colly0410 1,181 Posted July 26, 2020 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2020 In April we couldn't find any Norpak in Aldi or butter anywhere else as panic buyers had nabbed them, so got some cheapo own brand margarine from a corner shop. It was yuk & only used it till we could get the proper norpak when things got more normal. We ended up binning the own brand stuff as neither of us liked it, it was tasteless IMO... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nonnaB 4,895 Posted July 27, 2020 Report Share Posted July 27, 2020 I only use margarine along with lard for making pastry. I love butter but here we have little choice. The major part of butter is unsalted. Ugh I hear you say but I quite like it. You get used to it when you can't get any other. Lurpak has only just appearing in supermarkets in the last few years, we can get President and I think that's all. I only use butter in baking cakes and biscuits so unsalted butter is ideal. I only butter bread occasionally so I obviously use unsalted because that's all I have. Lidl sometimes has an Irish week and we can get Kerry gold but I'm not keen I'd sooner have unsalted. But each to his own. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
benjamin1945 16,151 Posted July 28, 2020 Report Share Posted July 28, 2020 Morning Mrs Williams.......sorry about last night ,,and Dolly's Stockings being ripped again,,,........coming back from Bulwell 17 broke down top on Piccadilly.....had to walk back over Bulwell Common,,and she fell into the Gorse bushes,,,told her i'd give you some 'Summer County' to rub on the 'Scratches''....here yar,,i paid for it earlier,, ..........Thursday half day tomorrow,,thought i'd take Dolly down the Embankment in a Rowing boat,,,what you think? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
loppylugs 8,429 Posted July 28, 2020 Report Share Posted July 28, 2020 If I was Dolly I'd take a lifejacket! Maybe a liberty bodice might be a good idea as well. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beekay 5,138 Posted July 28, 2020 Report Share Posted July 28, 2020 Can't remember which thread it were on, so here you go, I've dumped it on here. No doubt some clever boffin will move it if need be. On the subject of Pom Bears, I've just had a delivery from Iceland (other shops are available) of two multi packs of Pom Bears and my Broadband is back online after 4weeks, so I'm a happy bunny ! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PeverilPeril 3,279 Posted July 30, 2020 Report Share Posted July 30, 2020 Until a few year ago I never had butter or marg on bread or anything else. It was a lifetime habit not to add salt, sugar or butter to anything. I still don't add salt or sugar to anything but spread Flora lite on my sandwiches. I get all the sugar I need from fresh fruit and honey, and all the salt I need from that used in cooking and the ingredients. Why people pay for an expensive meal then whack salt on it before tasting is beyond me 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jill Sparrow 10,305 Posted July 30, 2020 Report Share Posted July 30, 2020 Quite agree, PP. I don't keep salt in the house as I never use it on food or in cooking. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,115 Posted July 30, 2020 Report Share Posted July 30, 2020 We don’t use salt in cooking nor do we have it on the table at mealtimes, the only exceptions being broad beans need salt to enhance their flavour as do chip shop fish and chips. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brew 5,411 Posted July 30, 2020 Report Share Posted July 30, 2020 5 hours ago, PeverilPeril said: Why people pay for an expensive meal then whack salt on it before tasting is beyond me Salt is the only condiment i use - I do it because it adds piquancy to the flavour, not for any dietary consideration. I presume cooks add herbs and spices for the same reason. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
radfordred 6,284 Posted July 30, 2020 Report Share Posted July 30, 2020 To add salt before tasting that’s got to be a habit, most upmarket restaurants will not allow it on the table, thinking about a youth I used to work with, he used to give his dinner exactly 17 shakes of the salt seller we all used to count it, he’s dead now he also put sugar on his breakfast tomatoes Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,464 Posted July 30, 2020 Report Share Posted July 30, 2020 One of the surprising things I sometimes found myself doing during lockdown was watching the Food Channel (on Freeview and others). Almost all the presenters on all the programmes seemed to be trying to outdo each other on the amount of salt they applied to the meals they were preparing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brew 5,411 Posted July 30, 2020 Report Share Posted July 30, 2020 1 hour ago, radfordred said: most upmarket restaurants will not allow it on the table That's just arrogance, not the you're likely to find me eating haute cuisine... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nonnaB 4,895 Posted July 30, 2020 Report Share Posted July 30, 2020 1 hour ago, Brew said: That's just arrogance, not the you're likely to find me eating haute cuisine... Its said to be an insult to the chef. I use little in cooking and I never put salt on the table. If it's insipid instead of getting up and putting salt on the food I leave it where it is and eat the food insipid or not. Lazy? I suppose so. Last night we went to a Japanese restaurant. The proprietors had gone to my sons restaurant the evening before and they ate Carni Cruda which is raw meat. It goes to show that all nationalities do try different cuisines. We talked about their dinner and the wife said she wanted to try Carni cruda as it was a speciality of Piemonte. When it arrived on the table she said she was afraid to try it but gradually she picked up courage and put a bit in her mouth. She said she couldn't believe how good it was and finished the lot. My husband explained how it was made with top class tender fillet seasoned only with extra virgin olive oil and the minimum of salt. Goes to show that salt isn't always something you need in food. I like it when it's "minced" ( not minced meat, it's chopped very finely with a sharp knife) but sometimes it's served thinly sliced and I don't like that. Strange. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,115 Posted July 30, 2020 Report Share Posted July 30, 2020 I ordered steak tartare in a restaurant in Paris some years ago. When the waiter came to break the traditional raw egg over it, that was just too much for me! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,115 Posted July 30, 2020 Report Share Posted July 30, 2020 There used to be a restaurateur at a fine dining establishment in the Lake District who would throw customers out if they asked for salt and pepper, saying they were insulting the chef! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brew 5,411 Posted July 30, 2020 Report Share Posted July 30, 2020 1 hour ago, nonnaB said: Its said to be an insult to the chef. nonna I think it's insulting to the customer to be so arrogant that they think you must like whatever they cook. I had a disagreement some years back at a restaurant in Keyworth. I asked for no dressings or sauces. It came covered in sauce with the cook boasting of course you'll like it. it 's provencal - I didn't.. nor did I eat it. Like the old adage, 'I knows what I likes' 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,115 Posted July 30, 2020 Report Share Posted July 30, 2020 That's a difficult one. Taking it a stage further, when dining out, should you be allowed access to the kitchen to supervise the cooking of your meal? I've been to restaurants, not in this country obviously, where the chef has said what specials he's got for the day and how would you like it cooked. Usually over here, the meal, labeled 'Brake Brothers' comes out of the freezer and into the microwave. I talking pub food here and not fine dining establishments where their main objective is to rip you off. We seldom eat out these days. Perhaps, if life ever returns to normal again, we'll give it another go and come away saying that we could have eaten at home for a whole week at that price! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brew 5,411 Posted July 30, 2020 Report Share Posted July 30, 2020 24 minutes ago, philmayfield said: Taking it a stage further, when dining out, should you be allowed access to the kitchen to supervise the cooking of your meal I don't believe so but if I'm paying the piper, I call the tune. If I order steak well done I don't want some prissy chef flouncing around going...merde, zut alors, sacre bleu and all that... and insisting on cooking it the way he likes it - virtually raw with a broken egg on top. I'm 75 next month, I think by now I know my own mind.. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beekay 5,138 Posted July 30, 2020 Report Share Posted July 30, 2020 There used to be a transport cafe in the middle Of Donnington, Lincs. I used to take great delight in asking for egg and chips and if they were doing roast beef dinners, i would ask for gravy on my egg! Much to their disgust. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DJ360 6,728 Posted July 30, 2020 Report Share Posted July 30, 2020 'They'.. whoever 'They' are.. reckon that the salt you add to your food is minimal compared to the salt introduced by processors. For what it's worth.. I like a bit of salt on my food. but I eat very little 'processed' food. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brew 5,411 Posted July 30, 2020 Report Share Posted July 30, 2020 Quite right and thanks to TV discovering a cheap way to fill an hours air time cookery is trying its damnedest to turn itself into an art form. It's not, it's basic chemistry for the pretentious. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nonnaB 4,895 Posted July 31, 2020 Report Share Posted July 31, 2020 Brew I only said "it's said to be an insult to the chef" I agree with you saying it's an insult to the customer expecting to like what the chef has prepared. Because although you order what you like it doesn't always please and if you complain ( which you SHOULD if something is wrong) things can always be corrected. We find that customers in general don't complain. There's a joke that goes round. A couple sitting at a table in a restaurant, wife says " these potatoes are soggy" husband says " this meat is tough" and it goes on. Waiter, " did you enjoy your meal is everything alright" customers" oh yes everything was lovely we enjoyed it" In our restaurant at Radcliffe we had a plaque made with the words" If you like what we do tell others if you don't TELL US" Salt and pepper is always available to those who want it. Same here a relative had pasta with fish and wanted some parmesan cheese on it , the waiter said you don't have cheese on fish, he insisted and the waiter insisted too so he walked out. Moral...give the customer what he wants or you lose him. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
siddha 825 Posted July 31, 2020 Report Share Posted July 31, 2020 https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=10152997535460382 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nonnaB 4,895 Posted July 31, 2020 Report Share Posted July 31, 2020 17 hours ago, philmayfield said: I ordered steak tartare in a restaurant in Paris some years ago. When the waiter came to break the traditional raw egg over it, that was just too much for me! I think but may be wrong that's the French way of eating steak tartare. Don't think I'd like it either. I like my eggs cooked. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nonnaB 4,895 Posted July 31, 2020 Report Share Posted July 31, 2020 Brilliant Siddha. Lenny Henry is always funny. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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