Induction cookers - warning

I love induction cookers and have been pleased with this efficient and fast heat concept. But I have now had two of them and each went wrong within 12 months for the same or similar reasons.

Cracks, as you can see, develop in the case and these cracks let in spill from the pans and then the electrics get damaged and the unit stops working. On one I actually got a nasty electric shock from the controls. I cannot see why they develop. Its not strain from a heavy pan or such as we use them mostly to fry but nevertheless the design seems flawed. In the case above the top is a glass type material and the controls below are one unit so the small strip of plastic is only about 1/2 inch wide and thin so it cracks easily.

US Misses the Point on Indian Diplomat

It seems to me that the US is missing the point on the current outrage in India over the strip and cavity search of a female Indian diplomat. They are of course covering up and standing firm closing ranks etc. and their plaintive cry is "well the maid was abused".

They are missing the point that this case encompasses the rage of a huge country whose people have continually been the subject of bad treatment at US immigration, this is just the point of impact, the female diplomat is just a very good example of a lovely Indian girl stripped in front of callous US Homeland guards and violated.

Claiming the guards "had the right" is foolish and helps no one. Basically why would you strip search and cavity search an accredited Indian diplomat whose supposed crime is she underpaid her worker? How does this justify such a search? Is there any, any at all, reason for the search? Was she suspected of anything...of course not, I know exactly what happened and so do you. She was protesting and the guards said "we we'll show you miss uppity n word".

The US should apologize and discipline all the guards and the senior man who instigated this outrage. Its the least they can do to correct this error of judgement.

Cows are the problem?

The ongoing debates and upsets about ECO global warming and such has me much amused. Today I read that the big problem that the climate scientists failed to understand was cows. Why? Well cows fart a lot and that is the very gas that is supposedly destroying the globe.....believe it or not. So don't sheep and deer fart too? Is Scotland at the forefront of global warming, has this been considered in the debate on Independence? I am sure, if they knew, Cameron and Osborne the terrible Eton twins would tell Scots that if they vote for independence the world will fine them for too many farts...and not just in parliament.

I sit and shiver in the cold Scottish winters which is why their are only 5 million people living in a beautiful land almost as big as England. I seriously don't believe in global warming. I think its all a lot of fuss about nothing, and that the same scientists who made us all stop eating eggs for 20 years will one day say "Ooops we got it wrong...sorry" and return to their cozy funded research, isolated form the real world as they are.

Best White Bread

Well I didn't ever expect to have to award the "Best" to two different bread shops but the reality is that this is true. The bread shop in Peebles I think its called Forsyth but its close to the gas station on the same side makes the finest tasting white bread I have had for a long time. Their wholewheat sucks though as its one of those crumbly loaves and not a good taste.

Fords in Berwick maintains its crown as by far the best brown bread and a very good white and excellent Scottish bread, but Peebles white has a magic taste that reminds one of childhood somehow.

Visit to Barcelona

Our family visited Barcelona and found it a lovely sophisticated little city, we had a great vacation, even our teenage sons admitting reluctantly they enjoyed it!. We stayed on a boat in the Yacht marina among the super yachts, quite an experience, picture of me eating breakfast on deck wow felt a million dollars. The yacht is really great mainly because the host and owner Cas is just the best, he makes you feel at home and caters to your every whim. Their web site is http://www.bed-and-breakfast-barcelona.com/ one of the nicest ways to visit a city.

The city reeks of Gaudi, he really is Barcelona in many ways as his vast artistic genius fills the city and affects everywhere.

We had the most fun however around Montjuic the hilly North of the city where the architecture and feel of the place is splendid. There are good restaurants everywhere serving the best of Spain and around the globe

Fish and Chips Kelso - The Town House

Had a late night fish and chips from this fairly new chip shop in Kelso. The other one is not very good at all but this one is not bad. I would rate it about a 5/10 The chips were big and chunky which was good , the batter a bit oily but ok. The mushy peas were awful and sweet tasting, no idea where they came from never tasted mushy peas like them before. Just like many of these place a menu that is so extensive its obvious they can't cook it all properly. Why do the new breed of chip shops think they must cook 500 dishes??

When  Chip shop brochure says they also sell cat food and aspirin one has to wonder where chip shops are going frankly!

Our Own Ooft! hot sauce

My wife and I have spent two years developing a family daily recipe into a product. Our table always had hot sauce based on my wife's fathers recipe. Friends begged for a bottle and in the end we decided to make it for sale. Well two years on and we have learned a lot but now we do have a product to sell.

http://www.ooftsauce.com/