Up-scaled Bangers and Mash for the Toddster

Todd just loves his Banger's and Mash. If I want to make him happy, that's all I have to cook up. He could eat them more than once every week!



I do think they have lovely sausages over here in the UK. . . well the best quality ones at any rate. The el cheapo ones are just plain nasty . . . but you could say the same thing about cheap sausages anywhere in the world. Full of fat and fillers, they are just horrible. There's no denying it.



But there is nothing tastier or more beautiful than a really good Butcher's sausage. I've said it before and I'll say it again . . . you can tell a good Butcher by the quality of his sausages!! We've got the best here in town, I think. R & J Dodd . . . there, I said it!



I picked up a pound of his lovely Pork and Chive sausages yesterday and I wanted to do something special with them, without destroying Todd's fancy . . . you know the old Banger's and Mash thing.



Anyhoo . . . I took the premise and I ran with it, glazing the sausages in a deliciously sticky sweet, fruity and spicy glaze and pimped the mash up with some chives and buttermilk. I love taking the boundaries of the traditional and stretching them!



Todd thoroughly enjoyed. Mission accomplished. He didn't even miss the Bisto.



*Sticky Bangers with Buttermilk and Chive Mash*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This ain't yo mama's bangers and mash!

1 pound good quality butcher's sausages
2 dessert spoons of mango chutney
2 dessert spoons of apricot preserves
2 dessert spoons of grainy Dijon mustard

For the mash:
2 pounds floury potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
( a maris piper, or a russet type of potato)
2 ounces milk (1/4 cup)
2 ounces butter (1/4 cup)
4 to 6 ounces of buttermilk (1/2 to 3/4 cup)
1 bunch of chives, finely chopped
salt and black pepper

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add about a TBS of oil or less, just enough to coat the pan and allow it to heat up. Add the sausages in one layer, reduce the heat to medium and cook, turning frequently, until nicely browned all over and cooked through, about 20 minutes.

In the meantime place the potatoes into a pot of lightly salted water and bring to the boil. Cook until fork tender and then drain well. Place back into the saucepan and shake over the residual heat of the burner to dry out. Mash well with a potato masher. Beat in the milk, butter and buttermilk until ight and fluffy. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in the chives. Keep warm.

Stir together the mango chutney, preserves and mustard. Turn up the heat under the pan of sausages. Pour the mango mixture over top. Heat to a boil and cook for about 5 to 10 minutes, until the sausages are lightly glazed and sticky, but not burnt. Remove from the heat.

Divide the sausages and the mash amongst 4 heated plates and serve immediately along with your favourite vegetable. (Todd likes peas and carrots. He's so predictable!)

Chicken with Cherry Tomatoes and Capers

 

 There are normally only two of us eating in this house and so I normally try to cut recipes in half for us, or create dishes which are simple and make just enough for two.  It's not that hard to do really.   And you can normally multiply up with no problems at all.



I found myself with an abundance of cherry tomatoes on Saturday last and so I decided that I would incorporate them somehow into our supper.   I also had chicken breasts.  Chicken and tomatoes go really well together.   One only need to look at delicious recipes such as Chicken Cacciatore or Chicken Parmesan to see that this is true.



This recipe goes together very quickly so I would suggest you have all of the ingredients ready and hand before you start.  The chicken breasts are cut into two escallopes horizontally which makes for quick cooking . . .



The cherry tomatoes are cut in half as well, for quick cooking.  I saw a really interesting and helpful little video on how to that really quickly the other day.  You can see it here.  It's a slap on the forehead, why didn't I think of that kind of a thing!  (It really does work!)



The tomatoes are quickly frizzed in some olive oil along with some garlic.  You dust the chicken pieces with some flour and salt and pepper and then brown them in the same pan, along with some sage.    It doesn't take very long at all as they are only half as thick as they normally are.

 

A splash of white wine, a few capers . . . .  bubble bubble bubble, a handful of chopped parsley and presto chango, you have tender moist chicken with a delicious sauce of cherry tomatoes and capers, that will please any meat loving man.  The Toddster loves this.  I always serve it with some boiled new potatoes.  It goes down a real treat, and goes together lickety split.  If you are looking for a quick, easy and delicious supper and are feeling a tad bit lazy, this is your perfect meal!  Looks like you slaved all day, but took literally minutes.

 *Chicken with Cherry Tomatoes and Capers*
Serves 2

Printable Recipe  

Quite simply delicious.  Quick to make.

olive oil

2 dloves of garlic, peeled and lightly crushed

150g of cherry tomatoes, halved (Approximately 1 cup)

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, each sliced horizontally
through the middle into two escallopes (4 pieces in total)

plain flour for dusting
salt and black pepper

2 tsp freeze dried crumbled sage leaves (NOT powdered)

3 TBS white wine

2 TBS capers, drained and rinsed (the ones in vinegar)

1 TBS chopped fresh flat leaf parsley 

Heat a splash of olive oil in a large non stick frying pan.   Add the garlic and tomatoes, season lightly and fry over high heat until they are just beginning to pucker a bit.   Scoop the tomatoes out onto a plate and set aside.  Leave in the garlic.

Season the slices of chicken breast to taste and dredge lightly with flour, patting it into the meat and shaking off any excess.  Heat another splash of olive oil in the pan.   Add the sage and cook for about a minute and then add the chicken slices, presentation side down.   Fry over medium high heat until they are golden and then flip them over and brown the other sides.

Add the wine and return the tomatoes to the pan along with the capers and parsley.  Let it bubble up a bit and evaporates somewhat.   Cover with a lid and set aside off the heat for several minutes before serving.   The juices of the chicken should run clear.   Divide between two heated dinner plates.  I like to serve with boiled and buttered new potatoes. Simple and delicious.

Note - This can easily be doubled or even tripled if you have a pan large enough.   Don't worry about the wine, it bubbles off.  If you really don't want to use it you can use chicken stock, or even water.

Sunshine Morning Swirls

 

I usually always have puff pastry lurking in my freezer.  It's one of my store cupboard ingredients and it comes in really handy for both sweet and savory bakes.  It makes a lovely topping on a pot pie and it makes beautiful sweet scrolls . . . like these delicious Sunny Morning Scrolls.



I had a jar of lemon curd in the refrigerator that needed using up and we have had such a run of beautiful sunny days recently, I decided to put the two together and came up with these delicious Breakfast pastries.

 

They were very easy to make.  You just unroll your puff pastry and spread it with some lemon curd to the edges . . . easy enough.   Then I chopped some sultana raisins and toasted pecan nuts together in the mini chopper and sprinkled them on top of the lemon curd, prior to rolling it all up in a nice tight roll.



After  that I used a nice sharp knife to cut the roll into 8 thick slices and placed them onto a paper lined baking tray.  Still easy, right?   Smush them down a tiny bit with the palm of your hand and brush them with an egg wash.  (An egg yolk beaten with a bit of water, simple.)   A final sprinkle of crunchy demerara (turbinado) sugar and they were ready to be baked.



In all honesty I am a bit like a child when I have something like this in the oven, watching them puff up as they bake, through the glass in the oven window.  It's like magic.



Once baked I create lemon drizzle icing to drizzle over them, sort of like gilding the lily I suppose.  They would have been quite lovely without it, but with it . . . well . . . see for yourself.  Is that not magnifique???   Are you drooling yet?  I thought so!  Just like little rays of sunshine.  Fresh flavours.  Easy to make.  So delicious!

 

*Sunny Morning Swirls*
Makes 8

Printable Recipe  

I called these sunny morning swirls because  they reminded me of the sun, with their golden lemon curd, sultana and pecan filling rolled up in puff pastry and baked, then glazed with a tangy lemon glaze.  Beautiful breakfast treats!  

1 sheet of ready roll puffed pastry, all butter if you can get it

150g of good quality lemon curd (a generous half cup)

75g of sultana raisins (1/2 cup)

60g of toasted pecans (1/2 cup)

1 egg yolk, beaten with a drop of water
demerara sugar

For the glaze:

65g icing sugar, sifted (1/2 cup)

lemon juice 

  

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.  Line a baking sheet with baking parchment.  Set aside. 

Put your pecans and sultanas into a food processor and blitz a couple times until they are coarsely chopped.  Set aside.

Unroll your puffed pastry on a lightly floured surface.   Spread the entire surface with the lemon curd, spreading it out evenly.  Sprinkle the raisin and nut mixture over top.  Roll up tightly from the short end.  Cut into 8 even sliced crosswise.  Place them onto the baking sheet and flatten slightly with the palm of your hand.  Brush each with some of the beaten egg yolk.  Sprinkle evenly  with some demerara sugar.  

Bake in the heated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until puffed and golden brown.  Remove from the oven.  Let stand on the baking sheet for about 5  minutes then scoop off onto a wire rack.  Whisk together the glaze ingredients, adding only enough lemon juice to the sugar to make a drizzable mixture.  You may only need about a teaspoon of juice.  Drizzle decoratively over top of the buns.   Serve warm.

Delicious indeed!!

Coconut, Lime and Blueberry Scones

Generally speaking at the weekend I like to bake the Toddster a delicious teatime treat.  Something that I know he will enjoy and that I wouldn't normally bake for him.  He's very fond of scones . . . the problem is so am I.   What to do about that??  I don't know.  I bake em anyways, even if they do get in my mouth.

 

This is a simple recipe, using ordinary things and my most favourite ingredient of all fresh blueberries.  So good for you with their vitamins and anti-oxidents!    Once the dough is made for these you just pat it into a round, place it on the baking sheet and then cut it into wedges, pushing them apart gently for baking.  So good.

 

They bake like a dream and there is no faffing about with cutting them into rounds etc,  all the dough gets used up, so there's no waste.  No tough scones from having to re-roll and cut, etc.



These puff up really nicely, and are stogged full of lovely coconut and lime flavours which go really well with the blueberries.

 

These are beautiful served with a nice cuppa and some blueberry jam . . .  but lemon curd is my chosen poison, and I eat it whenever I can.   I know . . . I'm repeating myself here, but blueberries and lemon are such perfect partners!



Just look at that crisp  coconut and sugar gilding  the top of these delicious bakes!  So good!



And all those blueberries.   So tasty!  Nice.  Nice.



The delicate crunch of coconut and sugar, the sweetness of blueberries, the tang of lime.   What's not to like about these??

 

*Coconut, Lime and Blueberry Scones*

Makes 8

Printable Recipe    

These are delightfully full of the lovely flavours of lime and coconut, not to mention sweet blueberries.  I call dips on the big one!  

225g self raising flour (1 1/2 cups plus 2 TBS)

1 tsp cream of tartar

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 TBS caster sugar

50g of chilled butter (3 1/2 TBS, scant 1/4 cup)

the finely grated zest and juice of one lime

75g fresh blueberries (about 1/2 cup)

25g dessicated coconut (scant cup)

3 TBS tinned milk or cream

4 TBS milk

plain flour for dusting

to finish:

1 medium egg yolk beaten with a drop of water

1 TBS dessicated coconut

1 TBS granulated sugar 

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.  LIne a baking tray with baking paper.  Set aside.  

Sift the flour into a bowl along with the cream of tartar, soda and a pinch of salt.  Cut the butter into small cubes and drop it into the flour mixture.  Rub it into the dry ingredients, using your fingertips until it resembles fine bread crumbs.   Stir in the coconut, lime zest and blueberries.    

Whisk together the milks and juice of the lime.  Pour this into the flour mixture and stir with a round bladed knife just to combine.  Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly, just to bring the dough together.   Shape into an 8 inch round about 1 1/2 inch thick.   Place onto the baking tray.  Brush the top with the egg yolk.   Mix the coconut and sugar for the finishing together and sprinkle over the top.  Using a very sharp knife, cut into 8 wedges.   Gently push apart on the baking sheet, leaving space between each.    

Bake for 14 to 16 minutes until risen and golden brown.  Serve warm and split along with some blueberry jam or lemon curd and cream (If desired)   Delicious!  

These were the perfect excuse to crack open this new tea from Tetley . . . Biscuit flavoured Tea.   I don't drink tea myself, but I did have a good whiff of this and it definitely smelled a lot like a biscuit.  Very sweet and vanilla-ee biscuit-ee . . . I have a friend who does drink tea and she had a cup and declared it gorgeous.   Who am I to quibble.

Want to enjoy one of life’s simple pleasures of biscuit-tea dunking but without the calorie concerns or biscuit crumbs left floating in your cup? Well look no further. One of the UK’s most famous tea brands is launching the first-ever biscuit flavoured tea. Those clever Tea Folk at Tetley have devised a new brew that not only tastes like your favourite biscuit but it’s also been created to save you having to do any dunking at all.

  

Well let’s look at the stats!

• The team at Tetley believes that as many as three quarters of their tea drinkers enjoy a biscuit with their brew
• There are 36 million cups of Tetley drunk every day
• So that’s 27 million biscuits dunked per day
• There are 54 calories in the average biscuit
• So without the need for that cheeky biscuit, the new Tetley Biscuit Flavoured Tea provides a saving of 1.4 billion calories
• That’s enough calories to run 561,000 London marathons!  

And what if we focus just on the crumbs?

• Based on 36 million cups of Tetley drunk a day and 27 million biscuits a day dunked
• And if the average biscuit is dunked three times and drops 8 crumbs per dunk
• That’s 216 million crumbs saved a day through no dunking
• And if the average crumb is 2 mm big, that’s enough crumbs, if put on top of each other, to reach the height of 50 Mount Everests
• Now that’s lot of crumbs saved from being lost at the bottom of a cup of tea

Surely those stats alone are worth giving up the dunks for?

 

Tetley Marketing Director, Amy Holdsworth said:  "We know that the average Tetley drinker loves dunkin' a nice biscuit in their cuppa.   That's why we came up with the idea of combining the two.  Who doesn't like their life to be that little bit easier?

Who indeed? 

Gingerbread, White Chocolate Chip and Raspberry Jam Sandwich Cookies

 

I have to say . . . I am awfully fond of the flavours of gingerbread . . . those warm baking spices . . .  ginger, cinnamon, cloves . . . and molasses, thick and sweet.   Oh so good.



I'm also awfully fond of jam, I admit . . . but then you already knew that.    It doesn't matter which kind, I'm not overly fussed, although I do quite like strawberry and raspberry jams . . .  raspberry jam in particular has a great affinity for gingerbread flavours.   Trust me.  Tis true.

 

And when that gingerbread comes in the form of big SOFT sugary cookies, stogged full of white chocolate chips . . . and layered together in pairs with raspberry jam . . .  well, I am also pretty AWFULLY fond of that!



I cannot think of anyone that wouldn't fall in love with these delightfully delicious cookies.   These are truly what I would call "Moreish."  Scrummy even . . .  not to belabor a point.



Add to the mix a nice glass of ice cold milk and . . .  well . . .  it's just heavenly bliss.  There is no other way to describe the experience.   Winners all round.  If you love gingerbread, and you love jam, and you love white chocolate and cookies and milk . . .  you will positively ADORE these tasty little babies.  I'd stake my reputation on that.  I really would.  Make sure you bring your appetites.  These are hefty little delights!

 

*Gingerbread, White Chocolate Chip and Jam Sandwich Cookies*
Makes 12 large double cookies

Printable Recipe   

Yes, you HAVE died and gone to Heaven.   Soft gingerbread cookies, filled with white chocolate chips and sandwiched together with raspberry jam.  What's not to like?

170g of butter at room temperature (3/4 cup, or 6 ounces in weight)

190g of granulated sugar (1 cup)

1 medium free range egg, plus 1 egg yolk

30ml of dark treacle, combined with 30ml of golden syrup  (1/4 cup molasses)

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

325g of plain flour (2 1/4 cups)

265g of white chocolate chips (1 1/2 cups)
additional granulated sugar for rolling

raspberry jam for fillng

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.   Line several large baking sheets with baking paper set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs and egg yolk to combine.  Beat in the treacle mixture.  Sift the flour, spices, soda and salt together.   Stir this into the wet mixture until aough comes together.  Stir in chocolate chips.   

Roll into 2 inch in diameter balls.  Roll the balls in granulated sugar.  Place at least 2 to 3 inches apart on the baking sheets.    Bake in the preheated oven for 11 minutes, until the edges are turning golden brown. Allow to stand on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before scooping onto wire racks to finish cooling completely. 

Once they are completely cold, sandwich together in pairs with raspberry jam.   Delicious.

Store in an airtight container.

Pan Sautéed Cod Loins with a Mango Chipotle Sauce

This is my final post about the set of Balsamic Vinegars and Olive Oils from  Vom Fass that I received recently, this time showcasing the Mango Balsam Vinegar which they sent.   Produced in Germany this is a fermented vinegar made from concentrated Carabao-Mango mousse added to white wine balsam vinegar to create a fine and fruity vinegar. It has a rich and strong flavour with a good balance between acidity and sweet flavours, rich and exotic. I thought it would be the perfect match for some really nice Cod Loins which I found at the fish mongers.



Several years ago I was lucky enough to visit Utah and went to a Brazilian grill restaurant when I was there called Tocanos.  The food was fabulous, but my favourite dish was the Cod with Mango Sauce.  I loved it so much that 5 years later I am still thinking about it!  That's when you know something is really good!



As soon as I saw the Mango Balsam Vinegar from Vom Fass, I knew that I wanted to try to recreate that beautiful dish.  This came pretty close.  I am sure theirs was a cooked sauce, but mine is a raw sauce, which has fresh fruity flavours with a touch of heat from chipotle chilies.



Cod is a really sweet mild fish and goes perfectly with this delicious sauce.  The cod is simply dusted with some seasoning and flour . . . and then pan fried in butter until it is just beginning to fall apart, but is still moist and succulent.  It's a sin to overcook fish.  It really is.  My timings are perfect for a piece of cod that is about one inch thick.



The sauce is fruity with a hint of tang from the vinegar and some mild heat from the chipotles . . .  which of course you can adjust by using more or less as you wish.  Altogether this was a fabulous entrée.   It was very simple to make, and yet at the same time this is something I would not hesitate to serve to my guests.  I think you will love it.  We sure did!

*Pan Sautéed Cod Loins with a Mango Chipotle Sauce*
Serves 4

Printable Recipe  

Meltingly tender and and sweet cod, simply seasoned and dusted with flour and then cooked in butter, served up with a fresh Mango Chipotle Sauce.   

4 thick fresh Cod loins
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
plain flour for dusting
ground sweet paprika
knob of butter
the juice of half a lemon  

For the Sauce:

1 large mango, peeled and chopped

1/2 tsp chipotle chili paste (I use Discovery)

2 TBS Mango Balsam vinegar

1/4 tsp garlic paste

1 TBS olive oil

1 tsp fresh lime juice

a small handful of fresh coriander leaves, washed and dried (About 1/4 Cup)

fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste  

Rinse your fish and then dry it very well with some paper kitchen towelling.  Dust each loin lightly with some salt, pepper and paprika.  Roll them in the flour, patting lightly on both sides to help it adhere and shaking off any excess.  Set aside.  

To make the sauce put all of the sauce ingredients into a food processor and blitz until smooth.   Set aside.  

Melt a knob of butter in a large skillet over medium high heat.   Once it begins to foam, add the fish, presentation side down, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on one side, until golden brown, Flip over and cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes, until browned and the fish is just cooked through.  (The edges should flake easily with teased with the tines of a fork.)  Squeeze the lemon over top and remove immediately from the heat.  Swirl the pan to amalgamate the juices of the fish, lemon and butter.  Divide the fish between 4 heated plates.  Spoon some of the butter from the pan over top of each portion of fish along with a dollop of sauce.  Serve immediately.    

The Vom Fass Philosphy
"VOM FASS is a Mediterranean way of sampling and savouring premium artisanal products directly from the cask.”

Vom Fass Mission
"The VOM FASS mission is to provide our customers with a Mediterranean way of sampling and savouring the finest, premium quality artisanal products, directly from the cask – with a commitment to uncompromising levels of customer satisfaction.”

Vom Fass has been created to enhance and meet the demands of a 21st century lifestyle, housing a superb selection of exquisite oils and balsamic vinegars, selected wines, liqueurs and a huge choice of exclusive spirits.   What makes Vom Fass completely unique is that all their products are sold straight from the cask, which means everythingn can be sampled before purchase.

Carefully sourced from leading producers from the Mediterranean to Austria, Vom Fass has selected it's artisan oils and vinegars for their eherapuetic health properties and as versatile cooking ingredients with real nutritional benefits.   Even the more indulgent products in the range have been created to bring something unique to shoe who also really know how to enjoy life.

Vom Fass prides itself on a vast range of high quality style conscious products, stocked by iconic store Selfridges.  Wtih an exceptional range of over 70 different glass bottles and hand inscribed labels or personal messages, Vom Fass will always represent a style choice.

For more information check out their web page.

Many thanks to Vom Fass!

Garlic and Truffle Oven Fries

As you all know I recently received a lovely set of Balsamic Vinegars and Olive Oils from  Vom Fass.  They came in a lovely wooden box and tied up with a pretty yellow ribbon.  

  

Included in the box was a small bottle of White Truffle infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Italy.  Their White Truffle Extra Virgin Olive Oil is an elegant finishing oil, with a deep, earthy aroma, and a full taste to match. They have used a blend of white and black truffles to create a complex web of flavour, with delicate hints of garlic and mushroom.   I decided to use it to make some oven chips to go along with some steaks I was cooking the other night. 



I guess you could call these gourmet oven chips!  Infused with the lovely flavours of garlic and truffles and black pepper  . . .



So simple to make too.   You will want to use a nice baking potato for these.   They are about the right size and have the perfect consistency when cooked.



I like to keep mine a little bit chunky and I keep the peels on, but do feel free to peel the potato if you aren't fond of the crispy goodness of deliciously moreish potato skins.   To me . . .  the skin is the best part!  I love em!



There is just enough garlic in these to add a hint of flavour, without it being overpowering.  You want the flavour of the truffle oil to shine through.  So delicious.  Earthy, and woodsey . . . the perfect accompaniment to our delicious steaks.    Heavenly bliss.

 

*Garlic and Truffle Oven Fries*

Serves 4

Printable Recipe  

Crisp, oven baked and loaded with the heavenly flavours of white truffles and roasted garlic.  

3 large baking potatoes, washed well

3 TBS white truffle flavoured olive oil

fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

optional chopped fresh parsley to garnish  

Preheat the oven to 230*C/45025*F/ gas mark 7.  Line a large baking tray with baking paper.   Set aside.  

Cut the potatoes into 1/2 inch thick fries, leaving the skins on.   Toss them into a bowl, along with the oil, garlic, salt and pepper.   Coat them well with the mixture, and then spread them out onto the baking sheet in a single layer.  Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, giving them a gentle stir every now and then, until golden brown and crisp.   Serve hot, garnished or not with the chopped parsley.

The Vom Fass Philosphy
"VOM FASS is a Mediterranean way of sampling and savouring premium artisanal products directly from the cask.”

Vom Fass Mission
"The VOM FASS mission is to provide our customers with a Mediterranean way of sampling and savouring the finest, premium quality artisanal products, directly from the cask – with a commitment to uncompromising levels of customer satisfaction.”

Vom Fass has been created to enhance and meet the demands of a 21st century lifestyle, housing a superb selection of exquisite oils and balsamic vinegars, selected wines, liqueurs and a huge choice of exclusive spirits.   What makes Vom Fass completely unique is that all their products are sold straight from the cask, which means everythingn can be sampled before purchase.

Carefully sourced from leading producers from the Mediterranean to Austria, Vom Fass has selected it's artisan oils and vinegars for their eherapuetic health properties and as versatile cooking ingredients with real nutritional benefits.   Even the more indulgent products in the range have been created to bring something unique to shoe who also really know how to enjoy life.

Vom Fass prides itself on a vast range of high quality style conscious products, stocked by iconic store Selfridges.  Wtih an exceptional range of over 70 different glass bottles and hand inscribed labels or personal messages, Vom Fass will always represent a style choice.

For more information check out their web page.

Many thanks to Vom Fass!