The Chateau Diaries #306 The Chateau Diaries has become Me, Me, Me, Me and How to Spoil Oneself

[Balmoral]

Finally, i understand the attraction to the porcelain ponce. He's pocket daddy ! EVERY damn thing she has is from when she and daddy went shopping, to auctions, travelling, discussing with him painting, architecture blah blah. Now she has Pocket Daddy with whom to recreate her previous life. With Derek's abundance of paintings, one can assume he also did very little actual work work in the nursing home (other than 'clear out' residents rooms as they departed) - another lovely and familiar trait also belonging to Pheef .

I bet Izzy just loves it when the Tartlettes lay into Phillipa - As far as official fanny posting that Mummy asked for clothes and stuff - do you remember when then gruesome twosome rushed to emmaus and selected truly hideous polyester mumu tops for her? As someone here mentioned recently, as one ages, the less crap one desires. I can almost guarantee Iz did NOT request more of the coral patterned stuff for the beachhouse, and since the last debacle, does not ask for clothing selections by pocket daddy.

 

[Fromthenorth]

I just watched the latest flopvlog So much could be done in that studio. Yet, we all know they will do nothing beside fill it up with as much crap as possible Can't get around the TINY linen that do not fit the table. And why she kept repeating aioli is garlic mayo it's not ! One wonder if it was not a reconnaissance trip to put all their "precious" there if/when/somehow the pile of rocks would suddenly, by the purest of coincidences, just go up in flames. With relatives close by to check on/off said flat. Just an idea floating in my weird mind...

 

[Cleo's Asp]

View attachment 2936627
---
View attachment 2936650

The editing is usually dreadful. He is completely unskilled except for knowing how to get other people to finance his life; accommodate; feed; and give him pocket money for toys from the brocantes and porcelain shops.
---

If Stephanie purchased the Porsche surely she would have listed it as a working vehicle for the chateau bnb and her production company which produces the vlogs. So I wonder if it is owned/registered to the business. Therefore all the servicing costs can be claimed. Not sure how Philip would pay to maintain such a vehicle.

Dear Philip
Read Great Expectations and get an understanding of caring for an Aged P (parent/Stephanie) and the need to secure “portable property”. Dickens’ lesson was all about thinking ahead. Talk Stephanie into doing up the French and London flats so if you secure one of them, it’s habitable. Come on mate think ahead - she is going to screw you and your dad over eventually- so start securing portable property - not plates!

I suppose that's one good thing for us to contemplate: PJ's future life. Fanny will be a nightmare to support when she's over 60. Think Bette Davis/Baby Jane. Plus, when she expires, if he's still around, he will, no doubt, be living in an even more derelict and crumbling building, friendless and grumpy, with lots of tablecloths and plates but no one to entertain. He and Fanny will have used up most of the money so he won't be able to employ cooks, cleaners and building contractors. Unless he's found a rich sugar daddy, that is. His future may seem bright to him just now but it won't be quite so good in ten or twenty years' time.

 

[Fennelbug]

The editing is usually dreadful. He is completely unskilled except for knowing how to get other people to finance his life; accommodate; feed; and give him pocket money for toys from the brocantes and porcelain shops.
---

I suppose that's one good thing for us to contemplate: PJ's future life. Fanny will be a nightmare to support when she's over 60. Think Bette Davis/Baby Jane. Plus, when she expires, if he's still around, he will, no doubt, be living in an even more derelict and crumbling building, friendless and grumpy, with lots of tablecloths and plates but no one to entertain. He and Fanny will have used up most of the money so he won't be able to employ cooks, cleaners and building contractors. Unless he's found a rich sugar daddy, that is. His future may seem bright to him just now but it won't be quite so good in ten or twenty years' time.

He is an embarrassing loser. If he didn’t have FannyMom- he would be living with his real mom in her basement.

 

[Beachgirl]

@MagpieSassyPants, watercress sandwiches are usually made with a compound butter, cream cheese, or mayonnaise.
Thinly sliced bread. The fancy hotels really have caught on to ringing the changes on flavored artisan breads for tea sammies.
As watercress is very special -- peppery, crunchy, so fresh -- I'd choose a tender brioche or challah egg-type bread to go with. (James Beard made his famous onion cocktail sammies, same challenge, with brioche bread and mayo, nothing else. Immortal.)
I'm kind of a hard ass on watercress sammies -- I like the French ideal of butter on radishes. So a compound butter it is for me -- maybe just the watercress stems whizzed into a softened stick of butter. I'd butter both sides of the bread thinly. But this is too hard core for many.
My suggestion for first timers would be mayo, perhaps with a touch of lemon or miso. Both sides now.
Enjoy. Keep us posted, sounds like fun.

Fennel and Orange-Scented Challah – Joan Nathan

Joan Nathan is the author of the cookbooks King Solomon’s Table, Jewish Cooking in America and Quiches, Kugels, and Couscous

joannathan.com

Noooo, don’t go messing with our egg and cress sandwiches.
Not heard of compound butter before but butter isn’t needed on these due to the egg mayonnaise.
Recipe: Boiled eggs, black pepper, mayonnaise and cress. Oh and don’t forget the bread.

 

[Jeeves]

According to laws in France, she'd have a share in her granny house after her mum death. So, I've added that to the list.

I suspect that she stands to inherit from Gerry 's estate too.

 

[Pencil Pine Principessa]

Bloody hell !!!
Where is that big rock when you want it ! Wish it would flatten the little bastard!

Bloody hell !!!
Where is that big rock when you want it ! Wish it would flatten the little bastard!

or, at the very least, a venomous snake

 

[MRShavershamsdress]

Can’t help you with the vlogs but I think mummy dear met Percy well before grandma died. From memory I think she met him as early as maybe 2012/2013/2014/2015 not sure but well before 2018.

They met and coupled up years before. They just didn’t marry until after CD started. At least that’s my understanding of the timeline as stated four or so years ago.

 

[Jeeves]

@englishrose4388
7 hours ago
Serious question—Phillip, have you considered a career in fashion?

Serious answer - DON'T!

 

[Frenchie0810]

That's because Norway got very strict laws regarding animals. They must all be microchipped. Makes it easy to know who the owner is. Breeders are responsible for health and fitness for the animals they sell. And there are no stray dogs in Norway( according to the gov). Also, when I meant strict laws, someone that is not responsible with their animals, i.e. cruelty can go to prison for up to 3 years + fines + denied the rights to own any animals for a determined period of time for example. Also, they are only 5millions peoples in a relatively large country (compared to UK for example) so it makes it "easier to control".
As for the neutering, it depends the mentality of the country a lot, laws are different now but I remember veterinarians coming over to Quebec from France (I worked for one) and they had at the time(35years or so ago) the mentality that only the female dogs/cats should be neutered and not the males.
As for the muscles mass, it is not that important in Ratso tbh. It is more important in a working breed that will be use to work i.e. pulling sled for example. But otherwise, it is mainly because the owner wants to have a "chest" more developed on "usually" guard dogs to make them look more imposing. There are not enough research done up to now to say that neutering has any significance in the muscles mass, there must be some as it is the testosterones that is removed in the case of male dogs. But, there are not enough data to date. Although, there are data that shows an animal neutered is more docile and more turned toward the humans owners than other dogs when neutered.

Personally, I think unless there are no more animals in shelters, every dogs and cats should be neutered.

And, as always, thank you @ComtesseRose and @tuffiti

I agree regarding the neutering @Fromthenorth .. also neutering some humans as well

 

[MRShavershamsdress]

@MagpieSassyPants, watercress sandwiches are usually made with a compound butter, cream cheese, or mayonnaise.
Thinly sliced bread. The fancy hotels really have caught on to ringing the changes on flavored artisan breads for tea sammies.
As watercress is very special -- peppery, crunchy, so fresh -- I'd choose a tender brioche or challah egg-type bread to go with. (James Beard made his famous onion cocktail sammies, same challenge, with brioche bread and mayo, nothing else. Immortal.)
I'm kind of a hard ass on watercress sammies -- I like the French ideal of butter on radishes. So a compound butter it is for me -- maybe just the watercress stems whizzed into a softened stick of butter. I'd butter both sides of the bread thinly. But this is too hard core for many.
My suggestion for first timers would be mayo, perhaps with a touch of lemon or miso. Both sides now.
Enjoy. Keep us posted, sounds like fun.

Fennel and Orange-Scented Challah – Joan Nathan

Joan Nathan is the author of the cookbooks King Solomon’s Table, Jewish Cooking in America and Quiches, Kugels, and Couscous

joannathan.com

This recently popped up in my Pinterest feed. I had something similar at an Easter tea. One of the nicest takes on a macaron that I’ve ever had.

Lemon and pepper macarons with smoked salmon / Macarons de limão e pimenta, com salmão fumado.

Um blogue sobre receitas culinárias e comida e bebida em geral.

lemonandvanilla.blogspot.com

 

[Cleo's Asp]

Super Snarky Stephanie.
Makes me wonder if Cameron hiding in the woods of the shitoo? But if so, I can't imagine Fanny would miss the opportunity to film Cameron since she has no other content.

Why does she have to get involved? Cameron's whereabouts are nothing to do with her; she always has to meddle in other people's business.

 

[Beachgirl]

I just watched the latest flopvlog So much could be done in that studio. Yet, we all know they will do nothing beside fill it up with as much crap as possible Can't get around the TINY linen that do not fit the table. And why she kept repeating aioli is garlic mayo it's not ! One wonder if it was not a reconnaissance trip to put all their "precious" there if/when/somehow the pile of rocks would suddenly, by the purest of coincidences, just go up in flames. With relatives close by to check on/off said flat. Just an idea floating in my weird mind...

These are the types of tablecloths we’ve had in most of the beach holiday rentals in France over the years.

 

[Jeeves]

Noooo, don’t go messing with our egg and cress sandwiches.
Not heard of compound butter before but butter isn’t needed on these due to the egg mayonnaise.
Recipe: Boiled eggs, black pepper, mayonnaise and cress. Oh and don’t forget the bread.

I love watercress - it was my only craving when I was expecting our firstborn - watercress with lemon juice and prawns! Love watercress with cheese too and as an accompaniment to a steak, with char grilled tomato. Egg and cress, cream cheese and cress or cheddar cheese and cress and smoked salmon and cress sandwiches in wholemeal bread with lightly salted butter -yum yum! Salmon terrine and watercress - I'm salivating.

 

[Toys in the attic]

I don't think I've ever had watercress in sandwiches, always egg and mustard cress. I used to make watercress and cauliflower soup (not from the garden).

 

[MagpieSassyPants]

@MagpieSassyPants, watercress sandwiches are usually made with a compound butter, cream cheese, or mayonnaise.
Thinly sliced bread. The fancy hotels really have caught on to ringing the changes on flavored artisan breads for tea sammies.
As watercress is very special -- peppery, crunchy, so fresh -- I'd choose a tender brioche or challah egg-type bread to go with. (James Beard made his famous onion cocktail sammies, same challenge, with brioche bread and mayo, nothing else. Immortal.)
I'm kind of a hard ass on watercress sammies -- I like the French ideal of butter on radishes. So a compound butter it is for me -- maybe just the watercress stems whizzed into a softened stick of butter. I'd butter both sides of the bread thinly. But this is too hard core for many.
My suggestion for first timers would be mayo, perhaps with a touch of lemon or miso. Both sides now.
Enjoy. Keep us posted, sounds like fun.

Fennel and Orange-Scented Challah – Joan Nathan

Joan Nathan is the author of the cookbooks King Solomon’s Table, Jewish Cooking in America and Quiches, Kugels, and Couscous

joannathan.com

I have European style butter from Central Market, it is pretty good for butter from the USA, and I actually have a bunch of radishes as well. I am a bit confused by your comment, however. Are you saying to add radishes to the sandwich?

The bread is set, I just did my last grocery pick up with this whole shebang, as it is supposed to pour tomorrow. As far as bread, I am working with Pepperidge Farm Very Thin Sliced Wheat, artisanal bread neve crosses my mind. (Maybe when the next part of the series is released?)

The recipes I have seen have resembled your recommendation, but I am intrigued by the egg salad version, too. I love compound butter either way and will def make some using the stems. Thanks for the idea.

 

[Cleo's Asp]

Noooo, don’t go messing with our egg and cress sandwiches.
Not heard of compound butter before but butter isn’t needed on these due to the egg mayonnaise.
Recipe: Boiled eggs, black pepper, mayonnaise and cress. Oh and don’t forget the bread.

Now you have all made me crave an egg and cress sandwich and I have no eggs in the house!

 

[MagpieSassyPants]

This recently popped up in my Pinterest feed. I had something similar at an Easter tea. One of the nicest takes on a macaron that I’ve ever had.

Lemon and pepper macarons with smoked salmon / Macarons de limão e pimenta, com salmão fumado.

Um blogue sobre receitas culinárias e comida e bebida em geral.

lemonandvanilla.blogspot.com

These look amazing, but I have never even attempted macarons before, so not for this, I'm already making a filled, everything from scratch cake for the first time. Wish me luck!
---

I love watercress - it was my only craving when I was expecting our firstborn - watercress with lemon juice and prawns! Love watercress with cheese too and as an accompaniment to a steak, with char grilled tomato. Egg and cress, cream cheese and cress or cheddar cheese and cress and smoked salmon and cress sandwiches in wholemeal bread with lightly salted butter -yum yum! Salmon terrine and watercress - I'm salivating.

This all sounds GREAT, you just menu planned the rest of my week! Thank you

 

[Imperious Me]

As always, a huge thank you to @ComtesseRose for the new thread!

Y'ALL. This is laterally on topic, promise.

So I went to a local store called The British Isles yesterday, (why yes, I was picking up frozen cocktail sausage rolls for our High Tea/Afternoon Tea/Gentleman's Tea watch party for Bridgerton, why do you ask?)

The store has been there as long as this 50yo hag can remember, and it is a treasure trove of goodness.
www.britishislesonline.com

They carry everything from pawcelun to life sized cuts outs (as well as beautiful glass blown Christmas ornaments!) of the late Queen and new King, darling quirky handbags, tea, fine lawn nightgowns, you name it.

And guess what they stock, in this precious, well curated gem of a store...View attachment 2937052


I have to say, the material was absolutely stunning and whisper light, perfect for our subtropical climate. It seemed well made, and I asked the woman checking me out if there have been any quality issues reported, and the gentleman who (owns? Buys for the store?) piped in to say that not only had there not been quality issues, but they consistently have to place reorders as the line sells so well. The $180 price tag was a bit much for me, but I legit am keeping the line in mind.

Sorry to disappoint but I thought the pieces I saw were gorgeous in person!

Also....

Does anyone have an amazing watercress sandwich recipe? I have never had watercress, so I am branching out with the menu!

Unfortunately it doesn't have the texture to hold up when being worn... Hangs like a limp rag on everyone and fatties like Shrek look like a sack of spuds in it...

 

[JackSpratt]

These are the types of tablecloths we’ve had in most of the beach holiday rentals in France over the years.

You just know this is on the cards ....SOULADIOU ...it's only a matter of time