Branded goods(share our tips!)...

First topic message reminder :

Often with food I do enjoy the more expensive brands, but I find that with things like Paracetamol , Ibuprofen and in the past even tabs for the Chris Rea are just as effective as the much more expensive brands Imodium ....

The very same cheaper brand like Boots or Lloyds own are often half the price and contain the very same ingredient ....2mg Loperamide Hydrochloride....

Pass on your tips of what is just as good or better for less folks...


I'm not trying to turn this into Supermarket Sweep you know!!



But lets all share our tips!

Cass wrote:

Nems wrote:

Morrisons sell Barefoot here Its nice and about £4.99 to £5.99

Sounds about right. I like their whites, white zinfandel and their bubblies....their reds go into my gluhwein at Xmas otherwise I don't drink them (migraines). They sell a 4 pack here of mini chardonnay bottles so I always pick some up cause its good for cooking. Forgot yes I get the reds too for roast lamb or beef in slow cooler - yum

I usually use a red plonk for the slow cooker. Not that I use mine enough. Never know what to do in it really   

Nems wrote:

Cass wrote:

Sounds about right. I like their whites, white zinfandel and their bubblies....their reds go into my gluhwein at Xmas otherwise I don't drink them (migraines). They sell a 4 pack here of mini chardonnay bottles so I always pick some up cause its good for cooking. Forgot yes I get the reds too for roast lamb or beef in slow cooler - yum

I usually use a red plonk for the slow cooker. Not that I use mine enough. Never know what to do in it really   

Slow cooler??? Oh God. I will pull together a few for pork beef and chikin and get them to you. X

Cass wrote:

Nems wrote:

I usually use a red plonk for the slow cooker. Not that I use mine enough. Never know what to do in it really   

Slow cooler??? Oh God. I will pull together a few for pork beef and chikin and get them to you. X

Cheers flower
I tell you what you can do - one for pulled pork
I cant do that at all it ended up like a slightly charred pebble   

I know you are a great cook so Im hoping to pick up some tips, failing that you are going to have to adopt us all including deranged muttlet!   

Lone Wolf wrote:

Ben_Reilly wrote:....................................

There are some truths in beverage consumption -- I.E., the best coffee beans come from Indonesia (defy me anyone, I dare you)... 

 

THE BEST coffee that tends to land down here seems to come from central and South America ~ particularly Columbia, Chile, Ecuador; while that Arabica crap from anywhere in Africa tends to be the cheap rubbish that occasionally puts that rubbish bitter edge into some blends..

BESIDES which, much of that out of Africa is from unfair trade/"blood" exploitation crops.

SOME coffee is grown up in Queensland, but that is sold as a premier 'top shelf' product here..

EVEN though Indonesia is only "next door" to Oz, you would have to go hunting to find anything in the food lines around here ~ the agricultural traffic tends to be mostly the other way; where the Indonesians buy a lot of food, minerals and other commodities from here, and send back petroleum, timber, clothes, and some specialist fruit, vege's and sauces...   

WOULDN'T surprise me also, if much of the coffee coming down here from Indonesia and New Guinea ends up being mixed into "blends" down here..  

That's a crying shame, you should have access not only to a broader variety of Indonesian coffee, it should be cheaper than over here!

In our Co-OP we get six pint of milk for £1.99, how much would six pints cost you guys in the US and Oz then?

Joy Division wrote:In our Co-OP we get six pint of milk for £1.99, how much would six pints cost you guys in the US and Oz then?

Hmmm.....depends on whether or not there's an offer on....normally $2.47 a gallon but can have offers on for $1.99 - I get a 1%.....I admit I don't drink a lot of milk but I do eat cheese.

Nems wrote:

Cass wrote:

Slow cooler??? Oh God. I will pull together a few for pork beef and chikin and get them to you. X

Cheers flower
I tell you what you can do - one for pulled pork
I cant do that at all it ended up like a slightly charred pebble   

I know you are a great cook so Im hoping to pick up some tips, failing that you are going to have to adopt us all including deranged muttlet!   

Ok got it. Let me root around and I will send them to you tomorrow evening my time probably - lates again! Gonna try a Hawaiian short ribs this week for first time x

Cass wrote:

Nems wrote:

Cheers flower
I tell you what you can do - one for pulled pork
I cant do that at all it ended up like a slightly charred pebble   

I know you are a great cook so Im hoping to pick up some tips, failing that you are going to have to adopt us all including deranged muttlet!   

Ok got it. Let me root around and I will send them to you tomorrow evening my time probably - lates again! Gonna try a Hawaiian short ribs this week for first time x

Ooh that sounds yummy  ::D:: 

Cass wrote:

Nems wrote:

Cheers flower
I tell you what you can do - one for pulled pork
I cant do that at all it ended up like a slightly charred pebble   

I know you are a great cook so Im hoping to pick up some tips, failing that you are going to have to adopt us all including deranged muttlet!   

Ok got it. Let me root around and I will send them to you tomorrow evening my time probably - lates again! Gonna try a Hawaiian short ribs this week for first time x

There's more than Nems interested in this, so no pressure. :asboredas:

Stephenmarra wrote:

Cass wrote:

Ok got it. Let me root around and I will send them to you tomorrow evening my time probably - lates again! Gonna try a Hawaiian short ribs this week for first time x

There's more than Nems interested in this, so no pressure. :asboredas:

What kind do you want?

Cass wrote:

Stephenmarra wrote:

There's more than Nems interested in this, so no pressure. :asboredas:

What kind do you want?

Something that can be thrown  in to one pot and  left to it's own devices  but come out looking as if a competent  cook has produced it. As I say, no pressure.  ::D::

Stephenmarra wrote:

Cass wrote:

What kind do you want?

Something that can be thrown  in to one pot and  left to it's own devices  but come out looking as if a competent  cook has produced it. As I say, no pressure.  ::D::

Got it. Again same as nems sometime tomorrow night probably.

Stephenmarra wrote:

Cass wrote:

What kind do you want?

Something that can be thrown  in to one pot and  left to it's own devices  but come out looking as if a competent  cook has produced it. As I say, no pressure.  ::D::

And me and me   

Stephenmarra wrote:

Cass wrote:

What kind do you want?

Something that can be thrown  in to one pot and  left to it's own devices  but come out looking as if a competent  cook has produced it. As I say, no pressure.  ::D::

thats it exactly   

Nems wrote:

Stephenmarra wrote:
Something that can be thrown  in to one pot and  left to it's own devices  but come out looking as if a competent  cook has produced it. As I say, no pressure.  ::D::

thats it exactly   

      
Christ ! We're agreeing again !      

Stephenmarra wrote:

Nems wrote:

thats it exactly   

      
Christ ! We're agreeing again !      

  
people will talk!
  

Nems wrote:

Stephenmarra wrote:

      
Christ ! We're agreeing again !      

  
people will talk!
  

 ::smthg::

Joy Division wrote:

eddie wrote:I'm a snob when it comes to some things and I love Branston beans the best, Heinz are nasty though, and shop-branded ones are hard.

I love Lidl mushrooms!! Yes there IS a difference between each stores's mushrooms and as a raw-mushroom connoisseur, I know what I'm talking about.

I've just started trying Lidl's stuff, but like Harvesmom said, I'm a bit   with the weird names and not sure what I'm buying.....

Never tried Aldi properly, went there once and was rather put off by the odd layout and warehouse-type feel of the place...not to mention garden soil sold next to milk which was next to tins of prunes which were next to stuffed toys.... I was a bit  :asbluras:

Yeah I'm quite the same Eds, I do like a fair bit of my food to be brands, but there are some things as good as others even in that dept...

One thing I don't eat thogh are eggs, well beef too...a chef I picked up in my cab a few years back told me about the value eggs and how the hens are fed scraps of fish rather than corn like some other hens , he said as a result the value eggs smell of fish, I put this too the test while shopping one evening, I sniffed the value eggs and there was something a bit fishy!  

HAHAHAHAHA.fishy eggs! I'll have to look out for those   

eddie wrote:

Joy Division wrote:


Yeah I'm quite the same Eds, I do like a fair bit of my food to be brands, but there are some things as good as others even in that dept...

One thing I don't eat thogh are eggs, well beef too...a chef I picked up in my cab a few years back told me about the value eggs and how the hens are fed scraps of fish rather than corn like some other hens , he said as a result the value eggs smell of fish, I put this too the test while shopping one evening, I sniffed the value eggs and there was something a bit fishy!  

HAHAHAHAHA.fishy eggs! I'll have to look out for those   

Eds, it's true!!!!!!!!!!!

If that chef bloke hadn't told me this I would be nine the wiser on the matter, and had I ever sniffed them I would think I was probably imagining the fish smell!!

For the people who asked ya'll got mail

Cass wrote:For the people who asked ya'll got mail

Thnks for the gorgeous pics!
Will reply properly at the weekend ( in between cooking of course   

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Cass wrote:Somethings just aren't worth skipping on.....toilet paper springs to mind along with kitchen roll and laundry detergent and fabric conditioner.....generic over the counter meds, cookies, cereal, juices are all good as well as generic cat litter.

Beans means Heinz for this gal and I always splurge on olive oil, good meat, cheese and bread.

Ooh -- and coffee, never skimp on coffee. It's worth the price to drink good coffee and good alcohol

I make white chocolate mochas at home using Catre Noir coffee with whipped cream and milk and sugar and it's not like coffee by the time I've finished,it's a dessert  

think of the calories....

victorisnotamused wrote:think of the calories....

Why? They never think of me....

Joy Division wrote:In our Co-OP we get six pint of milk for £1.99, how much would six pints cost you guys in the US and Oz then?

2L is $2 for economy and up to $4 for a premium brand

2L is a bit over 4 pints.

$1.80 =  £1

victorisnotamused wrote:think of the calories....

I can make a pretty nice sweetened cappucino that comes in just over 100 calories and gives you a real jolt

Regarding milk prices -- we buy by the gallon in the U.S. with our b.s. empirical system, but a gallon is nearly two liters. I pay about $3.50 for organic whole milk (store brand).

Correction -- that's about a half-gallon actually, just under one liter.

Groceries are really expensive at the moment.
I like Millicano coffee and it's nearly £4 for a smallish tin.

There has been a dramatic rise in the price of food over the last few years. Staples like pasta, potatoes, rice etc are just stupidly over-priced!

US. 1gallon= 3.78 Litres.

UK. 1gallon = 4.54 Litres.

Phillipa wrote:

US.  1gallon= 3.78 Litres.

 UK. 1gallon = 4.54 Litres.

Hello.

You haven't really introduced yourself, do we know you from anywhere else?

Phillipa wrote:

US.  1gallon= 3.78 Litres.

 UK. 1gallon = 4.54 Litres.

Are you a fan of Right Said Fred, that band from the 90's?   

victorisnotamused wrote:think of the calories....

I'm past that point

  

Catman wrote:

Phillipa wrote:

US.  1gallon= 3.78 Litres.

 UK. 1gallon = 4.54 Litres.

Are you a fan of Right Said Fred, that band from the 90's?   

The first single I ever bought was Deeply Dippy by Right Said Fred but I was very young   

FluffyBunny wrote:

Catman wrote:

Are you a fan of Right Said Fred, that band from the 90's?   

The first single I ever bought was Deeply Dippy by Right Said Fred but I was very young   

Alright said Fred is deeply dippy, that's for sure!   

Remember Kwik save and their own ' No Frills' brand ?..

I used to see people,carrying about 50 of the fucker bags at once!

eddie wrote:Groceries are really expensive at the moment.
I like Millicano coffee and it's nearly £4 for a smallish tin.

There has been a dramatic rise in the price of food over the last few years. Staples like pasta, potatoes, rice etc are just stupidly over-priced!

ummm...no actually eddie....they are not...what has happened is that the "food bubble" has burst. for many years now food has been priced well below its "reasonable level"

and now the real truth is hitting home...

how to tell....

find out how much a loaf of bread was in say 1900
THEN find out how long your grandfather had to work to earn the money for that loaf

now how long do YOU have to work to buy a loaf at present day prices......??

victorisnotamused wrote:

eddie wrote:Groceries are really expensive at the moment.
I like Millicano coffee and it's nearly £4 for a smallish tin.

There has been a dramatic rise in the price of food over the last few years. Staples like pasta, potatoes, rice etc are just stupidly over-priced!

ummm...no actually eddie....they are not...what has happened is that the "food bubble" has burst. for many years now food has been priced well below its "reasonable level"

and now the real truth is hitting home...

how to tell....

find out how much a loaf of bread was in say 1900
THEN find out how long your grandfather had to work to earn the money for that loaf

now how long do YOU have to work to buy a loaf at present day prices......??

...I thought you got rock bottom prices by hunting your food Victor   

Joy Division wrote:

victorisnotamused wrote:

ummm...no actually eddie....they are not...what has happened is that the "food bubble" has burst. for many years now food has been priced well below its "reasonable level"

and now the real truth is hitting home...

how to tell....

find out how much a loaf of bread was in say 1900
THEN find out how long your grandfather had to work to earn the money for that loaf

now how long do YOU have to work to buy a loaf at present day prices......??

...I thought you got rock bottom prices by hunting your food Victor   

Its rather difficult "hunting " loaves of bread....there dont seem to be many nests of them around.
and even if you do find em, theres no sport in it...they just sit there waiting to be shot.....

Seriously..I recon i save about 20 quid a week on meat by shooting JD....what with what I eat, and what I "exchange" at the butchers....He cant get enough rabbits ......

victorisnotamused wrote:Seriously..I recon i save about 20 quid a week on meat by shooting JD....what with what I eat, and what I "exchange" at the butchers....He cant get enough rabbits ......

I don't like them getting killed Vic, but that's another matter, I won't try to tell you what to do!!..

But I'm glad you are making a decent saving Victor, of it's not you it will be someone else hunting them anyway I guess, at least the shooting is quick if delivered on target.

I myself could never hunt an animal and kill it though Vic

Well JD, everyone is different...to some they are "fluffy bunnies" to others they are a serious agricultural pest (and they are)

Dont get me wrong...I dont go around wantonly blasting everything I see...firstly there are strict rules and secondly there are self imposed rules...i dont hunt rabbits during early spring...because of the young...
I dont shoot fox at this time..for the same reason....even though the law allows...

as for delivered on target...

I usually use a rifle for rabbit...I can hit a 2 p sized target at a good distance consistantly...
at 30 yards..I can put 5 rounds through the same hole

SO...I head shoot rabbits....NEVER had a wounded one yet...why...because I DONT take the shot, UNLESS I am 100% certain of hitting correctly....and that includes all sorts of considerations...like grass in the way (which can and does deflect a bullet) like excess cross wind....etc etc... even IF i wounded one..it would be so badly injured it couldnt run...and I would be straight to it to finish it...or give it a second shot...

If I'm out with the shot gum I have a trained dog to retrieve anything shot..even if its a runner...and Then i will finish it...but again been lucky I guess...never had a runner...because I dont go for long range targets...35 yards max for me...and at that range there are few survivors with the right cartridge

I might be a "bad man" for killing my dinner. But I'm not going to compound it with being an even worse man by allowing it to suffer.........

victorisnotamused wrote:

Joy Division wrote:

victorisnotamused wrote:

ummm...no actually eddie....they are not...what has happened is that the "food bubble" has burst. for many years now food has been priced well below its "reasonable level"

and now the real truth is hitting home...

how to tell....

find out how much a loaf of bread was in say 1900
THEN find out how long your grandfather had to work to earn the money for that loaf

now how long do YOU have to work to buy a loaf at present day prices......??

...I thought you got rock bottom prices by hunting your food Victor   

Its rather difficult "hunting " loaves of bread....there dont seem to be many nests of them around.
and even if you do find em, theres no sport in it...they just sit there waiting to be shot.....

SO you Only have farmed Bread?   

veya_victaous wrote:

victorisnotamused wrote:

Its rather difficult "hunting " loaves of bread....there dont seem to be many nests of them around.
and even if you do find em, theres no sport in it...they just sit there waiting to be shot.....

SO you Only have farmed Bread?