Lamb_Chop's VirtualTourist Home Page

If anyone is looking for me, I'm spending most of my time on Facebook.

After sweating buckets worrying about my accountancy exams - the results are in...I've passed with flying colours.

Time for another holiday.

I was born in San Francisco, California (Yes, I'm a Yankee!!) most of my youth was spent in Miami. To the horror of my parents, at the age of 19, I announced to them that their only child was leaving to go travelling (an American would spell it T-R-A-V-E-L-I-N-G) my parent's sadness quickly dissipated to the realisation (Americanism- R-E-A-L-I-Z-A-T-I-O-N) they were finally FREE!!!

TIME TO TRAVEL AND PARTY

Off I went to New York, hopped, skipped and jumped to a job in Las Vegas, and again to Banff Springs in Canada, became bored with all the skiing and snowboarding. Leaped on a plane to London (thought the grey skies and rain was great until reality set in and the weather was like this all the time!!!)

I had been in London for 1 year when I met a dashing individual name Gwilym Owen; we travelled Europe for many years, then one day I asked if he wanted to move to Australia? SURE, he said and off we went, the long route with around-the-world ticket, stopping by to see friends. Upon our return in 2002, we spent another year in London and thought, we've had enough, packed our "stuff" and landed in a wonderful little capital city called Cardiff and Gwilym returned to University to take "Enviromental-GeoScience" (You'll have to ask him to elaborate!) "Enviro-Boy saves the planet"

Gwilym (aka M0B1US) he is the love of my life

In the words of Jack London:

I would rather be ashes than dust!
I would rather that my spark should burn out
in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot.
I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom
of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.
The function of man is to live, not to exist.
I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them.
I shall use my time.

CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH MASCARPONE AND PRALINE

For praline
1/2 cup whole blanched almonds
1/2 cup hazelnuts
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water

For cake
3 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened)

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup well-shaken buttermilk

8 ounces mascarpone cheese (about 1 cup) at room temperature
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

Make praline:
Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a baking pan toast nuts in one layer in middle of oven 10 minutes, or until almonds are lightly colored and hazelnut skins are blistered. Wrap nuts in a kitchen towel and let steam 1 minute. Rub nuts in towel to remove any loose hazelnut skins (do not worry about skins that do not come off) and cool completely.

Line a baking sheet with foil. In a small heavy saucepan bring sugar and water to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil syrup, without stirring, washing down any sugar crystals that cling to side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water, until it begins to turn golden. Swirl pan until syrup is deep golden and remove from heat. Stir in nuts and pour praline onto baking sheet, spreading evenly. Cool praline completely and break into pieces. Transfer praline to a sealable plastic bag and with a rolling pin coarsely crush.

Make cake:
Preheat oven to 300°F. Generously butter a 9-inch round cake pan (at least 2 inches deep) and line bottom with wax or parchment paper. Butter paper and dust pan with flour, knocking out excess.

Finely chop chocolate. In a small saucepan combine cocoa powder, butter, oil, and water. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring until smooth, and remove pan from heat. Add chocolate and sugar, whisking until smooth, and transfer to a bowl. Cool chocolate mixture completely and whisk in egg. Sift flour and baking powder over chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined. Whisk in buttermilk and pour batter into cake pan, spreading evenly. Bake cake in middle of oven 45 to 50 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean, and cool in pan on a rack 5 minutes. Run a thin knife around edge of pan and invert cake onto rack. Discard paper. Cool cake completely and transfer to a plate. In a bowl stir together mascarpone and sugar. Spread mixture over top of cake and generously sprinkle with praline.

A BLONDE JOKE...


A blonde decides to try horseback riding, even though she has had no lessons or prior experience. She mounts the horse unassisted and it immediately springs into motion. It gallops along at a steady and rhythmic pace, but the blonde begins to slip from the saddle. In terror, she grabs for the horse's mane, but cannot seem to get a firm grip.

She tries to throw her arms around the horse's neck, but she slides down the side of the horse anyway. The horse gallops along, seemingly ignorant of its slipping rider.

Finally, giving up her frail grip, the blonde attempts to leap away from the horse and throw herself to safety. Unfortunately, her foot becomes entangled in the stirrup, and she is now at the mercy of the horse's pounding hooves as her head is struck against the ground over and over.

She starts to lose consciousness, but to her great fortune, Bobby, the Wal-Mart greeter, sees her and unplugs the horse.

.
.
.
.
"Hello Mr Bond."
.
.
.