Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

I thought the joy of being a grandparent was that you could hand them over when they did stuff like that.

englishangel wrote:I thought the joy of being a grandparent was that you could hand them over when they did stuff like that.

Very true Mary, but as our eldest is now 18, she buys ME a drink these days ! Alcoholic - Natch !

Recipe --- I use the Sainted Delia, but have added a few extras, over the years ----Soaked Rasins, not currants, a whiff of Cinnamon, and just a pinch of Paprika ---- to give a little extra colour.
Of course if you don't follow the S.D. any basic cookbook will give the standard Recipe --- but be adventurous !

NEILL THE NOTORIOUS wrote:Recipe --- I use the Sainted Delia, but have added a few extras, over the years ----Soaked Rasins, not currants, a whiff of Cinnamon, and just a pinch of Paprika ---- to give a little extra colour.
Of course if you don't follow the S.D. any basic cookbook will give the standard Recipe --- but be adventurous !

My husband would agree with you about her. When my daughter went to Uni. we gave her a 'student' cookbook and SD. She will do a recipe from the student cookbook and if it doesn't look as she expects she goes "I'll just see what Delia says".

One exception. I have been using a Cordon Bleu cookbook Christmas Cake recipe for 35 years now. Never had a bad one yet. (except the first year I had a fan oven and forgot to adjust temp/time).

Can I, just for a moment, re-open this Topic ?
Is Cooking taught at CH, these days ?
I don't want to appear sexist, but my blessed Wife was taught "Domestic Science" at Grammer School, which was normal for a Girls' school.
Now that CH is mixed, I am sure that this might present a problem. Should not Boys be taught ?
If these skills are not being addressed at CH these days--- (In the "New" Science School ?) where does one learn, other than by disastrous mistakes.
I see the number of Divorces is declining --- but so are the number of Marriages !
SOMEBODY has to cook, in any Partnership !
(Of course, --there are Wimpys !)

The best cook in our house is husband, with me a close second and No. 1 son not far behind. In the clearing up stakes I am WAY out in front.

NEILL THE NOTORIOUS wrote: Is Cooking taught at CH, these days ?
I don't want to appear sexist, but my blessed Wife was taught "Domestic Science" at Grammer School, which was normal for a Girls' school.
Now that CH is mixed, I am sure that this might present a problem. Should not Boys be taught ?
If these skills are not being addressed at CH these days--- (In the "New" Science School ?) where does one learn, other than by disastrous mistakes.

Yes Neill, all the pupils have Food and Nutrition, Food Tech, Cookery (whatever they call it these days, it keeps changing) lessons in their junior years here. Quite a high percentage of boys then go on take it for a GSCE option. Maybe this next generation of men will be more comfortable in the kitchen! We women can but hope!

Ah ! what a relief -- I learned to cook, because my First Wife was the World's second worst Cook.
You ask who was the worst ? ------- My Mother ! (A 1920s "Flapper") at least she taught me to dance, which was a tremendous advantage to a young Feller in the 40s !
My present (Until she also finds somebody prettier !) Wife, is an excellent cook, but we share the duties !

My mother was famous as a bad cook, it was even commented on at her funeral. I think I have mentioned it before. she once tried to make hot cross buns (going back to topic) or as my children called them, cold splodge buns.

When the girls moved to Horsham in 1985 my younger daughter, Kirri, was taking Food and Nutrition for GCSE - she was in a group where the boys actually outnumbered the girls, but only just - 4 girls and 5 boys. We later decided in the family that she was the only person actually qualified to cook. At Hertford those who did not take cookery for GCE etc had limited lessons, but we never learned to co-ordinate meals, so to this day I can bake cakes etc, but not produce meat and two-veg to be on the table at the same time! Years later when Maria asked my advice on cooking a roast dinner I referred her to my brother (who had learned in the Scouts) - his advice was 'Put the meat in the oven and go down to the pub; when you get back it will be ready'!

...and it works, too!

....... a bit like the Irishman who turned up in casualty with badly scalded feet, explaining to the triage nurse that he'd followed the instructions on a can of beans and sausages................

"Pierce lid and stand in boiling water for five minutes !"