The General Chat Thread

angeldelight · 28-09-2015 10:31AM

Have you reduced how much sugar you're eating generally? That could cause you to notice it more maybe? Or you could be pregnant :pac:

heldel00 · 28-09-2015 10:37AM

Only had this conversation last weekend about the Lidl bakery wheaten loaf. Unbelievably sweet. (And yes I am pregnant!!!)

Zelda247 · 28-09-2015 11:40AM

Whispered wrote: »

What's the story with shop bought bread tasting so sweet lately? Those slimbo things taste like cake, the last few white pans I've had have had a distinctly sugary taste and feel to them and I just made lightly cooked scrambled eggs (free range, organic from my parents place and absolutely delicious) only for them to be ruined by a sweet brown pitta from tesco.

Is it just me?!

I agree I bought a Hovis multiseed one from Tesco's last week, its tasty but very sweet and yes checked the ingredients and there it is Sugar!

rubadub · 28-09-2015 11:59AM

Zelda247 wrote: »

I agree I bought a Hovis multiseed one from Tesco's last week, its tasty but very sweet and yes checked the ingredients and there it is Sugar!

Ingredients are listed in order of greatest, and you can also check the nutritional values. There will be naturally occuring sugars in the grains, sugar may be added just for the yeast and could be some left over.

Whispered wrote: »

sweet brown pitta from tesco.

Tesco brown pitta shows no sugar.

http://www.tesco.ie/groceries/Product/Details/?id=254945610

Maybe the harvested grains have a higher amount of natural sugars than normal.

Lovely Bloke · 28-09-2015 12:00PM

Made some pies for dinner tonight.

Stripped a roast chicken carcass of all the meat that was left on it, then threw the bones into a pot with a litre of water, a carrot, some celery, an onion, peppercorns, salt, bay leaf and fresh parsely, got it boiling then transferred to the slow cooker for 4 hours on low, with the lid off (we were going out, otherwise I'd have left it on the hob).

When I got home I drained the stock, then made a roux and added the stock slowly, making a thick gravy. Into some pie dishes I put the shredded chicken, mushrooms, par boiled carrots, a few leftover cooked spuds and topping with puff pastry.

Will serve them with mash.

Can't wait, the stock/gravy was very tasty indeed.

Whispered · 28-09-2015 12:18PM

angeldelight wrote: »

Have you reduced how much sugar you're eating generally? That could cause you to notice it more maybe? Or you could be pregnant :pac:

No. No I could not. Have a baby who doesn't sleep. Ever. Barely have time to rest, never mind anything else

But yes have reduced sugar in that I'm eating way less processed stuff.

Yes I got the pitta specifically because I was fed up of cakey sweet bread so was surprised it was so sweet. Disgusting really. And don't get me started on wheaten loaves or soda bread. Bleugh.

Anyone have any recommendations for a bread that is definitely not sweet or a type to look out for? Maybe seeded bread would be better.

Lovely Bloke · 28-09-2015 12:59PM

was going to suggest making your own, but then I read your first sentence again

Whispered · 28-09-2015 01:10PM

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

was going to suggest making your own, but then I read your first sentence again

not much chance. I do make porridge bread but I'm looking for a nice light bread that goes crispy when toasted and when fresh is great with a packet of crisps. It's the simple things!

iwantmydinner · 28-09-2015 01:24PM

I guess it's possible that the country's wheat harvest turned out sweeter than usual? And that all/most bread is just a bit sweeter because of that? I don't know if that's possible.

I can't say I've noticed any difference, don't eat much bread though.

Zelda247 · 28-09-2015 01:37PM

Whispered wrote: »

not much chance. I do make porridge bread but I'm looking for a nice light bread that goes crispy when toasted and when fresh is great with a packet of crisps. It's the simple things!

Gosh Porridge bread, whats that like?

Whispered · 28-09-2015 01:41PM

Zelda247 wrote: »

Gosh Porridge bread, whats that like?

Really nice actually. I was surprised. I do it for the baby because it's easy and I know what's in it. Greek yoghurt adds extra nutritional value to it too. Very handy to add bits in, banana & choc chip is lovely, as is garlic and sundried toms.

Quite dense and filling with a soft texture.

Toto Wolfcastle · 28-09-2015 01:48PM

I made porridge bread recently. I followed the recipe I was given and the ratio of porridge to yoghurt was all wrong. It was a brick. A tasty brick, but a brick all the same. Then I followed a second recipe that was recommended to me and I could really taste the yoghurt. I hate the taste of Greek yoghurt so I decided that porridge bread isn't for me! The texture is amazing though for such a simple recipe.

quaalude · 28-09-2015 01:58PM

Whispered wrote: »

not much chance. I do make porridge bread but I'm looking for a nice light bread that goes crispy when toasted and when fresh is great with a packet of crisps. It's the simple things!

I hate cheap supermarket bread and pitta bread these days - I too think they taste too sweet. I make porridge bread too, I love it for breakfast and with soup, but you can't use it for grilled cheese sandwiches and that.

Soul Bakery do this spelt bread that might fit the bill - in Dublin it's in Donnybrook Fair and Fresh, and Dunnes sometimes too.
I can't find much on the internet except for this pic: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0AhsouqAWew/TYx38HnNdgI/AAAAAAAAAR4/afyU3yU5u24/s1600/soulPIC1.JPG that's what the label looks like.

Are you near a Thunders Bakery? There are loads of them in Dublin these days. I think the coffee is terrible and the cakes are a rip-off - but some of the bread is really good. They have this cheese and onion bread, it's only 1.60 a loaf, ask them to slice it for you.
It is heavenly - perfect for a crisp sammich I reckon. (I haven't eaten a crisp in over 2 and a half years but I remember crisp sandwiches - and how fat they made me - well! I've no control around crisps so I knocked them on the head).

Faith · 28-09-2015 04:46PM

Supermarket bread in North America is incredibly sweet, and it's the most bizarre yellow colour. Maybe Irish bread is (unfortunately) moving more towards that model? It's very artificial and basically never goes off.

Alun · 28-09-2015 04:52PM

Faith wrote: »

Supermarket bread in North America is incredibly sweet, and it's the most bizarre yellow colour. Maybe Irish bread is (unfortunately) moving more towards that model? It's very artificial and basically never goes off.

That's due to the addition of corn syrup. It makes it yellow and also makes the bread sickeningly sweet as you say.

I can't say I've ever noticed the same over here but then I rarely buy supermarket bread either, with the exception of some of Lidl's offerings. Otherwise I make my own in the breadmaker and there's sugar in there for fermentation, between 1 and 1.5 tbsp depending on the size of loaf and the type of flour, but that's 'eaten' by the yeast so wouldn't give any sweet flavour to the end result.

Zelda247 · 29-09-2015 07:43AM

Faith wrote: »

Supermarket bread in North America is incredibly sweet, and it's the most bizarre yellow colour. Maybe Irish bread is (unfortunately) moving more towards that model? It's very artificial and basically never goes off.

I hope not... a couple of people here have mentioned that Aldi Bloomers are good, normally myself I go for Pat the Baker Wholegrain and its nice toasted or in a sandwich.

IvyTheTerrible · 29-09-2015 09:33AM

French sandwich bread is very sweet. Luckily, in the last year, my local supermarket has started stocking English-style sliced bread which isn't sweet at all. I say lucky, because I've never seen that product in any other supermarket.

Tarzana2 · 29-09-2015 03:11PM

Whispered wrote: »

But yes have reduced sugar in that I'm eating way less processed stuff.

I'd say this is definitely a factor. With you cutting down on sugar, your palate is likely slowly changing and so things that didn't always taste sugary to you now do.

Incidentally, does anyone else who has lived or does live in the UK find the bread there very bland? Just flavourless. I don't mean less sugary, but sort less yeasty or something? My friend lives in Wales and is married to a Welshman and he always looks forward to having Irish bread when he comes over here from bogstandard sliced pan to homemade white to soda bread.

29-09-2015 06:23PM

Tarzana2 wrote: »

Incidentally, does anyone else who has lived or does live in the UK find the bread there very bland? Just flavourless. I don't mean less sugary, but sort less yeasty or something? My friend lives in Wales and is married to a Welshman and he always looks forward to having Irish bread when he comes over here from bogstandard sliced pan to homemade white to soda bread.

I find the bread in the UK absolutely crap. I love bread in Ireland by comparison.

Some bakeries in the UK do fabulous bread, but where I'm based has no craft bakers or really any food culture at all. Even the 'French' bread here is sort of crumbly and tasteless.

The Black Oil · 29-09-2015 06:36PM

Is it sugar or salt that's the primary preservation agent in bread?

Gloomtastic! · 29-09-2015 06:54PM

The Black Oil wrote: »

Is it sugar or salt that's the primary preservation agent in bread?

Thought sugar was added for the crust.

Tarzana2 · 29-09-2015 06:56PM

Mystery Egg wrote: »

I find the bread in the UK absolutely crap. I love bread in Ireland by comparison.

Some bakeries in the UK do fabulous bread, but where I'm based has no craft bakers or really any food culture at all. Even the 'French' bread here is sort of crumbly and tasteless.

Yeah, I took to making my own soda bread over there rather than buying it.

I also found pig products tasteless over there. Not necessarily joints of pork, but their rashers and sausages, even good quality sausages that I'd spend a fortune on. That could have just been my region though, the UK seems to have more regional disparities when it comes to products compared to Ireland.

Whispered · 29-09-2015 07:23PM

I'm on mobile so can't search, is there a thread for Aldi weekly deals recipes?

I love a good bargain but probably don't make as much of the offers as I could. If there isn't one, would anybody else be interested?

29-09-2015 08:09PM

Tarzana2 wrote: »

Yeah, I took to making my own soda bread over there rather than buying it.

I also found pig products tasteless over there. Not necessarily joints of pork, but their rashers and sausages, even good quality sausages that I'd spend a fortune on. That could have just been my region though, the UK seems to have more regional disparities when it comes to products compared to Ireland.

Rashers are okay, but I find sausages and black pudding fairly horrible intaste and texture. You can buy Richmonds 'Irish recipe' sausages and the seasoning is right, but it's obviously very cheap cuts of pork and they resemble the cheapest of the cheap crap you would buy in Ireland.

You can buy Clonakilty and Mallon's sausages at the airport so we stock up every time we are home, and have guests bring them (and Barry's tea) too.

nompere · 29-09-2015 08:37PM

Has anyone else seen this story from the Guardian today?

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/sep/29/aquafaba-chickpea-liquid-baking-egg-white-substitute

Is anyone tempted to try it?

All the years that I've emptied the tin of chickpeas into a colander and rinsed off the gloop. To think that I could have been making meringues and macarons!

I did check to see that the article hadn't been posted on 1 April.

29-09-2015 09:17PM

nompere wrote: »

Has anyone else seen this story from the Guardian today?

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/sep/29/aquafaba-chickpea-liquid-baking-egg-white-substitute

Is anyone tempted to try it?

All the years that I've emptied the tin of chickpeas into a colander and rinsed off the gloop. To think that I could have been making meringues and macarons!

I did check to see that the article hadn't been posted on 1 April.

This has blown my mind. Wow.

On reflection, I suppose it is related somewhat to tofu, bean curd.

Still, this is an amazing discovery. Thanks for sharing.

Shenshen · 30-09-2015 08:01AM

nompere wrote: »

Has anyone else seen this story from the Guardian today?

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/sep/29/aquafaba-chickpea-liquid-baking-egg-white-substitute

Is anyone tempted to try it?

All the years that I've emptied the tin of chickpeas into a colander and rinsed off the gloop. To think that I could have been making meringues and macarons!

I did check to see that the article hadn't been posted on 1 April.

That's the first time I've heard of it, but I will most definitely try it. I'll report back on success or disasters.

Lovely Bloke · 30-09-2015 08:27AM

wow, that's mad

Dizzyblonde · 30-09-2015 09:57AM

I'd imagine it would taste salty?

Alun · 30-09-2015 10:06AM

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

I'd imagine it would taste salty?

According to a tin I just looked at, it's 0.04g per 80g serving, so 0.12g for the full dry weight of 240g of beans which isn't much. Now, that's for the chickpeas themselves though, not the "juice", but generally pulses and vegetables tend to absorb salt from the liquids they're cooked in so who knows. Additionally some meringue recipes suggest adding small amounts of salt.

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