The Cheese Board

[Pulcinella]

It is (was) exactly the colour and texture of a pecorino, though all the bistrot cheeses, cured meats, wines and spirits are French so unlikely to have been pecorino. I saw some Ossau-Iraty in Tesco and dismissed it as some sort of industrial cheese I'd never heard of but I discover this is a gee-nu-yne French Basque AOP cheese. So next time I'm in Téco ...

Now time to have my rice pudding. I shall try adding some dried apricots, gently stewed in a white wine syrup. Btw what do schools do to rice pudding to make a delectable king of puddings so universally hated for life?

What is the matter with Mary Jane?
She's crying with all her might and main,
And she won't eat her dinner - rice pudding again -
What is the matter with Mary Jane?

How do you make your rice pudding?

[french frank]

How do you make your rice pudding?

Like Escoffier. Sort of. (Well, not quite - I don't use egg because I don't eat eggs and he adds cream, kirsch, maraschino.) All right, like most mums make it, I expect, but I enjoy mine.

Buy bag of pudding rice from Téco.
Parboil a cupful or two in water - for 5 mins or so
Strain off the water and add milk - mine is vegan, so oat drink.
Add vanilla pod and simmer gently until the liquid has more or less been soaked up.
Turn out into an oval brown earthenware pot with a lid
Add some dried mixed fruit and a zest of lemon/orange, and possibly a bit more milk. Could add a bit of sugar/butter/cream, maraschino &c if wanted
Grate some nutmeg over the top
Put lid on and stick in the oven for 30 mins-ish, then look and see how it's doing: if it looks all right, not too stodgy, not too liquidy take it out.
Wait for chorus of derision

I think that's what I did - I just do things when they seem to need doing and I think of them. Then I forget what I did.

Escoffier calls his Pouding de riz Joséphine.

[hmvman]

I just do things when they seem to need doing and I think of them. Then I forget what I did.

That sounds like my style of cooking, ff - especially the forgetting bit

[Barbirollians]

It is (was) exactly the colour and texture of a pecorino, though all the bistrot cheeses, cured meats, wines and spirits are French so unlikely to have been pecorino. I saw some Ossau-Iraty in Tesco and dismissed it as some sort of industrial cheese I'd never heard of but I discover this is a gee-nu-yne French Basque AOP cheese. So next time I'm in Téco ...

Now time to have my rice pudding. I shall try adding some dried apricots, gently stewed in a white wine syrup. Btw what do schools do to rice pudding to make a delectable king of puddings so universally hated for life?

What is the matter with Mary Jane?
She's crying with all her might and main,
And she won't eat her dinner - rice pudding again -
What is the matter with Mary Jane?

Ossau Iraty is a splendid cheese especially with a red from the region like Irouleguy.

[gradus]

Charcoal flavoured cheese sounds dodgy but turns out well but perhaps for those who already like charcoal biscuits - human consumption type not the doggie version.
Wild Garlic Yarg is another worth trying.

[vinteuil]

Ossau Iraty is a splendid cheese especially with a red from the region like Irouleguy.