Middle Class Problems

Sook will put pear chutney recipe into recipes section. It was made up as I went along, so is alterable for any fruit that is going "cheep, cheep"

Oh yes please Elegran I love pear chutney but confess I always perrrchayse it from a nearby (very posh) Deli counter.

It is now in with the recipes, Sook Gillybob All quantities are approximate, so it is infinitely variable.

I just grab what plastic bag is handiest ..when I remember.
What does perplex me and keeps me awake at night is pondering why Sainsbury's don't sell fresh (chilled) pesto, when even M&S have it on the shelves.

What! Fresh chilled pesto? You should be so lucky - we're lucky if we can get it in jars here!!

Home-made is orders of magnitude better anyhow, if you can get fresh basil. Basil leaves, parmesan, pine nuts, olive oil, whizz, yum!

I don't think it features much in the average Scottish diet Gally. I've made it myself Bags just as I have made my own pastry, but if I can get someone else to do it for me, so much the better. Call me an idle besom if you wish.
PS does pesto freeze well?

I do too Bags. I also add garlic and toast the pine nuts.

Aka I agree as far as pastry goes. Pesto keeps well is you just make sure it is all under a layer of olive oil.

I would guess the oils in might mean the texture would be spoiled by freezing it. Try freezing a little bit of some cheap stuff.

A toast rack seems to be a British invention--for middle or 'upper' class use, I guess. My American friend had no idea what one was at an English Hotel. She then became intrigued by them and bought several to take back as presents for her friends in USA. Does that mean her friends then became 'middle class Americans' ?

I lost my toast rack which is only used for people who have stayed the night so went to Dunelm and spent a very middleclass £4.50 on one. Which I haven't used since

How can you 'lose' a toast rack?

I can lose anything, I've lost C*******s decorations, reed difussers (sp) to mention but 2 things lately! No doubt the toast rack will reappear sometime

Yes - on top of the wardrobe, or under the bed...

I am sorry I cannot believe that a humble toast rack can be considered "Middle Class " I have known them from the year dot .

If there is one thing I cannot bear is "soggy" toast , I like mine crisp , which what toast racks do .

A toast rack - dosent it double as a letter rack!!

Perhaps that's what yours is doing, kitty!

aka, my home-made pesto freezes very well. I freeze it in one person portions so that I can use it in any quantity when I want it.

kitty, I used to add garlic but garlic doesn't like my throat so I leave it out now. I've never tried toasting the pine nuts. Thanks for the idea! I hope they don't toast like sesame seeds >>> not done, not done, not done, not done, BURNT!!!!!

My German friends rate Aldi and Lidl as their version of M and S or Waitrose. The goods are as good and they are surprised that the two stores are sometimes looked down on. I love Aldi. As for Morrisons I think its is the location that denotes who shops there. Where my friend lives near Bristol there is one on the edge of a rather down and out estate where as ours is in a more lucrative part of the town. Right on the edge of massive houses with drives A mixture of people shop there. Lidl has obvious well-heeled people shopping there in our town as does the local Aldi. Will definitely try Aldis Summer Punch, can't afford Pimms!!!

When I say 'toasted' Bags I actually mean dry fried so easier to cope with. I also do sesame like that.

Bags That is exactly what pine nuts do. It must be all the oil in them. It is worth doing though - I can eat them toasted by the handful, sprinkled with salt.

I really cannot believe that people look down on Aldi and Lidl , then in the next breath complain how hard up they are .

They offer such good value for money , there is just no contest .

I agree Nonu. Our Lidl opened less than 2 years ago and poses absolutely no threat to the other supermarkets. It just has not caught on in this area and rarely needs more than one till open and yet their free range eggs, for example , are 50%cheaper than Tesco's.It is indeed good value for money. We don't have an Aldi unfortunately.

I think the recession has really given Lidl and Aldi a boost - before, they were looked down on rather like Iceland as a bit downmarket. A lot of publicity has been given to what good value they give for money, and suddenly they're the 'in' places to do your shopping!

DH really rates their photo paper.