Vacation Planning, delayed edition.

[Lord Jim]

True. True. Even the list of cultural offerings from Essex is longer.

Yeah, well did those snooty Essex types figure out how to put melted cheddar cheese on toast?

[Gob]

There's more to it than just melted cheese!!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_rarebit

Oh god...

In the United States, a frozen prepared sauce sold under the Stouffer's brand name can be found in supermarkets.

Is making it from scratch too complex for the average Yank chef?

[Lord Jim]

There's more to it than just melted cheese!!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_rarebit

Oh god...

In the United States, a frozen prepared sauce sold under the Stouffer's brand name can be found in supermarkets.

Is making it from scratch too complex for the average Yank chef?

I was rather hoping you wouldn't find that out, actually...



I haven't been able to find Stouffer's Welsh Rarebit for a number of years...

I found it quite useful as a version of cheese fondue back in my college days...

ETA:

(If it's still being sold, it doesn't appear to be available in Northern California...)

[Gob]

Milk, Cheese Cheddar (Milk Cultured, Salt, Enzyme(s), Annatto Vegetable Color) , Wheat Flour Bleached, Margarine (Soybean(s) Oil Partially Hydrogenated, Water, Salt, Whey, Soy Lecithin, Vegetable(s) Mono and Diglycerides, Flavor(s) Artificial, Vitamin A Palmitate added, Beta Carotene Colored With) , Worcestershire Sauce (Water, Vinegar Distilled, Molasses, Corn Syrup High Fructose, Salt, Tamarind, Spice(s), Fish Anchovies, Caramel Color, Garlic Powder, Onion(s) Powder, Lemon(s) Juice Solids, Flavor(s) Natural) , Salt, Corn Starch Modified, Spice(s), Paprika

You know, when my dear little Welsh mother was making me rarebit for my tea, after a hard day down the mine, (she was a a great collier, ) she always used to add a little bit extra Mono and Diglycerides just for me.

[Lord Jim]

my dear little Welsh mother was making me rarebit for my tea, after a hard day down the mine

I feel just awful...

[rubato]

Well the current schedule is Paris Mon-Fri
TGV to Rennes, drive to St Malo, 3 nights,
Drive to Brest 2 nights,
Vannes 1 night,
drive to Rennes, TGV back to Paris and two nights, not yet booked.

yrs,
rubato

[Gob]

Dear god, why all the rushing about?

[Sean]

From the Wiki article on Welsh Rarebit...

Origin of the names

The first recorded reference to the dish was "Welsh rabbit" in 1725, but the origin of the term is unknown.

The word Welsh may have been adopted because it was used by the English to mean "foreign" or "inferior".

Was?

[MajGenl.Meade]

Anne Robinson: And what do you do?
Contestant: I own a bed and breakfast in Wales
Anne Robinson: So I suppose you don't get any holidays?
Contestant: Yes, I spend a couple of weeks in 3rd world countries each year
Anne Robinson: 3rd world? Why do you do that?
Contestant: I'm on mission... Christian missions
Anne Robinson: Oh a Christian are you?
Contestant: Yes, Anne
Anne Robinson: But you live in Wales... surely God thinks that's a big enough sacrifice?

[Guinevere]

There's more to it than just melted cheese!!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_rarebit

Oh god...

In the United States, a frozen prepared sauce sold under the Stouffer's brand name can be found in supermarkets.

Is making it from scratch too complex for the average Yank chef?

Hardly. Your best recipe, please (although please note, I am an above average Yank chef).

[Gob]

Serves 2

1 tsp English mustard powder
3 tbsp stout
30g butter
Worcestershire sauce, to taste
175g lancashire cheese, grated
2 egg yolks
2 slices bread

1. Mix the mustard powder with a little stout in the bottom of a small pan to make a paste, then stir in the rest of the stout and add the butter and about 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce – you can always add more later if you like. Heat gently until the butter has melted.

2. Tip in the cheese and stir to melt, but do not let the mixture boil. Once smooth, taste for seasoning, then take off the heat and allow to cool until just slightly warm, being careful it doesn't solidify.

3. Pre-heat the grill to medium-high, and toast the bread on both sides. Beat the yolks into the warm cheese until smooth, and then spoon on to the toast and cook until bubbling and golden. Serve immediately.

This is good, add some softened leeks (stew in butter for about five minutes,) or, if feeling daring, a thin spread of fried Laverbread (fried in bacon fat is traditional,) on the toast before the cheese mix goes on.

[MajGenl.Meade]

add some softened leeks

Silly! How'd you get a chwaraewr rygbi onto a piece of toast?

[Gob]

Well the current schedule is Paris Mon-Fri
TGV to Rennes, drive to St Malo, 3 nights,
Drive to Brest 2 nights,
Vannes 1 night,
drive to Rennes, TGV back to Paris and two nights, not yet booked.

Take a gas mask.

Hundreds of police will monitor traffic in Paris on Monday after pollution levels prompted the French government to impose major restrictions.

Only motorists whose cars have odd-numbered registration plates will be allowed to drive.

On Tuesday, if the restrictions remain in place, it will be the turn of those with even-numbered plates.

Ministers acted after air pollution exceeded safe levels for five days running in Paris and surrounding areas.

The smoggy conditions have been caused by a combination of cold nights and warm days, which have prevented pollution from dispersing.

[rubato]

Dear god, why all the rushing about?

The only distance is Paris-Rennes and by TGV that's barely a long lunch, 2 hours. Everything else is in an area 40mi north, 60mi south and 120mi west of there. Hardly moving at all.


The Colorado plateau is many times as large Just getting from the south rim to the north rim of the Grand Canyon takes almost 5 hours (but you get to see the vermilion cliffs where condors have been re-introduced). The area around SF that one would want to see is 150 miles in radius. Mendocino, Yosemite, Big Sur.


If you grow up in the Western United States and start driving at the usual age distances are not so intimidating. We like car trips and travel well together.


yrs,
rubato

[Gob]

But when you are in a foreign country enjoying being there,experiences the area, people, places, history, architecture, food, etc is the priority, not driving about. You can do that anywhere. I'd prefer one week in one place.

[rubato]

Well year before last we spent 1 week in Paris and 1 week running around Normandy and this time we're spending 1 week in Paris and 1 week running around Brittany. I guess we're less slothful than you are. Rather surprising.

But you've never been to the United States which is the number one tourist destination in the world so perhaps it is not such a surprise at all.


yrs,
rubato

[Lord Jim]

Well year before last we spent 1 week in Paris and 1 week running around Normandy and this time we're spending 1 week in Paris and 1 week running around Brittany. I guess we're less slothful than you are. Rather surprising.

But you've never been to the United States which is the number one tourist destination in the world so perhaps it is not such a surprise at all.


yrs,
rubato

Query rube...

Just so we'll all know in advance and wont miss it...

Is this another attempt on your part to commit "humor"?

You really do need to study the concept:

hu·mor
ˈ(h)yo͞omər/

noun
1.the quality of being amusing or comic, esp. as expressed in literature or speech.
"his tales are full of humor"

synonyms: comedy, comical aspect, funny side, fun, amusement, funniness, hilarity, jocularity, absurdity, ludicrousness, drollness; satire, irony, farce

You certainly have the absurdity and ludicrousness bits down pat; but you're a bit lacking in the drollness and satire departments...

[Gob]

Oh god, what does it matter?

He's so dumb that his alleged "humour" and serious posts start from such a mutually low baseline they're indistinguishable. He also manages the unique feat of making his serious posts hysterically funny, and his funny posts jaw-droppingly unfunny. That would be a seriously useful skill, if it were a skill and not just an unfortunate side effect of his personality failings.

[Lord Jim]

He also manages the unique feat of making his serious posts hysterically funny, and his funny posts jaw-droppingly unfunny.

Yes, that would seem to be his singular talent...

[rubato]

When did it get so complicated? I got data and phone roaming plans for the iPhones and ordered a chipped credit card (it was free,the bank loves us) for the trip. If you DON'T get a data plan for Europe something really amazing happens to your phone bill even if you barely hardly ever use the stupid thing. Now I just need a data plan for the iPad (inconveniently not on the same account as the phone.)


yrs,
rubato