Author Topic: A random thread for food things that don't really warrant a thread of their own (Read 512387 times)

Ham · « **Reply #2650 on:** 03 October, 2018, 05:46:02 pm »

I've got a dozen people descending chez Ham Hall come Sunday, and, against my better judgement have been persuaded that turkey would be good. Obviously it is frozen at this time of the year, lets get one in and defrost in fridge. Waitrose are out of stock. As are Sainsbugs. (As are Iceland, apparently). OK, deep breath. Tesco. Yes they have loads. What can be wrong? Got one. Look at the small print: 90% turkey. Other ingredients:Water, Brown Sugar, Salt, Potato Starch, Grape Juice from Concentrate, Rice Starch, Carrot Fibre, Flavouring. On an 8Kg bird that means about 1Kg of other stuff. Not impressed.

rafletcher · « **Reply #2651 on:** 04 October, 2018, 08:35:46 am »

That'll be a "ready basted" one then, they all have additives, though they do differ from brand to brand. Straightforward turkeys are 100% turkey - although I expect some added water is permitted without the need to be labelled.

Redjeep! · « **Reply #2652 on:** 05 October, 2018, 07:07:15 pm »

We have a very pleasant arrangement in work where we have a rota for bringing in food on a Friday morning. There's about a dozen people so it doesn't come around too often, but today it was my turn again.

The rules are simple. Sausage rolls and some sweet stuff. You can make or buy but buying everything is generally frowned upon so most people either make the sausage rolls and buy the sweet stuff or vice versa.

In the past I've made sausage rolls with blackpudding, chorizo, sage and onion, apple and thyme and numerous others. I've also made Rocky Road (Jamie Oliver), chocolate truffles and various other cakes/ puddings/ desserts.

Today I made sausage rolls adapted from an Asian pork meatball recipe from an Anthony Worrall Thompson recipe and they were lovely. They comprised sausage meat (duh), honey, mint, coriander, lemongrass, garlic and onion.

I think my position as best sausage roll maker remains unchallenged.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #2653 on:** 06 October, 2018, 09:28:36 pm »

Today I saw a sizeable group of Italians, looked as if they'd come from a wedding or a birthday – going into an Italian restaurant!!!

ElyDave · « **Reply #2654 on:** 06 October, 2018, 09:43:10 pm »

My Italian colleague won't do that! Not like Mama makes at home.

She does like a good curry though, so I get a sneaky tandoori and avoid that version from home.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #2655 on:** 06 October, 2018, 09:44:55 pm »

That was why it kind of surprised me. It might actually be run by real Italians though. I guess it's probably a good sign...

Paul · « **Reply #2656 on:** 07 October, 2018, 09:19:47 am »

Yesterday I made cannoli for the first time. They’re a bit of a faff, but turned out well.

hellymedic · « **Reply #2657 on:** 07 October, 2018, 01:52:00 pm »

We took a large portion of our uneaten pizza home from Pizza Hut on Friday.

I found the 'Eat Up, Feet Up' slogan a rather disturbing incitement to normalise couch potato culture.

hellymedic · « **Reply #2658 on:** 08 October, 2018, 01:49:55 am »

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-lincolnshire-45758126/deep-fried-chocolate-orange-hits-plates-at-chip-shop

Chocolate oranges are on Special Offer at Sainsbury's until Tuesday if you wish to try this (or even if you don't!)

Ham · « **Reply #2659 on:** 10 October, 2018, 12:29:26 pm »

Quote from: Ham on 03 October, 2018, 05:46:02 pm

I've got a dozen people descending chez Ham Hall come Sunday, and, against my better judgement have been persuaded that turkey would be good. Obviously it is frozen at this time of the year, lets get one in and defrost in fridge. Waitrose are out of stock. As are Sainsbugs. (As are Iceland, apparently). OK, deep breath. Tesco. Yes they have loads. What can be wrong? Got one. Look at the small print: 90% turkey. Other ingredients:Water, Brown Sugar, Salt, Potato Starch, Grape Juice from Concentrate, Rice Starch, Carrot Fibre, Flavouring. On an 8Kg bird that means about 1Kg of other stuff. Not impressed.

To be fair, the turkey cooked up to be tender. Tasteless compared to a decent turkey, but tender which counts for sufficient to pass muster with guests, when heaped on a plate with trimmings and gravy.

In separate news, if anyone would like an antidote to the foodie programs on TV https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGSLH_5EGpS2eEkjEOkZLIg will fit the bill.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #2660 on:** 15 October, 2018, 06:59:30 pm »

On Saturday, in a rather unlikely place, I happened to see this in a shop:

The last time I saw that was, literally, half my lifetime ago!

So I bought some. It's very tasty (and despite having "no added sugar" it's every bit as sweet as jam).

hellymedic · « **Reply #2661 on:** 15 October, 2018, 07:36:14 pm »

Suma reminds me of Leeds, half a lifetime ago...

Torslanda · « **Reply #2662 on:** 16 October, 2018, 02:19:12 pm »

Never heard of it until I saw the post.

Now I'm wondering where it has been all my life and what else I missed out on...

ian · « **Reply #2663 on:** 17 October, 2018, 11:23:38 am »

I think I just had booze for breakfast.

I have a wild disregard for use-by dates, so I dug out a jar of compote that was a few weeks old (says use within two days of opening, hah, I've never done that ever). Must have been in there for a month. Rhubarb.

Anyway, it really did smell and taste boozy and fermented but was rather nice (with yoghurt and granola).

hellymedic · « **Reply #2664 on:** 17 October, 2018, 12:21:33 pm »

I am no brewer but I don't think any undistllled alcohol tops 12% and is usually much less.

100g compote might contain 8% alcohol, which is one little unit, tops.

Chances are, you had less than 5g alcohol, which is pretty trivial.

ian · « **Reply #2665 on:** 17 October, 2018, 12:59:25 pm »

Yes, but it's still booze for breakfast. Next, I'll be pouring port over my fruit and fibre.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #2666 on:** 17 October, 2018, 12:59:48 pm »

Rhubarb wine is not appropriate for breakfast, whatever the alcoholic content! A healthy breakfast should be made of grains, such as muesli or maybe toast, and as we all know, whisky is distilled grains...

Andrij · « **Reply #2667 on:** 17 October, 2018, 01:00:51 pm »

Grains? Beer - to wash down cold pizza or fried chicken. Yes, for breakfast.

ian · « **Reply #2668 on:** 17 October, 2018, 01:05:45 pm »

I used to live in Scotland.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #2669 on:** 17 October, 2018, 01:42:24 pm »

Quote from: hellymedic on 17 October, 2018, 12:21:33 pm

I am no brewer but I don't think any undistllled alcohol tops 12% and is usually much less.

100g compote might contain 8% alcohol, which is one little unit, tops.

Chances are, you had less than 5g alcohol, which is pretty trivial.

We used to regularly buy a very good Spanish wine which rejoiced undef the name of El Bombero. It is claimed that the alcohol content is 15%.

https://www.laithwaites.co.uk/product/El-Bombero-2017/0003917 refers.

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #2670 on:** 18 October, 2018, 12:36:43 pm »

Lt. Col. Larrington (retd.) used to drink that stuff, and still does imbibe the President's XV, a French brew of similar ABV. Sherry is usually 17.5% and wines of 12-14% have become the norm in recent decades.

citoyen · « **Reply #2671 on:** 18 October, 2018, 01:23:50 pm »

Quote from: Mr Larrington on 18 October, 2018, 12:36:43 pm

Lt. Col. Larrington (retd.) used to drink that stuff, and still does imbibe the President's XV, a French brew of similar ABV. Sherry is usually 17.5% and wines of 12-14% have become the norm in recent decades.

Sherry - like Thunderbird - is fortified, so a slightly different case.

AIUI higher alcohol content in wines these days is partly down to the rise in wines from Australia, where grapes growing in higher temperatures have higher sugar content and therefore more alcohol in the end product. And presumably they have also developed strains of yeast that can cope with the trickier fermentation conditions this entails.

Stuff like Sauternes has always been a bit stronger than normal wines, because the botrytis makes the grapes more concentrated, but even that is usually not much over 14%.

15% does sound unusually high. Must try some of that Bombero stuff...

Alcohol content in beers is getting ridiculous these days as well - it's still rare to find anything much over 9% IME, but 6-7% is quite common.

hellymedic · « **Reply #2672 on:** 18 October, 2018, 01:30:29 pm »

My understanding is like citoyen's.

Ethanol is toxic to yeast above a certain concentration and it's unlikely that a wild yeast in the fruit compote would be tolerant of a high booziness.

citoyen · « **Reply #2673 on:** 18 October, 2018, 01:40:47 pm »

Quote from: hellymedic on 18 October, 2018, 01:30:29 pm

Ethanol is toxic to yeast above a certain concentration and it's unlikely that a wild yeast in the fruit compote would be tolerant of a high booziness.

It's certainly the main reason beers are limited in their alcohol content - not many ale yeasts can cope with the fermentation conditions. Although some wild (lambic) ale yeasts can tolerate very high alcohol levels (>11%).

The seriously high alcohol beers like BrewDog's Tactical Nuclear Penguin (32%) are created by removing some of the water post-fermentation.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #2674 on:** 18 October, 2018, 03:48:30 pm »

A 32% beer?