Reply to: Welcome back...

[SandyDown]

Hadn't you heard, I've been a prisoner in Lucy's S&M dungeon.

They will always be your babies though, Sandy. I'm sure you will have a tear in your eye when you wave them off. How's your current contract going? Are you still the Queen of Oracle?

I think he had a couple of others, but Voron was his main other. I haven't heard from him for quite a while. I recall he got some high flying gig in the Cabinet Office so maybe he's been arrested as part of the cash for honours investigation?

Queen of Oracle ?? me?? I think you are mixing me with SA, it seems SA is the only queen of Oracle and only peasant of Oracle.. think this is cuz I is a foreigner

I do remember WS telling me about his Voron ID, perhaps I'll send him an email to check up on him I haven't checked my Sandy mail for so long !

Talkig about babies, I went to a friend's wedding a couple of weeks ago, her mum was not on sight, she just had these clueless girl friends, I just had to take over as her surrogate mum, at the end her mum showed up at the church and the reception as an invited guest, I couldn't believe it I was flaffing around, and had to take over most of the organisation - my friend was her only child, I couldn't believe she was so laid back and not getting involved in any of it - the rest of her family (cousins uncles and aunts - also behaved like this i.e. behaved like invited (stranger guests) is this normal for an English wedding?

My friend and her new hubby did recognise my efforts at the wedding and took me for a thank you lunch - but I still can't believe it !!

Anyway what am I waffling about ? oh yes that wedding made me wonder if I am going to have a nervous break down at my own kids wedding

but lets hope this is a long way ahead

[Lucifer Box]

Hi there, where have you been? kids are well, they are getting more and more independent now which is a relief for me, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel .. they are off to Uni in 3 years , hmmmmn freeedom very soon

Any news about WageSlave, I know he has another ID but forgot which one !

Hadn't you heard, I've been a prisoner in Lucy's S&M dungeon.

They will always be your babies though, Sandy. I'm sure you will have a tear in your eye when you wave them off. How's your current contract going? Are you still the Queen of Oracle?

I think he had a couple of others, but Voron was his main other. I haven't heard from him for quite a while. I recall he got some high flying gig in the Cabinet Office so maybe he's been arrested as part of the cash for honours investigation?

[SandyDown]

Hi there, where have you been? kids are well, they are getting more and more independent now which is a relief for me, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel .. they are off to Uni in 3 years , hmmmmn freeedom very soon

Any news about WageSlave, I know he has another ID but forgot which one !

[Lucifer Box]

Lucifer ! you are back, for a minute I thought most of the oldies have disappeared !

Hello Sandy, like a bad penny I keep on coming back!

How have you been recently? Well I hope. Kids okay?

[SandyDown]

Lucifer ! you are back, for a minute I thought most of the oldies have disappeared !

[hyperD]

I think you are right, hyperD. Nothing renders a set of quality knives useless more quickly than crappy sharpening.

Or you could take a leaf out of DA's book and use a bread knife for everything.

[hyperD]

hyperD, could you not have passed your little accident off as a ritualistic thing? You know, now that I have drawn this knife it cannot be sheathed until the blade has tasted blood? Seriously though, those knives sound like the business. The ability to split hairs with them should come in very handy with some of the posters on here.

LOL! Unfortunately my ineptness is renown in these parts...

[Lucifer Box]

I think you are right, hyperD. Nothing renders a set of quality knives useless more quickly than crappy sharpening.

Or you could take a leaf out of DA's book and use a bread knife for everything.

[hyperD]

I would reccomend getting the global knife sharpener (a plastic handle looking thing with 2 whetstone wheels inside it, does a wonderful job and ensures you sharpen the knives at the correct angle). Don't get a generic one as the japanese steel has a different angle on the blade to standard euro knives and you will feck them up if you use the wrong sharpener.

Good advice Ardesco - thanks! I have seen those and will probably buy them. There is a guide for the knives sold separately with the whetstone but I get the impression that you have to be a bit good at sharpening knives for that.

I had a set of M&S knives before which I used a steel sharpening blade with. They now look like a set of bandsaws...

[Lucifer Box]

hyperD, could you not have passed your little accident off as a ritualistic thing? You know, now that I have drawn this knife it cannot be sheathed until the blade has tasted blood? Seriously though, those knives sound like the business. The ability to split hairs with them should come in very handy with some of the posters on here.

[Ardesco]

I got a set of Global knives for my birthday a few years ago and am very happy with them. I would reccomend getting the global knife sharpener (a plastic handle looking thing with 2 whetstone wheels inside it, does a wonderful job and ensures you sharpen the knives at the correct angle). Don't get a generic one as the japanese steel has a different angle on the blade to standard euro knives and you will feck them up if you use the wrong sharpener.

Definetly very sharp as well, I managed to slice right through my thumbnail and quite a way into the finger just after I had got them (pain in the arse cut, they couldn't stitch it because of the nail) and ever since they have been treated with a lot more respect. Bear in mind you have to cut using a sawing motion, they aren't made to be used like cleavers and chip if you do try to use them as cleavers (as my father in law found out when he decided to see how sharp they were by hacking open a cocnut with one of them, top came off with no trouble using a sawing motion but does not work at all if you just smack it....). This being said you can sharpen any chips out if this does happen to you (much to my relief, may I add).

Overall a wnderful set of knives, I really do like Japanese steel, and well worth it despite the price.

[Lucifer Box]

Have you considered Master Chef, or opening your own eatery?

No and yes, in that order.

Thing is, although a fantasy, running an eatery is long hours and low pay, so likely to remain a fantasy I fear

I have considered doing some from home catering but the local council regs are just a bad joke.

[hyperD]

Hello, hyperD, my old friend. Christmas was a splendid feast in the Lucifer household. We too had goose (with prunes soaked in armagnac and force meat stuffing) but as I was catering for a horde I also whipped up a four-rib roast of beef and a whole gammon steamed in cider with a mustard and whisky glaze. There may have been some sprouts around somewhere as well. A real feast.

I was most pleased with my starter though, a three fish (salmon, trout and mackerel) terrine, which brought gasps of amazement from the Christmas diners I am immodestly bound to add. It even drowned out the barbed comments the mothers-in-law were making to each other.

While you're waiting for the asparagus, get in some jerusalem artichokes. My favourite winter vegetable and I always long for the season to start. They make excellent soup or you can slice them (thinly) and fry them in a little olive oil with chopped sage. Sublime with some garlic butter drizzled over them.

What's your opinion on those knives? The shape looks a bit too wacky for me. I'm a steel man myself.

That terrine sounds fantastic LB - congrats.

Fortunately I'm cramming Hungarian to understand the barbed comments from my mother-in-law. So far not much to report apart from the liberal use of the word diszno (pig).

You mentioned jerusalem artichokes before and I must get my sorry arse to the farm shop and buy some.

As far as the knives go, I made a right idiot out of myself when I opened them. Wide eyed, I thanked my parents for the knives and while handling them, promptly cut my thumb open on the sharp edge nearest the handle, to much hilarity from the family.

Global Knives

I love pulling the knives out from their block- makes that sound like the sword out of "Kill Bill". Wonderful...

Had to change my rapid knife cutting action though - these things cut through meat like a, ...er..., knife through butter.

Buying a whetstone and guide for the knives soon as they are fairly hi-maintainance.

Not sure about ceramic knives... I love the sound of cromova 18 stainless steel in the morning...

[The Lone Gunman]

Hello, hyperD, my old friend. Christmas was a splendid feast in the Lucifer household. We too had goose (with prunes soaked in armagnac and force meat stuffing) but as I was catering for a horde I also whipped up a four-rib roast of beef and a whole gammon steamed in cider with a mustard and whisky glaze. There may have been some sprouts around somewhere as well. A real feast.

I was most pleased with my starter though, a three fish (salmon, trout and mackerel) terrine, which brought gasps of amazement from the Christmas diners I am immodestly bound to add. It even drowned out the barbed comments the mothers-in-law were making to each other.

While you're waiting for the asparagus, get in some jerusalem artichokes. My favourite winter vegetable and I always long for the season to start. They make excellent soup or you can slice them (thinly) and fry them in a little olive oil with chopped sage. Sublime with some garlic butter drizzled over them.

What's your opinion on those knives? The shape looks a bit too wacky for me. I'm a steel man myself.

Have you considered Master Chef, or opening your own eatery?

[Lucifer Box]

Hello there LB!

I hope your Christmas holidays with your family was filled with Blumenthal nuggets of cuisinary delights?

We were over at my sisters and they cooked goose for dinner which was a nice change. Of course, the inevitability of the family conversation descending into a Chico-esque self-styled argument on everything theological meant that we left fairly sharpish.

Waiting patiently for the first crop of asparagus... got some Global pro knives for Christmas which was nice. Are you a whetstone or steel man?

Hello, hyperD, my old friend. Christmas was a splendid feast in the Lucifer household. We too had goose (with prunes soaked in armagnac and force meat stuffing) but as I was catering for a horde I also whipped up a four-rib roast of beef and a whole gammon steamed in cider with a mustard and whisky glaze. There may have been some sprouts around somewhere as well. A real feast.

I was most pleased with my starter though, a three fish (salmon, trout and mackerel) terrine, which brought gasps of amazement from the Christmas diners I am immodestly bound to add. It even drowned out the barbed comments the mothers-in-law were making to each other.

While you're waiting for the asparagus, get in some jerusalem artichokes. My favourite winter vegetable and I always long for the season to start. They make excellent soup or you can slice them (thinly) and fry them in a little olive oil with chopped sage. Sublime with some garlic butter drizzled over them.

What's your opinion on those knives? The shape looks a bit too wacky for me. I'm a steel man myself.