Author: Escuela de Idiomas
Cooking in English: Vermouth Cocktail
Here is the perfect cocktail for Christmas time and… well… any time!
off the cuff: Merry Covid Christmas
In this fifth episode, we discuss what Covid Christmas is like and how immigrants often have to be away from their families. We also discuss what we want the new year to look like. Don’t forget to check out the vocabulary listed below and Enjoy!
- Shadenfreude- pleasure derived by someone from someone else’s misfortune
- Pleasure- enjoyment, happiness, satisfaction
- Pain- a physical or emotional discomfort
- I must admit- I have to say
- Taken aback- surprised
- Been there, done that- this is not new to me
- Life goes on- life continues
- Rearrange- to change the order, position or time of something already arranged.
- To go down in history – to be recorded or remembered in history
- D, all of the above- reference to multiple choice tests when you want all the options offered to you
- Running after your tail – to be busy doing a lot of things and not accomplishing much
Burnout – extreme tiredness or a feeling of not being able to work anymore, caused by working too hard - Have a laugh – have a good time
Grammar by Bloglish: First and Second Conditional
We’ve changed things around…
This year it feels like left is right and up is down. Happy New Year to everyone!
Cooking in English: Thanksgiving Stuffing
Thanksgiving stuffing is a recipe lots of people have asked me for over the years. It’s really quite simple and delicious. Find the full recipe below. And don’t forget to share the video if you liked it.
Thanksgiving Stuffing
| 170 grams butter | 1 ½ teaspoons salt |
| 1 onion chopped | ½ teaspoon pepper |
| 2 celery stalks chopped | 1 teaspoon thyme |
| 9 cups of soft bread cubed | 1 teaspoon sage |
| 1 cup raisons | 3 cups finely chopped apple |
Heat the butter in a large pot and stir in onion and celery. Cook five minutes. Mix the rest of the ingredients with the butter mixture. Stuff the turkey right before cooking. A stuffed turkey should be cooked 15 minutes for each pound. (1 kilo = 2.2 pounds).
off the cuff – Thanksgiving and Black Friday
We are back! Last week we talked about Halloween and today we talk about some myths about Thanksgiving and the origins of Black Friday. Listen, check the vocabulary below and enjoy!
Vocabulary
| Thanksgiving – Día de Acción de Gracias | Fast forward – move forward quickly |
| Myth – something that people say but may not be true | Crashing stock market – the value of the all tradable investments fail |
| pilgrims – the first people from England to move to the US | Change the narrative- change the story that people know and hear |
| Mayflower- the name of the boat the pilgrims came on | Black Friday – The day after Thanksgiving when all the Christmas sales begin |
| harvest- the time to collect food from the farms | Christmas season- The time dedicated to celebrating Christmas |
| whitewashing – an attempt to stop people finding out the true facts about a situation | Stuff your face – eat too much |
| in any way, shape or form – in any way at all | Retail – the act of selling goods to the public |
| disease – and illness caused by infection or failure of health | Retail therapy – the act of buying things for yourself in order to feel better when you areunhappy |
Used to, be used to, get used to
I am really excited to present to you all my first video that teaches grammar. It will be the first to come, so please give me as much feedback as possible.
Here you will learn about the differences between ‘used to’, ‘be used to’ and ‘get used to’.
The real story behind Black Friday
Have you ever wondered where Black Friday originated? Watch the video to find out.
How to carve a pumpkin
Carving pumpkins is an easy and fun way to decorate your house for Halloween. Follow these simple steps and please send us your pictures!
First you want to cover your table well. You will also need two bowls, some spoons, a marker and some sharp knives.
Next you need to draw a circle around the top and carve out the circle. Keep the top as you will use it later!
Here comes the messy part! Take out and separate the seeds from the insides of the pumpkin. Don´t throw away the seeds. We will use them later!
After I use my hands to clean as much as possible, I use a spoon to scrape the sides so that the inside of the pumpkin is nice and clean. Plus, this way it is less likely to burn. This is also a good time to clean the outside of the pumpkin and dry it so it is ready to be carved.
Draw a face, an animal or anything you want on the front of the pumpkin. Faces can be happy, scary, silly, or simple. It is much easier to carve triangles and squares than to carve circles.
Use a knife to cut out the drawn pieces on the pumpkin. Once you have carved your pumpkin, stick a small candle on the inside and see how it lights up. Put the top back on for an added glow.
Don’t forget those pumpkin seeds! Clean them well and dry them completely. Add some olive oil and salt and roast them in the oven for 15 minutes at 175ºC. You can also add other spices such as cayenne, curry, cumin, etc.
Off the cuff – Episode 3: Halloween!
One of Clare and I´s favorite times of year is Halloween. We love the holiday, but also the smells and colors of autumn. Listen to our third podcast where we try to explain some of the misconceptions about Halloween. Read below to find out what a misconception is and learn more vocabulary.
Vocabulary
| Misconceptions – idea equivocada Pitch dark – oscuridad total trick or treat – truco trato costume – disfraz sinister – siniestro play a trick on someone – gastar una broma elderly – mayores goodies – dulces coin – moneda pennies – un centimo en EEUU barmbrack – un pan típico de Irlanda savory-sweet – agri-dulce Askance – de reojo pea – guisante |
ring – anillo rag – trapo risk – riesgo loved ones – seres queridos flavor – sabor lack – falta death – la muerte elaborately – detalladamente mezcal – liquor típico del sur de México autumn – otoño neighbors –vecinos to go commercial – hacerlo al grande to dress up – ponerse un disfraz carve pumpkins – esculpir calabazas turnips – nabos |
Shepherd’s / Cottage Pie
Clare brings us a truly versatile dish that all adults and kids will love. Perfect for these cold days and even better as left overs! Don’t forget to check some new vocabulary down below.
Vocabulary
Stroke – /
Sheep – oveja
minced beef – carne picada
brought up – criada
chopped – picado
sauté – salteado
without further ado – sin mas demora
diced – en dados
pick something out – sacar con dedos
hail storm – granizado
where the hell is… donde coño esta…
beef stock – caldo de carne
don’t be mean to your mashed potatoes – usa una buena cantidad de patatas
pressure cooker – olla exprés
kettle – tetera
thingamajig – chisme, cosa
lumps – grumos
potato masher – pasapures
creamy – cremosa
sealed – cerrado
crispy – tostado, crujiente
Wear a mask – and learn some swear words
Listen to Mrs. Potts swearing (usando groserias) while telling you to wear a mask. What do you think this line means: ‘Wear a mask! Wear a mask! Get your head out of your a$$!’
There’s not only a great message and vocabulary for you to learn, but some cultural references as well, such as the name Karen. Click here to learn about what this reference means.
This American Life: Trail of Tears
I’ve posted podcasts from this American Life before. I think they do an excellent job telling stories. This one is told by two sisters who take a road trip to learn about the history of their Native-American ancestors who walked the Trail of Tears.
Between 1838 and ’39, the US army uprooted 16,000 people from their homes, rounded them up in stockades, and marched them across the country. 4,000 died. Click here to learn more about the story. Remember, at the top of the webpage you have the option of reading the transcripts while listening. Enjoy!
Vowel sounds
Vowel sounds can be very difficult in English as there are several different sounds. Use this chart to learn the long, short and other vowel sounds. Remember most online dictionaries will have the option of listening to the pronunciation of a word.
Don’t be like Carlos! Sign up for English today!
Carlos had to give an important talk to the international community.
Carlos didn’t sign up for English so he made a fool of himself by having someone else talk for him.
Don’t be like Carlos. Sign up for English classes today!!