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Pin Badges
There are certain items of promotional wear that just seem to get the point across better than others. Fun types of advertising means will always be more popular than boring pieces and that`s why pin badges have been a favourite for many years now. As promotional pieces go, pin badges can be perfect because they look cool and trendy and can be worn by a variety of people. For effective types of advertising, pin badges are powerful little products and they make great items of merchandise which can be worn on a daily basis. Up and coming bands that are promoting a new record or concert can use pin badges to good effect and politicians have been well known for dishing out pin badges when election time approaches. There are many different types of pin badges to choose and they come in plenty of cheery colours that will look great on many garments. Companies like Awesome Badges specialise in the production of the Pin Badges and they can happily provide plenty of customers with these pinned products. Regardless of the size of your promotional campaign, they can keep you in a solid supply of super Pin Badges. Customers will find that the Pin Badges are highly cost effective as thousands of products can be printed for a fabulous fee. The pin badge sizes vary but they usually come in either 25mm or 58mm and you can download the artwork that you want printing on the products. Promotional pieces don`t come much finer than perfect types of Pin Badges that can be pleasantly worn with pride.

Personalised Baby Blanket
What could be nicer than a Personalised Baby Blanket to give as a bespoke gift for a new baby? These gorgeous blankets come in a range of stunning colours and designs so no matter how fussy the new mum maybe, she is sure to like a Personalised Baby Blanket as she will be well aware of the extra trouble you have gone to, to get it. A baby can never have enough blankets and they often get to like a particular one as they get older. It couldn`t be easier buying a Personalised Baby Blanket you can find them for sale everywhere and they are most common on the internet. It is just like buying anything else all you need to do is let the seller know exactly what you would like embroidered or printed on it-anything at all! Just because they are personalised they are not expensive only a few pound more than the bog standard ones. Give a new baby something extra special that can be kept as a keepsake for the future.

Delicate proteins like fish and eggs respond well to kind treatment, like being cooked in liquid kept just below boiling point. Poached, in other words.

The principle is the same in every case - keep the liquid simmering; don`t let it boil; be patient.

For eggs, it works like this:

Put an inch of water in the bottom of a saut� pan (which is a skillet with high sides) and bring it to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and add some salt and a tablespoon of vinegar, which helps to hold the egg white together.

The liquid is simmering when the surface seems to quiver without any bubbles breaking.

Now crack a very fresh egg into a saucer or similar shallow dish, and then slide it gently into the water. It will take about five minutes to cook.

You can serve it straight away by lifting it out with a slotted spatula and resting it briefly on some kitchen towel to drain off excess water.

You can also drop it into iced water to keep for later. Once again you`ve prepared something in advance which is there when you need it.

You can reheat poached eggs, by the way. Just lower them into hot water for about half a minute.

Fish

If eggs, why not fish?

No reason at all. You can poach fish in exactly the same way, using water, wine, stock or milk. Solid fish like cod respond best to this treatment, but any fish can be cooked in the same way.

And now for the smart bit :0) If you pre-heat the poaching liquid, put the fish in a shallow tray, add the liquid and put the whole lot under a hot broiler, you will achieve a number of things;

A slight `crust` on top of the fish

The flesh will remain beautifully moist

It will cook through evenly

You can remove the fish from under the broiler and keep it warm in the cooking liquid until you are ready to serve it.

Now take the next step up in excellence - poached salmon or trout for lunch!

First you`ll need something to cook it in. A fish kettle is ideal of course, but expensive for a dish you may not cook that often. I use a large, oval casserole dish that will also cook pot roasts, whole chickens and so on.

Whole fish are easily poached in a bouillon made up of water (enough to cover the fish), some slices of onion, two or three peppercorns, a bay leaf and some vermouth. How much? How much do you like vermouth?

About a wine glass full.

Now bring all this to the boil on top of the stove, turn off the heat, slide the cleaned fish into the hot liquid, cover and leave overnight. In the morning it will be perfectly cooked.

Lifting the fish out can sometimes be a little tricky, but with care you can manage it. I use my hands and I strongly advise you to do the same. It`s much easier to spread your fingers under the fish than a rigid spatula.

You`ll find the skin peels off easily and you can dress the fish with cucumber or mayonnaise or whatever takes your fancy. So simple. Such a stunning result.

And don`t forget to make your own mayonnaise which, as everyone knows, is a very tricky thing to do.

Don`t believe a word of it. Forget the stories you may have heard and follow me (as well as Keith Floyd who taught me this trick).

Put two eggs in the goblet of a blender. Add a pinch of salt and a dessertspoon of vinegar. Switch on.

With the motor running, drizzle the oil of your choice (I use grape-seed oil) into the top of the blender until you achieve the required result. You`ll use about half a pint of oil. If the mixture is too thick, simply add a little hot water and whisk again.

Tip: Avoid olive oil! Yes I know what it says in the recipe books and if you like mayonnaise with a bitter flavor, ignore me. But I promise you your guests will not be asking for seconds if you do :0)

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