Thread 14 - TalkLair: “What The Hell Are We Supposed To Use, Man? Harsh Language?”

[Kucinghitam]

(Previous thread 13).

Summer should be well under way, but the chilly wind, grey clouds and pouring rain beg to differ. Looks like 2024 continues to be a washout - on the bright side, the Tories got washed out too! In the TalkLair, we remain hunkered down keeping cosy and warm. The hearth is glowing, the walls covered in dubious artwork, books by non-approved authors line the shelves, rugs are down on the floors (and assorted pets curled up on them).

We just won’t mention the gnawed bones of our prey over there in the corner of the cave…

Congratulations to your sis-in-law Kuc - that's very exciting!

We also have a Cuisenart mini-oven type of air fryer, and it works brilliantly for the two of us.

Please could I have the recipe for fish-fragrant sauce? DH does not like aubergine, sadly, so what else would be good with it?

I use Fuchsia Dunlop's "Sichuan Cookery" (sadly out of print and ludicrously expensive second-hand). The only unusual ingredient that springs to mind is Chianking vinegar. There is nothing remotely fishy in it! It's rather a verbose recipe - I do wonder if she was being paid by the word when she wrote it!

If MrNot-Brit doesn't like aubergine, can I recommend this Thai cabbage dish? It is absurdly good and requires almost no effort: hot-thai-kitchen.com/cabbage-fish-sauce/

Fuschia Dunlop's Every Grain Of Rice is still available and is generally excellent for authentic home-cooked Chinese flavours. Her recipe for fish-fragrant sauce is pretty much spot-on IMO.

The sauce can also be used with various tender meats in a stir-fry. I imagine it would make a lovely dressing for silky tofu.

Thanks Kuc and Gonners - much appreciated.

Woke up to the Trump news and now we're utterly depressed - he's going to win for sure, isn't he? 😭

My mental conflict is quite something. Obviously people shouldn't shoot people, an elderly man being injured, even if it was by glass fragments not a bullet is awful, the fact that it could happen at all given the security that attaches to a former president is quite shocking, and yet, and yet . . .

And a man has been killed. And others injured? And yet...indeed. All we can say for sure I suppose is that we know who the Prez will be.

Kucinghitam · Today 07:16

Woke up to the Trump news and now we're utterly depressed - he's going to win for sure, isn't he?

I'm not usually a conspiracist, but it seems very convenient that he was only scratched, but a follower was killed. The Security unit is usually very efficient, so how did a sniper manage to get on a rooftop, with dozens of security men on other rooves and a helicopter?

I’m not a conspiracist either but that was my feeling too. And witnesses shouting ‘he’s got a gun, there’s a man on the roof’ and security allegedly being very slow to respond. All quite odd.

It does seem like a film plot.

OK Johnny, just give him a scratch and we'll spirit you away with a large bag of cash and a new identity...

Another air fryer triumph: I made drop scones yesterday and have just heated up the leftovers. They taste as fresh as when they were made, with no additional oil.

Re Trump, the BBC front page currently has a wonderful headline: US Secret Service facing questions after Donald Trump survives assassination attempt

Indeed, there was obviously a cock-up somewhere!

Ha! They possibly needed to spend a little more time on that phrasing.

Doesn't matter whether you know the song or not, read the synopsis: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regulate_(song)

I didn't know the song but the synopsis is hilarious!

I've currently got some 'menin', fitting a shiny new oven. And removing the old one, obv. Looking forward to using it now!

I know and like that song and the synopsis is the funniest thing I've read in a long time.

All of the cats are beautiful and it was a joy to look at them all. Burglar cat looks completely blissed out!

@DeanElderberry I am jealous of your sewing find, it sounds fabulous but also glad you've got it.

Trump. I don't know what to think. Although finding out it wasn't a bullet that grazed his ear but glass makes me a little sceptical. If it was definitely a bullet I'd think that was a risky false flag type thing. When he emerges white shirt, blood, hideous bully face, arm pumping chanting "Fight!" I thought, there's your next president. What happened isn't Biden's fault but I am more annoyed with him than ever. He hasn't been mentally fit to run for office for a while and his stubbornness and selfishness will harm the US so much. It's hard to say how much because we don't know how full on dictator Trump will go or be allowed to go.

I have a higher opinion of Biden's abilities than you, Mouse, and also with his capacity to surround himself with sensible people who aren't intent on turning this country into a fascist dictatorship. You might like to check out this article from the Status Kuo, which I have often found to give a good analysis of things.

@MouseMinge - I'm equally (or possibly more) sceptical about the Trump drama. But we have been told to believe it and therefore it must be true. I hope his scratched ear gets better soon.

Thank you, @Britinme . I'll try to read that tomorrow.

Today I had jelly and ice cream. It was sort of mental!

Biden may be sharp as a tack on policy details, but that's not what wins elections (it should be, but that's another matter). That's not what most people notice or remember, or vote for. Whatever the reality of his ability¹, he's not capable of looking competent. And to push on stubbornly, against advice and in the face of growing opposition from his own party - given what's at stake - is in itself evidence of poor judgement.

¹ Even if he really is fine now, I'm seeing clear neurodegenerative signs apart from the verbal mistakes so I'm not at all confident he'll remain so for another full term.

Actual food, Mouse? That's brilliant.

Actual food. It was a moment!

Just saw photos of Trump at the Republican rally thing. He'll almost still become president but the bandage on his ear looks absolutely ridiculous. The sort of too big thing mummy would put on her little soldier so that everyone knew what a big brave boy he'd been.

Aargh! I knew there was a new thread and, wrongly, thought I’d posted. Anyway, I’m caught up now and want to say hurray for a newly mended and eating actual food@MouseMinge - what a result!

And I too am thoroughly depressed by the thought of what now seems to be the certainty of a second Trump term. The scratched ear/failed assassination incident does seem very convenient from the point of view of his campaign.

I'm hopping mad with the Dems for not having the guts to confront this earlier, and it seems pretty clear to me that Dem-leaning media has, if not conspired, then at least been selective in what they show of Biden.

A particular cherry on the cake was just after the first, disastrous debate, when there was a lot of noise about how it's all Jill Biden's fault, she should tell him to step down, it's elder abuse because she wants to stay as First Lady. Blame the fucking woman, rather than his colleagues, FFS.