40 today!! How did that happen??

The big four oh has clearly prompted a mid life crisis which explains why we are in Chamonix...

Intensive mid life crisis therapy

Thanks to everyone for texts and emails (and thanks to parents for giving me such a memorable birth date... and for many other things too of course...)

Things you can't buy in France

There are a number of things that we *can't live without* that aren't readily available in France eg Lyons Golden Syrup, Marmite, Tabasco Sauce, Sunpat Peanut Butter and Cadbury's Hot Chocolate. In Chamonix they are all available on the 'English shelf' in a number of the supermarkets however they are very expensive and only available occasionally, so we need to a.) work out how to make our own b.) find a substitute c.) live without or d.) hope for care packages from home

Golden Syrup - a.) - Recipe here
Peanut butter - a.) - planning on making when we have a blender
Tabasco sauce - a.) - planning on making when we have a blender
Hot Chocolate b.)/d.) - will try some of the French ones but having tried in the past none are quite as good, maybe it is a matter of practice.
Marmite - d.) - no idea of recipe, I think it is a closely guarded secret, hard to imagine substitute

Golden Syrup Recipe

We found this tastes a bit different to 'real' golden syrup - which is made as a by product of refining cane sugar rather than by partially inverting refined sugar. But it is pretty tasty. We are thinking about trying again with brown sugar and using citric acid instead of lemon as there is a slight lemony flavour to this batch, we think because the zest went in there on the slice of lemon.


Ingredients
For caramelised sugar
100g sugar
25 ml water

For the main syrup
500g Sugar
300 ml water
1 slice lemon

Instructions
Put the ingredients for the main syrup in a pan and boil slowly

While it is boiling make the caramelised sugar by putting the sugar and water in to a small pan and heating without stirring until the mixture starts to brown (about 8-10 mins probably), when this happens swirl in the pan slowly so it doesn't burn, continue heating until a dark gold colour is reached (a little bit darker than the finished product is going to be but don't burn).

Add this to the main pan and continue to heat this until the mixture reaches a temperature of 110 degrees (or a little higher if you want the syrup stiffer). Probably about 40 - 60 mins

Put in to glass jars while hot (if it is too runny when it cools just heat for a little longer)

Feeding the Birds

Something we have been looking forward to about moving out of London is having somewhere to feed the birds, I have spent some time trying to get a good photo of one on the feeder

There were a lot like this

But finally got a good one of a Crested Tit

Thanks for the feeder Janet!! (the sunflower hearts didn't make it out here yet...)

Doug's bread

C'est super n'est pas?

We made beer last week and kept some of the yeast from the bottom of the barrel. We made bread there and then with some of it and fed the rest with flour and water so keep it alive.

Doug made his first loaf of bread with it - it came out awesome!!

The yeast

Ingredients 

500g strong white flour

Warm water

Yeast (about 1/4-1/2 cup of starter depending how fast you want it to rise or 7g dried yeast

1 tsp salt

Instructions

Put flour and salt in a bowl

Add the yeast

Add sufficient water to make a sticky dough

Leave for about an hour

Knead until dough is smooth and springy sprinkling on flour as necessary to stop sticking

Shape the dough by tucking the sides underneath to create ball shape of if using a tin a shape similar to the tin

Place on backing tray or in tin and cover with oiled clingfilm

Cooking

When the dough has risen to twice it's original size back in a hot oven for about 30 mins or until well browned. Turn the oven down a bit if it seems to be browning too fast.

Leave to cool a bit before cutting and eating

Day in the Grands Montets

We had a lovely day in the sun with Sarah, it was WARM. We took it quite leisurely with a few sit downs in the sun to admire the view but managed to cover a fair amount of ground anyway.
At the end of the day we came down a gully under the Plan Joran chair lift. It is reasonably steep - something that photos always fail to do credit to.

Red - The route

Doug setting off 

Rhoda and Sarah on way down

View from near the bottom

The picture says it all...

One of Doug's ex colleagues emailed and asked if he was bored yet...

Flapjack Recipe

Ingredients
Porridge Oats 250g
Butter (salted) 125g
Golden Syrup 75g
Sugar (soft brown) 75g
Optional - sultanas/raisins/sunflower seeds etc
Salt (only if the butter isn't salted)

Equipment
Baking tray (mine is 8x8 inches)
Scales
Pan

Instructions
Melt the butter and golden syrup in pan and salt if using(don't boil or anything, just heat until melted)
Add the sugar and stir Add sultanas or other options if using
Add oats, you may need a little more or less depending what extras you use, the mixture should be moist and sticky but not runny or dry (sorry not v accurate - try it once and add more or less next time to taste...) 

Cook at 175 C for 25-30 mins (will give chewy Flapjack)

If you want crunchy cook a little hotter (about 190 for a little less long)

The car!!

Our car has FINALLY been delivered.
The first one we bought was a Mitsubishi L200 but it had an accident in the snow on it's way to us, so we ended up buying a Nissan Navara.
Will post a better picture taken during the day at some later date

Isn't she beautiful :) Delivery of this one was delayed by snow too but not so drastically. Getting insurance has taken some time (in French) but seems to be all in order now. Insurance agent suggested it would be best if I avoided crashing though - planning on following this good advice.

Skiing the Pas de Chèvre

This is the Pas de Chèvre as seen from Brevent.
Red is the route Doug and Richard took (dotted line is because they were behind ridge there)
Green is the route Rhoda took

Red     - Doug and Richard

Green  - Rhoda

Richard setting off down Rectiligne Couloir

View down the Rectiligne

Proof that Pas de Chevre means 'Goat pass' not 'No goats'

Starting the climb up (after skiing down and crossing the glacier)