Recapturing an earlier passion

[Not your average framer]

I used to be really into cooking and baking. You may laugh, but it's true! It's a creativity thing and there's something about cooking and baking that really inspires me on all levels. Officially the kitchen is my wife's territory, but I've recently been set loose in the kitchen and it's like being set free.

My wife had three major operations in the space of four years and one of the operations was a bit of a bodge job, leaving my wife no longer wanting to lift our ancient breadmaker out of the cupboard and onto the kitchen work surface.

My health has led me to realise that I'm a lot healthier eating food without all those additives, so we bought a compact breadmaker, which has more menu's and settings than the old one, so I get to drive it. So now I get to buy more new kitchen toys and drive them too! I'm having a great time, buying proper ingredients and cooking again.

Are there any other framers who arer kitchen fanatics as well?

[Moondoggy]

Mauviel copper pans and very good knives are my current passion. We also have a very old solid fuel Aga which we love to bits. It's wonderful to cook with and warm your bottom on (not at the same time). It's like an old friend.

[Trillian]

Me too Mark!

Mr. T. usually buys me kitchen utensils and cookbooks for birthdays and Christmas, (he knows how to woo a girl!). I love cooking and have often thought about running a cook shop, but I just don't think it would be a profitable business. Only yesterday I bought a new, deep-sided, sauté pan with lid. Just right for cooking a delicious Spanish style chicken stew. And despite the fact that there are so many lovely patisseries here, I still make bread every week, you can't beat the smell and taste of freshly baked bread (especially without the additives)!

We are a bit spoiled here in France for fresh ingredients. I have never before been able to buy so much local produce, it's fantastic. And as you say, so much better for your health. We haven't yet managed to get our veg patch up and running but our kind neighbour often pops round with edible gifts, and our cider apples make a surprisingly tasty pie.

If you are in the market for new baking pans, I thoroughly recommend Silverwood. You can't beat 'em. I've tried so many pots and pans over the years, but these really are the best for cakes, pies, bread etc.

I'm sorry to hear about your wife's recent ill-health, hopefully your re-discovered passion for all things culinary will see you both leading a happier, healthier future.

[Timh]

absolutely love cooking

I cook everyday except christmas day!
have to get one day off

[Not your average framer]

I've just been testing out our latest new toy for the kitchen. It's a bit like an electric waffle maker, but makes attractively shaped cakes instead. So todays offering was parmisan cheese, sundried tomatoes and rosemary savoury cakes.

It was a recipe from the manufacturers handbook and had some element of a sort of sponge cake recipe. It was o.k., but I won't be bothering again. Next time the basic ingredients will be adapted to create something a lot more interesting, more substantial, much healthier and with a more savory kick.

While all this was going on the breadmaker was cooking another loaf, using a pre-mix pack I bought at the same time as buying the breadmaker. The pre-mix includes soya flour, which I think is cheap cr*p and useless for making bread, so I've added some extra strong white to the mix to try and make a better loaf.

When it's cooled down, I cut a slice and see if it's any better. I already have several family recipes which produce awesome breadmaker bread, but I want to get something decent out of the remaining packs, while we are using the up.

Added to this I cooked califlower cheese for our evening meal, so I've had an enjoyable evening in the kitchen!

[Roboframer]

21 years ago I had a day job and in the evenings and weekends, I framed, plus did plenty of overtime at the day job; my wife did all the cooking.

Then we opened a shop and the day job went, but the workshop was still at home and I was still framing in to the night and Sundays ... but my wife, who does our books was also working in to the night .. and Sundays, so we started sharing the cooking, one week on, one week off; I really enjoyed it, her not so much.

Then we moved in to where we are now and had to take on staff, my job was easier, Pat's was harder (and still is) so one week after my turn was up I decided to just carry on - she didn't say a word and never has!

The other night I got a couple of chicken breasts, sliced them almost in half, opened them out and battered them flat and thin between two bits of foil, laid them over some prosciutto, sautéd some red onions and stuff, covered them in that, rolled and tied them, browned them in an hob-to-oven pan and cooked them at 190 for 40 mins, all served with steamed veg - do this sort of stuff with my eyes closed.

Plates half empty she asks "what's in the stuffing"? I said "Onions, garlic, mushrooms and ....... grapes"!

"GRAPES"???

"Yep, it's my stuffed chicken breast ad-lib"!

[prospero]

Where does gravy come from?

[Roboframer]

It comes on a train.

[michelle]

love cooking and being a bit of a foodie but have a patner that would and could eat beans on toast every day and still be happy!

[prospero]

Come August I will have been 20 years in my current gaff. It has a flat above the shop area, although a fair bit is devoted to work. But it does have what passes for kitchen. About three years ago I decided to spruce it up a bit. Fitted new worktops. It didn't have an oven, just a big gap where one had been which was very convenient for chucking rubbish. 18 months ago I got a nice oven an cool black touch-control hob. Got it all plumbed in. Painted the walls and fixed the huge crack over the window. Laid new laminate floor.

Having done all this I got the urge to do some cooking. But apart from the odd apple pie and pizza the oven is relatively under-employed. The hob is great for midnight fry-ups.
Next on the wish-list is a fridge-freezer. And a chip pan.

Got a nice dining table all in bits. The cupboard doors are looking a bit manky, but that's mostly the hardwood trims on the top. Found some oak moulding that nicely fits.

All on the to-do list.....


How about some recipes?

[Not your average framer]

I've been at it again and bought another kitchen toy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGcdxbtB28Q

So this evening, I made some very nice leek and potato soup, plus some nice hot bread to go with it, using the bread maker, which was two new kitchen toys earlier.

I can recommend these, as they make really tasty soup!

[Moondoggy]

As of next week, I will have a new kitchen gadget, but only for two weeks. My son is visiting, he is a chef in Paris. Cooks wonderful food, but leaves one hell of a mess for us to clean up. Just goes to show, nothing in life is free.