Found this as I was looking back over some past blogs and newsletters.
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…..my nuts just exploded!
As a lover of nuts, not just chestnuts, I look forward to this annual treat. Yes, you can buy shelled nuts all year but I love sitting in front of the TV with my big bowl of nuts and a nutcracker. Not sure the rest of the family share my joy, having to listen to me cracking them.
My problem comes with how to cook my chestnuts.
Gone are the days of open fires. I can remember my dad bringing in a large metal shovel to lie in the grate of our open coal fire and roasting chestnuts in the living room in the run up to Christmas. But with central heating the chance to “roast” your chestnuts on an open fire has gone.
Over the years I’ve tried boiling them, microwaving them (with and without water) and baking in the oven. Today I fancied a couple for breakfast (don’t judge me). I slit the chestnuts with a sharp knife and placed on a baking tray in a warm oven.
Feeling in a baking mood, I set about making some Festive Cranberry and Walnuts muffins. Just before I filled the muffin tins, I carefully lifted the baking tray holding my chestnuts out of the oven and that’s when my nuts exploded! Chestnuts all over me and the kitchen! Luckily the nuts themselves were the only casualty.
Not sure how many nut related accidents there are but stay safe everyone.
And as we head into New Year Celebrations……
How to safely open Champagne
A cork can travel at speeds of up to 50 miles per hour as it leaves the bottle which is enough to shatter glass, so a badly popped cork can easily cause serious eye injuries. Even being hit by a blunt cork in the eye can cause haemorrhage within the eye, retinal detachment, lens dislocation and rupture of the delicate eye wall.
Ali Mearza, a consultant ophthalmic surgeon
In a bid to cut back on future injuries this festive season, the American Academy of Ophthalmology have released five simple tips for opening the bubbly tipple.
- Chill sparkling wine and Champagne to 45 degrees Fahrenheit / 7 degree Celsius or colder before opening. The cork of a warm bottle is more likely to pop unexpectedly
- Don’t shake the bottle. Shaking increases the speed at which the cork leaves the bottle thereby increasing your chances of severe eye injury
- Point the bottle at a 45-degree angle away from yourself and any bystanders and hold down the cork with the palm of your hand while removing the wire hood on the bottle
- Place a towel over the entire top of the bottle and grasp the cork
- Twist the bottle while holding the cork at a 45 degree angle to break the seal. Counter the force of the cork using downward pressure as the cork breaks free from the bottle
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