Toodlepips

I've tried Champion, Intermarche and Cora with no luck. Does anybody know a chain that stocks them please? thanks  [:)]

[quote user="Pierre ZFP"] [quote user="Hoddy"]some of them are already rolled into convenient circles for tarts. [/quote] That's an unkind thing to call Toodlepips!  She only said that she didn't do much pastry baking [:D] [/quote]   F'nar, f'nar!  [;-)]   thanks for all the replies folks - a big help

there is a vast selection of ready made pastry in my local Champion .... but I'm not sure what any of it is ... I'm not a pastry buyer/maker at the best of times? which one is puff pastry?  And if anybody can tell me what any of the others are I'd be most grateful! Thanks

Can somebody tell me if La Poste delivers on Saturdays please.   Thank you  [:)]

Are there any legalities that I need to bear in mind if I wanted to sell excess goodies from my veggie patch - from my property, not on a market stall or anything like that.  Just people passing by on their way home etc. I wouldn't expect to make very much money - I hate to see anything go to waste though.  Although something tells me the tax people wouldn't take such a laid back attitude... so, is there anything I need to do to stay out of trouble!

does anybody know if this is sold in France? It's not something I ever bought in the UK and now I can't get it I want it.

[quote user="londoneye"] I was just going to leave it out actually, because I don't really like it anyway.   Can't make that much difference can it ?[/quote] *GASP*  *HORROR*   It will make all the difference.  Seriously.... if you're prepared to risk your families Yuletide joy by missing out the candied peel ....   Well, acutally, it probably won't make all that difference at all.  Make it up with extra cherries and nuts.  ON the subject of glace cherries .... .have you SEEN the PRICE of them!!!  I can get four packs in UK for the price of one here... and guess where they are imported from .... yes, France!!

Only one rule ... drink it straight away.  Never keep the juice for later.  You can make some great combinations, but a good way to ease yourself in it to add carrot or apple juice to other juices.  This will sweeten it up until your palate is more used to other juices.  Those which are REALLY good for you sometimes don't taste so great at first. Would you like a few recipes?

I can't find candied peel anywhere ... does anybody know of any chains who tend to stock  it? Thanks  [:)]

Puy Lentils with Red Wine and Mint 1 tsp olive oil 2 onions, chopped roughly 1 red pepper, chopped roughly 3 cloves garlic, chopped Sauté over a medium heat for five minutes, stirring.   230g Puy lentils, washed 230ml red wine 200ml stock Add the lentils and wine and pour over enough stock to just cover the lentils.  Cover and simmer for 25 minutes until tender.  Add extra hot stock if needed.   ½ red chilli, chopped finely1 tsp balsamic vinegar 1 ½ tbsp soya sauce Add five minutes before end of cooking time.   15g mint leaves, thin strips Stir in just before serving.   This is really good cold the next day, or day after.  I add extra raw garlic and leave it in the fridge to fester!       As for dahl.  Make it up as you go along.  try this - this will make a big pan ...   Chop up 4 medium onions (or slice them thinly if you prefer a bit more texture).  Saute up with some crushed, sliced or chopped garlic.  Cook for 5 mins or so.   Add some spices.   Try the following;   2 tsp black mustard seeds 1 tablespoon cumin powder 1 tablespoon garam masala 1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp coriander seeds 6 cardamon pods (seeds only) Red chilli flakes or powder (as little or as hot as you like it ... I like to end up with steam coming out of my ears!) 1 tsp turmeric   You can grind your own spices if you have them, or even use a curry powder mix.   Stir this all into your onion mixure and cook until it all smells great and the mustard seeds are popping.  Add a drop or six of water if it starts sticking to the pan.  You can stir in some tomato puree at this point and gets a nice pastey mix going.   Now, chuck in some diced veg .. I like to put in a few finely diced carrots, maybe some mushroom - don't put in too much veg.    Stir it all around and then throw in some red lentils (about 350g for those who like to weigh).  Stir it all up and add some choppped tomatoes, or maybe a tin of tomatoes.  Add enough water to cover everything and give the lentils some liquid to soak up.  I throw in a cup of raisins to as I like em in  dahl.  Bring to the boil, cover and simmer.  Keep an eye on it - red lentils can cook really quickly and if you don't keep it all stirred up, the top layers will take all of the moisture.   I like to stir in a spoon ful of lime pickle as it adds a nice depth of flavour.  Serve with brown rice (hey, I like it!) and pickles and mango chutney.   There, I've made myself hungry now!    

I love Puy lentils.  One of my favourite ways of cooking them is to saute up some chopped onion and a bit of garlic until softened.  then add a chopped red pepper or two (leave them quite chunky), maybe add a few halved mushrooms.  Soften everything up and then add Puy lentils, red wine and stock.  Cook until, well, cooked!  then add a splash of soy sauce, a dash of balsamic, some crumbled red chilli flakes and some chopped mint.  Leave to infuse for a few mins.  Godd with rice, steamed veg or baked potato.  Add a dollop of yoghurt, or creme fraiche if you want to be naughty. let me know if you want the exact recipe.     Another great way of eating pulses is to make a lentil dahl.  Cheap, quick, tasty and keeps for days in the fridge.  Let me know if you want a recipe.

I've seen some nice trees in Gamm Vert and the like .... some chopped off at the bottom and others still rooted in pots. What I want is a tree which can be kept in a pot and then brought indoors each year.  If I buy one of these trees is it likely to last long if kept in a pot?  I don't want it to get too big, so I'm guessing that if I keep it to a small(ish)  pot and perhaps trim it's roots every few years that will do the trick.  Am I right?! Thanks.

The house is about to be rewired fully anyway (currently everything is going through two plugs and extension leads!... enough I know to trip things out). However, I've heard that it's very difficult to get 3 phase properly balanced and one can often have a lot of problems with this. I also understand that it can be incredibly dangerous.  Electiricity is always potentially dangerous of course, but my understanding is that one false move with 3 phase and it can all be over, rather than just a nasty shock. We will evenutally have three buildings (a year or two down the line) so in theory/practice is it possible to have a phase for each building and would this be the best option.  Equally, I don't want to end up paying three sets of standing orders if I can possibly avoid it. Does anybody else have 3 phase, and have found it useful for domestic use?

I thought that was the case. I will bury it in the concrete then. many thanks

I'm having my supply changed from 3 to single phase.  I have a really old meter. Question is... how do I know how many kw I have (not enough to run the washing machine and dishwasher at the same time, that I know!!!) .... there's no mention of it on my bills and I can't see anything except a 10.3a (amps?) stamp on my meter. Any ideas where to look?  I need to work out how much, if any, I need to get it upgraded to?  I understand that once it's not three phase, I'll get more use of my current power and less tripping out. Cheers!

I have some per pipe which is in gaine that I am running across a room.  I am also concreting the floor.  Can you tell me should I bury it in the concrete, the hardcore or the soil underneathThe pipes are for both hot and cold water. I am sure this is probably another obvious question for those who know and thank those who post in advance as I am finding all your help invalueable thanks

 I was hoping that was the case thanks for the advice

[quote user="Sunday Driver"] As far as your own bank is concerned you don't have to tell them you're not renewing in order to get a quote from them.  You can ask them any time - just like you can ask any insurer.....[;-)] [/quote]   I did this and was told they couldn't give me a quote until two weeks before my current insurance runs out (which seemed a bit daft to me!)   I didn't realise that I had two months from receipt of renewal notice .. .I thought it was two months before renewal -which is an impression my bank has encouraged! ... not mentioning any names (Britline!) I don't rate them and amnot with them for much longer)

I am currently insured through my bank.  I know French law dictates that two months notice is given if I don't want to reinsure through them (although my bank have told me that the broker accepts one months notice). So, how can I be sure I'm getting a good rate if my bank can only tell me my renewal price two weeks before the insurance runs out? There doesn't seem to be any advantage in staying with  my current insurers.  I'm inclined to give notice that I won't be renewing with them and then give them the opporutnity to quote along with some competitors later in the year.  Can anybody give me any advice on this please? Also, does anybody have any recommendations for house insurance?  (English speakers would be a big advantage as house insurance is the last thing I want to muck up due to my terrible French!) thank you

[quote user="Clair"]They're called oeillets transparents. PS: link for illustration purpose only...! [/quote]   Clair You are a SUPERSTAR!!!   Thank you xxx

Does anybody know where I can get some?    You know the sort of thing ... what you put over the holes created by a hole punch to strengthen it before putting it in a file. I've looked everywhere (well, in about four shops!) .... all I could find was stock in one shop and they were white ... I need clear ones. Does anybody know somewehere who stocks them?  An online shop would be fine.  Thanks very much

well, on the outside I mean! I'm building one into a cupboard prior to electrics being installed for the property and wanted to know if they get hot on the outside, as in the UK.  Or do they stay cool to the touch on the outside, as I know they have a lot of insulation on the inside. This will influence how much space I give it when boxing it in.   Thanks

Glad your cat is on the mend.  Don't know if it is the same where you are but we called our vet on a saturday night with one of our dogs and only paid an extra 5 euros!! It is easy to do things with the best of intentions.  We attended a cats wounds that had been in a fight with dettol before someone told us that it was poisionous and she had  lost several stray kittens she had rescued by using dettol....also jeyes fluid is lethal to cats.    

Thanks Derek for the info. I've tried doing this (I have Photoshop Elements, which I'm a complete novice at!) ... I've got the new document open and have dragged the 1st image into it... but it's not letting me resize it ... it just crops is instead. Any tips?

Are there any Photoshop experts out there please? I want to print some photos out, of differing sizes, on the same sheet..... for instance, one of the ones I want to print  (on a landscape layout) is ...   a portrait photo on the left hand side with two landscape photos filling the same size space down the right hand size   Another print I want to do isof  three portrait photos next to each other on the same sheeet   Can anybody tell me how to do this?