stubby1974

the tea leaf might come fromt he same place but each company processes their leaf different - adding this and that and tea from different companies actually has different stuff in it...

btw: can you get bisto in edmonton? we all have yeast extract allergies here so no oxo...

hot wasabi peas

I know SFA about tea but one of my beefs with Starbucks is that they brew their coffee at too high a temperature and it makes the coffee taste burnt and bitter. I drink coffee black, no sugar and a Starbucks coffee (black, no sugar) tastes like liquified elastic bands.... it's disgusting. Why they do this I don't know; it would make sense that if you owned a coffee shop empire you'd at least know how to make a decent, basic mug-a-joe. Tim Horton's coffee isn't as disgusting but it doesn't have much of a kick.

When I was younger, I waited tables in a well known and popular tearoom in Victoria. Lots of British expats ate there and they pretty much all complained about the tea... or rather that the water was not hot enough, not boiling ... since the hot water machine thing was set for 'coffee temperature' and so the tea tasted 'not right'. Why would a tearoom set the hot water machine thing to a temperature that favours coffee?

I suspect the owner of Starbucks and this tearoom is probably the same confused person.

Biiiiink

I've just looked at the back of my chicken Oxo sachet box - one of the ingredients is "cooked mechanically separated chicken"...can't believe I didn't notice that until now. Yuk. Bin. Is that really an ingredient in the British one? I'm surprised I haven't ever noticed it until now. Mechanically separated meat seems far more common here, I'd only ever expect it in the budget-value-cheapo ranges in the UK.

Bisto - yes you can get it, I've never bought it because the box instructions were something about mixing it with the juice and fat of your meat, and when I shook the box it sounded like flour consistency rather than the freeze-dried stuff I know from the UK. So if you roast joints you'll be okay, but if you just want to add some boiling water for instant gravy, it's not the stuff for you.

stubby1974

you can do both with the powder stuff...

oxo is evil not good for kids cos of 'additives' they dont tell you about...

bisto - we take some everywhere... yeast extract is in loads of things - baked beans, some soups, i have to label check everything

DanielH

No Mech Chicken in the OXO Brit stuff.... I have just spent the evening cooking in the restaurant and I had a look while working.... Tonight I had to also cook off 8 ducks... 8 guinea fowl.... 12 chickens and poached 4 whole Salmon.. plus cooking for 12 customers... busy? ha ha ah this is quiet time of the year. You can just save the bones/fat (chicken/beef/lamb/Game) from your roasts and make a stock, which you then freeze in small portions Microwave to thaw and add Cornflour mixed with a little water heat slowly in a pan on the stove... BINGO gravy just like Mum made.

andy_sheila

or do what the locals do and buy your gravey in a can.....

supersave stock some English things, but expect to pay thru the nose for them ie marmite about $2.50 for a small jar, or $4.49 for curry sauces or homepride tins. imagine England (or Scotland) 40 years ago before all the ready meals were invented, and you get the general idea......... most people make everything from scratch
however, if you're into pancakes or waffles, there are endless frozen ones available
btw, can anyone recommend a decent recipe for yorkshire puds, they don't seem to work with English ones, and end up tasting like rubber

DanielH

Try This...
2 eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup cooking oil

Mix 2 eggs (room temp), 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of milk (room temp), 1/2 tsp salt. Try to let the mix 'relax' for a while.

Oil a large 12pc muffin pan basting the pan's sidewalls. When done the oil should be 1/4 inch deep in each reservoir.

Pour pudding mix into pan reservoirs until 3/4 full. When done each reservoir should be 1/4 empty to allow for expansion.

Bake at "exactly" 440`F or 200`C for "exactly" 20 minute.

Note: The oven stage is the most important. Preheat your oven to the exact temperature. Do not open your oven to peek while cooking!



GOOD Luck mine never fail...

Alberta_Rose

....in England? .....

The altitude is supposed to affect them here ..... or is it the flour? .... or both?

I never made them much in UK, so we don't miss 'em

andy_sheila

Thanks for that, i will give it a go and let you know how they turned out.

DanielH

have made them in Winnipeg too