Hellcat Posted April 23, 2006 Share Posted April 23, 2006 WELL DONE MARK!! Celebrating St Georges Day...hmmm. Me, I'm in favour of a St Georges cross stuck out of the window, Roast beef with all the trimmings washed down with some excellent Giffords English wine (their white is better, who cares what the wine s"Ooops, word censored!"s say!), followed by a big scoop of stilton (which I personally HATE) and biccies. Just remembering our inherent Englishness and NOT apologising for it all the time would be a start. Either that or go slay a dragon in remembrance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted April 23, 2006 Share Posted April 23, 2006 ...the best way to celebrate St George's day is to draw the curtains, mutter "bah, humbug" to yourself, eat a bag of chips and watch Coronation Street before nodding off on the sofa - what could be more English than that? Phil perfect....not forgetting the cuppa of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 23, 2006 Share Posted April 23, 2006 WELL DONE MARK!! Celebrating St Georges Day...hmmm. Me, I'm in favour of a St Georges cross stuck out of the window, watch it, Helen - they'll be round to arrest you (allegedly...) Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 Either that or go slay a dragon in remembrance. Just to confuse the issue, I don't think St George killed any dragons! That's a myth! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellcat Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 ...And your point is? I love a good myth, me. So much better than the truth! Live within spitting distance of Glastonbury, my soul home! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 I have always found it strange that we actively encourage (if not join in) the Scotts, Irish and Welsh to celebrate their days but don't make a big deal about our own day. Up here, we genuinely have bigger celebrations on St Patricks day than we do on St Andrews day. St Andrews days seems to be greeted with general apathy - obviously people are more interested in drinking copious amounts of Guinness than celebrating our own patron saint. In fact, Burns night is celebrated more than St Andrews day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 Either that or go slay a dragon in remembrance. Just to confuse the issue, I don't think St George killed any dragons! That's a myth! Perhaps he rehomed them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 I'm a bit hazy on this and Phil will probably correct me! No-one quite knows about the dragon but it has been suggested that the dragon represents sin/evil etc and that St George helped to banish bad things. I think he was in the Crusades so the dragon could also be seen as the Moors/heathen etc. (I do know the name of the leader of the other group, but it escapes me at the moment!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard T Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 Have a look here for a brief history of St George: http://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/StGeorge.htm Dragons have, of course, always been very rare (except in Wales) so I think there's very little prospect of the Omlet boffins coming up with a draglu. But you never know ... Richard T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 We know virtually nothing about him. probably the most that we know is that he was a Roman Soldier (not really sure of his ethnicity) who objected to the persecution of the Christians under the Emperor Diocletian - who really was quite nasty (feedinmg them to lions, using them as human torches etc.). George was beheaded for his trouble - and so became famous as a Martyr. the red cross was a symbol of martyrdom. all the rest (including the dragons) is simply made up. it all falls intoi the catregory of stories that I often introduce thus: "Here's a story of something that may not have happened - but is true none the less." the popularity of St. George was then used as a vehicle for teaching all sorts of stuff from trhe church and elsewhere (Note: shakespeare uses him as a battle-cry inspiration!) the dragon - who knows! - but I've heard it said that it is first recorded in the late sixth century and may have been an allegory of the persecution of Diocletian (see above!), who was sometimes referred to as 'the dragon' in ancient texts. The story may also be a christianized version of the Greek legend of Perseus, who was said to have rescued the virgin Andromeda from a sea monster at near Lydda where the cult of St George grew up around the site of his supposed tomb. so there - made up - but true all the same! Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 Thanks both of you! There's always someone here who knows the answer to whatever your question! Great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 ...the best way to celebrate St George's day is to draw the curtains, mutter "bah, humbug" to yourself, eat a bag of chips and watch Coronation Street before nodding off on the sofa - what could be more English than that? Phil perfect....not forgetting the cuppa of course. But we need to queue for that cuppa - we're good at queuing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken on a mission Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 Have a look here for a brief history of St George: http://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/StGeorge.htm Dragons have, of course, always been very rare (except in Wales) so I think there's very little prospect of the Omlet boffins coming up with a draglu. But you never know ... Richard T Great link and well worth reading Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken on a mission Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 Actually, talking about celebrating being British, (sort of) my hubby was entertaining a client from Italy and they set off to find a restaurant. Having found numerous Italian's, Indian's and Chineese, the Italian asked James if they might go somewhere where he could try some traditional British food and of co"Ooops, word censored!" James had trouble with this. After telling me this story James then started trying to name some dishes and trying to think of a restaurant (not pub) that specialised in such food Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 I am completely embarrassed by British food. It is still stuck in the times when we were agricultural workers and other sorts of labourers. Therefore stody and unhealthy for todays pursuits. Steak and Kidney Pie/pudding, full English breakfast, fish and chips, spotted dick pudding, all other sorts of puddings and custard. Apart from our traditional roast dinner, I have been unable to think of any British food which is healthy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 But a LITTLE of what you fancy does you good What about cucumber sandwiches? And Pimms - think of all the fruit in that - got to be healthy for you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieP Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 I love all that food! Plus... Rhubarb crumble..... strawberries and cream, cucumber sandwiches, watercress soup, roast lamb, smoked salmon and cream cheese. summer pudding, Lancashire hot pot, ploughman's with lots of lovely bread and chutney... a I think we shouldn't be so negative about our own food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken on a mission Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 Oh boy is my mouth watering now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellcat Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 Thanks Annie, you beat me to it1 I LOVE British food. Middle of Winter there really is nothing better than Steak and Kidney (or Steak and portobello mushroom, if you don't like kidney). With some mashed swede and carrot and some lovely winter greens, steamed. Yum!! Bring on the British classics - Cromer crab, eaten on the beach with fingers, poached salmon with salad and new potatoes tossed in cornish butter. Rhubarb fool, British early lamb chops, flash fried with purple sprouting broccoli and a gorgeous cornish cauliflower, steamed and still crispy, with home made mint sauce, asparagus steamed and griddled for 1 minute, then toeesed in butter. Watercress soup, strawberries and CLOTTED cream, fruit salad, salad (any kind). Mackeral, all silver and beautiful.... I could go on about British food all day, its great, not boring at all, can be very healthy. After all, we have embraced oriental cooking, how about poached salmon with a medley for seasonal stir-fried veg? River Cottage Year - a superb book for cooking seasonally. Gary Rhodes new British Classics...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken on a mission Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 I think that next time hubby has to entertain a foreign client we'll invite ourselves round to yours then Helen and give up on the restaurants Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellcat Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 Give me a few days notice and you can... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellcat Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 I'd like to do a cookery course so I could cook for people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken on a mission Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 Have you seriously seriously considered starting up a class? I think that marketed properly it could be a goer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted April 26, 2006 Share Posted April 26, 2006 I'd like to do a cookery course so I could cook for people. Feel free to practice on me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellcat Posted April 26, 2006 Share Posted April 26, 2006 Bless you all. and you havent even tasted it yet. No, I meatn I'd like to go and 'learn' to cook, get a qualification (as obviously cooking for the past 25 years doesnt count!) to make it official and then maybe do small catered parties in peoples houses. Or, as I've mentioned before, if I ever get the kitchen extension, set up an after school cooking club for children. I cook to unwind. Hub always knows if I've had a bad day - he comes in to the smell of something baking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
