Paella!

[gjbingham]

Good living! Nice story. Enjoy! Can't do anything about all the building.

THere was a dramatic change in culture during the 10 years that separated my two tours in sicily. Gone were the droves of old women wearing only black, trudging to the markets each day. Traffic trippled. I've forgotten all the changes I noticed, but I was sad to see the old ways disappearing and technology taking over all aspects of life.
George

[Frances]

But to get back to the subject in the title, if I may...

I've often eaten Paella on holidays etc, and like it very much, but somehow I never made any. Now after reading all your Paella threads Jim, I was inspired to cook my first one for lunch today....

...and it turned out really well (for a first try). With shrimps, turkey and fish. My kids hated it and my husband loved it .

But I'll be rethinking my stock options before I make the next one though. I've got some nice all-natural non-taste-enhanced vegetable stock, but stock made of frozen left-overs will probably knock spots off it!

[Xabia Jim]

Kids eh? Try them on a simple chicken version...they'll get used to it.

Glad you tried it....it really is a pretty easy, flexible and forgiving dish.

[Xabia Jim]

Is that a swiss saying?

....Seems more like a brit saying.

I learned "knackered" recently.....

[Frances]

Yep, that's a British saying...I guess... Well I AM British - kind of, originally.

"knackered" is a good word. Very useful, very descriptive.

Sometimes if I'm not careful I find myself using student slang I picked up from my parents, that's about 40 years out of date. My cousins back in England nearly died laughing the time they heard me use the expression "yoiks tallyho".

Now the Swiss would say something along the lines of "leave it lying on the left hand side".

Hmm, doesn't translate very well, does it?

[Xabia Jim]

Well I AM British - kind of, originally....
............Ok, sounds like there is a story here Frances.....

I can say that too.....Well I AM British - kind of, originally.....Born in Singapore, grew up in CaNaDa eh!, had a british passport.....Is that why I'm happy as an expat here in Spain?.....

I've not spent much time in Switzerland but I do love the mountains.

[Frances]

Nah, not really.

My Dad found work with Ciba in Switzerland years ago, my Mom joined him when they got married. I was born, brought up English, learnt Swissgerman in School, finally married a Swiss guy. Talk English with the kids, Swiss with my husband. I suppose I'm as bilingual and bi-cultural as you can be. But not much of a story really, is it?

I must say, its really cool to have such a multi-cultural (if single minded) forum here.

(Single minded = WFO, beer, fish and more WFO)

[jeff]

XJim,
Your 'Guide to Paella' is compelling. Thank you.
Frances, your vocabulary would dwarf mine: (Tallyho chaps, what.)
Agree that topics discussed should be expanded to include Wine, Women and Song. (Now I bet that comes as a surprise, eh.)
Jeff.(From Australia)

[james]

Originally Posted by Frances

My Dad found work with Ciba in Switzerland years ago, my Mom joined him when they got married. I was born, brought up English, learnt Swissgerman in School, finally married a Swiss guy. Talk English with the kids, Swiss with my husband. I suppose I'm as bilingual and bi-cultural as you can be. But not much of a story really, is it?

We had the pleasure of being invited to a Raclette party in Switzerland a number of years ago, where everyone spoke English, French and (Swiss)German -- with a little Italian thrown in. One of the neighbors was the host of a children's TV show (it sounded like PBS without Barney), and he jumped from language to language during the show. The audience (aged 6) loved it.

I guess that's how a country with three native languages makes it work. I'm impressed.
James

[gjbingham]

I too was impressed with the number of Europeans that speak 3 -5 languages. You quickly realize that all that eduction you suffered through over the years wasn't that impressive after all. Sometimes, you'll feel outnumbered by just one person.