philippat's Profile

Display Name: philippat
Member Since: 1/14/10

Latest Comments...

When I grew up in Brussels you could buy beer in McDonalds from 12 years old...


Buying Liquor: State vs. Private Stores
Straight Up Cocktails and Spirits

3/11/11 5:46 PM

Scotch is generally considered a slightly rude or ignorant adjective over here (sort of patronising) unless in connection to whisky.
Scotch eggs were invented in England (say no more...)


Smoked Salmon, Lox & Gravlax: What's the Difference?
3/9/11 5:21 PM

The milk in first or last is very much a British class thing I'm afraid. It's one of those unmentionable things we use to weigh up your place in society over here :)

Surfice to say I put mine in last...


How to Make a Proper Pot of Black Tea
2/12/11 1:57 PM

When we lived in the US I remember once finding mice in the bottom of the shared apartment washer. Getting back to a nice undercounter front loader in the UK was a luxury.
Frankly I don't understand the germs argument - the pile of washing comes into the kitchen, is loaded from the hamper to the machine, washes overnight when electricity is cheap, gets taken out to dry. Doesn't once touch any surface.
I also have a front loading dryer in my current kitchen but probably only use it about twice a year - it's not going to stay much longer.


Inspiration: Washers & Dryers in the Kitchen
1/21/11 3:11 PM

I really wouldn't buy Jamie for a pre/teen boy, here in the UK he is much loved but he's a) very establishment b) advertises supermarkets in TV commercials in which middle aged women swoon c) best known by kids for his school dinners campaign none of which are likely to appeal to boys.

The Extraordinary Cookbook by Stefan Gates might be a good choice - he presents a pretty mad TV show on food here aimed at young teenagers.


Can You Recommend A Beginner Cookbook for Teenagers?
Good Questions

12/29/10 3:38 PM

having shipped a cat in the hold, i can comclusively say that an airplane's hold is not always unheated.


Advice for Flying with Pre-Made Vacation Meals?
Good Questions

12/23/10 3:13 PM

tea ideally needs an airtight opaque container and really it's a mistake to mix different types up together as the flavours will affect each other.
In our house we get through about 80 tea bags a week (yes we're british :)) so normal tea bags just stay in their box until they are used up.
All the more exotic varieties have a cupboard all to themselves.


Looking for Creative Tea Storage Ideas
Good Questions

12/17/10 4:07 PM

I'd be a bit disappointed if you weren't actually serving pheasant.


Feathers on the Table: Yay or Nay?
11/22/10 2:57 PM

what's the thin yellow stripe on that pyramid for?


Redesigning the Food Pyramid: How Would You Do It?
GOOD Magazine

11/2/10 5:36 PM

for those of us that have combi boilers, we don't even have the problem of minerals leaching from the tank...


Quick Tip: Start With Cold Water When Making Hot Drinks
KCRW Good Food

11/1/10 4:32 PM

Sugar beet is definitely the low food miles option here in the UK.
Plus the factory here uses its waste heated water to gow tomatoes, fantastic http://www.britishsugar.co.uk/Tomatoes.aspx


Ingredient Spotlight: Beet Sugar
10/29/10 1:20 PM

really two days?
love the idea of simple living in a foreign city but two days seems a bit short :)


One Room, Many Ways: In Paris
10/23/10 3:34 AM

I have to agree with cravethemind. This is an interesting article topic but it really needs a level of research. And where are the tips signposted in the headline?


Tips On Going Car-Less: And Saving A Bunch of Money
10/23/10 3:25 AM

You might want to know that vinyl floor tiles containing white asbestos are still sold legally in the US...


What Flooring to Cover Over Current Vinyl?
Good Questions

10/15/10 5:04 PM

Got a helmer, bought back when they were pre-made at least 6 years ago. Holding together absolutely fine.


The Many Uses of the Mighty Helmer from IKEA
10/9/10 4:14 PM

I was amazed to hear you can't recycle tetrapaks in the US! Looking it up, it turms out some of you can, info here: http://www.recyclecartons.com/default.htm


BPA-Free: Pomì Tomatoes
10/9/10 3:48 PM

it depends upon the artwork!


Glass Or Plexi: Which Is Better For Your Artwork?
9/30/10 11:15 PM

yes you're right. And according to his flickr profile he took the photo in Australia, not France...


Flickr Find: A Fabulous French Vegetable Terrine
9/29/10 5:19 PM

red cabbage, spring onion, swede, carrot, red pepper, broad bean surrounded by ham.
I'd expect beef gelatine leaf personally, made with stock to mix.


Flickr Find: A Fabulous French Vegetable Terrine
9/29/10 4:20 PM

I think you need something closer to 2 weeks in a normal domestic freezer to kill any bugs


Bedbugs at Secondhand Stores: Should You Be Worried?
The New York Times

9/11/10 3:47 PM