Marty

My source suggested 5' 6.5" But what's half an inch between friends?

WHY DO PEOPLE THINK NAPOLEON WAS SO SHORT? The rumors started for a number of reasons. His nickname, “le petit caporal,” was really just a term of endearment rather than a jab at his height, but his enemies used it against him. In fact, propaganda was created in other countries both before and after his death to perpetuate the rumor that he was extremely short. In addition, he reportedly liked to surround himself with very tall soldiers as a military tactic. Another factor also may have affected our understanding of Napoleon’s height. At the time of his death, his height might have been recorded in French inches, which were a little longer than English inches. He was put at five-foot-two, but this was probably more like five 5 and 6.5 inches, a perfectly normal height for a man of his time. Source: https://www.ripleys.com/weird-news/tall-napoleon-bonaparte/ Drew will still probably scream "Fake News" at that fact, though...

To continue our discussion as to whether stews are a type of soup or not, and the following question from @dughlas: I've just looked at the cookbook I normally use, admittedly one printed in England perhaps 50 years or more back, and that one has a separate chapter for Soups, and lists stews under the Meats chapter. The very first sentence in the chapter for soups states: "Soup is of great value in a diet both as an appetiser, and also as a stimulant to prepare the digestion for the more solid foods which follow." It then goes on to classify the different types of soup into three categories: Clear Soup (or Consommé) Purées and Thickened Soups (usually by sieving the solid contents, and reheating with milk or water mixed with a small quantity of flour, sago, or corn flour*) Broths (made with meat and vegetables, and thickened by the addition of barley or rice, and not sieved). In the introduction to the chapter on meats it states that stewing is often suitable for rabbits, poultry and cheaper cuts of meat. It also suggests that stews should never be boiled, but should be simmered, either in a pan or in the oven. (* I understand corn flour is called corn starch on the other side of The Pond from me.)

Greetings, young Albert!

Irish soda bread uses sodium bicarbonate (often just referred to as bread soda) as the leavening (raising) agent for the flour, instead of yeast. It needs a small amount of acid in the mixture to cause the release of the carbon dioxide as the dough cooks in the oven (it is the carbon dioxide that causes the bread to rise and become fluffy). Traditionally the acidity is provided using buttermilk, but often nowadays plain milk is used with the addition of vinegar or lemon juice to provide the acidity. Soda bread has the advantage over yeast bread of being very quick to prepare, as it doesn't need to be kneaded for a long time, nor is it necessary to wait for the dough to rise before baking. Typical recipe: 450g (1lb) wholemeal flour (fine or coarsely ground) 1 level teaspoon salt 1 level teaspoon bread soda (sodium bicarbonate) sour milk or buttermilk to mix - 350-400ml (12-14fl oz) approx. (or mix plain milk with 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar) Preheat oven to 230ºC/450ºF/Gas Mark 8 Sieve the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl, and make a well in the centre. Pour most of the milk in at once. Using one hand, mix in the flour from the sides of the bowl, adding more milk if necessary. The dough should be softish, not too wet and sticky. When it all comes together, turn it out onto a well floured worked surface. Tidy it up and flip over gently. (Now wash your hands.) Pat the dough into a round about 2.5cm (1 1/2 inches) deep and cut a cross on it. (Let the cuts go over the sides of the bread.) Bake in a hot oven, 230ºC/450ºF/Gas Mark 8 for 15 minutes, then turn down the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/Gas Mark 6 for 30 minutes or until cooked. If you are in doubt, tap the bottom of the bread: if it is cooked it will sound hollow.

Hope the three of you enjoy your trip. And stay safe out there.

It's very common this side of The Pond, especially in a café or restaurant, for soup to be served either with a bread roll, or (my favourite) a thick slice of wholemeal bread, either of which are expected to be dunked in the soup. Very often, here in Ireland, the slice of bread will be wholemeal soda bread.

And a good night and sweet dreams to you, as well, ma Sherye!

Oh, come on now, Cutie-Pi... Admit it, why don't you? You just luuuurve all the attention!

Well, as much fun this last hour or so has all been, I promised myself when I got up this "morning" that I wouldn't stay up too late this time. But it's now fast approaching 1:00am, so that is another promise I have failed to keep. I'm off to bed, folks!

I dunno, bro. A stew just doesn't seem like a soup to me. In my mind a soup is a starter, whereas a stew is a main course.

#wrongagain

#stewsarenotsoups

#morefakenews

#fakenews

Marty rushes off to see if the next story has already started...

Definitely different.

We know.

Ah, come on now! Soup is just a starter!

#fakenews ? (To quote Drew?)

Just soup?

Definitely looks like a #nottobemissed film.

I've read that Satan was an angel to begin with...

And aren't most adults?

Maybe just don't let Her Who Should Not Be Ignored spot you visiting, bro... Or you could well finish up with a bottom filled with buckshot. #justsaying