tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3896642794207631523.post6533495499135260874..comments2024-03-25T09:57:45.669+00:00Comments on A SLICE OF CAKE: APRICOT CLAFOUTIS - things to do with apricots part two and a real bargain.Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09726164724131916224noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3896642794207631523.post-83584999760236939332021-10-11T17:19:21.350+01:002021-10-11T17:19:21.350+01:00There is indeed an awful lot of rubbish for sale a...There is indeed an awful lot of rubbish for sale at these do's. I have a friend who is an absolute fiend at spotting really nice stuff in amongst the tat, stuff that I would sail past and not see. Jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09726164724131916224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3896642794207631523.post-11315450142009923462021-10-11T15:36:33.721+01:002021-10-11T15:36:33.721+01:00I shudder at Vides greniers/ Vides Maisons - they ...I shudder at Vides greniers/ Vides Maisons - they are just "other people's tat" that I find it hard to look at, never mind handle!! I have a friend who loves them on the other hand, and buys all sorts of stuff I'd call rubbish!!Fat Dormousehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03840571411333027928noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3896642794207631523.post-35080974664061875232021-10-11T09:37:21.085+01:002021-10-11T09:37:21.085+01:00We have several cast iron cooking pots, all in reg...We have several cast iron cooking pots, all in regular use and most bought very cheaply at vide greniers. I don't mind the staining but find that soaking with some washing powder improves it no end. The worst thing you can do is to scrub the enamel finish. My favourite is "Aunty Vera's casserole dish", a smallish brown one made by Cousances, the other French manufacturer of cast iron cookwear given to me by a beloved aunt when she could no longer lift it in and out of the oven. I have to say I was astonished to see the price of brand new ones. Possibly my greatest bargain was actually free, a Cousances cast iron skillet which was left perched on top of a bottle bank just outside the décetterie - it was probably destined for the metal waste skip but the owner turned up when the tip was closed for lunch - so very French and my lucky find!Jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09726164724131916224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3896642794207631523.post-51074169937972987602021-10-09T18:01:42.855+01:002021-10-09T18:01:42.855+01:00I stopped dropping in at vide greniers quite soon;...I stopped dropping in at <i>vide greniers</i> quite soon; the prices seemed ridiculously inflated (especially the furniture) and the upholstery hopelessly dree (West Riding word - you can guess the meaning). I doubt I would have given the le Creusets a glance, expecting them to carry a high percentage of their original stratospheric price tag. Many years ago we scraped up enough for a medium sized casserole but it didn't last as long as we optimistically expected. Staining on the enamelled interior became ineradicable, to the point where any sort of aggressive cleaning seemed to endanger the enamel itself. But I had my revenge. I presumed the basic material was cast iron, usually resistant to the average power drilll, but decided to give it a go. And lo, provided I limited myself to short bursts and restricted the pressure I applied I was though in a few minutes. Five or six more holes and the le Creuset was converted in to the world's most expensive planter for alpines.<br /><br />I've often wondered who buys the larger casseroles. The medium one was pretty damn heavy and it was only because - in a storm of profligacy when buying our Neff oven - I opted for "telescopic" racking that my wife was able to transfer full stews to somewhere more manageable.Roderick Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16828395545197001637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3896642794207631523.post-63126623055658643352021-10-09T11:33:06.099+01:002021-10-09T11:33:06.099+01:00That is an amazing bargain! Yes, I would have snap...That is an amazing bargain! Yes, I would have snapped up all three :) I love apricot clafoutis.Veronicahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15863957299338406459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3896642794207631523.post-55513515852474713062021-10-06T14:01:56.171+01:002021-10-06T14:01:56.171+01:00I thought that more than one would be greedy but a...I thought that more than one would be greedy but afterwards realised that was just foolish! No doubt they will turn up at a vide maison, vide grenier or brocante some time next year!Jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09726164724131916224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3896642794207631523.post-68672324994920006992021-10-05T23:50:09.637+01:002021-10-05T23:50:09.637+01:00I've recently been forcefully reminded (by cer...I've recently been forcefully reminded (by certain nameless family members) that I haven't made a clafoutis for quite some time, so maybe this will encourage me to do so. I think that apricots are one of the best options for clafoutis and, if I find some good ones for sale, then I'm now definitely inspired to get on with it. But, then again, I don't have a Le Creuset gratin dish that cost me 2€! Really, 2€ and you didn't buy all three?!? To be honest, I've done many similar things in my past. I just put it down to experience. Although, I rarely learn from that.Phil in the Kitchenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15904292856978631382noreply@blogger.com