What do you think are the 4 most essential components to a good old British coked breakfast? We've taken a vote and the following 4 classics came out on top:
You're Bacon Me Crazy
Bacon! What else could possibly come first other than this stunning ode-to-pig? Bacon has always been a favourite, but recently it has enjoyed an even bigger boost thanks to the internet and a new wave of cured-pork appreciation. Whether in a sandwich or as part of a fry-up, bacon is the top British breakfast staple.
Eggsellent Idea
If there is no smoke without fire, there is no bacon without eggs! Our next staple just had to be the versatile little number that is the egg; whether it's fried, scrambled, poached, boiled, coddled, or made into an omelette, eggs are delicious in all their forms - and with the addition of some bread a handful of meals can be prepared.
Nothing Silly About These Sausages
This next one was slightly trickier but sausages came out as an overall winner! We all like a bit of meat in the morning, and after bacon sausages are definitely the next favourite of the breakfast meats. Again, sausages can be a welcome addition to a fried breakfast, or just as sublime wrapped in bread for a sumptuous sausage sandwich.
A Toast to Toast
Our next favourite was also tricky as beans, tomatoes and mushrooms were all mentioned, but in the end we went for toast - bread's best contribution to the first meal of the day. We went for toast because it makes a beautiful bed for all of the above, and with the inclusion of some butter, it makes a warm, hearty breakfast snack on its own - mmm.
Feeling a little blue? We don't blame you - not only is it Monday, it's the first day of September, which means that summer is pretty much over. How depressing can one day get?
Don't panic, though - here are some pictures of delicious-looking cakes that will brighten up your Blue Monday!
These cute Pink Floyd-themed cupcakes were tweeted earlier today by Floyd mega-fan Stephen Paul Smith. The Dark Side of the Moon cakes look particularly appealing!
These cupcakes are iced to look like white terriers! How cute! Credit to Sophie Pickering, who tweeted this photo yesterday.
Well, we hope that's cheered you up a bit! If you like looking at pictures of delicious food, why not follow us on Twitter? Our feed is full of photos like this!
Modern gas cookers use an electronic ignition system to light each burner – this system consists of a spark control module installed in the control panel, and an igniter on each individual hob. Whether one hob or several is not working properly, if you follow the following steps we can determine exactly what it is that’s at fault using only a screwdriver.
- Examine the sparks made by each of the hobs and compare them to eachother. A well-functioning ignition will make 3 to 5 blue sparks every second, so if one doesn’t perform as well as the others you know that ignition is bad. Click the button below to see our selection of ignition generators:
- Listen out for the frequency of the sparks – an igniter which works correctly will steadily create 3 to 5 sparks every second, so if they are slower it may be the result of reverse polarity. If you’re in a situation where no sparks are being created whatsoever, the spark module needs replacing. Click the button below to see our selection of spark modules:
- You may also want to check if there is any food stuck to the igniter as this may prevent it from sparking.
- Lastly, you may want to try pulling the cooker away from the wall, unplugging the power cord, and removing the back panel by taking the screws out with a screwdriver. Then examine the spark module for any misplaced wires, or any signs of damage.
If you need a new part for your hob, or if you have any questions for our team of kitchen appliance experts, please feel free to get in touch!
Is your oven grungier than Kurt Cobain's dirty laundry? You could always clean it yourself - after all, oven cleaning products are reasonably inexpensive, and given that professional oven cleaners don't work for free, you'll save a fair bit of cash by leaving the phone on the hook and getting your own hands dirty instead.
Still, we've cleaned our share of cookers, and we're well aware of how tedious and unpleasant it is. A few minutes of seemingly ineffectual scrubbing can make you want to...well, put your head in an oven, and so we won't blame you if you decide to give up, pour a glass of wine, and call in the pros.
If that's the route you want to take, here are three top oven cleaning companies who operate in and around South Wales:
The Clean Oven Co
www.thecleanovenco.com
@TheCleanOvenCo
These guys conduct a "22 point inspection" of your cooker upon arrival, so they certainly can't be accused of carelessness! The Clean Oven Co use eco-friendly cleaning agents and a stainless steel bath to clean your oven; unlike the other two businesses on this list (whom we'll meet momentarily), TCOC are exclusively an oven cleaning enterprise, so you can be sure that they know their stuff!
Mrs Bucket
www.mrs-bucket.co.uk
@MrsBucket1
If you click over to Mrs Bucket's website, the first thing you'll notice is a photo of Mrs Bucket herself with Prime Minister David Cameron. That's right - this business has been so successful that its owner has represented Wales at Downing Street! How's that for credentials? There are Mrs Bucket offices in both Cardiff and Swansea, so the whole of South Wales is pretty much covered there. We love the sly Keeping Up Appearances reference in the company logo (note the acute accent).
MSL Maintenance
www.mslmaintenance.co.uk
@mslmaintenance
Oven cleaning is just one of the many, many services that MSL provide - these Cardiffian cleaners are dedicated to transforming whole buildings, so your dirty oven should be a walk in Bute Park for them. They've been going since 2005; goodness knows how many ovens they've cleaned in the nine years since then.
Summer means only one thing to us Brits - disappointment associated with the weather. But when we have gotten over the dreary drizzle that plagues our summer months, we always have at least a few days of sunshine, and when we do, it's time to get the barbecue out!
Everyone has their own little routines, tricks, and methods when it comes to preparing and executing their barbecue, but we'd like to offer 7 of our little tips that will ensure yours is a roaring success.
1. Preparation is key - marinade your meats and fish the day before for optimum flavour, and prepare your salads an hour or two before to ensure you're not pushed for time.
2. Variety is the spice of life - burgers and sausages are pretty standard, so why not try some more exciting options like prawn skewers, pork chops, or lamb koftas!
3. It's not all about meat and fish - why not try barbecuing vegetables like corn on the cob? The slightly charred effect of the corn really brings out that delicious flavour.
4. Don't rush things - if you are using charcoal wait till they turn white before you place any food on the grill; only then is the grill at the optimum heat for cooking your food on.
5. Don't cook cold meats - if you are going to be cooking meat, make sure you take it out of the fridge for about 20 minutes before you place it on the barbecue. You want your meat at room temperature to ensure an even level of heat penetrates it.
6. Try not to flip out - we know it is tempting to continually flip your meat on the barbecue but try to refrain. It takes time for that desired char to develop on your food, and flipping only interrupts this.
7. Let it rest - this rule always applies when you are cooking meat and with barbecued meat it's no different. Give your meats ample time to rest after cooking to ensure the juices settle, and the meat itself is as tender as possible.
