Author Topic: the food rant thread  (Read 228581 times)

Basil

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Re: the food rant thread
« Reply #1725 on: 15 May, 2021, 12:19:00 pm »
Grumble.  I over did my poached eggs.
Admission.  I'm actually not that fussed about cake.

Re: the food rant thread
« Reply #1726 on: 19 May, 2021, 06:49:07 pm »
Marmite-flavoured products are HUGELY priced, compared with the individual components.

But where can you get non Marmite flavoured Twiglets cheap so you can add your own Marmite ?
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: the food rant thread
« Reply #1727 on: 19 May, 2021, 07:48:27 pm »
Marmite-flavoured products are HUGELY priced, compared with the individual components.
But where can you get non Marmite flavoured Twiglets cheap so you can add your own Marmite ?

Sainsbury's Pretzels aren't Twiglet-shaped but are otherwise similar...

Re: the food rant thread
« Reply #1728 on: 20 May, 2021, 08:58:16 am »
Marmite-flavoured products are HUGELY priced, compared with the individual components.
But where can you get non Marmite flavoured Twiglets cheap so you can add your own Marmite ?

Sainsbury's Pretzels aren't Twiglet-shaped but are otherwise similar...

I feel an experiment coming on ...
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

ravenbait

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Re: the food rant thread
« Reply #1729 on: 20 May, 2021, 11:46:24 am »
I have a craving for a bag of Japanese rice crackers with peanuts.

You used to be able to get them from Tescos.

Huge calories count, ridiculously more-ish. Don't bring me out in hives like Haribo do.

Can't find any anywhere in the local supermarkets where I do our regular shopping. Will have to buy them specially, and that's just not the same as sneakily adding them in with the rest of the shopping as a treat.

Sam
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"Created something? Hah! But that would be irresponsible! And unethical! I would never, ever make... more than one."

Tim Hall

  • Victoria is my queen
Re: the food rant thread
« Reply #1730 on: 20 May, 2021, 11:49:07 am »
There also seems to be a Marmite shortage. Maybe its because it is (or at least was) based on a  by-product of the brewing industry. Presumably with all the pubs closed there is a shortage of yeast extract.

Checking today, our Tesco has loads of Marmite containing products (crunchy and smooth peanut butter, Hummus) but no actual Marmite  >:(

Yebbut the Marmite Peanut butter mixed stuff is good. Very very good. Hell yeah.
There are two ways you can get exercise out of a bicycle: you can
"overhaul" it, or you can ride it.  (Jerome K Jerome)

Re: the food rant thread
« Reply #1731 on: 31 May, 2021, 09:57:59 am »
I've run out of coffee beans.  I may have to put some clothes on & venture outside to the shops.   :facepalm:
Not fast & rarely furious

tweeting occasional in(s)anities as andrewxclark

ian

Re: the food rant thread
« Reply #1732 on: 29 June, 2021, 08:00:39 pm »
Normally, I check where my veg comes from, I'm the annoying person who gets in your way reading at all the labels. But onions, you know, I just figured they came from somewhere local. I never associated onions with distant exoticism. They're not exactly avocados or pomegranates. They're, well, onions. They grow here in the UK, which has the perfect climate for growing onions.

Anyone, a bag of them fell out of the cupboard earlier and I glanced at the label. Fucking New Zealand. Someone shipped onions – a crop that grows in the UK and can be stored – all the way from quite possibly the most distant location possible.

Re: the food rant thread
« Reply #1733 on: 29 June, 2021, 08:25:56 pm »
Normally, I check where my veg comes from, I'm the annoying person who gets in your way reading at all the labels. But onions, you know, I just figured they came from somewhere local. I never associated onions with distant exoticism. They're not exactly avocados or pomegranates. They're, well, onions. They grow here in the UK, which has the perfect climate for growing onions.

Anyone, a bag of them fell out of the cupboard earlier and I glanced at the label. Fucking New Zealand. Someone shipped onions – a crop that grows in the UK and can be stored – all the way from quite possibly the most distant location possible.
FFS From whom do you buy your veg?
Name and shame.

ian

Re: the food rant thread
« Reply #1734 on: 29 June, 2021, 08:34:31 pm »
Waitrose. The other onions I have are from the UK.

Further investigation reveals Kiwiland has a thriving onion export sector of which up to 48% is exported to Europe.

I have nothing against New Zealand onions, I can vouch for the fact they taste like onions, but it seems madness to be shipping a crop across the world that can and are grown locally.

Re: the food rant thread
« Reply #1735 on: 29 June, 2021, 08:39:49 pm »
On another topic (and I do acknowledge that this one won't touch your heart)  English asparagus has been kicking off for the best part of the last eight weeks.
The stuff that Sainos is selling is flown in from Mexico.

Pingu

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Re: the food rant thread
« Reply #1736 on: 29 June, 2021, 08:43:42 pm »
It seems that ian didn't know his onions  :-[

ian

Re: the food rant thread
« Reply #1737 on: 29 June, 2021, 08:58:35 pm »
And can I get kohlrabi from anywhere? No.

There is a farm shop nearby, but I mostly end up getting distracted by the beer garden. Though it's doubly tough as there's also a taproom. At some point between the two, the provenance of onions becomes a subsidiary concern.

Re: the food rant thread
« Reply #1738 on: 29 June, 2021, 09:32:54 pm »
Quote from: ian link=topic=90159.msg2636874#msg2636874

...... it seems madness to be shipping a crop across the world that can and are grown locally.
[/quote

Probably cheaper to swap harvests around the globe than tie up capital in storage and the physical costs of storage are probably no less and maybe more than putting the onions on a slow boat.

Re: the food rant thread
« Reply #1739 on: 29 June, 2021, 09:37:03 pm »
On another topic (and I do acknowledge that this one won't touch your heart)  English asparagus has been kicking off for the best part of the last eight weeks.
The stuff that Sainos is selling is flown in from Mexico.

I think most of the supermarkets have Asparagus (and the last stuff I bought came from Peru) and British Asparagus, and never the twain shall meet.

ravenbait

  • Someone's imaginary friend
  • Pudge controls the weather.
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Re: the food rant thread
« Reply #1740 on: 30 June, 2021, 10:52:42 am »
I think most of the supermarkets have Asparagus (and the last stuff I bought came from Peru) and British Asparagus, and never the twain shall meet.

Indeed. I generally get excited about the start of British Asparagus season, as I refuse to buy globally-shipped asparagus, only to be reminded immediately after the first tasting that I am incredibly sensitive to the resulting odour in one's urine.

"It's fine," I think, and get another bunch, then realise that I don't like the taste of asparagus (even scorched on the griddle, which is the best way to have it in the absence of a BBQ) enough to put up with the smell. So I don't buy any more until the next season comes around, by which time I've forgotten how bad the smell is.

Sam
https://ravenbait.com
"Created something? Hah! But that would be irresponsible! And unethical! I would never, ever make... more than one."

Re: the food rant thread
« Reply #1741 on: 30 June, 2021, 11:09:54 am »
And can I get kohlrabi from anywhere? No.


Something to celebrate then.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: the food rant thread
« Reply #1742 on: 30 June, 2021, 12:23:39 pm »
it seems madness to be shipping a crop across the world that can and are grown locally.

I imagine the excuse is some kind of British onion shortage due to Brexit.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: the food rant thread
« Reply #1743 on: 30 June, 2021, 07:35:45 pm »
it seems madness to be shipping a crop across the world that can and are grown locally.

I imagine the excuse is some kind of British onion shortage due to Brexit.

Nope, it’s been usual for many years to find NZ onions at certain times of year. Just because it can be grown doesn’t mean it is. And as any fewl kno every meal starts with an onion.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Tigerrr

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Re: the food rant thread
« Reply #1744 on: 03 July, 2021, 03:53:27 pm »
And can I get kohlrabi from anywhere? No.

There is a farm shop nearby, but I mostly end up getting distracted by the beer garden. Though it's doubly tough as there's also a taproom. At some point between the two, the provenance of onions becomes a subsidiary concern.
Just ask for rutabaga. You will be fine.
Humanists UK Funeral and Wedding Celebrant. Trying for godless goodness.
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Re: the food rant thread
« Reply #1745 on: 14 November, 2021, 12:53:10 am »
Grumble.  I over did my poached eggs.

Ooh, I hate it when that happens. I couldn't be arsed with poached eggs till I hit my 40s - they seemed like a weak, worthy, uninteresting version of proper (i.e. fried) eggs. Then I somehow became a convert, so now any failure of timing feels like a setback, a wasted opportunity, given that each episode of poached egg consumption is already making up for lost time...

Re: the food rant thread
« Reply #1746 on: 14 November, 2021, 01:02:19 pm »
Grumble.  I over did my poached eggs.

Ooh, I hate it when that happens. I couldn't be arsed with poached eggs till I hit my 40s - they seemed like a weak, worthy, uninteresting version of proper (i.e. fried) eggs. Then I somehow became a convert, so now any failure of timing feels like a setback, a wasted opportunity, given that each episode of poached egg consumption is already making up for lost time...

A perfect poached egg is the the pinnacle of egginess. Wonderful creamy lusciousness that accompanies almost anything from salad to curry.
<i>Marmite slave</i>

ian

Re: the food rant thread
« Reply #1747 on: 14 November, 2021, 06:12:38 pm »
I confess that poached eggs are something I always make someone else cook for me, I always end up with something overdone or looking like something from the set of an alien invasion movie.

Re: the food rant thread
« Reply #1748 on: 15 November, 2021, 12:13:40 am »
Poached eggs seem to have become one of those "you have to do it this way, otherwise..." things - people have their firm opinions on The Right Way. Swirling the water, adding vinegar, etc.

Discovering a love for them decades after learning most of what I know about egg cookery though, I decided to start as simply as possible, then add whichever bits of accepted technique seemed to be needed. And it worked with no need for any such additions. I pour boiling water into a hot, shallow (frying) pan, turn it down to almost nothing so the water's not moving and therefore not likely to disturb the integrity of the not-yet-set egg, and crack an egg into it. And that's it. Timing's difficult as egg freshness is variable, but about 3-ish minutes? When it looks done and responds to a poke with the right amount of set-white-but-obviously-liquid-yolk yield, it's pretty much done. Lift with a slotted spoon or fish-slice, drape with kitchen roll for a few seconds to absorb excess water, and slide onto toast (or whatever).

And that seems to work. No swirling (which risks thrashing the unset white throughout the boiling water), no vinegar (which is too dilute anyway to actually help much with setting the albumen), no plunging into cold water to arrest the cooking process. Just cracking an egg into unmoving water that's hot enough to cook it, and lifting it out when it's cooked.

SoreTween

  • Most of me survived the Pennine Bridleway.
Re: the food rant thread
« Reply #1749 on: 12 December, 2021, 11:30:46 am »
Dear Mr Co-op, your product is mis-labeled.  Selling slices of water (with a hint of pig) in a packet marked 'bacon medallions' is Not Cricket.
2023 targets: Survive. Maybe.
There is only one infinite resource in this universe; human stupidity.