A random thread for food things that don't really warrant a thread of their own

[citoyen]

Sore Finger crisps should not have yeast extract in them. That makes them Marmite crisps, which are both wrong, and - crucially - Not The Same Thing.

Yeast extract, sugar, rice flour - none of these have any business being in s&v crisps. The citric acid I can just about accept, but clearly they need to dial it in a bit.

I've not been able to try ian's experiment - turns out we finished the citric acid and haven't replaced it.

Only after I'd chucked it did it occur to me I could have experimented with making lentil wine...

That sounds like the beginnings of a plot for an episode of The Good Life.

In other food news, my son is developing his skills as a charcutier - here's his capicola (aka coppa, or 'gabagool' to Sopranos fans):


Capicola by citoyen, on Flickr

It's very, very good indeed. You'd pay a lot of money for something this good at Borough Market.

He's also got some cured duck breast almost ready to eat. Very much looking forward to trying that.

[ian]

Yeast extract is basically monosodium glutamate (OMG MSG!) – a flavour enhancer. Rice flour is basically there to stop the crisps becoming less crisp. Sugar, I guess, because adding it to every processed food is the modern disease.

[citoyen]

Yeast extract is basically monosodium glutamate (OMG MSG!) – a flavour enhancer. Rice flour is basically there to stop the crisps becoming less crisp. Sugar, I guess, because adding it to every processed food is the modern disease.

These crisps were from Tesco's 'Finest' range. Hence the 'chardonnay' vinegar rather than anything more generic. Makes it sound a bit special.

But you've hit on something I've noticed with their 'Finest' stuff - the label is never (IME) an indication of superior quality, more a case of the lily being gilded, quite often by the addition of (extra) sugar in one form or another.

I should have learned by now to avoid anything labelled 'Finest'. I'm sure I've commented on it here before.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Only after I'd chucked it did it occur to me I could have experimented with making lentil wine...

That sounds like the beginnings of a plot for an episode of The Good Life.

Probably one that ends with Tom designing a stomach pump.

I think it was actually the tomatoes that were fermenting rather than the lentils, at least at first.

[T42]

This seems apposite: https://youtu.be/TdUsyXQ8Wrs

[citoyen]

But you've hit on something I've noticed with their 'Finest' stuff - the label is never (IME) an indication of superior quality, more a case of the lily being gilded, quite often by the addition of (extra) sugar in one form or another.

I should have learned by now to avoid anything labelled 'Finest'. I'm sure I've commented on it here before.

Just to prove I’m not imagining it…

My wife bought some Tesco Finest meatballs for us to have for our dinner. I had a look at the ingredients:

Beef (94%), rice flour, dried potato, water, dried onion, sea salt, spices, sugar, dextrose, preservative (sodium metabisulphite), salt, black pepper

I guess they thought we wouldn’t notice that they put two helpings of sugar in if they called one of them by a different name?

FFS though… Sugar. In meatballs.

[SteveC]

I may have mentioned this before, but I have seen low-fat cottage cheese with sugar in. Rather misses the point.

[Mrs Pingu]

Just found weevils in the flour I was about to make dumplings with 

[barakta]

I may have mentioned this before, but I have seen low-fat cottage cheese with sugar in. Rather misses the point.

A lot of low-fat stuff has extra sugar in to hide the taste of the low fatness. It often doesn't have much fewer calories than the regular stuff.

I hate low-cal versions of food, they're almost always disgusting. I'd rather eat a smaller amount of the real thing...

[Cudzoziemiec]

I vaguely suspect it's probably generally more healthy to eat the full fat but low sugar version.

[JonBuoy]

Just found weevils in the flour I was about to make dumplings with 

Protein 

[ian]

Having worked in a flour mill, I can assure you there's already lots of animal protein in flour. The bigger rats don't get through the sieves though, they just run off to terrorize the local rats. I'm from Norfolk, I am.

[Jurek]

Couldn't decide whether to put this in NSFW or here.
So, in here it goes.
Available at a branch of Mr.Sainsbury's Emporium of Toothy Comestibles near you

[Jurek]

4 x your RDA of salt in that ^ BTW.
Nom.

No need for remarks like 'Mmmmm, tastes just like chicken'.

[Gattopardo]

Is it bad to eat raclette for one?

[Mrs Pingu]

Depends how many portions you're eating.

[Mrs Pingu]

Eden Mill have stopped making hop gin, the swines.

[Gattopardo]

Depends how many portions you're eating.

As many as I can till I pop.

Mainly going to be cheese and maybe a few potato and pickles.  Going to skip the ham.  Maybe heat some mortadella

[Gattopardo]

In raclette news, I ate 3 portions of a 3/4 person cheese pack, with some mortadella and potatoes.

Yummy melty cheese goodness.

[ian]

Eden Mill have stopped making hop gin, the swines.

You can always try some of this.

[andrewc]

I have acquired a jar of n'duja.  I suspect I may be late to this party, but what do people do with it ?  Recipes pleez. 

[Mrs Pingu]

Stick blobs of it on pizza

[Mr Larrington]

Google it?

(Googles it)

That sounds rather nomworthy.

[T42]

"...with spicy Calabrian peppers..." that burn your fecking mouth off.

[andyoxon]

Household 'snooze-you-lose' is fair enough, isn't it?