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**Havak** · February 17, 2004, 06:11

Don't head to Italy then - I personally think he views President of the UK as a stepping stone to being 'Emporer' of Europe.

Just call him Boney.

**finbar** · February 17, 2004, 08:05

Beaut. Someone for Tamerlin's offspring to bore our offspring sh*tless about.

**LDiCesare** · February 17, 2004, 13:47

I've managed to translate it, but one of the ingredients is Piment d'espelette. I gather it's derived from capsicum (peppers) and used as a substitute for pepper in some regional cooking. Is it like a hot paprika?

Piment d'espelette tastes much stronger than pepper, and has a different flavour. You could call it hot paprika. I wouldn't, but for lack of anything better, well, yes. It's softer than most other piments, and has traditionally been dried on the outer walls of the houses of the basque town of Espelette. It's rather small for a piment and not very strong, but still stronger than paprika. It's reddish brown. If you can't find this, chili pepper or paprika would probably work as a substitute. The problem being to have a quantity corresponding to the Espelette variety. Depends whether you like it hot or not.

**finbar** · February 17, 2004, 17:44

Thanks for that, LDiCesares. Pretty much what I thought. We have a couple of providores in Sydney who import French and Italian regional specialties, so I'll check with them. If they don't have it, I suspect hot paprika will probably be the closest I'll come to it. The dish is basically tomatoes cooked with cébettes, garlic, bouquet garni and Piment d'Espelette, puréed, cooled, then churned in an ice-cream machine. A savory sorbet. So the Piment d'Espelette should only be a hint rather than dominant.

**Tamerlin** · February 17, 2004, 20:42

Originally posted by finbar
Thanks for that, LDiCesares. Pretty much what I thought. We have a couple of providores in Sydney who import French and Italian regional specialties, so I'll check with them. If they don't have it, I suspect hot paprika will probably be the closest I'll come to it. The dish is basically tomatoes cooked with cébettes, garlic, bouquet garni and Piment d'Espelette, puréed, cooled, then churned in an ice-cream machine. A savory sorbet. So the Piment d'Espelette should only be a hint rather than dominant.

You are a master in the art of cooking... I renew my offer when you come in France: you cook, I wash the dishes.

The Piment d'Espelette is simply a pepper cultivated in the area of the village of Espelette (charming name by the way and even more with the southern accent

) in the Pays Basque (it came from Mexico to Spain and then from Spain).

It is said to be of a beautiful red and to have a sugared and fruity perfume with a subtly hot taste. Once ground, the Piment d'Espelette replaces the classic pepper in the Basque food.

Are you sure you want to replace it by something else?

**finbar** · February 17, 2004, 21:22

Originally posted by Tamerlin

You are a master in the art of cooking... I renew my offer when you come in France: you cook, I wash the dishes.

Do you have a gas or electric stove? You'd better say gas!

The Piment d'Espelette is simply a pepper cultivated in the area of the village of Espelette (charming name by the way and even more with the southern accent

) in the Pays Basque (it came from Mexico to Spain and then from Spain).

It is said to be of a beautiful red and to have a sugared and fruity perfume with a subtly hot taste. Once ground, the Piment d'Espelette replaces the classic pepper in the Basque food.

How do you know all this? I can understand LDiCesares knowing it, even if he has played hooker and has a dubious fondness for mud.

Are you sure you want to replace it by something else?

Living in this sh*thole of a backwater, I shall probably have to substitue something else!

**Tamerlin** · February 17, 2004, 21:30

Originally posted by finbar
Do you have a gas or electric stove? You'd better say gas!

Gas, of course!

How do you know all this? I can understand LDiCesares knowing it, even if he has played hooker and has a dubious fondness for mud.

A quick research on the internet and a bit of translation...

Living in this sh*thole of a backwater, I shall probably have to substitue something else!

This is the trouble with barbarians, they are satisfied with what they can grab with their hands when it could be far better with a bit of patience.

**finbar** · February 17, 2004, 21:36

Originally posted by Tamerlin

Gas, of course!

That's all right then. Electricity's a bugger when it comes to controlling temperatures cooking on top of the stove.

A quick research on the internet and a bit of translation...

LDiCesares knew it without having to look it up. You should try playing hooker and rolling in the mud!

This is the trouble with barbarians, they are satisfied with what they can grab with their hands when it could be far better with a bit of patience.

It's the trouble with me being born in the wrong hemisphere!

**Tamerlin** · February 17, 2004, 22:56

Originally posted by finbar

LDiCesares knew it without having to look it up. You should try playing hooker and rolling in the mud!

Too late!

It's the trouble with me being born in the wrong hemisphere!

Could be a bad Karma, you must have done something as horrible as Caligastia "the criminal"* in your previous life.

* Better known as the infamous Caligulastia

**finbar** · February 18, 2004, 00:35

Originally posted by Tamerlin

Too late!

It's never too late. Come on, turn on the garden hose in the front garden and create some mud ...

What's that? You don't have a front garden? Okay, buy a couple of bags of soil, spread it around the living room. Turn on the nearest tap and leave it running, whack on a pair of footy boots, gather deux gros morceaux de boeuf, one either side of you ...

You'll be as well-informed as LDiCesares in no time!

Could be a bad Karma, you must have done something as horrible as Caligastia "the criminal"* in your previous life.

Fear not, I punish my parents. Frequently.

**Havak** · February 18, 2004, 04:30

It's the trouble with me being born in the wrong hemisphere!

This has been framed and will be ruthlessly used out of context!

Is it this weekend the S12 starts for real? I'm keen to catch a few matches again. I'm interested to see what happens to ACT with half the squad moved on and the other half hating the coach.

All baiting aside however it is unfortunate for a UK based fan that S12 overlaps with the six nations - with the best will in the world no club competition is as intense as watching full on internationals every week.

Although the comparison begs the question could Scotland finish above twelfth place in S12.

*Edit* oh yes - my sincere apologies for posting something on topic.

**LDiCesare** · February 18, 2004, 05:46

Tamerlin, you can pop up on any rugby field in the world (except professional grounds of course) and say "I want to play hooker". I can guarantee you will get a match immediately, even though you may be tall, thin and missing one leg. Mud is easily found, too.
I actually looked the web for translations of the word piment. I couldn't think of anything better than pepper, and, horror, there's nothing better! Piments, poivre, reduced to a single word in English. Argh. Now this made me realise I have no paprika left home, only Cayenne, which is obviously far stronger (would make a good alternative to Espelette, by teh way, except it's stronger).
Slightly more on-topic, I noticed that Michalak won't be playing against Italy, but Peyrelongue will replace him. I think it will be his first selection. Yet another player from Peyrehorade. If that village was bigger, I think all French players would come from that place.

**Havak** · February 18, 2004, 07:58

Remember Mark Connors Finbar? He is currently serving an RFU ban for punching an opponent...

**finbar** · February 18, 2004, 08:38

Originally posted by Havak

This has been framed and will be ruthlessly used out of context!

Frame it, put it in neon lights, quote it often as possible.

Is it this weekend the S12 starts for real? I'm keen to catch a few matches again. I'm interested to see what happens to ACT with half the squad moved on and the other half hating the coach.

Yes. Starts Friday night. The Reds -v- Highlanders in Invercargill. That's the last bit of NZ before you get to Antarctica. I have three matches back-to-back to watch on Saturday afternoon and night. The only match being played in the Australian heat is the Brumbies -v- Blues in Canberra on Saturday night. It won't be as hot as Sydney or Brisbane, but it's still going to be pretty warm.

EDIT. I just heard the forecast. It's going to be 36C in Canberra on Saturday, so it should be down to about 26C on Saturday night.

Ewen McKenzie, new Waratahs' coach, has opted for new blood against the Crusaders with three new caps. We shall see. Nice new second row, though. Vickerman and Plank.

Although the comparison begs the question could Scotland finish above twelfth place in S12.

Someone else has already suggested that.

*Edit* oh yes - my sincere apologies for posting something on topic.

What, anyway, would a retired tighthead possibly have to offer in a conversation about electric stoves -v- gas stoves, Basque pepper substitutes, mud, and the finer points of hooking?

**finbar** · February 18, 2004, 08:40

Originally posted by Havak
Remember Mark Connors Finbar? He is currently serving an RFU ban for punching an opponent...

Mmmm. He could do that occasionally.

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