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Showing posts from February, 2011

LOSS IS PLUS ?

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Grappling for the silver lining... It's the time of year when my teaching hours slow down from frenzied 12 hour a day stints to almost nothing.  This is often a time a major stress for english teachers in the private sector who are paid on contract rather than salary.  No teaching  = no pay. It basically means no, or little, income. Most school teachers in France have a state contract - at college or high school level they have a maximum face to face teaching time of 18 hours per week. For those of you who aren't "in the know," teaching hours are basically multiplied  by two for " real time hours"...this is to add preparation, correction time into the formula. Their salaries are not the top of the pile but they do have 2 months summer holiday, 2 weeks at  Christmas, Winter, Spring and Autumn....all at full salary. Do the maths!  Once in the public teaching sector you are set for life....unless of course you lose your temper and lash out, slappi

VALENTINE OR WHAT!

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Cynacism strikes... Yesterday I asked my husband if he would like me to take him out for "valentines" supper... My offer was, methought, modern yet romantic..girl takes boy. My dear french ( ie pendantic) husband answered, well why would we do that? We are already married! He then launched into a tirade about the commercial dishonesty surrounding Valentines...I batted for romance using Easter and Christmas as examples, then continued with the importance for both retail and service industries of such events especially in the context of an economic crisis. He looked at me and said, If it's that important to you I will take you out to supper, but on the 15th when the prices aren't double! ...That's amore!! I heard a very funny story which I will share with you rather than a recipe. It reminded me of my husband. After she woke up, a woman told her husband, "I just dreamed that you gave me a pearl necklace for Valentine's day. What do you think

SEASON'S PARSNIP

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 Bringing back root vegetables... The parsnip disappeared from my life when I came to France.  I can still hear my family's oohs and ahhs over crisp roast parsnip. Well, parsnip is back. My surprise is that this, the most British of veg, is getting royal treatment in France. Great, I'm loving it! A perfect vegetable soup or roast it is all the more more glorious when served "warm" in salad form. Get out the food processor or your slicing mandolin and try out this recipe - a great "bed" to compliment to a rare baked maigret/duck's breast. Warm Parsnip Salad The desperateanglohousewife's parsnip fantasy? Olive oil 2 c Julienne-cut parsnip 3/4 c Julienne-cut celery 3/4 c Julienne-cut capsicum/red  pepper 1/3 c finely sliced   onions ( I use the fresh "white onions" ) 1/4 c good quality white wine vinegar* 1 teaspoon  dijon mustard 1 teaspoon Malden Salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 lg Garlic clove, minced 1