed bread with a sweet sauce, some fish and vegetarian dishes, a potato dumpling, plus many dishes you will recognise, and far more drinks and cocktails that the average Indian restaurant.

I liked the sound of the desserts, chocolate brownie, cheesecake, ice creams including coconut and cardamom, and a platter of mixed desserts, the first two I mentioned plus two Indian favourites.

If I had an unlimited budget, or an invitation, I would be delighted to go there.

Even if you don't go there, the sight of a smart new restaurant on what was a building site can only be an enhancement to the area.

http://thebombaycentral.com/index.php/evening-menu/
They also have a listing on Facebook.

Bombay Central cafe, bar and restaurant
328 High Road
Harrow Weald
Tel:020 3034 0707. I thought there should be a 7 or 8 after 020, but that's the number on their website.
email hello@thebombaycentral.com


Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.

Making white towelling slippers fit

Slippers too large? Don't fit? Flop about? I can fix that for you.

Outsize towelling robes and slippers
I have had outsize towelling slippers in hotels all over the world. Even in places like Singapore and China and Japan, slippers for hotel bedrooms and poolsides are size 11 and my feet are 4-5. I look absurd.

I have read that slopping around in shoes with heels which don't grip makes your toes curl up. That leads to forming hammer toes.

I can understand a Finnish sauna having size 11 towelling slippers. But a Japanese hotel bedroom!

I seem to remember only one hotel which ever had towelling bathrobes in three sizes, for men women and children, with proportional towelling slippers. It was the Halekulani in Hawaii. We bought the towelling bathrobes in the three sizes. The robes were large and would have filled a suitcase. We were travelling by air. The hotel sent the robes to us by post. I wondered if the parcels would arrive. They did.


An outsize slipper.

Making Slippers Smaller
Many hotels sell the slippers, but still too large. Towelling companies and discount stores also sell slipper sets and you can buy them secondhand or buy them from swimwear shops and hotel shops even if you are just visiting for a restaurant meal or to look around and have coffee and use the toilets and feel that you will give them your custom. So what can you do when the slippers turn out to be too large when you get them out of the packet?

This has puzzled me and annoyed me for years. Now I have the answer.

Sewing Slippers
I sewed up the toe area with a line of white sewing. This is very quick. I thought of doing two parallel lines, one on the right and one on the left, with the foot in the centre. Then I decided it would be quicker and neater to make just one line of sewing on the right.

To reduce a large slipper to a small slipper. All you need is a needle and white cotton, and a pair of  scissors to cut the cotton.  In a hotel room you may have to use nail scissors.

The slipper fits. Photos by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

I might leave them white, which matches everything. Or I might add two ribbons to tie a bow around the ankle so they fit better. White ribbons would be best. Or coloured ribbon to match a dressing gown. What could I used to decorate the toe?

I look in my sewing box and find a lace oval. What was it from? I could cut it in half to make two semicircles.

I could cut up bras which are too small. I could cut squares from old shirts or underwear. I could cut up an old towel which has holes or stains. I could use a piece of ribbon, a bow from an old bra, even the cups of an old bra, never worm because it was too small, a pair of thongs I don't wear, ribbons from a box of chocolates, cut into two and spiralled or  twisted to make a rose.

I could cut up and old or new face flannel, a white one, or a coloured one. Or fancy tea towels with the pattern of an animal or bird or tea pot or rose or triangle. They cost only £1 in a pound shop for one or sometimes a set of three.

See my later post with updates on sewing my white towelling slippers.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author, speaker.

What to bring back from Singapore, or take to Singapore

Bring Back From Singapore

Perforated Kitchen Paper Roll
In Singapore you can buy kitchen roll which has perforations making a strip half the size of the one you buy in the UK and elsewhere. Your half size sheet is handy for a quick small wipe without using a whole piece.

You can also tear off three strips, or rather one and a half size for a larger piece, for a heavier job, or to line a cutlery drawer, under-sink cupboard, bathroom cupboard or underwear drawer.

Plastic Bag
Supermarkets in the UK now charge 5p for small plastic bags, but small plastic bags are free in supermarkets in Singapore.

Sweep Hand Clocks

Rice Cookers - all sizes

Tiger Balm from Singapore to London - but you can buy it in London.

Durian cakes. (Durian is a fruit which tastes like a cross between banana and chestnut. On its own it has a strong pong, like Camembert. But mixed in with ice cream or cakes the flavour is delicious. Taking drain onto the Singapore trains is forbidden. You will see the signs with durian crossed out.

You can find durian in restaurants in London but it's rare and possibly seasonal.)

I used to take clothes from the UK to Singapore because I could not find anything in my size. The tricks are:
Buy two sizes larger than the label says,
stick to wrap around clothes,
 look for garments with seams you can unpick
go for velcro fastening in shoes and clothes
find clothes catering Indians or from Mustafas's department store in Little India or shops run by people with Indian or Western names.

****

Take To Singapore

Wines and Spirits
Rare or expensive wines and spirits and items on offer at Duty Free.

Chocolates
Speciality chocolates on offer.

Thick cut marmalade.


Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, 

Anthon Berg Chocolates From Denmark

I love these little bottle shaped chocolates. They come from Denmark but you can buy them in England. Just the thing for after dinner. You can buy the chocolates on Amazon. The company also makes marzipan.

I must admit I am a sucker, literally, for any chocolate which comes wrapped in colourful silver foil. I save it up for months, hoping to use it for decorating hand-made Xmas cards.

Their website tells the company story, about the queue for chocolates.Their motto is you can never be too generous. Wiki and the company website remind you that the company proudly proclaims: purveyors to the Danish royal court.
http://www.anthonberg.com

Valentine's Day Hearts - Souvenirs

Planning a meal at home or group catering for a club this month.

Here's what I found in Tesco.

£3 for a heart shape box of chocolates. We had them at a Toastmasters International meeting, HOD, in London, England. Very good. Plenty to share.

Department stores have heart shape crockery such as cups, saucers and ramekins. The price comes down after Feb 14th. Great if you are willing to save them for next year.

I bet there' are also more good value gifts and decor to be found in Poundland.

See my later posts on Morrisons; and Amazon and Ebay.

Fellini Restaurant Magic of Calabria Dinner and wine tasting in Fellini Restaurant, Hatch End (Harrow) NW London

Andrea, the owner of Fellini Restaurant, delighted to welcome you.

Angela Lansbury, local author, bon viveur.

What's the Italian for bon viveur? Google translate says buon viveur.

John, far left, Fellini's collaborator on importing wine from Calabria, the toe of Southern Italy.

A birthday party. Wow - that's some candle! Can you blow it out?

The walls of the restaurant are painted with tromple l'oeuil windows, but we were too distracted by all the evening entertainment to notice.

Happy couple in Hatch End.

This is the lady who I describe in my previous post. She had demonstrated making pasta, then rolling pasta to the thin-ness of a piece of spaghetti, creating a hole down the centre with a straw. I presume the girl she's hugging is her daughter.

Sugar bowl and chocolates at Fellini restaurant in Hatch End.

Link to Come to Hatch End website, Twitter and Facebook.

More pictures being loaded up. Come back shortly.

www.felliniacaffe.co.uk/

Angela Lansbury is a travel writer, author, comic poet, caricaturist and photo-journalist.

See more about Angela Lansbury the author on Facebook, LinkedIn and Youtube (on restaurant etiquette).