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

[citoyen]

What's the point of 'corner' yoghurts?

They're a symptom of capitalism - we need constant product innovation to stave off consumer inertia. If they didn't keep coming up with exciting new shit all the time, we'd just stick to the same old brands we've always bought. I don't think there's any other reason for them.

They're also yet another example of the myth of choice - their existence on supermarket shelves fools us into thinking that we are being offered variety, when really it's just lots of examples of the same shit presented slightly differently. But try asking for something that's genuinely different to the million identikit brands on the shelves and you'll be told "there's no demand".

Corner yoghurts have been around for a while, though, so they're obviously popular enough to justify their continued existence.

I've never bought one myself.

[Cudzoziemiec]

What's the point of 'corner' yoghurts?

To create further value in the ready-to-eat processed dairy space by catering to a further stratification of consumer demand, optimising our products to meet a wider variety of snack, treat and meal opportunities.

[citoyen]

To create further value in the ready-to-eat processed dairy space by catering to a further stratification of consumer demand, optimising our products to meet a wider variety of snack, treat and meal opportunities.

 

[ScumOfTheRoad]

What's the point of 'corner' yoghurts?

To create further value in the ready-to-eat processed dairy space by catering to a further stratification of consumer demand, optimising our products to meet a wider variety of snack, treat and meal opportunities.

You are Ron Dennis and ICMFP

[Cudzoziemiec]

What's the point of 'corner' yoghurts?

To create further value in the ready-to-eat processed dairy space by catering to a further stratification of consumer demand, optimising our products to meet a wider variety of snack, treat and meal opportunities.

You are Ron Dennis and ICMFP

Does he make fire engines?

[L CC]

Lately I've been indulging in food p0rn, in the form of American baking shows.

So tonight, I've made Swiss meringue buttercream and a lemon sponge (in decreasing order of size).

How's the diet going, Linds? Shit, thanks.

[ElyDave]

What's the point of 'corner' yoghurts? If I wanted to mix my own yoghurt, I'd buy the constituent parts but, honestly, who does? No-one with any other commitments. Time was when the yoghurt producers would mix the ingredients for you. You still had to separate the pots and remove the foil, which is irksome, but a fair price to pay for some longevity. But what's with the diy mixing?

And I know there are others who put the jam at the bottom. I appreciate that both of these approaches help me to believe that there is some actual fruit in my yoghurt, if only because I've had to add it my bloody self! But really, I already believe (or don't care if I'm being lied to about) millions of other things: vitamins, proteins, salt, sugar, Madagascan vanilla, Cornish clotted cream, Kenyan tea - there's no way I'm going to authenticate these things in other products, so what makes the producers of yoghurts so sensitive to consumer-skepticism that they invite us to take part in the manufacture of the final product?

Was there a scandal I missed? Did Ski somehow game the system, using sand which mimicked gooseberries when under test conditions? I don't think so.

I get it when it comes to the chocolate-covered digestive balls and corn flakes - they probably should be kept separate. Although:

1. that's an odd mix and always reminds me of Milo Minderbender proposing to cover his massively over-bought cotton stocks in chocolate in a desperate attempt to recoup some of his losses and;
2. I seem to think that the fruit corner came first, so the anti-soggying thing isn't the explanation for the initial design.

And why on earth did Muller decide that a triangle was the optimum shape for stirring? It so isn't. It's really hard to ensure an even spread of fruit to yoghurt when you can't actually stir. It's more like folding. And the spoon has to be the right shape to get into the corners. Most of my teaspoons are rounded. Plus it means that I have to use my fingers like an animal to get the last bits out.

AN ANIMAL.

Or you could just do what I do, buy a tub of greek yogurt and add your own berries, nuts, honey etc

You can even use a round bowl and a spoon-shaped-spoon if you like.

You can still lick the bowl 

[Cudzoziemiec]

Or you could just do what I do, buy a tub of greek yogurt and add your own berries, nuts, honey etc

You can even use a round bowl and a spoon-shaped-spoon if you like.

You can still lick the bowl 

Having mixed it with a spoon, you could eat it with chopsticks. Pick out the berries and nuts one by one before slurping the yoghurt! (no, of course i wouldn't dream of doing this)

[hellymedic]

I don't think Sainsbury's will be selling fresh cranberries again this winter. (They didn't last year either.)
Their Christmas cranberries are dried & sweetened, which is suboptimal for home-made sauces etc.

They do sell frozen cranberries. I've bought a bag.

[hellymedic]

Doughnuts are a traditional Chanukah treat in some circles.

I see an Israeli entrepreneur has devised an 'all natural' jam doughnut ice lolly.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Which reminds me (don't think I've posted this already?) in Pompeii, amphorae have been found labelled as containing kosher garum (presumably made without shellfish).

[citoyen]

the large blackthorn bush(es) I can see just beyond the fence is HEAVY with fruit right now. Must get out and do some picking this weekend...

Finally got round to some picking today - easily filled a 5L bucket* just from the accessible branches hanging over our fence. And didn't make the slightest dent in the crop... but frankly I can't be arsed to make the effort to get at the more inaccessible fruit.

If I'm making sloe gin, what kind of proportions of sloes/gin/sugar should I be aiming for? I would prefer the end result not to be too sweet.

Also, any other suggestions for things to do with sloes would be very welcome.

*ETA: just weighed them and they come in at a tad under 4kg.

[nicknack]

For the gin you could try here.

[citoyen]

For the gin you could try here.

Excellent, that's really helpful, thanks!

Answers the sugar question nicely - add at the end of maceration to taste, rather than following a set recipe. Of course. Seems obvious now they mention it. 

I'll get the sloes in the freezer right away...

[nicknack]

I need to get round to doing something with mine. I've had some sloes sitting in gin for the best part of a year. The damsons have only been in a few months.

[L CC]

I always fill the vessel with sloes, lob in enough sugar to fill the gaps and then fill up with the alcohol. The fruit shrinks and settles.
I've seen others whose gin is very much pink rather than purple, but I like mine thick and syrupy. Alcoholic ribena rather than flavored gin.
These have been brewing since September. Sloe gin for my daughter and 3 damson vodkas for me. That's half a bottle for every day over Christmas I drink.

[citoyen]

I have enough sloes to try a few different methods, so I might be experimental. I'll just have to label them properly to make sure I don't forget what I've done.

I just want to avoid the sickly sweetness that I've come across in some sloe gins I've tried - though I must say I like the sound of alcoholic Ribena. I also quite fancy making some patxaran - that's a very strange concoction, somewhat medicinal in character, but quite pleasant when served over lots of ice, and drunk sitting on a sun-soaked terrace overlooking Barcelona... <wistful sigh>

[ElyDave]

I don't use sugar at all, as I understand extraction is quicker without, and I don't like sweet drinks anyway. You can always add sugar syrup when making it into a drink for others.

You could also use them in country wines, but bear in mind they need a lot of ageing to soften the tannins, a year or two in my experience

[L CC]

For the gin you could try here.

I hadn't seen that. It's utter wank.

[citoyen]

For the gin you could try here.

I hadn't seen that. It's utter wank.

Any part in particular? Maybe the line where they say you should use a really expensive gin such as Sipsmith? 

The advice on adding sugar at the end makes sense to me. I was imagining a certain amount of sugar was required as part of the process, like in jam making. But if it's purely for flavour, there's no point adding it until you know how much is needed. And I think what ElyDave says about mixing it to order is sensible too.

[L CC]

The over - complication, the expensive gin, the dismissal of the first frost requirement, the lie that you add the sugar late (it all mixes in together when you shake it daily) , the addition of a freezer sojourn (you only need that if you pick your sloes early), the use of sugar syrup and the suggestion that YOU BUY YOUR SLOES FROM ebay.
I wanted to get a tractor load of fresh pig slurry at them.

https://www.rivercottage.net/recipes/sloe-gin

https://jiggott.tumblr.com/post/64564028083/the-wi-sloe-gin-recipe


Neither of these have enough sloes in for my taste. But then, I don't like gin. I like sloes. I make a fine sloe jelly.

https://www.waitrose.com/home/recipes/recipe_directory/s/sloe_vodka.html

I wouldn't bother with the cloves. You'd need more than they suggest to get anything but homeopathic levels of flavour.

[Chris S]

I wouldn't bother with the cloves. You'd need more than they suggest to get anything but homeopathic levels of flavour.

Might be a fun cure for toothache though.

[citoyen]

the suggestion that YOU BUY YOUR SLOES FROM ebay.

Yes, that bit struck me as... rather odd. The whole point of making things like sloe gin is surely a way of making good use of free stuff from the hedgerows. Same goes for blackberries. I always boggle when I see the price of a tiny punnet of blackberries in Tesco. Why would you pay for blackberries? And why especially would you pay that much?

My sloes are all in the freezer now because otherwise they're likely to go bad before I get round to actually doing anything with them. But there's certainly no question about their ripeness - as evidenced by the colour of my hands after my picking session.

Anyway, I've got enough of them (and plenty more still available to pick) that I can try a few different recipes and see what I like best.

Thanks for the links. What's your sloe jelly recipe?

homeopathic levels of flavour

That's just about the right level of cloves for me.

[citoyen]

Talking of free food, on a recent lunchtime walk in the woods, I happened across some trompettes de la mort hiding among the fallen leaves...



In fact, I found enough of them...


...to make a splendid lunch:


Not the most attractive of fungus, but delicious none the less.

[Cudzoziemiec]

They're edible? The name would've made me think not. But clearly you're still alive. At least, you were just over an hour ago, I hope you're still okay!