💀 Archers thread #132: The Grim Reaper joined the cast; The Bard of Ambridge breathed his last. Discuss The Archers here.

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

Thank you, @PseudoBadger, for kicking off this long, long series of Archers threads.

All views on The Archers welcome here! New blood welcomed. We don't all agree on all points and most of us are posting tongue in cheek a lot of the time, so don't worry about revealing that you think Shula will make an excellent vicar, or other unusual things.

Spoilers: not on this thread, please! We don't wait for the omnibus to discuss the weeknight episodes, but we do try our best to avoid cross-contamination from www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/4197199--The-Archers-spoilers-thread-6-Cant-wait-for-7-02pm-Join-us-here, where spoilers are positively welcomed.

For newer listeners, lurkers or those who just have no idea what we're talking about, @DadDadDad has created this useful thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/3557323-For-Archers-fans-a-guide-to-acronyms-on-the-long-running-discussion-threads-and-any-other-meta-thread-questions-you-may-have - BOOP point for him! (See thread for explanation.)

Thanks to many of you for title suggestions. @JanglyBeads said that this thread had to be a Bert tribute so needed a rhyming title. From an excellent field, I chose the suggestion from @BorsetshireBanality (who also has a cracking username).

Check out the last thread for the other suggestions and various poetic offerings inspired by Bert Fry's passing. www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/4349822--Archers-thread-131-A-time-to-plant-a-time-to-reap-Discuss-The-Archers-here

So, who'll get the bungalow? Rex, Stella, Pip? If Rex has to move, will he doss down beside his pigs at Lower Loxley? Or will Rex be a resident at Her Majesty's pleasure, having bumped off Trevor for being the world's most boring man? Now Freddie's on the case, are Russ's days at LL numbered? Will we ever hear Jill again, or was Bert just the first of many older cast members to be dedded?

Over to you!

Ingredients
2 whole smoked mackerel (or 4 fillets)
2 tsp capers
2 tsp Borsetshire mustard
freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp pureed parsnips
½ lemon, juice only
100g/2½oz salted butter, chopped
1 tsp smoked sea salt

To serve
rye toast

Method
Remove the skin from the fish - the odd bone is fine as the mixture will be blended. Add the fish to the blender.

Add the capers, mustard, black pepper, parsnips and lemon juice and blend to a paste. Add the butter and smoked sea salt and blend until smooth. Season to taste with cinnamon.

Serve on toasted rye sourdough bread.

Recipe courtesy of Pat Archer, do not blame me if it is revolting

I don't think I want to try it, to be honest, the mixture of parsnips and smoked mackerel does indeed sound disgusting.

There are some parsnips someone bought by accident sitting in the veg drawer of the fridge; maybe I should go out and buy some smoked mackerel fillets.

I still think natasha has something to do with the slaves.
otherwise keeping her business a long commute away doesn't make sense.
does anything make sense in ambridge?

Natasha is Victoria.

The Ambridge Welsh are gangmasters.

Apart from Welsh Pat.
Confession: I didn't get the recipe from Pat Archer, I made it up.

The Grey Man is Trevor

See, us Welsh are baddies.

I'm extremely fond of parsnips. Very good roasted, especially in Delia Smith's Parmesan roasted parsnip method. Also lovely in a lightly spiced soup. Not, I fear, with smoked fish.

However.

I quite enjoyed hearing Philip again with all we now know about him. Nasty piece of work, and a lot cleverer than Kirsty (not hard, admittedly).

Parsnip could never be lovely and soup is not for me.
Bleurgh and Bleurgh.

I wouldn't eat mackerel if you paid me.

Capers are good.

Delurking to say smoked salt is used in Nigella’s salted chocolate tart and is worth buying for that alone

Goodness gracious me.

Soup is food of the gods. I am Scottish and grew up on soup of all kinds. Mackerel is OK. Salted chocolate tart - well. I'd give it a try.

Oh, and welcome to @OxanaVorontsova! Don't be a stranger.

If I eat soup I get indigestion. I'm a slow eater and I think I don't digest it properly.

Gasp0de, have you tried adding cooking apple to curried parsnip soup? Really good, imo (oh, and for that it has to be beef stock, again imo)

Am pretty sure my gorgeous smoked mackerel pâté recipe comes from the Ambridge cookbook written by Jennifer, will check when I get home and try and post it!

Absolutely no capers.
Horseradish sauce, yes.
No salt of any kind for the reasons already mentioned above.

That was Aunt Pru's recipe!

Yes kirsedy was vv stupid there. Will she visit him?!

Funny but ridiculous to imagine that one conversation in which Tom had floated the idea of the juice biz moving and poss merging (?), would result in Pat being confident enough that this was happening, almost immediately, and to Tom’s entire plan, that she felt she could waltz up to her DDIL the next day and ask if she’s got a colour scheme in mind for the little office!

Pat is an idiot for believing Tom's air-dreams. Tony knows better, as a rule.

Please excuse the grease marks and my quantity annotations:

From Jennifer Aldridge’s ARCHERS’ COOKBOOK

Kathy obviously passed the recipe to Pat and over the years Pat has adapted it - think she should have given proper credit really….

I've got that! Couple of good cake recipes in there.

Just caught up. What a numpty Kirsty is.