River Cruising Water Cooler

[notamermaid]

40 minutes ago, CPT Trips said:

Doesn’t the Elferrat convene on 11 November in many areas of Germany?

Oh yes! It was madness in Cologne at Carnival opening. Coronavirus restrictions were in place but quite a few people expressed their concern about so many people gathering. Added problem are the children's Carnival groups. The real Carnival enthusiasts start very young and they are not vaccinated. Guess what happens... Cannot reveal details but I know of an outbreak among children and teenagers to have happened that way.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[notamermaid]

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone ☺️! 🦃🦃🦃🦃🎉🎉

 

A few extra turkeys posted this year. You need cheering up. Celebrate, celebrate, traditions give us focus, give us strength, make us share fun, laughter and love. Without fun life is dull, without laughter we become numb, without love we are well and truly scre*ed.

 

In Britain the Puritans abolished Christmas; bad move, the Kingdom was re-established and the King very quickly brought official Christmas back!

 

https://www.historyextra.com/period/stuart/no-christmas-under-cromwell-the-puritan-assault-on-christmas-during-the-1640s-and-1650s/

 

Have a great day.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[Canal archive]

Something else to think about this includes one of the most beautiful castles ever and apart from a few I’ve been privileged to see them. Enjoy!
 

Historic Photographer of the Year Awards 2021 winners revealed https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-59403205

[notamermaid]

@Canal archive Thank you for sharing. I am certainly enjoying these stunning photos!

 

I just have to go and see Clifton Suspension Bridge in the next few years, it is such brilliant engineering. Bamburgh Castle is one of my favourite places in Britain. The castle, the hill, the sea and the lighting combine to turn this into a captivating place. I could have stood there for hours just watching the people, tide and sky.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

Advent, Advent, ein Lichtlein brennt. Erst eins  🕯️...

 

It is the first Sunday of Advent and I am well behind in telling you about the developments in the mince pies matter.

 

On 11/14/2021 at 4:22 PM, Daisi said:

would you like to try shopping from Canada @notamermaid? 🙂

 

I nearly got desperate enough to try that. But then I found an online supplier in Germany that stocked an unknown company, so I ordered a pack. They arrived and I tried them! Well, they were alright. Not enough punch, i.e. strength in the fruit and not enough butter in the dough, I think. So for the real strength perhaps helped with some alcohol I think I will enlist the help of a lady near Bath:

On 11/14/2021 at 10:26 AM, Canal archive said:

I can send the recipe as I’m not to sure that sending the real thing is allowed. 

 Please do, that would be nice, if that is somehow possible in the thread. Or is there a private messaging in the background of this forum (please no comments about me non-tech )?

 

In desperation about the mince pies and the general situation I have devoured the Oblatenlebkuchen (okay, I managed to share with family a little). This is the pack from my local REWE supermarket, the own brand, organic version, before I got desperate . Really nice:

 

The fairy lights in the hallway are on, the advent wreath is in its usual place in the living room, the neighbour's tom cat is in fluffy winter fur and this morning I greeted the day with Wham' Last Christmas over breakfast. All that was missing was the snow that I tried to find in the hills this afternoon and failed. But that could not stop me from enjoying this day and I am determined to not let the situation get to me! Doctor's orders, quite literally - my dentist told me on Friday!

 

Have a great week.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

[Canal archive]

This is my Mince Pie recipe the quick no frills one garnered from many sources and tested extensively with the most discerning task masters, ta dah! My family. After learning from my mum who had ‘pastry hands’ and learning myself this way to produce mince pies should be workable by even the most cook phobic person ( i should know I’ve been there)

1 jar of ready made mince meat suitably boosted by the addition of a good tot of tipple be it Brandy, Whisky or Asbach I’m pretty sure white spirit won’t work but you could try.

Ready made Short Crust Pastry, okay over the years I’ve learnt to make pastry but whoever came up with the idea of ready made is a genius (it’s good enough for what you want)

Caster sugar and egg white.

Pan for baking pies and a 7mm cutter plus a 6mm cutter, not got these measure a glass or a cup you will have the size in the kitchen somewhere, plus a small or pastry brush.

 

Roll out the pastry cut 12 of each size, place one of each larger size in each pan place a good dollop of enriched mince meat in each. Take each smaller piece of pastry wipe with water and place watered side down onto each pie press into place.

Paint the top of each pie with egg white and sprinkle with castor sugar.

Bake at 200deg C for 20 minutes. 
You can freeze these before or after baking. To cook from frozen before baking add five minutes after baking reheat for about 15 minutes.

 

Good luck it sounds a lot but is a lot less fuss that making them completely from scratch.

 

P.S. reminds me I must go to Lidls for my Lebkuchen it’s become part of our Christmas.

Edited November 29, 2021 by Canal archive

[Ritabob]

Here is another one to try

https://www.lcbo.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/en/lcbo/recipe/mincemeat-tarts/201106089#.YaUCo42vCdk

[notamermaid]

@Canal archive Thank you. Have already bought the shortcrust pastry (or what may be considered similar here). Mincemeat is easy to get online for me. So, soon sorted. Have the baking tin as well.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[Canal archive]

Ohh well done. I’m a bit late but it’s Christmas cake time tomorrow I have to wait for the other half to be home he’s still in the mixing bowl finishing off stage, men!

[notamermaid]

Christmas cake - need to order some still. And order the lamb for Christmas Day. Despite all the other British stuff, there is no way I am going to have turkey at Christmas. Still no snow in the valley. but in the hills above 400m. I have read a story of a remote place - which even made it into German news - that has had quite a bit more snow. In the land where mountains are fells, deep valleys are gills, rivers are becks and the place names often end in -by or -thwaite, there is a pub...

 

This is the story of the people snowed in by storm Arwen at Britain's highest pub, Tann Hill Inn: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-59459150

 

And a gentleman has been up there and taken a short video: https://www.cravenherald.co.uk/news/19748152.watch-video-snow-tan-hill-englands-highest-pub/

 

It is a beautiful area, I have never been to the pub, but the surrounding roads. Highly recommended.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[Second seating]

No Belgium Christmas Markets for us this year!  Elisenlebkuchen and Sinterklaas cookie dough is in the freezer! Also plan to make white Gluhwein later this week as we are going NOWHERE!  🐾 crossed for our May and August cruises!

   

 

Edited December 1, 2021 by Second seating
Double picture

[Second seating]

I tried to remove one of the pictures!!!

 

Second seating

[Coral]

11 minutes ago, Second seating said:

I tried to remove one of the pictures!!!

 

Second seating

I love the pictures!

[CPT Trips]

On 11/29/2021 at 5:06 AM, Canal archive said:

 

Pan for baking pies and a 7mm cutter plus a 6mm cutter, not got these measure a glass or a cup you will have the size in the kitchen somewhere, plus a small or pastry brush.

 

 

I assume that the unit of measure is cm (centimeters) not mm.

[notamermaid]

Booaghh, sniff. I cannot see the photos 😭. I think CC restricts the locations they are available to.

 

notamermaid 

 

 

[Canal archive]

CPT ohh I’ve done it again I’m so used to working in Imperial I still get my mm and cm mixed up, especially when my favourite recipe book is in imperial. My husband and his group of reprobates recently working on some canal restoration when one of them said they required an 8 inch auger he meant an 8 millimetre now that would have been one very large drill.

[Daisi]

5 hours ago, Canal archive said:

CPT ohh I’ve done it again I’m so used to working in Imperial I still get my mm and cm mixed up, especially when my favourite recipe book is in imperial. My husband and his group of reprobates recently working on some canal restoration when one of them said they required an 8 inch auger he meant an 8 millimetre now that would have been one very large drill.

 

Lol.. .come to Canada.  Although I grew up Metric, a lot of stuff here is still Imperial measurements.  We drive in KM, but when you comment about gas mileage, it's mostly referred to as MPG. If buying a new car, it's listed as L/100 KM, with the MPG below.  You buy lumber with imperial measurements, and you buy a 10 gallon jug of Maple Syrup,  but temperature is Metric . Cooking is done both ways (google is a great friend trying to convert your Grandmother's recipes).  

[notamermaid]

We have everything metric in everyday life of course but in specific areas of human life we use old established measures like the nautic mile, etc. The Pfund (pound) lives on in daily life when buying food, mostly among older folks. And at least in word in everyday language, but possibly also in industry, the Zoll (inch) is still around.

 

notamermaid

 

[gnome12]

37 minutes ago, Daisi said:

 

Lol.. .come to Canada.  Although I grew up Metric, a lot of stuff here is still Imperial measurements.  We drive in KM, but when you comment about gas mileage, it's mostly referred to as MPG. If buying a new car, it's listed as L/100 KM, with the MPG below.  You buy lumber with imperial measurements, and you buy a 10 gallon jug of Maple Syrup,  but temperature is Metric . Cooking is done both ways (google is a great friend trying to convert your Grandmother's recipes).  

The worst idiocy that I find here in Ontario is in grocery stores. The large price in advertisements and on signs is per pound, with the price per kilogram in very small print. However, the actual price you are charged is per kilogram. So if you want to check your cash register receipt, you either have to do the conversion in your head, or remember the tiny number from the shelf.

[Canal archive]

I’d love to return to Canada and Europe and the USA and visit Australia and New Zealand for the first time. So fingers crossed we can all get back to travelling soon. Christmas cake is cooked decorating tomorrow, family Christmas cards made will pluck up the courage to practice my calligraphy on them soon. Now to light the Advent candle and my husband can start his whisky Advent calendar.

[CPT Trips]

We need to, and can, convert measurements and currency with sometimes humorous outcomes.  On the other hand units of time, seconds, minutes, hours, days, etc. may have different names, but don’t need conversations. 

 

Some many years ago when the USD to CAD exchange rate was quite favorable to US, we were on a family vacation. A regular topic of conversation when buying anything was “well, that’s the Canadian price, it’s really only x in our dollars.” One night at dinner our 15 year old daughter “ordered” a glass of wine. When the waitress told her that she was too young to drink, her response was, “well I’m 21 in US years, that makes me 22 Canadian.” Didn’t work.

[Canal archive]

CPT Trips I’ll have to tell my daughters that one as both got caught out in the US at different times and in different States. To say they where miffed is an exaggeration.

[Daisi]

11 hours ago, CPT Trips said:

 

 

Some many years ago when the USD to CAD exchange rate was quite favorable to US, we were on a family vacation. A regular topic of conversation when buying anything was “well, that’s the Canadian price, it’s really only x in our dollars.” One night at dinner our 15 year old daughter “ordered” a glass of wine. When the waitress told her that she was too young to drink, her response was, “well I’m 21 in US years, that makes me 22 Canadian.” Didn’t work.

 

I can remember the opposite.  We were so used to having a sip (or two) from the parents wine glasses (or beer if Dad was enjoying one) that when we went to a winery tour in the Finger Lake region, we expected to get a sample (they weren't giving out glasses, more like shot glasses).  My oldest sister would have been about 14, and I would be about 8.  We were a little upset that they wouldn't let us have any....so my parents bought us our own bottle of the one they liked the best to enjoy with them in the privacy of our trailer.  I guess the good thing about my parents letting us try alcohol, when we started going out partying, we didn't have to drink...so often became designated drivers.

[Coral]

I can't believe I did this. I just booked a Princess cruise RT out of LA over Christmas. I had $1500 in FCC and it expires next year so that covered the cost of the cruise. So I basically just had to book air. There was no single supplement on this trip. It goes to San Francisco, San Diego, Cabo.

 

The ship seems empty. I leave in about 2 weeks. I mentally so need a break.

 

One of my favorite cruises with my Mom when she was alive was a 10 night cruise to Mexico in 2002 over Christmas (we were limited where she could sail as she had a Seeing Eye dog). We got it for dirt cheap since people were not traveling after 9-11. It was also a last minute cruise that we booked for cheap.

[notamermaid]

9 minutes ago, Coral said:

The ship seems empty. I leave in about 2 weeks. I mentally so need a break.

I so understand that about the break. Congratulations on finding a lovely option with an attractive price! I am happy for you. Have the most amazing time. 🎄

 

notamermaid