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Tuesday, 27 May 2014

June is almost here, and at this time of year in England gardeners are busy getting their gardens back into shape and cultivating fruit and vegetables. The first fruits to ripen are usually soft berries, such as raspberries and strawberries. Here is a delicious and simple to follow recipe for Lime Cheese Cake, topped with fresh raspberries, as made by my friend Dr B in Staffordshire!

Lime Cheese cake
(In twelve easy steps)





Ingredients

  • About 20 digestive biscuits (doesn't really matter - use your judgement)
  • About 25 g butter (again, use your judgement)
  • 4 limes or 3 lemons
  • 2 x 200g packs of value cream cheese
  • I x 397g condensed milk
  • Raspberries and basil leaves (or whatever) to decorate and serve

1)               Break up the biscuits until they're like breadcrumbs (e.g. in a food processor, pestle and mortar,
              or plastic bag and rolling pin)

2)             Melt the butter in a pan

3)             Mix the broken-up biscuits and butter together thoroughly.

4)            Place them in a suitable container (e.g. a spring-form cake tin)

5)            Flatten the biscuit base (but don't press too hard)

6)           Grate the zest of 4 limes or 3 lemons

7)            Juice the limes or lemons

8)             Put the cream cheese and the condensed milk in a bowl and mix until smooth

9)            Add the zest and juice of the limes or lemons and mix well (the citrus juice thickens the mixture)
10)          Pour the mixture onto the biscuit base

11)         Leave in fridge for a couple of hours to firm up

12)        Serve with raspberries and basil leaves (or however you want)


Thursday, 13 February 2014

Faux amis or False friends?

English contains numerous words that we have "borrowed" from other languages, especially French. It was the Normans, who under the leadership of William I (Guillaume) came to England to fight over the English throne with his relative Harold, whom he defeated at the battle of Hastings in 1066. The Normans spoke Old French, based on Latin, whereas Harold and his followers spoke a Germanic Language.Thanks to the Norman invasion, the English language changed beyond all recognition, but as the language continued to evolve so did many of the original meanings of the words that they brought with them. We call these words "false friends" or "faux amis".. Over the years the meanings of many of the original French words that arrived with Guillaume have changed too, this is probably due to England being an island, isolated from any changes effecting its cousin across the channel in France.
The following link gives a list of these faux amis...perhaps you can add to them.

Tuesday, 11 February 2014












Interested in French Films and Music?


Then check out the following Blog:


Mediathèque




Wednesday, 5 February 2014