Chancer Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 The year has is ending here in Picardie, at least as far as any associations, sporting or social activities are concerned, henceforth your neighbour may die in a canicule for all you care, I have already been to one year end do and have two more next week, I find the whole process very depressing but hey-ho one has to join in the (lack of) fun and integrate.The first one next week is at the ladies fitness club where I am both the token male and token foreigner, we are all going to be bringing a bottle and some nibbles, normally I have some stock favorites that go down well but this time I wont be able to prepare them as I will be returning from the UK after a funeral that afternoon.Does anyone have any suggestions of something that I could bring from a UK supermarket that would be interesting and appealing for them? I might hoping that not having prepared and cooked them myselves this time people might actually be willing to put their lives in their hands and taste one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissie Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 Couldn't you buy something frozen now, and on your return just zap in oven before going? eg prunes in bacon or mini sausages on sticks? (Not very good for people into fitness, I suppose). From UK, how about mini pork pies, cut into quarters, with a tiny dab of chutney or similar on the top.Chrissie (81) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted June 24, 2011 Author Share Posted June 24, 2011 When you say buy now Chrissie, do you mean in France? I have never seen frozen or even fresh pre-prepared food like that around here.I could of course prepare the stuff this week and freeze it but I hadnt considered taking hot food to the soirée as it is preceded by an abdo-fessiers class, I doubt that I could keep it hot and the aromas wafting around would not do anyome any favours either! I also have a sneaking suspicion that presenting people with hot, or maybe in this case warm food would cause them to go into "does not compute" mode, cross their hands defensively in front of them fiercely muttering "On Non, Non, Non" like if you suggest a coffee to anyone after 14.00 when they freak out and tell you that they would not be able to sleep that night.It has to be something tempting and appealing to overcaome their innate fear of anythng and anyone unknown, the pork pies I have already tried at a pic-nic, no takers, ditto scotch eggs, I also find there is a very strong and irrational fear of sauces etc so the pickle would definitely have to be served as an accompaniment.I think if it is something that they have already seen on the aisles of Lidl or Aldi like Tex-mex or Asiatic they would be perhaps be more likely to take what is to them a big leap of faith.Alternatively something that I can prepare in the UK and transport with me. It would be really nice if it had an English touch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cendrillon Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 "It has to be something tempting and appealing to overcaome their innate fear of anythng and anyone unknown,"oh so true! LOL[:D]M&S and other big U.K. supermarkets do loads of ready prepared "nibble" type things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 Are all these ladies super slim and on diets all the time? I have lots of ideas, but I tend to treat treats, as treats and they are often calorific and that was maybe why the year end do's and christmas do's I had to organise were not depressing. Ah, I remember well, all those little smiles as I would hold plates in front of people and them saying they shouldn't, but they did anyway, and not just once, made for very pleasant evenings. Although I agree I have been to some where I have left 'early'. Socially is there little else? there wasn't in our village to be honest. Friends from England used to think these do's wonderful incidentally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val_2 Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 Twiglets - the french have an abhorrant fear of Marmite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave21478 Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 Tesco and Asda sell large packs of mini cocktail sausages which I have never found here in France. These have always been hoovered up double-quick any time I have brought some back with me.The other night my restaurant held a soiree for the gym club. 36 ladies of varying ages and sizes and the male instructor turned up and woofed down lamb coucous at an incredible rate. I had hoped to have enough left to be dish of the day for the rest of the week, but by my reckoning, they ate close to 60 portions worth! The orange juice took a fair beating too, but nowhere near the quantities of kir they quaffed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 I don't know about Picards, but here a selection of charcuterie is always welcome.I get mine here http://cabrie.free.fr/region.htm#plan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crossy67 Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 We brought our neighbours a posh box of fudge and shortbread, they seemed to like it. I have just dropped a small portion of curry round to one next door neighbours who seemed to like it ans when she brought the dish back, said her husband liked it to. I have a dish in the restaurant/hotel over the road waiting for return and judgement, the chef is very good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 I think that crossv67's idea sounds good of the shortbread and fudge. I think that chocolates from Thorntons or M&S would go down well too, either often have good offers. I have yet to meet a french lady who does not like a good chocolate and often these do's are very savoury affairs so something 'sweet' is often snapped up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
confused of chalus Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 If you are flying hand luggage only you will have a problem with some foods ... but the twiglet idea made me think of cheddar cheese and pineapple on sticks. Very english, very retro! Security lady at Stansted said that a slab of cheddar in the hand luggage looked just like plastic explosive on the x ray. But she let it through.....[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinabee Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 Maybe something like this (or baby vegetables) with some dipshttp://www.tesco.com/groceries/product/browse/default.aspx?N=4294965219&Ne=4294965303Or a selection of English cheeses with crackersOr if you really want to blow their socks off - a packet of Bombay Mix [6] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 Mrs Q informs me that 'The Great British Corner Shop' is now sending over chilled food, ideal for a selection of English cheeses although round here some supermarkets sell 'red' and 'white' cheddar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissie Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 We can get loads of frozen apero type stuff around here, though I prefer to do my own. Leclerc, Auchan have freezer cabinets full of little pastry things with different toppings, bacon wrapped round prunes in packs of 10 or 12, little tub things of boudins blancs which you zap in the microwave and then stick on sticks. All can be eaten cold. I tried the cheese-and-pineapple on sticks once - no-one would touch it. One French friend told me about a year later that "somebody English" had presented them with a mixture of fruit and cheese to eat - "how disgusting", she shuddered. I hope she never remembered it was me! They guzzle down plain old mini sausage rolls though, so I tend to make batches of those whenever I have left-over pastry. Cut the uncooked rolls into thin slices and open freeze before bagging up.Chrissie (81) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 I made something with prunes and bacon once, beurk, love both individually, together hated it, and no one touched them either.Everyone french I know has fruit with meat, but things like canard a l'orange and just about any game with berries of some sort. Just those things that they 'don't know' that they are fearful of.I have bought those little frozen apero puff pastry things from SuperU and Carrefour. They were OK and were all eaten. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pommier Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 The frozen pastry apero things - yes they're ok, but that's all (and they're blooming expensive!)It's easy to make home made nibbles and they're so much nicer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val_2 Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 Get a ready to roll pastry feuilleté, spread with either the sun dried tomato paste or pesto or the anchovy and black olive tapenade spread, roll up like swiss roll. Put in fridge for an hour and then slice very thinly and bake for about 20mins. Very simple and no messing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 [quote user="Val_2"]Get a ready to roll pastry feuilleté, spread with either the sun dried tomato paste or pesto or the anchovy and black olive tapenade spread, roll up like swiss roll. Put in fridge for an hour and then slice very thinly and bake for about 20mins. Very simple and no messing.[/quote]And... if you put a sheet of baking parchment and then another baking tray on the top of the slices when you put them in the oven, they come out very thin and flat and beautifully crispy. I make it a lot, very handy as it uses store cupboard ingredients and isn't too faffy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 Val and Cat, thank you for the tips. I have some friends who don't like sweet things and I rack my brain to make them something they'd enjoy post boules so I shall be trying your suggestion out very soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val_2 Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 I also do tiny cheese and onion scones using parmesan cheese and chopped onion,lightly buttered they are also very popular if you make then smaller than the standard cream tea size. You can add herbs,garlic or anything you want really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 [quote user="sweet 17"]I have some friends who don't like sweet things and I rack my brain to make them something they'd enjoy post boules.[/quote]What no Croquet on the Chateau lawns [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 [quote user="Théière"][quote user="sweet 17"]I have some friends who don't like sweet things and I rack my brain to make them something they'd enjoy post boules.[/quote]What no Croquet on the Chateau lawns [:)][/quote]Alas, the chateau lawns are not how they should be this summer. Plus, with the water restriction rules and the heatwave, the general handyman has refused to carry a watering can around and do the lawns a square metre at a time.What do I always complain about, Teapot? That you can't get the staff these days[+o(] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 [quote user="Val_2"]I also do tiny cheese and onion scones using parmesan cheese and chopped onion,lightly buttered they are also very popular if you make then smaller than the standard cream tea size. You can add herbs,garlic or anything you want really.[/quote]Val, I do make cheese scones but haven't tried them with onions. I love the sound of adding onions. Also, I spread some of that cream cheese with herbs and garlic on them and they literally go like hot cakes! The heat also comes from the cayenne pepper that I sprinkle liberally on top![:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 post deleted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 [quote user="sweet 17"][quote user="Théière"] [quote user="sweet 17"]I have some friends who don't like sweet things and I rack my brain to make them something they'd enjoy post boules.[/quote]What no Croquet on the Chateau lawns [:)][/quote]Alas, the chateau lawns are not how they should be this summer. Plus, with the water restriction rules and the heatwave, the general handyman has refused to carry a watering can around and do the lawns a square metre at a time.What do I always complain about, Teapot? That you can't get the staff these days[+o(][/quote]Hide his Telegraph [6] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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