The Ratatouille Club

Son of Sausage Sunday

2010-08-08T21:54:00.003+01:00

So, what happens when you mix a bunch of engineers, some pork, beef, apples, sun-dried tomatoes and Chorizo-mix with a 1800watt meat grinder? Yummy tastiness !

Sausage Sunday

2010-08-08T21:50:00.004+01:00

...and that's what happened to Babe The Sheep-Pig.

A few shots of the meat-grinders, sausage-stuffers and link-twisters in action.

Banger Experiments

2010-07-27T22:38:00.008+01:00

Hi folks. Big-Iain here.

I've had a try of Jules's new grinder and sausage stuffer...and the opinion is ..... Great, but needs practice.

Rustled up a batch of Pork sausages, with onion and apple in them. After some experiment, I think the best option is to avoid grinding and sausage filling at same time... do them as two separate activities.

Pic 1 - as they emerged from the nozzle Pic 2 - separated and twisted.

Pic 3 - A Monster - Pic 4 - Halved and browned.

Pic 5 - Despite careful oven cooking, most of them burst. Dammit.

Taste-wise - not bad. A bit heavy on the onion, and the texture was a bit smooth for my taste. Next time, I'll use the Coarse plate. I had included some rusk in the mix, and I wonder if that swelled too much, and caused the bursts. Live and Learn.

Sausage Frenzy !

2010-06-06T18:18:00.003+01:00

First post of 2010 !

Today, I made Sausages ! Pork, with some mushrooms.

Damned tasty they were too. If anything, they were just a bit too meaty. Next time, I may add some apple.

Ratatouille Day Photo's 3

2009-10-11T10:16:00.000+01:00

The reason for it all - Ratatouille and Roast Lamb.

Chef de Pate - Sonja

Starters - Mackerel Pate and Mackerel Quiche - were soon polished off.

Ratatouille Cooking with Chef Heston Blumenlace.

Ratatouille Day Photo's 2

2009-10-11T10:12:00.001+01:00

A kid at heart

Larry being carved

The star of the day

Ratatouille Day Photo's 1

2009-10-11T10:05:00.001+01:00

Butter Making with Julia

Julian F in his castle

Julian B skulking

John discusses the hazardous effects of Nettle Beer

CChef Paul (King of the Mole Grips) and Larry The Lamb

YAY ! It's Rat Day

2009-10-10T11:02:00.000+01:00

The culmination of the year's gastronomic efforts.

See you at Sonja's !

Hello Eggplant - Goodbye Taxi

2009-09-18T20:55:00.000+01:00

Bye Bye Taxi

having taken the mackerel crew to Anglesey and back (just), the taxi has now been sold. On attempting to get an MOT, the testing station abandonned ship half way through saying it was so rusty it was unsafe to continue. Hence, by the power of ebay, a new owner has been found and all my vehicular worries passed on to someone who doesn't mind spending the evenings welding 1.8 tonnes of ancient motoring history.

It should be noted that the mackerel crew only just made it back - the supposed 'reliable' taxi suffered total bearing failure at Stoke, to which the response of Graham Hele was 'drive on!'. hmmm. As can be seen from the picture - where there should have been bearing, there was....mush!

Auber-madness!! - Fletcehr's aubergines are barreling onwards...

From Fletcher's Farm

2009-08-31T21:13:00.000+01:00

A modest crop of tomatoes for the Fletchers
Some green toms yet to ripen
Can it be......yes!!! an aubergine!!!!!
What?? surely not - another one??!! (Sadly, note size when compared to finger...)
Daughter Chloe with one of our pumpkins from the allotment.

Hot Stuff - Chilli Update

2009-08-23T12:37:00.001+01:00

Hi Folks. Big-Iain here. Just to give you an update, this is how the Chilli Plants are doing.
Four plant pots, but these are all from one pot I counted seven peppers in various stages of development just on one.

(Don't worry about the mildew-y dust in the photos. It's just sawdust. Heather McCartney Mills lives next door, and was waxing her legs)

Might bring one pot into the office - during boring meetings I could rub chillis into my eyes to keep me alert.

See you

Fletcher's pics...the Chickens!

2009-08-01T20:58:00.000+01:00

Alpha Chuck
Clever Chuck - clearly being clever
My Dad & little Chloe giving the chucks some treats
Tomatoes...
Brave aubergine plants
I'm sad to say that "Scarwney Chuck" passed away this week having had a stressful entanglement with a clematis (climbing plant / triffid). Chris Bygate plus helpers boldly cut her free from the plant but she died later on - chances are it was organ failure as is the case with ex-battery hens.

Either way, the four brave hens remain: Clever Chuck, Alpha Chuck (the two oldest at nearly 2 years old), Big Chuck and Cheeky Chuck (around 20 months old). This weather has turned their run into something of a bomb site / mud bath - hopefully tomorrow will be dry enough for a spruce-up.

Well done Mackerel Men!!!

2009-08-01T20:51:00.000+01:00

Amazing!!!!!

What a giant leap for the Rataouille Club - well done Mackerel Folk - looking forward to catching up on how the Anglesey trip went - I understand that the Taxi didn't break down which was a great relief!

Well done Jools too - looks like we're going to have some fab pate. Hopefully the Dairy Division will have just as much fun making the butter. Went to Chatsworth last week and the rumours that you can milk a cow are NOT true! they have an MDF mock-up with plastic udders - not half as much fun as the real thing I'm sure.

In the meantime, one of my aubergines appears to have the beginnings of a flower - time will tell.

Grilled Fish Heads !

2009-07-27T21:58:00.001+01:00

Fresh from the weekend mackerel fishing trip at Anglesey, we have some shots of Julian B grilling / hot smoking some mackerel. You can almost smell the fishy juices soaking into the chopping board. Yumm, tomorrow breakfast toast is gonna have an interesting flavour ;o)

I'm awaiting police reports and photographic evidenc from the Mackerel Trip, but rumour has it that many folks were kept awake on Saturday night due to severe wind problems.

...

I don't need to stick a punchline in here, do I?

Some Photos from Jules F

2009-07-23T21:40:00.000+01:00

OK, this is actually Big-Iain posting, but the photos are from Jules F. (He's new to the Blogging world ;o) )

Looks like we might have some Aubergines this year.

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Externals Cafe ? Few weeks of sun, and he'll have a fine crop.

Big-Iain - Status 2

2009-07-11T12:18:00.000+01:00

Hi-de-hi. Big Iain, broadcasting from Rhubarb Manor.

Rhubarb : recent rainstorms has seen a fresh burst of growth.

Loganberry : Not bad. Have cropped some, and they're quite tasty.

Chilli-Peppers : Looks like some flower buds are forming, so I'm hopeful for peppers this year.

Blackberry / brambles - fruiting, but nowhere near ready to eat.

Ratatouille Highlights

2009-07-03T20:12:00.000+01:00

Mackerel Trip with Camping - Departs Friday 24th July.

Grand Cook-Up: Still planned for Sat 5th Sept, Jools B's House

Next Welfare Get-Together - Wednesday 22 July, Lunchtime.

Big-Iain - Status

2009-06-28T12:55:00.000+01:00

Hi there. Big-Iain here, giving a quick update on my progress in the horticultural stakes. I wouldn't claim to to be particularly good gardener, but here goes

RHUBARB : Not been a great season, and it's almost over. But, as you can see, it still looks pretty good. The rhubarb will definitely be over by R-Day, so there's a couple of stalks in the freezer, ready for some sweets. LOGANBERRY : Promising. Only planted late last year, but looks like there will be a semi-decent crop.

CHILLI PEPPERS : Disappointing. Grown well, but no sign of flowers, so no sign of actual peppers yet. Fingers crossed.

TAYBERRY : Disappointing. This is it. Wow. Impressive huh ?

Welcome one and all.

2009-06-27T08:58:00.000+01:00

I've just set up this blog for the members of the RR Development Ratatouille Club.

Why?

...ummm. Pass.