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| My beautiful dog. |
Compassion for animals is intimately connected with goodness of character; and it may be confidently asserted that he who is cruel to animals cannot be a good man.
--Arthur Schopenhauer (philosopher)
Thursday, 14 October 2010
Wednesday, 13 October 2010
British Stuff Review: Yorkshire Pudding
I was very surprised to discover that in America, of all places, today is National Yorkshire Pudding Day. Do people even eat Yorkshire pudding in America? I never did! My first introduction to Yorkshire pudding was at my first Sunday roast, so in my blog that makes it a British Stuff!
Yorkshire pudding, despite its name is not a pudding in the British (as in dessert) or American (as in creamy sweet goodness) sense, but rather a baked savoury bread-like dish often served with gravy poured inside the concave middle. Not surprisingly, they get their name from their place of origin - Yorkshire. Duh.
Apparently, Yorkshire pudding was originally called Dripping Pudding and used as a first course filler for poorer people who could not afford much meat. (and now they are an excellent filler for vegetarians who do not want said meat!) The original recipie called for the fat of the meat being served which was drained into the batter as the meat was cooked. The batter was then poured into a single baking tin and sliced to make individual servings.
Most modern recipies list the fat drippings as optional and the batter is poured into muffin tins to make individual Yorkshire puddings that resemble mini bread bowls (which for the record have lower fat content, but are much less filling which defeats the original purpose of the dish as discussed earlier) and are served with the main meal, not as a starter.
Due to the fact that the modern version varies greatly from the original, there is some controversy (yes, people actually debate this stuff) regarding what constitues a real Yorkshire pudding. The British Royal Society of Chemistry has declared, from a chemical point of view, that a Yorkshire pudding should have a minimum height of 4 inches. They even issued a press release outlining their findings and disclosing the "perfect recipe".
I am sure you are wondering, "what is LadyLiberty's favourite kind of Yorkshire Pudding?" Yorkshire tradionalists look away now, but I like good 'ol Aunt Bessie (aka frozen ones that require no baking, unless you consider heating up in the oven to be baking).
How to eat: I dont eat meat, so I obviously do not eat the roast beef and gravy that often accompany Yorkshire pudding, but I do put horseradish on my puddings and they are delicious! If you are lucky enough to have some left over (which is rare indeed), spread some jam on them for midnight snack! Yum Yum.
British Stuff Rating: 4/5 Paddington Bears
Yorkshire pudding, despite its name is not a pudding in the British (as in dessert) or American (as in creamy sweet goodness) sense, but rather a baked savoury bread-like dish often served with gravy poured inside the concave middle. Not surprisingly, they get their name from their place of origin - Yorkshire. Duh.
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| Traditional Yorkshire Pudding |
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| "Modern" Individual Yorkshire Pudding |
Due to the fact that the modern version varies greatly from the original, there is some controversy (yes, people actually debate this stuff) regarding what constitues a real Yorkshire pudding. The British Royal Society of Chemistry has declared, from a chemical point of view, that a Yorkshire pudding should have a minimum height of 4 inches. They even issued a press release outlining their findings and disclosing the "perfect recipe".
I am sure you are wondering, "what is LadyLiberty's favourite kind of Yorkshire Pudding?" Yorkshire tradionalists look away now, but I like good 'ol Aunt Bessie (aka frozen ones that require no baking, unless you consider heating up in the oven to be baking).
How to eat: I dont eat meat, so I obviously do not eat the roast beef and gravy that often accompany Yorkshire pudding, but I do put horseradish on my puddings and they are delicious! If you are lucky enough to have some left over (which is rare indeed), spread some jam on them for midnight snack! Yum Yum.
British Stuff Rating: 4/5 Paddington Bears
Monday, 4 October 2010
Mythbusting: It Always Rains in England
I am sure you have heard this one. Everyone has heard this one. Everyone even seems to believe this one, but this is one of the times that everyone is wrong.
A bit of background: I love rain. I remember as a kid, my cousin and brother and I would do rain dances on the driveway and celebrate when the skies opened. So, the promise of continuous rain was a major bonus for me moving to England. Now that I have lived here for more than a year and have worked my way through the months, I kept waiting for the season that brought all the rain. I waited and waited and was disappointed when in month 12, I had witnessed all the seasons and they all let me down. Where was the rain that everyone warned me about?
Before I further explore this myth, I should mention that this is a unique one because its not just people who are unfamiliar with England who believe it "always" rains, but the majority of British people seem to believe it as well and are deeply affected by the weather. My experience has been that when the clouds and eventual rain roll in, an unmistakable melancholia seems to set over the majority of the population. When I have asked my work colleagues for the reason behind their moods, they have not blamed that particular day's rain for their gloominess, but the fact that it rains so frequently.
In contrast, give the Brits a sunny day and they are practically skipping in the streets. They cheer up at the mere sight of sunshine as if they've all just won a part in a small lottery.
My desk at work is parallel to a window and in the late morning/early afternoon, the sun shines directly in my eyes painfully blinding me leaving me incapable of doing any work as I cannot see my computer screen (or anything else for that matter). When I close the blinds to save my already fragile eye sight, the Brits in the office groan collectively and ask every 15 mintues following the closure if the sun has moved enough for me to open the blinds. "Can't you just turn your body a bit so we can get some sunlight?" one asked. I look at her in disbelief through those white dots that mare your vision when bright lights have seared your retina and cannot believe that someone cares so much about sunshine.
So just how often does it rain?
A very dedicated man named Andrew Leaper has been tracking rainfall totals for many many years and the chart below can be found on his website. You will see this chart shows with the exception of 1992, all year's since 1984 have only managed under 35 inches of rain annually.
My good friend Wikipedia also offers some interesting charts and stats. I imagine it will surprise many people that there are only an average of 131 days per year with >1cm of rainfall. That's only 1/3 of the year. Do I have any math majors out there? Is 1/3 of the time really enough to be "always" and to be such a pervasive myth? What about the psychological impact? Is 131 days of rain really enough to cause a legitimate mood swing? I say no. I think the idea that is "always" rains is so just widely accepted that everyone believes it and acts on their belief rather than the truth. Maybe there's even a form of camaraderie that goes along with complaining about something which affects everyone.
For all of you feeling blue due to the last few rainy days, lets put things in perspective... The rainiest places in the world include Tutunendo, Colombia where they get 463.4 inches of rain per year and Mount Wai-'ale'ale on the island of Kauai, Hawaii where it rains an average of 350 days a year. That's right - rain 96% of the time compared to England's measly 36% rainy days. Now that's "always"!
Did you know England isn't even the rainiest place in Europe? Crkvica, a small town near Sarajevo, Bosnia averages an impressive 180 inches per year; that's five time more than the rainiest year in England since 1984. Need I say more?
A bit of background: I love rain. I remember as a kid, my cousin and brother and I would do rain dances on the driveway and celebrate when the skies opened. So, the promise of continuous rain was a major bonus for me moving to England. Now that I have lived here for more than a year and have worked my way through the months, I kept waiting for the season that brought all the rain. I waited and waited and was disappointed when in month 12, I had witnessed all the seasons and they all let me down. Where was the rain that everyone warned me about?
Before I further explore this myth, I should mention that this is a unique one because its not just people who are unfamiliar with England who believe it "always" rains, but the majority of British people seem to believe it as well and are deeply affected by the weather. My experience has been that when the clouds and eventual rain roll in, an unmistakable melancholia seems to set over the majority of the population. When I have asked my work colleagues for the reason behind their moods, they have not blamed that particular day's rain for their gloominess, but the fact that it rains so frequently.
In contrast, give the Brits a sunny day and they are practically skipping in the streets. They cheer up at the mere sight of sunshine as if they've all just won a part in a small lottery.
My desk at work is parallel to a window and in the late morning/early afternoon, the sun shines directly in my eyes painfully blinding me leaving me incapable of doing any work as I cannot see my computer screen (or anything else for that matter). When I close the blinds to save my already fragile eye sight, the Brits in the office groan collectively and ask every 15 mintues following the closure if the sun has moved enough for me to open the blinds. "Can't you just turn your body a bit so we can get some sunlight?" one asked. I look at her in disbelief through those white dots that mare your vision when bright lights have seared your retina and cannot believe that someone cares so much about sunshine.
So just how often does it rain?
A very dedicated man named Andrew Leaper has been tracking rainfall totals for many many years and the chart below can be found on his website. You will see this chart shows with the exception of 1992, all year's since 1984 have only managed under 35 inches of rain annually.
My good friend Wikipedia also offers some interesting charts and stats. I imagine it will surprise many people that there are only an average of 131 days per year with >1cm of rainfall. That's only 1/3 of the year. Do I have any math majors out there? Is 1/3 of the time really enough to be "always" and to be such a pervasive myth? What about the psychological impact? Is 131 days of rain really enough to cause a legitimate mood swing? I say no. I think the idea that is "always" rains is so just widely accepted that everyone believes it and acts on their belief rather than the truth. Maybe there's even a form of camaraderie that goes along with complaining about something which affects everyone.
For all of you feeling blue due to the last few rainy days, lets put things in perspective... The rainiest places in the world include Tutunendo, Colombia where they get 463.4 inches of rain per year and Mount Wai-'ale'ale on the island of Kauai, Hawaii where it rains an average of 350 days a year. That's right - rain 96% of the time compared to England's measly 36% rainy days. Now that's "always"!
Did you know England isn't even the rainiest place in Europe? Crkvica, a small town near Sarajevo, Bosnia averages an impressive 180 inches per year; that's five time more than the rainiest year in England since 1984. Need I say more?
Saturday, 2 October 2010
British* Stuff Review: Stilton
Welcome to my new series - British* Stuff Review. Here, I will give my opinion (and ask for yours) on stuff to which I have been newly introduced since moving to England.
*Not all "stuffs" will be quintisentially British, nor am I implying that because I eat/buy/use/enjoy said "stuffs" that all British people do. Please dont bother to tell me that you tried/saw/ate/bought such and such stuff when you were in America or elsewhere, so it's not really a British thing. I'm not claiming everything I review is ONLY British, but they are things I was only introduced to after moving to England (as stated above) and things other expats are likely to experience as well. Ready now? Ok, read on...
Today's British Stuff is Stilton Cheese!
Stilton is a strong smelling, strong flavoured, crumbly cheese that comes in blue and white varieties. Kind of like how real Champagne must come from the Champagne region of France, Stilton cheese has been granted the status of Protected Designation of Origin from the European Commission. There are only six dairies in the world (all of them in the English counties of Nottinghamshire or Leicestershire) which can produce Stilton cheese. For the record: Stilton can also be produced in Derbyshire, but there are no dairies there currently. The six dairies are subject to regular inspection to ensure they are producing quality cheese. Wikipedia claims that Gorgonzola is similar to Stilton, and I suppose in a stretch, I would agree with that but Stilton definitely has a distinct flavour unlike any other cheese I have tasted.
How to eat: I was first introduced to Stilton as part of a Ploughman's lunch, and it was love at first taste. I think Stilton is best eaten with pickle (not a pickle as in picked cucumber like that big stork sells, but pickle as in Branston's Pickle, which is kind of-sort of-not really-but can be compared to relish). But, if you don't like pickle or are looking for something a bit more sophisticated, try Stilton with sliced pears - its delicious! Throw a glass of white wine in the mix and happiness will ensue. Trust me.
British Stuff Rating: 5/5 Paddington Bears
*Not all "stuffs" will be quintisentially British, nor am I implying that because I eat/buy/use/enjoy said "stuffs" that all British people do. Please dont bother to tell me that you tried/saw/ate/bought such and such stuff when you were in America or elsewhere, so it's not really a British thing. I'm not claiming everything I review is ONLY British, but they are things I was only introduced to after moving to England (as stated above) and things other expats are likely to experience as well. Ready now? Ok, read on...
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| It may not be pretty, but its delicious! |
Stilton is a strong smelling, strong flavoured, crumbly cheese that comes in blue and white varieties. Kind of like how real Champagne must come from the Champagne region of France, Stilton cheese has been granted the status of Protected Designation of Origin from the European Commission. There are only six dairies in the world (all of them in the English counties of Nottinghamshire or Leicestershire) which can produce Stilton cheese. For the record: Stilton can also be produced in Derbyshire, but there are no dairies there currently. The six dairies are subject to regular inspection to ensure they are producing quality cheese. Wikipedia claims that Gorgonzola is similar to Stilton, and I suppose in a stretch, I would agree with that but Stilton definitely has a distinct flavour unlike any other cheese I have tasted.
How to eat: I was first introduced to Stilton as part of a Ploughman's lunch, and it was love at first taste. I think Stilton is best eaten with pickle (not a pickle as in picked cucumber like that big stork sells, but pickle as in Branston's Pickle, which is kind of-sort of-not really-but can be compared to relish). But, if you don't like pickle or are looking for something a bit more sophisticated, try Stilton with sliced pears - its delicious! Throw a glass of white wine in the mix and happiness will ensue. Trust me.
British Stuff Rating: 5/5 Paddington Bears
Thursday, 30 September 2010
You Capture: Togetherness
High-five, Nature!
Tuesday, 28 September 2010
You Tell 'Em, Emma!
As you may have gathered from my post on September 15, I have great respect for proper grammar and Standard English, so you will not be surprised at my delight when I came across this interesting article posted on the Daily Mail's (dont judge!) website regarding young poeple's poor grammar.
Emma Thompson (aka Nanny McPhee and Karen from Love Actually) has taken a well-deserved swipe at teenager's use of words like "innit" (isn't it) and "ain't", and of course, it's caused an uproar in the comments which follow the article. I say it's about time someone put aside their fear of being labled pretentious simply for pointing out consistently poor use of the language. From one lover of English to another - thank you Emma!
Even if you do think Emma and I are pretentious snobs, you may still be interested in a piece of research cited in the article which says some teenagers are becoming unemployable because they limit themselves to a working vocabulary of only 800 words. (over-dramatic plea begins) I beg you, if you are a parent or responsible in any way for the upbringing of a child, please remember this the next time you think its not necessary to correct or even just suggest improvements to said child's grammar and/or vocabulary. Don't be responsible for the death of the respectable English language and your child's future. (over-dramatic plea concludes)
Emma Thompson (aka Nanny McPhee and Karen from Love Actually) has taken a well-deserved swipe at teenager's use of words like "innit" (isn't it) and "ain't", and of course, it's caused an uproar in the comments which follow the article. I say it's about time someone put aside their fear of being labled pretentious simply for pointing out consistently poor use of the language. From one lover of English to another - thank you Emma!
Even if you do think Emma and I are pretentious snobs, you may still be interested in a piece of research cited in the article which says some teenagers are becoming unemployable because they limit themselves to a working vocabulary of only 800 words. (over-dramatic plea begins) I beg you, if you are a parent or responsible in any way for the upbringing of a child, please remember this the next time you think its not necessary to correct or even just suggest improvements to said child's grammar and/or vocabulary. Don't be responsible for the death of the respectable English language and your child's future. (over-dramatic plea concludes)
Sunday, 26 September 2010
An Idiot Abroad
If you are ever thinking that its hard being a expat in England, allow me to draw your attention to the hilarious new show An Idiot Abroad where in the first episode, star Karl Pilkinton visited China. I apologize in advance if this is offensive to any Chinese people or some sterotype being spread by Ricky Gervais and Co., but whilist watching, I was feeling incredibly lucky that I'd "only" moved to England. I could have fallen for a Chinese man and been encouraged to eat balut (Click link at your own risk. Disturbing photos contained within), chicken feet or scorpions on a stick. Ew.
Here's a sneak peek at the show:
Although, if one wanted to eat something gross in England, you definitely have some options including the infamous black pudding, which if you aren't familiar with this offering, is not a pudding at all, but a sausage made by cooking blood with meat, vegetables, bread and other fillers and often served with breakfast. Alternatively, you can go up to Scotland and enjoy haggis, a blend of sheep heart, liver and lungs mixed with oatmeal, onions and other things wrapped in sheep's stomach.
NOTE: Its probably important to mention that I don't know a single British person who actually enjoys eating these things, so don't go away from this thinking that all British people eat blood. They don't. (cant speak on behalf of the Chinese people though) Also, being a vegetarian (and one who steers clear of eating things that have a high probability of making me puke) I have not tried haggis or black pudding, so cannot offer a valid review of either.
Here's a sneak peek at the show:
Although, if one wanted to eat something gross in England, you definitely have some options including the infamous black pudding, which if you aren't familiar with this offering, is not a pudding at all, but a sausage made by cooking blood with meat, vegetables, bread and other fillers and often served with breakfast. Alternatively, you can go up to Scotland and enjoy haggis, a blend of sheep heart, liver and lungs mixed with oatmeal, onions and other things wrapped in sheep's stomach.
NOTE: Its probably important to mention that I don't know a single British person who actually enjoys eating these things, so don't go away from this thinking that all British people eat blood. They don't. (cant speak on behalf of the Chinese people though) Also, being a vegetarian (and one who steers clear of eating things that have a high probability of making me puke) I have not tried haggis or black pudding, so cannot offer a valid review of either.
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