Very well made I thunk.

MENTALIST!
Sent in by Shanks

That’s not very polite is it?

Looks like fun!

Get some colour into your life…

There are many ways to poach an egg. Some are more reliable than others.

If you’re like me, then you’ve experienced the miserable “egg soup” scenario. This is where your poached egg more closely resembles wispy threads floating in water than a delicate, coddled globe with a molten centre.  But don’t despair. There are ways to avoid this unfortunate situation.

One of the constants in successful poaching is the quality and freshness of the egg. However, finding really fresh eggs on grocery shelves can be a challenge.

First, check the use-by date. Sounds simple but it can often be overlooked when you’re faced with a wall of eggs. There can be up to two weeks’ difference in use-by dates between eggs sitting side-by-side on your supermarket shelf.

Secondly, look at the eggs. Choose eggs with a chalky surface over those with a smooth one – this is a sure sign of fresh eggs.

Once you have your fresh eggs, you need to know the best method for poaching them… Read on…

Happy New Year!

How to poach an egg

Poaching eggs can be hit or miss so don’t expect to get it on your first go. Have a few spare eggs handy just in case and remember that you need:

1. fresh eggs at room temperature
2. a little vinegar in the saucepan to help the egg set
3. Good luck!

Step 1: Have your fresh eggs at room temperature. If they’ve been in the fridge you need to “condition” them. This means putting them in a bowl of hot water (not boiling) for 5 minutes to warm them up.

Next, fill a saucepan with with water (about 8cm high) and bring it to the boil. Add about 1 teaspoon of white vinegar.

Step 2: Once the water has reached a rolling boil, turn it right down to low so there are barely perceptible bubbles bubbling to the surface. Take a spoon and stir the water in a circle to form a whirlpool. Have an egg ready next to you.

Step 3: Gently crack the eggshell and open the egg into the middle of the whirlpool.

Step 4: The whirlpool vortex will spin the egg into a delicate coddled shape. The addition of the egg will bring the water temperature down so you have to turn the heat up very slightly but not so the water bubbles. Poach the egg for 2-3 minutes.

Step 5: Use a slotted spoon to transfer the egg to a bowl of cool water while you cook the other eggs (if you are cooking more than one).

Step 6: Hold the submerged egg in one hand, keeping it in the cool water and then use your fingers or a pair of scissors to gently pull or cut off any straggly bits of egg white (pictured above, top right).

Just before serving you can dunk the poached eggs back into the saucepan of hot water to heat them up and then drain them on a kitchen paper towel.

Serve the poached egg on a slice of buttered toast with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Taken from Taste Buddies

By THANYARAT DOKSONE (AP) – 4 days ago

BANGKOK — Thailand is continuing to offer insurance coverage worth $10,000 to anyone harmed in riots and demonstrations as it seeks to attract tourists scared off by political turmoil, officials say.

Other carrots range from a waiver on all visa fees to discounts on airline landing fees.

“The measures are to support the tourism industry. The situation has been recovering but the businesses still need help,” said Thai government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn earlier this week.

Thailand has been plagued by political conflict since the ouster of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in a 2006 military coup. More demonstrations are scheduled by his supporters for mid-March.

In 2009, the number of tourists dropped to 14.1 million, an 8 percent decrease from the previous year while revenue shrank to 527 billion baht ($16 billion), a 3 percent drop from 2008. Tourism is the country’s number one foreign currency earner.

The free insurance coverage, along with other tourism stimulus measures, was initially put in place after the seizure of Bangkok’s two airports in late 2008. Hundreds of thousands of tourists were stranded in the country.

Tourism and Sports Ministry spokesman Vachara Kannikar said the $10,000 coverage has been extended until the end of the year and applies to any foreign visitor who experiences loss or damage from political upheavals, including death, injury or disability. Victims will also receive free medical treatment and a daily $1,000 in compensation if hospitalized for more than 10 days.

Tourists who face travel delays because of riots or demonstrations will be given $100 per day. But this amount and the hospital stay cannot exceed a total of $10,000.

Tourists of all nationalities will also have their visa fees waived until March 2011, Vachara said, adding this may become a permanent policy.

Airlines will enjoy a 10 percent discount for parking fees and a 20 percent drop for landing fees through the end of 2010, Vachara said. Electricity bills for hotels are also being discounted.

Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Simply beautiful.
I do like BMW cars…

1937 BMW 328 Mille Miglia

Cool Idea (groan).

Make your own Chill Pills