The General Chat Thread

The Hill Billy

Up at 7 this morning. Marinade made for the ribs, salty rashers for brekky with eggs & tomatoes.

Ribs in the oven for 3 hours while I did a few hours work. Will be BBQ'd in the rain later.

Quenching my bacon-induced thirst now before the match.

B0jangles

I was asked to turn some warm, damp, clumpy brown rice into restaurant-style fried rice last night, something I'd tried making years ago with chilled, cooked white rice and totally failed at. I was not confident of producing anything approaching even edible but I said I'd give it a lash.

Holy crap, but it came out perfect, you couldn't even tell it was brown rice, it just tasted exactly like takeaway fried rice, I was gobsmacked. Going to try again this evening with white rice and see what happens - if this works then I'll never buy chinese takeaway again!

The Hill Billy

Time to go home for my ribs now.

Toto Wolfcastle

Am I the only one who thinks that Superquinn sausages are completely overrated? We bought some today for a quick dinner (can't beat a sausage sandwich :pac:) and they're terrible. We only bought them because the rest of the sausage shelf had been cleared out.

angeldelight

One of the only ones I like so I couldn't agree with you there!

RasTa

I think FxB's breakfast sausages are better. SQ number 2 though

SB_Part2

Nah I love Superquinn sausages. Can't bait em.

the beer revolu

Toto Wolfcastle wrote: »

Am I the only one who thinks that Superquinn sausages are completely overrated? We bought some today for a quick dinner (can't beat a sausage sandwich :pac:) and they're terrible. We only bought them because the rest of the sausage shelf had been cleared out.

I was also underwhelmed when I finally got to try them. Grand sausage, nothing special over Ispiní or Gold Medal, both of which I consider to be acceptable mainstream sausages.

B0jangles

So I wussed on using the white rice (jasmine) as it was just too sticky, and tried again with the brown and it didn't work, it just tased like slightly eggy, soy-y brown rice I think what happened is that the first batch of brown was slightly overcooked, so the skin had split, whereas the batch I made was still intact so when I seasoned with soy and sesame oil it didnt really get into the rice.

I feel like the holy grail of chinese cooking just slipped through my fingers, but I am determined to recapture it!

rubadub

the beer revolu wrote: »

I was also underwhelmed when I finally got to try them.

when did you get to try them. I don't think they are the same as they were years ago. The skin is of huge importance to me. I remember years back you could pick up superquinn one by pressing your fingers onto them and they would just stick and lift up.

The skins on the tesco finest ones are very tough, one of my favourites is olhausen, now made by mallons after olhausen shut down.

I noticed a few well known brands now have premium ranges I must try.

Some brand also had hot dog sausages which were not precooked like hotdogs should be, they were just suited to hot dog rolls, and of course did not come in the same number as the buns.

I always thought this was in the film "falling down" but its father of the bride!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYIHLUxzRr8

the beer revolu

rubadub wrote: »

when did you get to try them.

Probably about 5 years ago.

Keane2baMused

Aldi specially selected sausages are really nice and much cheaper than SQ

BuffyBot

Toto Wolfcastle wrote: »

Am I the only one who thinks that Superquinn sausages are completely overrated? We bought some today for a quick dinner (can't beat a sausage sandwich :pac:) and they're terrible. We only bought them because the rest of the sausage shelf had been cleared out.

They used to be great when made instore, but they went downhill when the production was outsourced IMHO

RasTa

Just made baba ganoush for he first time. Yum yum

keane2097

I made a tasty Chinese-y (i.e. chip shop) curry a couple of months ago that I have a hankering for. It was a 'from scratch' job with a curry roux.

I have absolutely no idea where I got the recipe from, would have guessed it would be here somewhere. Ring any bells for anyone? I tried searching but come up empty...

Faith

This?

keane2097

Faith wrote: »

This?

No I found that alright but I think I would have considered that a bit complicated!

Going back through old bookmarks I think it might actually have been a variation on the below and I either modified it a bit or just remembered it wrong:

Mrs Fox wrote: »

It's the basic spice mix for all his curries which can be found on the first page of that thread.

Curry Masala
This is the generic Indian curry powder used in Indian restaurants.
2tbs ground coriander
2tbs ground cumin
2tbs paprika
3tbs ground turmeric
1tbs garam masala
2tbs curry powder

Mix these spices well and keep in an airtight container.

The Black Oil

Mustard here, mustard everywhere. Nom.

rubadub

The Black Oil wrote: »

Mustard here, mustard everywhere. Nom.

All the food forums get merged but the mustard forum is still there on its own!

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=457

MissFlitworth

A thread on the wedding forum about macarons reminded me of a time I went to Zurich specifically to go to Sprüngli and buy Luxumburgerli (teeny tiny little macarons made from angel tears and unicorn kisses and all the good things). I was in Switzerland anyway but I did specifically take a train, and drag a disinerested boyfriend with me, for an hour to Zurich just to buy them. And it got me thinking - what slightly mad things/involved/intense/travel-y have you done to buy food that it isn't 'easy' to get during your normal day to day life?

I have

- gone to Chicago, ostensibly to meet friends, but secretly to eat deep dish pizza and go to Hot Dougs (RIP) Then got quite upset because a place I had earmarked for breakfast had closed down in the location we were in.

- taken a day off work next week to go get pasta de nata from Oxmantown (coffee shop in Dublin, they don't open Saturdays and I don't work in Dublin during the week anymore) and then sandwiches from 147 deli for lunch

- as mentioned, shelled out many CHF to get to Zurich to buy luxumburgerli

- brought a near empty suitcase to Switzerland with me to fill up in Migros in the airport coming home. Plus brought fresh Zopf on the plane home with me to have for lunch in Dublin.

- chosen several holidays based on what's available in Supermarkets to bring home with me. I almost never pass through Dublin airport without a couple of kilos of comestibles in tow. I tend to take myself off on my todd for a supermarket/grocery shopping trip because it sincerely bothers most people to spend their holidays looking at bacon/chorizo/baking supplies/fancy sugar/fondue pots/fleamarket dinner services with me.

squonk

MissFlitworth wrote: »

A thread on the wedding forum about macarons reminded me of a time I went to Zurich specifically to go to Sprüngli and buy Luxumburgerli (teeny tiny little macarons made from angel tears and unicorn kisses and all the good things). I was in Switzerland anyway but I did specifically take a train, and drag a disinerested boyfriend with me, for an hour to Zurich just to buy them. And it got me thinking - what slightly mad things/involved/intense/travel-y have you done to buy food that it isn't 'easy' to get during your normal day to day life?

I have

- gone to Chicago, ostensibly to meet friends, but secretly to eat deep dish pizza and go to Hot Dougs (RIP) Then got quite upset because a place I had earmarked for breakfast had closed down in the location we were in.

- taken a day off work next week to go get pasta de nata from Oxmantown (coffee shop in Dublin, they don't open Saturdays and I don't work in Dublin during the week anymore) and then sandwiches from 147 deli for lunch

- as mentioned, shelled out many CHF to get to Zurich to buy luxumburgerli

- brought a near empty suitcase to Switzerland with me to fill up in Migros in the airport coming home. Plus brought fresh Zopf on the plane home with me to have for lunch in Dublin.

- chosen several holidays based on what's available in Supermarkets to bring home with me. I almost never pass through Dublin airport without a couple of kilos of comestibles in tow. I tend to take myself off on my todd for a supermarket/grocery shopping trip because it sincerely bothers most people to spend their holidays looking at bacon/chorizo/baking supplies/fancy sugar/fondue pots/fleamarket dinner services with me.

You sound fab to be on holiday with MissFlitworth!

I have to admit I haven't chosen holiday locations based on food so far but it's getting dangerously close to that point the more food network shows I watch.

I did choose London amongst other things to go to some of the restaurants run by well known chefs but other than that I've been quite tame!

Faith

I'm planning a return trip to the Basque region just to get some decent pintxos, particularly one topped with decent tortilla.

I regularly go out of my way to go to Ikea just to buy meatballs, Daim and Marabou chocolate.

I'm insisting that we make a stop in a very specific restaurant in a specific city when we're in California in August, just so I can have their garlic bread rolls again. It's been 9 years since I last ate them, and I have never forgotten them.

Whenever we travel to the US, I insist on stopping at a Trader Joe's just so I can wander around and browse (and buy gallons of apple juice, which is the best I've ever tasted).

I'm sure there has been plenty of others, but I can't think of them now!

MissFlitworth

Faith wrote: »

I regularly go out of my way to go to Ikea just to buy meatballs, Daim and Marabou chocolate.

Yes!! This! Not that Ikea isn't great for other things but the main reason I find myself there is meatball & cake related. They had little salt caramel chocolate reindeer once upon a time that I still mourn going out of stock

The Hill Billy

MissFlitworth wrote: »

...Plus brought fresh Zopf on the plane home with me to have for lunch in Dublin.

Ich liebe Zöpfli. It makes the most fantastic soakage with a fry-up for mopping up bacon fat, tomato juice & runny yolks.

Jetzt bin ich nostalgisch.

Faith

MissFlitworth wrote: »

Yes!! This! Not that Ikea isn't great for other things but the main reason I find myself there is meatball & cake related. They had little salt caramel chocolate reindeer once upon a time that I still mourn going out of stock

Sure, I'll buy some candles or napkins or something while I'm there, or occasionally furnish an apartment, but make no mistake, I made the trip for meatballs and confectionery.

MissFlitworth

The Hill Billy wrote: »

Ich liebe Zöpfli. It makes the most fantastic soakage with a fry-up for mopping up bacon fat, tomato juice & runny yolks.

Jetzt bin ich nostalgisch.

I miss pulling off one of/many of the knot strands and basically filling it full of butter. It's times like this I think it's not THAT ridiculous to book a round trip flight somewhere to go grocery shopping.

IvyTheTerrible

When we lived in Ireland my husband (then boyfriend) would go back to France on his summer holidays with the clothes on his back, and a big suitcase with nothing in it except for a change of underwear so he could fill it with food and wine to bring back to Ireland. (He had kept summer clothes in France for this reason).
So basically about 10 litres of wine, and 10 kilos of food. Really reallllly good olives, saucisson d'Ardèche, dried mushrooms his dad had collected himself, paté, all sorts. Once he even brought back a leg of jambon cru.
I was always happy to see him coming back from holidays!

EDIT And I forgot CHEESE. Lots and lots of lovely cheese!

Gloomtastic!

None of your Chinese muck for me when these little puppies have dried out in a few weeks.

Tilly

Haven't been here in forever. I'm back and missed you guys

/not that I post anything exciting

Faith

Welcome back to the fold!