TheWitchofThornbury @ TheWitchofThornbury @aussie.zone

Posts

8

Comments

1,332

Joined

12 mo. ago

Yeah, I saw that too but refrained from commenting here. Trial by Media is definitely a thing, and the current mushroom case is imo a prime example, and there are some people on this platform who have already made up their minds as to Erin's guilt even though the trial isn't over yet.

I am also old enough to remember the Azaria Chamberlain hooha too. Funny how this sort of thing happens to plain women who don't mirror the prevailing social norms for looks and/or behaviour. And has for centuries - the Spanish Inquisition, the witchhunt crazes of 16th & 17th century Europe and probably before then too.

Not news, what's news is that this article was written so soon after the successful accusation and 'punishment'. Usually there's a time lag of several decades eg Lindy Chamberlain. Or centuries - eg witchhunts.

Thanks chef!

Pancakes with butter and marmelade please chef, and some coffee.

Scomo gets an award in the Kings B'day honors list

Words fail me.

P&H soup in crockpot - adequate quantities of garlic included. Kitchen smells amazing. Will be done by 6 pm I hope.

Grrr. I have to go out and buy stuff. Peas are soaking for P&H soup, but they won't be cookable for hours yet. I need a decent ham bone and some more garlic. Grrr. Some nice bread to have with soup would be good too. But hanging about won't make that happen so will grit my teeth and grin and bear it. Weather is (marginally) improving.

If you can play gin rummy, mahjongg is pretty close. Just with solid tiles rather than cards.

A circa 1850s mahjongg set - with ivory and bamboo hand carved pieces, and a nice little camphorwood chest to keep them in with fitted drawers and inlay work of the 8 immortals. It has ivory 'money' sticks and wind of the round indicator, and a really cute little chinese style brass lock and key for the doors. Cannot be sold nowadays cos ivory and I have no documentation of when or where it was acquired. The pieces are hand coloured with lac, and are quite quite beautiful.

Family legend is that it was acquired by my dad's Great-Great-Aunt Maggie, who was a character and a half if a somewhat abrasive one. She when to China in the 1850s to convert the heathen, who had done nothing to deserve this, so the family was not surprised when she got summarily evicted out of the country at the end of the Taiping Rebellion. So she went to Peru to convert the heathen there, and also got slung out of the country after an argument with the local Catholic authorities. She was a rabid Puseyite of the most extreme persuasion. She did have an eye for beauty though, and acquired quite a few glorious objects that are scattered around the family. My sister has the pearlshell inlaid ebony writing desk, I got the mahjongg set. I still have to decide who in the next generation to leave it to in my Will.

Mine wasn't. Grrrr. I'm jealous.

Piano quiz

1/10

Thanks chef!

Eggs & bacon on waffles with maple syrup please chef.

Wevver is about to fall in a heap. Stay warm, everyone!

Friday quiz

8/10

Recipie uses russet spuds - which are not common here. Also they recommend Idaho spuds, also not easily found here. Both of these are extreme 'floury' spuds and used for french fries and mashing. If your brushed spuds were a bit more waxy, then I can see that this recipie wouldn't work so well. Brushed spuds are usually a good allrounder variety, mashes and bakes fairly well, but are not extreme floury or waxy though they do tend more towards the floury sort. I also use a salad spinner to remove moisture rather than the towel method, as I'm lazy and it works very well. I usually add a couple of heaped tablespoons of plain flour and an egg to the shreds (well mixed in) before frying as I find this works to hold the shreds together reliably with practically any potato, and gets nicely crispy.

Also, the heat in the pan matters for getting that nice brown crust. A hotter pan and use a mixture of butter and oil so it doesn't burn as quickly, then let the hb sit on the heat for a good 5 mins to get a nice crust on it before turning. Cast iron is perfect for hbs, as it holds the heat so well. I think the recipie is probably very good indeed for extreme floury spuds, but might be difficult to adjust for less floury spuds unless you add a bit of flour and an egg to bind.

They should be ideal. What recipie did you use?

This used to be called a LOL - Lady of Leisure. Estimated income level = $200,000 pa MINIMUM. Without working, that's a shittonne of capital at 2% pa averaged. She can dream, but those dreams are not realistic. I doubt even the lottery would finance that sort of lifestyle.

As a master of spelling (various sorts) can you beat my score?

spelling challenge

3/12

Seafood platter and cabbage salad please chef. I need more vitamins.

Smart move. The lump is a good sign - maybe no inside the skull bruising, just external. Hope all checks out OK for you.