Clair

[quote user="idun"]Claire is orange flower water popular in your region of France. I had a good friend from Valence who would bring me 'delices' from her neck of the woods and everything sweet had orange flower water in it, well that she brought for me to try. I have never had any madeleines with it in. [/quote] I thought it would go well with the lemon zest... I don't have any Rhum and didn't fancy Calvados!

[quote user="sweet 17"][quote user="Clair"][quote user="sweet 17"]Clair, how many cakes with your mixture?[/quote]I made 36 madeleines and I ate them all![/quote]Oh, Clair, you are sooooo................IMPRESSIVE![/quote] It doesn't come naturally and I have to work at it, but yes, I am!! [;-)] [kiss]

[quote user="sweet 17"]Clair, how many cakes with your mixture?[/quote] I made 36 madeleines (not mini ones)  and I ate them all! [:-))] (not on the same day...) My new trays are metal, and I had to use a silicone one for the last dozen. Big difference in the finish product. Metal gave better results.

[quote user="Pommier"]Oooh - I'm tempted by both recipes, but I haven't got a madeleine tin - can I justify one? Please excuse my ignorance, but what's brown butter (or it that just a bit burnt?) [/quote] Brown butter is butter melted over a gentle heat so that the water evaporates and milk solids drop to the bottom of the pan and sizzle gently until they turn brown and infuse the melted butter as they cook. The milk solids are discarded or filtered out. It's a similar process to making ghee, but allowing the milk solids to cook. Called beurre noisette in French.

I made some last week to test my newly-acquired madeleines trays (reduced by 70%, couldn't resist!) and this recipe (in French, but easy to follow) was surprisingly easy and successful. translation, just in case... PS: I skipped the milk but added ½ its volume in orange flower water instead. PPS: previous attempts have required resting for hours in the fridge, brown butter, blahblahblah... this recipe didn't and it really was a doddle... though I will use brown butter next time !

[quote user="nino"]Now if my understanding is correct, HC is the electricity used at night time, usually the colder period. [/quote] Nino, HC (Heures Creuses) is not applied only during the night, but also during the day. It varies in different regions. For instance, I have two HC periods in 24 hours: 2pm-5pm and 2am-7am. The HC period is shown on your electricity bill. On the old-style bill, it is on the back below montant à régler. I suspect they left probably the heating on all the time. I used to have a HP/HC meter in the gite, but I changed it to a basic/normal one after I calculated that it was costing me more money despite the lower tariff, as the paying guests didn't pay attention to the HC periods anyway. For me, the "savings" in HC during the short rental period did not cover the higher standing charge over the year.

After a long and frank discussion this afternoon, we agreed that I would deal with arrivals and departures only. No call-outs, no stand-by. I'm at home (sunbathing/gardening/sleeping...) when the guests arrive at the gate from 4pm onwards; they call; I walk down the lane (3mn); we do a walk-around the property and agree the inventory; I walk home. I'm back there at 10 on the Saturday when they're due to leave; we do a walk-around and agree the inventory; I walk home and carry on with my day until the guests arrive... I get 60€ per Saturday, whether it's one walk up and down the lane or two. Good negotiation? [:)]

[quote user="Gardian"]If they're charging (let's say) €500 / wk, then €50 is what I'd want for an hour of my time. Then, as Nomoss has suggested, pro rata, but you could always be reasonable over little problems.[/quote] Aha! [:D] [:D] They're charging 1000€ a week in June & July and 1350€ in August, discounted for longer stays... But I get what you and Nomoss say. Thanks for the suggestion. I hadn't considered an hourly charge on top of a retainer.  Originally, I had thought 30€ for the welcoming fee. Now I'll also consider an hourly rate for problem-solving, should the need occur. I'm meeting them tomorrow. I'll update. Thank you.

There's a holiday rental property with non-resident Dutch owners down the road from here. I have been asked if I would consider acting as a key-holder / problem solver. Their previous problem solver has moved on and they need someone to explain things when guests arrive and if a problems arises. They charge their guests a fair bit (in my opinion). No cleaning or maintenance required. It's "just in case"... How much should I ask for (per arrival)? How much would you pay for peace of mind, as a gite owner?

I have yet to find a jar which resists a pair of rubber gloves... (Have you tried a Strongboy?)

Manage your VIP contacts HERE. Translation by Google HERE.

Our village has had a new sewer system, a new heating system and new lighting, all installed over the last 3-5 years, all paid for through an increase in our local taxes. We live 3km away from the village centre, with no chance of being connected to either the sewer or the heating, and the only benefit we've received is a couple of piddly street-lights on the road to the hamlet. Did we have to pay? Yes.

I've been trying to post a link to your forum profile, but it's not working out... [8-)] I can click on my name (next to Edit Your Details, top right) and it takes me to my profile. Could there be a setting on your browser stopping the link from working? If you send PM me your chosen password, I'll reset it for you (then erase it from my memory [:D])

[quote user="Hereford"]I had hoped that Clair would see the post but she seems not to be around so much.[/quote] *waves* I'm here most days, but not at 5am!![:P] As above, the recipe is not specific enough and I'd find another...

[quote user="Martin963"]I *think* we're on the Liste Orange.   As I say "think" rather than "know". In spite of that we get quite a number of nuisance calls.   I follow Clair's advice of immediately countering the question "Est ce que c'est bien...." by replying "C'est de la part de qui?".   That rattles them a bit.  If it then turns out it's a nuisance call I tell them I'm on the Liste Orange.   Several have had the cheek to say that they are "not trying to sell me anything".   At which point I turn quite nasty and get rid of them. It's a shame that there isn't the equivalent of the TPS or whatever it is now in Britain as that - at least in my experience - works fairly well..... [/quote] Nice of you to quote me here, Martin [:)] Have a look at http://www.pacitel.fr/, it's meant to be the French equivalent of TPS. I have no idea if it's any good.

[quote user="Mrs Trellis"]... Is there any way to block numbers on a landline as one can with mobile phones?[/quote] Not a call blocking answer, but the opposite. This allows you to filter the incoming calls. Calls from un-displayed numbers are withheld whilst the automated system requests their name. Your phone rings and the name is communicated to you, then you accept or refuse the call. If you accept the call, you have the option of entering the caller's number in a VIP list, which will allow their calls without filtering it in future. See HERE for details the call-filtering option (called Stop Secret) and HERE for the VIP list.

[quote user="5-element"]Claggy is nice.[:D] As I am addicted to Nutella, I just won't have it in the house. Instead, about an hour ago, I started looking for recipes for "pâte à tartiner au chocolat maison" but many of them have "lait concentré sucré" which I don't like. So with a bit of luck, I won't even manufacture any Nutella substitute.[/quote] I'm addicted to Nutella too and I simply don't buy it (or I'd eat the lot by the spoonful!) Here is a recipe for a home-made substitute (no condensed milk listed.) I haven't made it (yet)...

EDF redesigned their website a few weeks ago and the Client's section was offline for about a week. You could try to clear your EDF cookies, then sign in...

[quote user="germainewrites"]Greetings. I have spent several years researching and writing a novel set in France. Might there be a reader among us, either a native of France or longterm resident, willing to take a quick look at a final draft and answer two questions: 1) Are the French characters authentic? and 2) Are the French colloquialisms and slang terms properly used? Any help will be greatly appreciated and duly acknowledged in the published book. All the best![/quote] 1) - Authenticity, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder! My first thought on that is that it very much depends on who your readers will be. Will they be wearing rose-tinted specs and expect a Peter-Mayle characterisation? Or will they understand the unmentionable and darker French under-belly? 2) - That's a lot easier! I'll do it! [:D] PS: my credentials: English-speaking French national... Send me an email or PM if you're interested...

Here is another free Kindle book which sounds good: You've Gone Too Far This Time, Sir! [Format Kindle] by Danny Bent [quote]When Danny Bent cycled 15,000 kilometres from the UK to India to raise money for ActionAid, it was a decision that took twenty years and one minute. For twenty years he had wanted to do something to raise money for charity. The one minute was when as their teacher he was put on the spot by his pupils and declared that the means was by bike, and he was going to India. What he had signed up for was slogging along roads with trucks bearing down on him, unable to see and choking in the smog; shooting down treacherous descents with 100 foot drops, shaking with cold and too numb to brake; muscle burn and saddle sores; delirium and food poisoning; thirst and malnutrition; foul and insanitary conditions; life-threatening crises; obstructive border guards, crazed dogs and inquisitive passers-by. 'You've Gone Too Far This Time, Sir!' is a real and compelling blow-by-blow account of Danny's trip across Europe, the former Soviet Republics, Russia, China, Pakistan and India. And what people he met! They are the true delight of this book, mostly charming, sometimes reckless, occasionally threatening, always unpredictable, and forever inviting Danny to be up for the challenge of entertaining them, in one instance by dancing in front of a packed stadium, in another by eating sheep's brains in a local night market. Danny turns the wheels, you turn the pages. The pace is relentless. The story is both heart-stopping and heart-warming. The arrival is breakdown-and-cry emotional. And there's loads of fun and wonderment along the way too.[/quote]

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UK libraries do not pay Public Lending Rights (PLR) to authors on ebooks they lend out, whereas they have to pay them on physical books. From the little that I have read about it, The Society of Authors may decide to issue a legal challenge to ensure authors receive the same PLR on ebooks. In France, where book prices are regulated, authors fear piracy and there is pressure from the publishing companies to avoid talking about lending ebooks altogether. According to Hachette's CEO, lending libraries (bibliothèques) "should concentrate on paper books for those people who cannot afford to buy them, and not on ebooks for people who can afford an e-reader."

Some ebooks carry page numbers, chapter titles, some don't. It's all down to how the ebook was formatted and the skill (interest?) of the person doing the formatting. You can set bookmarks (under Tools in the toolbar). Now that you have your Kindle app, you might be interested in downloading more free books... [;-)] Try this website. I get a daily email from them and I filter by selecting some topics only. Almost all the books I find there are available on Amazon FR (and I assume on Amazon UK too). Quality varies, but at least, they don't cost anything!

Sue, Your Kindle registration restricts only your Kindle book purchases. I have an account with Amazon US, Amazon UK and Amazon FR, but as my Kindle is registered with my FR account, this means I can only buy Kindle books on Amazon FR.

Suein56, First, you'll need to log in to your preferred Amazon account, whether UK of FR. Then, before you buy the Kindle book, you should see a drop-down menu under the Purchase button, giving you option of where the book will be downloaded. As I have a Kindle app on my laptop, on my iPad and a Kindle reader, the drop-down menu offers offer all 3 options. I prefer to download all my Kindle books purchases on my laptop, and only keep my current reading list (135+ books!) on the Kindle itself... Once you have selected your laptop (under whatever name it shows on the list), click on the Purchase button. The book should appear in your Kindle app screen. Double-click it to read it.