Showing posts with label gravy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gravy. Show all posts

Tuesday, 6 November 2012

Ode to a sausage / Poème pour une saucisse

Anyone who knows me well will also know that I love a good sausage. I know there are healthier, more exotic meats out there but I can't help it. There is just something about sausages that turns me on! 

Be it your humble New York hot dog, a spicy chorizo sausage or the traditional British Cumberland, they all make it onto my list of fave foods. Even veggie sausages make the cut: on a taste and texture level they aren't too bad, and they are undoubtedly much healthier than the animal equivalent.

One of the things I like about sausages is that you can do so many things with them. They go we with pretty much any vegetable, can be cooked in a variety of sauces (mustard, garlic, tomato, mushroom...) and are delicious when accompanied by fruits and sugary ingredients, making it the ideal meat to try out sweet and savoury dishes. I especially like adding a bit of honey to my sausage casseroles, as well as a chopped apple which helps to balance out what can otherwise be a salty dish.



In my opinion, nothing beats simple, however, when it comes to making a sublime sausage: good quality sausages roasted in the oven, some seasonal vegetables from the market. I chose sweet potatoes and brussel sprouts, but parnsips and turnips work well too. Top the lot off with some warm Bisto gravy and you have yourself a tasty winter supper. 



Greedy tip: Buy the best quality sausages you can afford. They will be less fatty, tastier, and healthier. It's better to eat good quality sausages once a month than budget quality every week. And vary the types: chipolata, merguez, garlic and herb...the possibilities are endless!


 

Thursday, 11 October 2012

Marmite please / Marmite, si vous plaît

I love my home country's cooking. British food is hearty, honest, and most of all tasty. There is something reassuring about it: you know you can't go wrong with a full English, even from the greasiest builder's cafe. 

Imagine my delight, therefore, when I came across 'La Perfide Albion', a little boutique in the quaint rue de l'Arc de Triomphe in Saintes run by Nathaniel Waugh. As well as running an ongoing English book swap (English books are ridiculously overpriced in France, actually all books are..) Nathaniel stocks a variety of imported English produce at prices that are much better than in the supermarkets. 

Here is today's shopping list: 


Marmite, Bisto original gravy granules, OXO vegetable cubes and some Tyrell's sweet chilli crisps. The essentials!