Cooker problem, Burns Night, haggis... all the usual stuff.

[curiouswombat]

Burns Night went very well. My speech was well received - I did include the bit about the debate on what sex a computer is.

Also a little about remembering Mrs Burns senior as we celebrate 250 years since she gave birth to her eldest - Robert himself. I included a bit about

Why the men always seemed to be sent downstairs to boil water -

1. It kept them out of the way.
2. It gave them something to do that was,probably, within their capabilities.
3. When all the work was done the midwife and the mother could do with a cup of tea.

As you can tell, it was not the most serious of speeches!

I also included a small vignette about
choosing a new cooker.

This was from life - because, guess what, my oven showered me with sparks and flames when I went to cook tea the other night. It was quite spectacular - somehow my kitchen appliances rarely die quietly, they always seem to go out with a bang. When attemps were made to resuscitate it, it proved to be quite dead.

After some discussion we decided to replace rather than repair, as it was likely that other parts might fail too, and we can afford a new one at the moment.

So we decided what we liked best about the old one, and what we liked least. D-d was included in the discussion, by phone.

We decided the worst things were that the grill pan has to be removed if you want to shut the top oven properly, and cleaning both the oven doors and around the knobs is a bugger - it never looks clean for more than a day.

I would like to keep the multi-cook function on the larger oven, so that I can slow cook without the fan. I want an easy timer, as I use it to do casseroles in the winter.

I saw a wonderful one - look - it is touch control - no knobs!

Then it occured to me that actually S2C might not cope with a cooker without knobs. D-d agreed that this might be a technological step too far - remember he cannot yet manage to even open a text, let alone send one, despite being so computer literate.

So I took him to a local dealer yesterday before he went to bed, to look at one. He likes the grill pan...

We think given time, and possibly writen instructions, he might eventually be able to use the hob, make cheese on toast, or bake a pizza - which is about all he needs! So I am going to go back and get a shiny cooker WITH NO KNOBS TO CLEAN AROUND! Oh - and very easily removed inner glass panels on the doors so I can easily keep them clean.

Of course, going back to Burns Night, the high spot is as much the food as the speeches.

We had split yellow pea soup, followed by the traditional haggis, taties and neeps, then pot roast pheasant with vegetables, and an oatcake, raspberry and cream confection for sweet, finished with coffee and mint chocolate shortbread. After that I really needed to go and lie down rather than listen to some excellent speeches, and then give mine!



For all you doubters - which I was for many years - haggis is really quite delicious. Especially with a tot of good single malt whisky.

If you have time to read, especially those of you of a scientific bent - you might enjoy this article on the very serious maths.ed.uk site about "Applications of ultrasonography in the reproductive management of Dux magnus gentis venteris saginati."

Bearing in mind that "Dux magnus gentis venteris saginati" translates literally as "great chieftain o’ the puddin’ race"...

The link was passed on to me by my friend D in Skye. When I get to work tomorrow I have promised to pass it on to the Speaker of The House of Keys - who is an expert on addressing the haggis. Honestly.

Comments

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Haggis is really tasty - quite spiced and actually rather good with mash. I was less sure that I'd enjoy the pheasant - but it was very good too.