Mr Standfast Posted November 16, 2021 Share Posted November 16, 2021 17 minutes ago, Allan Bell said: We were given pot/crockery tea set and proper knives and forks. Not your tatty plastic or wooden ones. Allan My contribution. Fish and chips defrosted just they way Mum used to do it.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Bell Posted November 16, 2021 Share Posted November 16, 2021 14 minutes ago, Mr Standfast said: My contribution. Fish and chips defrosted just they way Mum used to do it.. WHAT! No mushy peas. Allan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted November 16, 2021 Share Posted November 16, 2021 50 minutes ago, Allan Bell said: WHAT! No mushy peas. Allan and the fish ??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Betty LaRue Posted November 16, 2021 Author Share Posted November 16, 2021 Stop with the fish & chips. My stomach is growling and I don’t know anyplace in Wichita that serves them. I must investigate! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sb photos Posted November 16, 2021 Share Posted November 16, 2021 My doctors surgery finally contacted me late in the day yesterday that they now had blood tubes in stock. Back in JulyAugust I should have had an annual blood test, but it was suspended due to the national shortage. At the year end I wonder how many national shortages we will have had. Had the blood taken at 7:15am this morning. It was a quick in out, both the needle and me. In less than 5 mins I was back in my car. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Ventura Posted November 16, 2021 Share Posted November 16, 2021 4 minutes ago, Betty LaRue said: Stop with the fish & chips. My stomach is growling and I don’t know anyplace in Wichita that serves them. I must investigate! You are in luck Betty! If you have the "Yelp" app, and search for fish and chips in Wichita, there are a bunch of restaurants that claim they have em on the menu. I have a pub near me that has them and they are pretty good and almost too much for one person. I go there once in a while with my son. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Standfast Posted November 16, 2021 Share Posted November 16, 2021 1 hour ago, Bryan said: and the fish ??? Straight from the cash and carry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacecadet Posted November 16, 2021 Share Posted November 16, 2021 (edited) 2 hours ago, Mr Standfast said: My contribution. Fish and chips defrosted just they way Mum used to do it.. Not the best food pairing, admittedly, but I do hope that's claret there. Edited November 16, 2021 by spacecadet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Ventura Posted November 16, 2021 Share Posted November 16, 2021 All this talk about fish and chips had me making another classic U.K. dish last night, shepherd's pie. A great meal on a chilly night. Made it with lamb (with a little nutmeg) and chopped veggies with mashed potatoes on top. I have enough for three or four meals! This is just a quick snap with my phone. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sb photos Posted November 16, 2021 Share Posted November 16, 2021 (edited) 58 minutes ago, Michael Ventura said: All this talk about fish and chips had me making another classic U.K. dish last night, shepherd's pie. A great meal on a chilly night. Made it with lamb (with a little nutmeg) and chopped veggies with mashed potatoes on top. I have enough for three or four meals! This is just a quick snap with my phone. We fairly regularly eat similar to yours, but with the lamb substituted to quorn mince, more mashed potato and cooked in a casserole dish in the oven. Edit: plus a sprinkling of grated cheddar cheese on top. Edited November 16, 2021 by sb photos 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Betty LaRue Posted November 16, 2021 Author Share Posted November 16, 2021 45 minutes ago, Michael Ventura said: All this talk about fish and chips had me making another classic U.K. dish last night, shepherd's pie. A great meal on a chilly night. Made it with lamb (with a little nutmeg) and chopped veggies with mashed potatoes on top. I have enough for three or four meals! This is just a quick snap with my phone. You men who cook have my admiration. My husband would have starved before rattling a pan. McDonald’s would have profited, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Richards Posted November 16, 2021 Share Posted November 16, 2021 Following breakdown of the original, a brand new replacement central heating boiler installed today in time for winter. No more standby electric heaters or immersion heater gobbling electricity. Happy days!!! ☺️ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted November 16, 2021 Share Posted November 16, 2021 1 minute ago, Dave Richards said: Following breakdown of the original, a brand new replacement central heating boiler installed today in time for winter. No more standby electric heaters or immersion heater gobbling electricity. Happy days!!! ☺️ Well done. I've been trying to get a response from a rated local heating engineer, but, so far, he hasn't replied to any of my messages. Our system is noisily soldering on, but we need to have it looked at before the family descends over the holidays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cecile Marion Posted November 16, 2021 Share Posted November 16, 2021 2 hours ago, Michael Ventura said: All this talk about fish and chips had me making another classic U.K. dish last night, shepherd's pie. A great meal on a chilly night. Made it with lamb (with a little nutmeg) and chopped veggies with mashed potatoes on top. I have enough for three or four meals! This is just a quick snap with my phone. Fish and chips aren’t overly tempting for me, but I grew up on shepherd’s pie, often topped with cornbread rather than potatoes. Love it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Richards Posted November 16, 2021 Share Posted November 16, 2021 1 hour ago, Bryan said: Well done. I've been trying to get a response from a rated local heating engineer, but, so far, he hasn't replied to any of my messages. Our system is noisily soldering on, but we need to have it looked at before the family descends over the holidays. I found my installer by using a comparison web site. They matched me to a couple of companies and a local one came up trumps. Gave me a fair fixed price quote and did the work at two days notice with no hassle and the boiler has a ten year warranty. If you need a new boiler you could try Boxt Boilers (www.boxt.co.uk/boilers); they have a straight forward questionair and will give you a quote online. Good luck, hope you get it sorted soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sb photos Posted November 16, 2021 Share Posted November 16, 2021 2 hours ago, Dave Richards said: Following breakdown of the original, a brand new replacement central heating boiler installed today in time for winter. No more standby electric heaters or immersion heater gobbling electricity. Happy days!!! ☺️ We had our gas central heating boiler replaced just over 10 years ago. It's a valiant, and has never given any trouble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Ventura Posted November 16, 2021 Share Posted November 16, 2021 (edited) 4 hours ago, Betty LaRue said: You men who cook have my admiration. My husband would have starved before rattling a pan. McDonald’s would have profited, though. Funny, the other day my son asked if I had any hobbies and he said I can't say photography. So my only response was cooking. I really enjoy it and I was lucky to grow up with a father was a way better cook than I am. My parents often had dinner parties and my dad did the majority of the cooking, my mom would make the salads and maybe a dessert. But I remember how their friends would be so excited about coming over because the food was so good. Because of his upbringing, his dishes were often French, Italian and Middle Eastern influenced from the places he lived and the cultures he was surrounded by. Edited November 16, 2021 by Michael Ventura 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted November 17, 2021 Share Posted November 17, 2021 (edited) All of this talk about cookery and non fat fryers is leading me to consider the various kitchen gadgets that we have tried and abandoned, or found to be useful. To put this into context we have a galley kitchen which is a very efficient workspace, but storage is limited - so there is no place for marginally useful kit. Tried and abandoned George Foreman Grill - the eye level grill on the cooker is more convenient. Pressure cooker - transforms green veg into school dinner mush Toaster - see George's grill above plus consumes space Plastic spatulas - I found that they deposited a layer of plastic on a white ceramic pan. Various coffee machines - occupy too much space and results no better than stove top moka pot. Chip pan - or deep fat fryer, went years ago for health reasons Tried and retained Stove top tiered steamer - for crispy veg and economical use of space and gas Slow cooker - used to make lunchtime soup throughout the colder months, recycles leftovers Wooden spatulas - environmentally friendly low cost solution Stove top Moka pots, cheap simple reliable way to brew delicious coffee. Edited November 17, 2021 by Bryan 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnans Posted November 17, 2021 Share Posted November 17, 2021 46 minutes ago, Bryan said: All of this talk about cookery and non fat fryers is leading me to consider the various kitchen gadgets that we have tried and abandoned, or found to be useful. To put this into context we have a galley kitchen which is a very efficient workspace, but storage is limited - so there is no place for marginally useful kit. Tried and abandoned George Foreman Grill - the eye level grill on the cooker is more convenient. Pressure cooker - transforms green veg into school dinner mush Toaster - see George's grill above Plastic spatulas - I found that they deposited a layer of plastic on a white ceramic pan. Various coffee machines - occupy too much space and results no better than stove top moka pot. Chip pan - or deep fat fryer, went years ago for health reasons Tried and retained Stove top steamer - for crispy veg and economical use of space and gas Slow cooker - used to make lunchtime soup throughout the colder months, recycles leftovers Wooden spatulas - environmentally friendly low cost solution Stove top Moka pots, cheap simple reliable way to brew delicious coffee. Bryan - Have you heard about Instant Pot? That could possibly combine your Steamer and Slow cooker into one machine. 12 hours ago, Bryan said: Well done. I've been trying to get a response from a rated local heating engineer, but, so far, he hasn't replied to any of my messages. Our system is noisily soldering on, but we need to have it looked at before the family descends over the holidays. Incase you have not heard before there is a new local neighborhood app "Nextdoor" where your neighbors could recommend other local heating engineers. A little reliable than the raving reviews of a popular trade checker website. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted November 17, 2021 Share Posted November 17, 2021 (edited) 11 minutes ago, Gnans said: Bryan - Have you heard about Instant Pot? That could possibly combine your Steamer and Slow cooker into one machine. Incase you have not heard before there is a new local neighborhood app "Nextdoor" where your neighbors could recommend other local heating engineers. A little reliable than the raving reviews of a popular trade checker website. Thanks Gnans, but I'm not convinced. Th Instant Pot looks suspiciously like a pressure cooker ? The steamer cooks at atmospheric pressure, so is kinder to delicate veg. Plus a stove top steamer appears to cost about one tenth that of an Instant Pot ? The heating engineer that I am trying to contact came as a personal recommendation, but I suspect that he is able to pick and choose work, and prefers the more lucrative boiler installations to routine safety checks and minor fixes. In the past we've used a good guy but one who has to travel some distance and I was trying to find a local tradesman, but maybe back to plan A. Edited November 17, 2021 by Bryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacecadet Posted November 17, 2021 Share Posted November 17, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, Bryan said: Thanks Gnans, but I'm not convinced. Th Instant Pot looks suspiciously like a pressure cooker ? The steamer cooks at atmospheric pressure, so is kinder to delicate veg. Plus a stove top steamer appears to cost about one tenth that of an Instant Pot ? The heating engineer that I am trying to contact came as a personal recommendation, but I suspect that he is able to pick and choose work, and prefers the more lucrative boiler installations to routine safety checks and minor fixes. In the past we've used a good guy but one who has to travel some distance and I was trying to find a local tradesman, but maybe back to plan A. Presumably you've bled the radiators, but noise could be kettling from limescale on the heat exchanger you can hear it right inside the boiler. I treated ours when it was about 12 years old after doing a radiator flush- you put the flusher across the boiler (usually by removing the pump) and use a descaling agent. It's still fine after 8 or 9 years. A bad thermostatic valve can also make an individual radiator noisy, or it may just need another flush. Flush first, then drain down to replace the valve. Been there, done that, putting off one. Edited November 17, 2021 by spacecadet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Richards Posted November 17, 2021 Share Posted November 17, 2021 11 hours ago, sb photos said: We had our gas central heating boiler replaced just over 10 years ago. It's a valiant, and has never given any trouble. Vailant are good. I installed my heating system myself and it's chugged way quite happily for the last 25 years. But with the advent of more efficient condensing boilers and the problem in sourcing spares for the old one it was time to retire it. Now have a very tidy and much quieter Worcester tucked away in a run of kitchen wall cupboards. I didn't install the new boiler, I'm too old and lazy for mucking about with those things now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Richards Posted November 17, 2021 Share Posted November 17, 2021 1 hour ago, Gnans said: Bryan - Have you heard about Instant Pot? That could possibly combine your Steamer and Slow cooker into one machine. Incase you have not heard before there is a new local neighborhood app "Nextdoor" where your neighbors could recommend other local heating engineers. A little reliable than the raving reviews of a popular trade checker website. Nextdoor is OK but website worked for me and I now have a reliable and accredited installer to do the annual service and safety checks. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacecadet Posted November 17, 2021 Share Posted November 17, 2021 (edited) I have to say that there seems to be nothing on the "Which?" boiler service checklist that isn't a DIY possibility if you have the manual, installation guide, and a healthy respect for 230V. But then we do have a non-condensing unpressurised system. Edited November 17, 2021 by spacecadet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Rooney Posted November 17, 2021 Share Posted November 17, 2021 Gee, I wish I was handy. I'm just getting the knack of using a door knob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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