Mr P has just complained about his dinner, who's right, him or me?

A silver teaspoon in the neck of the bottle is said to preserve the "fizz".

Oh heavens, what a lovely homecoming!

First the posts from you lot (appreciated, as always) and secondly to have (and really enjoy) a glass of what Mr P always refers to as "something restorative", in this case an excellent vintage Champagne!

It was a present from a student who has just left, I had been telling him how good Lidl's Cava is (esp. at less than £5 a bottle) and when I saw the wrapped gift he had left for me when he came back to visit the workshop over the weekend, I thought I could guess what it was.

Wrong !

Oh lish! Oh lush! Oh yum!

Such a shame that I can't risk leaving any for Mr P, one should never risk things like this going off, or even being slightly below their finest.

I think half a bottle tonight, the other should still be ok tomorrow, but I would hate to risk it any longer than that!

Send for the mixed metaphor police! Haha.
I like about four veggies with a meal Phoenix ( I know that you are dying to know that!) just a very small amount of each, much nicer than a whopping great amount of mashed swede or a lorryload of peas to knash your way through.
So, I agree with you, and if Mr P doesn't like it he can lump it go to the pub.

Others may make better cauli cheese, I'd love new recipes for that as well.

Nice post. I'd love a new recipe for bami goreng, please.

Oh dear, I sound like Mr P.

Ooh, are we having gammon as well? With cauliflower cheese, apparently there is a glut at the moment. Of cauliflowers, not cheese.
We'll need a hot meal please phoenix, the temperature is going down at the weekend, none of your healthy salads thanks.

Another recruit to the Phoenix appreciation society here. Please don't let her them, get you down. Tin hats at the ready chaps and chapesses. We love your anecdotes and look forward to them, so when they arrive in the postings, it's a treat. I'm fed up with people highjacking lovely innocent threads. Had my say, off to see a man about a window now. Morning all.

You don't even need to be familiar with Phoenix's posting style, just be able to read the opening post about the joys of being chief cook and bottlewasher without automatically assuming that it is starting off with "some sort of argument", and the tone of the posts that follow give a clue to how everyone else sees it.

However, SAAK does seem to enjoy acting like a terrier and taking the chance to use her pointy teeth to nip someone. Don't take it personally, Phoenix.

Phoenix I too love all your threads but I missed classic on train underwear, please could you put it up again or direct me to where I can find it, please and thank you very much

Phoenix, don't stop posting your whimsical threads. Gransnet wouldn't be the same without you. I don't think I ever quite got over the classic on-train underwear malfunction! As for me - count me in for lunch. I will eat up all the vegs and pass bits of chicken under the table for the cats. If I can't polish off the vegs, you can make them into soup.

There's a lot I don't get on GN but I have the common sense (or common courtesy) to keep my lips firmly buttoned.

I am one of those miserable gits that don't "get" virtual parties , however I do enjoy tongue in the cheek threads and am taken aback when the cold water brigade ride in all afire ......... oh dear mixed metaphor there !

Have you got room for me too on Sunday phoenix ? I will need to be back by 7pm to go to the pub quiz though. This is turning into one of our infamous virtual parties (which lots of us 'got' and no doubt a few others did not).

or is it because he has to help prepare them LOL

It sounds like a visual feast XX

"Cooking" the gammon? phoenix - wasn't it cursing the gammon?

(Ignore, if you can, someone getting the wrong end of the stick and then beating you about the head with it)

Sorry. I didn't for one minute consider you would think that.

Oh, I see!

Not you!!

OK Anya I'll shut up then.

Wise words from Abe Lincoln "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt."

Most of us 'get', phoenix if we've been around a while and have a sense of humour!

Who can forget the anti Idiot curse! Might need it again soon phoenix.

Oh Saak, you really aren't a very nice person, are you?

FYI, not that you will be remotely interested, previous threads have included falling in a wheelie bin, underwear malfunctions on trains and other places, and various topics . I will confess to having once posted about cooking gammon at Christmas, but the content hardly counted as a recipe. (Members who have been around longer than you will "get" it)

I think your comment that I am posting about "my fantastically balanced menus" is borderline rude/offensive, but on reflection that does seem to be your preferred style.

Yes I am interested in the rest of the recipe !