The George Lite Zone

Another week working at Toyota in Brussels, land of beer, chocolates, mussels & fries. Perhaps I'll postpone the diet for another week...

We watched the first 2 episodes of Heroes tonight. Excellent stuff, looks like it's going to be up there with Battlestar Galictica as another must see show. Good characterisation, storyline and the future arrival of George Takei and Christopher Eccleston to look forwards to make it an SF fans wet dream. Bring it on.

Another grunge list, this time culled from the pages of Q magazine. 15 Grunge Classics Babes in Toyland Fontanelle Further listening - Spanking Machine Tha Afghan Wings Gentlemen Further listening - Black Love Smashing Pumpkins Gish Further listening - Siamese Dream Hole Live Through This Further listening - Celebrity Skin Stone Temple Pilots Core Further listening - Purple The Breeders Last Splash Further listening - Pod The Jesus Lizard Goat Further listening - Goat Soundgarden Superunknown Further listening - Badmotorfinger Screaming Trees Sweet Oblivion Further listening - Mark Lanegan, Whiskey for the Holy Ghost Pearl Jam Ten Further listening - Vs Mother Love Bone Apple Further listening - Malfunkshun - Return to Olympus Mudhoney Superfuzz Bigmuff Further listening - Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge Alice in Chains Dirt Further listening - Jar of Flies Temple of the Dog Temple of the Dog Further listening - Shame by Brad Nirvana Nevermind Further listening - Bleach Q Classic Nirvan...

This list was taken from Peter Irvine's Scotland Is The Place website. Peter writes Scotland The Best , probably the best guide to the country. When I get around to visiting them I'll add some posts to this blog with pictures and comments. Roslin Glen - Edinburgh Spiritual, historical, enchanting (and now very famous because of Dan Brown's 'The Da Vinci Code'), with the chapel, a ruined castle and woodland walks along the River Esk. From Edinburgh follow the A701 from Mayfield or Newington (or bypass, turn off at Penicuik, A720 then fork left on A701 to Roslin). There is some parking at the chapel, 500 metres from the corner of Main Street and Manse Road, or you can follow the B7003 to Rosewell (also marked Rosslynlee Hospital) and 1 kilometre from the village the main car park is to the left. Yellowcraigs - East Lothian Perfect for a windy beach walk in the New Year is Edinburgh's nearest decent beach. Follow the A1 or the bypass, then A198 coast road. Turn le...

The following foodstuffs all have health giving properties atributed to them. Eat them all and you'll probably live forever. Now time for a cup of tea I think. Beans Sidekicks:All beans ... pinto, garbanzo (chickpeas), lentills, green beans, sugar snap peas and green peas Reccomended:at least 4 1/2 cup servings per week Blueberries Sidekicks:Purple grapes, Cranberries, Loganberries, Raspberries, Strawberries, Currants, Blackberries, Cherries and all other varities of fresh, frozen or dried berries Reccomended:1 to 2 cups daily Broccoli Sidekicks :Brussells Sprouts, Cabbage, Kale, Turnips, Cauliflower, Spring Greens, Bok Choy, Watercress, Rocket, Swiss Chard Reccomended:1/2 to 1 cup daily Oats Super Sidekicks:Wheatgerm & Ground Flaxseed Sidekicks: brown rice, barley, wheat, buckwheat, Rye, Millet, Bulgar Wheat. Amaranth, Quinoa, Kamut, Yellow Corn, Wild Rice, Spelt, Couscous Reccomended:5 to 7 servings per day Oranges Sidekicks :Lemons, White & Pink Grapefruit, Kumquats, Tan...

ESSENTIAL The Classics Nirvana - Nevermind Pearl Jam - Ten SUPERIOR The Albums That Built Their Genre Soundarden - Badmotorfinger Temple Of The Dog - Temple Of The Dog Mother Love Bone - Apple Alice In Chains - Facelift GOOD Worth Exploring Dinosaur Jr - Bug Stone Temple Pilots - Core Screaming Trees - Uncle Anesthesia AVOID Silverchair - Frogstomp A STARTER Singles Original Sound Track THE REST Green River - Rehab Doll / Dry As A Bone Malfunshun - Return To Olympus Tad - 8 Way Santa Smashing Pumpkins - Gish L7 - Bricks Are Heavy Hole - Pretty On The Inside Mudhoney - Superfuzzbigmuff

Another year, another pancake day. Ingredients 125g plain flour, preferably Italian 00 1 egg 300 ml milk 15-30g cooled butter, melted (optional) Making the batter Make a mound of flour in a bowl, add a pinch of salt and make a well in the top. Crack open the egg and put it into the well. Using a wooden spoon gradually mix in the flour from the sides and beat in the milk to make a smooth batter. When the batter is creamy, stop and switch to a whisk, at this point you can add the butter which makes more of a crèpe mix (ordinary pancakes don't need the butter). Leave to stand for at least half an hour. If the batter thickens in this period add milk or water (or maybe some rum if you're making crèpes) to bring its consistency to that of single-cream. Cooking the pancakes Use very little oil and very little batter. The pan must be very hot, heat the oil in the pan first, then empty it before adding just enough batter to cover the base of the pan When bubbles come to the surface flip...

Inspired by my earlier dialog on pancakes, I decided to make up a batch of ham and cheese galettes. The recipe for them follows: - Ingredients 250 gr [9 oz] buckwheat flour 1 egg 1/2 liter [17 fl oz] water 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 teaspoon salt Preperation Put the flour and salt in a bowl and make a well in the middle. Add the oil and the egg to this well. Gradualy fold in the flour from the sides using a wooden spoon to begin to gradually add the water. Turn gently until the flour has disappeared. Finish with a whisk to make a smooth batter which should be left for at least one hour before cooking. Cooking Give the batter a turn. Heat a pan, and put a small knob of butter in (swirling to distribute). The pan must be ho but not too hot that the butter browns. Pour a small laddle of batter into the pan, while swirling it to distribute the batter evenly. Cook until golden, turn the galette upside down and add any filling you'd like, such as ham and gruyere cheese. Continue to heat unti...

Prior to pancake day tomorrow, I discussed the relative merits of the English pancake and the French crèpe with my good friend Geraud. In the course of this we exchanged recipes. Here's his contribution on the art of the perfect crèpe. I'll post mine tomorow on the good day itself. The crèpes you get with this one are thicker than those you can get in Britany for example, although it has to do with the fact that I just poor the liquid into the pan rather than flatten it with the special tool they have over there. Now, how to prepare some good crèpes quickly : in a pot, poor : - one liter or milk (I use full fat milk, but half works as well), - 6 eggs (yes, six), - a tea spoon of salt, - eventually a small pack of Vanilla sugar, if you plan to eat your crèpes sweet only, - eventually a small pack of the chemical powder than makes the cakes grow (that's where my english is very limited...). That's not mandatory though - 8 dL (that is, 400g) of white flour - a sma...

Taking advantage of Calvin's newly acquired status as a 15 year old, I took him to see Hot Fuzz. A most excellent film, it had the feel of an extended episode of Spaced on steroids. Reading some of the forums around this movie, I see its UK release date, Valentines day, just happens to be Simon Pegg's birthday. This is also Calvin's birthday, so it was a fitting film to watch to celebrate the occaision.

1) Badmotorfinger - Soundgarden 2) Temple of the Dog - Temple of the Dog 3) Alice in Chains - Dirt 4) Stone Temple Pilots - Core 5) Pearl Jam - 10 6) Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream 7) Nirvana - Nevermind