angeli

Lots you cant get......ketch-up whats that ????

LivingHere

Can anyone tell me what a reasonable alternative to Jacob's Cream Crackers might be? I have bought one of Jamie Oliver's books and he uses them liberally. I really don't want to have to bring them over.

TestaRossa

Try some different brands of unsalted crackers here, a few are similar - mulino and pavesi are probably the best bets for unsalted.

LivingHere

Thanks

bricwood

an observation on lidl, while my friends from vicenza were here we went to both the local butchers and bought sausages and steaks and bacon and in my opinion they were poor quality, as tough as old boots, my friends tried the "English pickle" from lidls and liked it so I took them to lidls and we bought some meat and sausages they were first class , nice and tender meat, tasty sausages, you can get bacon in there too and it was very nice, I must say its not what you would expect, I don't know if they have dodgy meat for tourists where I live, I am sure my friends will go in lidls in vicenza now

bricwood

this is funny when I went to lidl I gave a few bits to my friend opposite and she keeps asking when I am going again I just discovered they like baked beans, they eat them in pasta!, did not go much on English pickle though

Pica

Beans are good!
But.. personally I have a major addiction (30 years and more) for Sun Pat peanut butter and get through a large jar at least monthly. Is there a source anywhere in Abruzzo?
I will travel to stock up.
Thanks in advance

bricwood

peanut butter is supposed to be healthy in reasonable amounts its part of the abs diet which a good book and much copied, my neighbours asked me about baked beans again today she makes pasta with beans and zucchini it must be nice because she is a very good cook and makes nice cakes and jam she gives to me, her husband who must be about 80 is crazy about the beans she is coming to lidl with me next time I hope they have them in stock, I have seen peanut butter somewhere could be the coop

Pica

"peanut butter is supposed to be healthy in reasonable amounts its part of the abs diet"- that makes me feel less guilty - thank you

Gio

I am also a big fan of peanut butter and spent some months searching and some months bringing it back from the U.K., like Marmite. But, I found peanut butter in a small supermarket in Cesi in the valley below Castiglione Messer Raimondo. The supermarket is called Todis (affectionately called Sod it in our house.) So...search no more Conniewalker.

Gio

ketch-up whats that ????


Made my own Tomato ketchup last year and it was loverly. Easy-peasy to make. It's just a boil up job more or less.

PAT M

Can you let us have the recipe when you have a moment Gio? Thanks

Pica

Molto grazie!! now I can sleep at nights (mostly)
Thank you Gio

Gio

Hi Pat M
Can't remember if I followed a recipe...but I think it was
6lb toms...
garlic..add or not add
Easiest way is to bake in oven cut in half with garlic and oil.
Remove before they brown and skin when cooled. I removed pips at this point too

Put in large pan with (not aliminium, though Delia says it's ok as long as it doesn't sit in it for long.
200ml Vinegar..I used white wine vinegar
3 large onion chopped small
1 green pepper (opt) cut small
100-150 gram sugar..I like brown sugar.
1- 1/2 tspn allspice
1-1/2 tspn mace
1-1 1/2 tspn mustard powder
5 cloves
1 bayleaf
Cayenne to your taste
salt to taste
Add all this to pan with lid and cook till reduced and mushy and thick about 15 mins but watch it cos it can stick and burn
You can blitz it in a processor or push through a sieve. I think I just bashed it with me rolling pin and potato masher cos I lived pretty under supplied with kitchen equipment early on.
Bottle
Leave for 3 months for best tasting, fingerlicking tom ketchup

Before and after pics

PAT M

Thank you so much Gio for taking the trouble to post the tomato ketchup recipe, it sounds delicious, I will give it a go. Have a nice weekend

Kind regards,

Pat