Foodlovers Foodtalk Forum
Show all posts by user
For Foodlovers to talk about recipes, cooking, and everything else foodie!
Re: hypothetical question - 6 years ago
Lol Vanessa, that reminds me of a story from a guy I did a food tour with in New York. He said one of his clients had lowered his voice confidentially and asked him whether he could score him some horse. The tour guy was shocked and said he wasn't a drug dealer. The guy who asked was shocked in his turn and said No, I really meant HORSE!. Yep, travel is my passion, my priority and the reason whyby CarolynC - Foodlovers Non-Foodie Chat
Re: hypothetical question - 6 years ago
I've been to both. I was astonished at how fantastic the food was in Mexico - way beyond my expectations. And although it might seem like it's more familiar, there are things to try there that will be unfamiliar to most people, which is fun. We ate corn fungus, ants' eggs and crickets, all of which are delicious, and were taught to make tortillas, which was fun. The markets were amazing too. (Thiby CarolynC - Foodlovers Non-Foodie Chat
Re: Black Vinegar - 6 years ago
Vanessa I'm yet another of those who bought it for one recipe and now has a nearly full bottle lying around, so I'm no expert, but I recall when trying it that it was a pretty strong flavour and might overwhelm a salad.by CarolynC - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: Butternut snap biscuits - 6 years ago
I love the description in the recipe of these as almost like a diet Anzac! Hahaha if only.by CarolynC - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: Best dressing gown for snuggly comfort? - 6 years ago
Hi Irene, I'm really sorry but it was last year and they don't have the same one now. As it's summer in the UK, it or something similar might reappear when the UK winter arrives. The link is: When I got mine it was free delivery for items over $30 but I see that's now gone up to $200.by CarolynC - Foodlovers Non-Foodie Chat
Re: Best dressing gown for snuggly comfort? - 6 years ago
My current one is my favourite one ever - I got it from Marks and Spencer online (free delivery!!!) and it's fleece on both sides. Snuggliest thing in the world! My local couriers are very familiar with the sight of it.by CarolynC - Foodlovers Non-Foodie Chat
Re: Eating Salmon. - 6 years ago
I eat fresh salmon at dinner but also eat canned wild-caught red salmon for lunch to keep up my Omega-3 intake. Farmed fresh salmon, the only kind of fresh we can get in NZ, has a higher fat content and usually a slightly higher Omega-3 content than wild salmon (but the wild is also a very good source of Omega-3). It's worth noting too that Consumer tested farmed salmon and found that a lot of iby CarolynC - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: Condensation on windows - 6 years ago
I have an HRV system and it's killed off window condensation completely, but my mother has terrible problems with her aluminium windows and she has just bought a Scoopy. She says it's good.by CarolynC - Foodlovers Non-Foodie Chat
Re: Microwave ideas - 6 years ago
Chris, here is my quince paste and jelly recipe. It's a bit terse but hopefully it's comprehensible. Cover as many quinces with water in a saucepan as will fit and boil for three hours. Do not drain. Remove peel and cores. Weigh the flesh, puree it, and add sugar in a 1:1 or 3/4:1 weight proportion (I use the 3/4 - that's the sugar not the quince). Microwave for approximately 40 minutes (fby CarolynC - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: Fast Slow cookers! - 6 years ago
Karen, I'm the opposite, as I've only used the slow cook function! I must try the pressure cooker. Although I haven't used it yet, I like the idea of the sear function too for pre-slow cooking.by CarolynC - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: Microwave ideas - 6 years ago
I don't tend to make whole meals in my microwave, but other than the scrambled eggs you mention, I find it's great for cooking rice and also pulses (it doesn't necessarily take any less time than using the stovetop but you don't have to hang around observing it). I also use it for making quince paste and quince jelly which is terrific as quince paste on the stovetop spits so much. I often use itby CarolynC - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: Takeaway Cups - 6 years ago
J1 totally agree - I'd rather have no coffee than drink it from a takeaway cup, and can't see the point of gulping it on the move anyway.by CarolynC - Foodlovers Non-Foodie Chat
Re: Takeaway Cups - 6 years ago
I saw a UK documentary about this recently - the UK throws away 2.5 billion cups a year. It's almost impossible to get your head around that number. It's a massive and massively difficult problem to deal with.by CarolynC - Foodlovers Non-Foodie Chat
Re: Describe your appearance - 6 years ago
Tall, long blonde hair, blue eyes (how boring, sounds like a passport application!)by CarolynC - Foodlovers Non-Foodie Chat
Re: Wedding foodie traditions - 6 years ago
Congratulations, Vanessa! We had a garden party so it was all finger food and I catered it myself. (Not actually on the day! But we were young and poor and the challenge also sounded fun.) I made a traditional fruit cake and had it professionally iced, but these days I would go for another flavour. Some people also brought things (arranged in advance) - my bridesmaid made trays and trays of her fby CarolynC - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: How do you make Apple crumble? - 6 years ago
Thanks for the recipe, Ingrid! I will definitely give it a go.by CarolynC - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: How do you make Apple crumble? - 6 years ago
I'm intrigued by your mum's technique, Ingrid! I use a high proportion of ground almonds in the topping and never add sugar to the fruit.by CarolynC - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: Mince on Toast - 6 years ago
I came here from the UK with my family as a very small child and we never had mince on toast. In fact I've still never eaten it. So I'd definitely agree it's not a UK thing!by CarolynC - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: Cannoli - 6 years ago
I'm no cannoli expert, but I agree with TPANDAV that the shells would be better fried - it's the crispness that makes them what they are in my book.by CarolynC - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: Cold, Warm or Hot Wash? - 6 years ago
I wash everything in cold except for sheets. In fact my machine would do cold only for a couple of years - I've only just got it fixed. I find it washes very well in cold water.by CarolynC - Foodlovers Non-Foodie Chat
Re: Chicken Breast Popularity - 6 years ago
I buy organic chicken breasts, which are a ridiculous price but are the only chicken that tastes of chicken. (I don't like the texture of chicken thighs). So for me it's chicken from choice, although we don't eat it often because of the price (instead we eat mostly fish and vegetarian). I love red meat but avoid it on the advice of my doctor and hardly ever cook it at home.by CarolynC - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: Unnecessary kitchen gadgets........... - 6 years ago
Although I make all my own bread (sourdough these days) I still get a lot of use out of my breadmaker as I use it to mix and knead the dough. My sourdough is quite artisany enough without me putting in the work.by CarolynC - Foodlovers Non-Foodie Chat
Re: Blue Cheese Salt - 6 years ago
Vanessa I haven't tried it, but I never feel bad about eating blue cheese. It's one of the fermented foods that are so good for the gut.by CarolynC - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: Berries in Smoothies - 6 years ago
I try to avoid food from China - especially after travelling to China! - but berries from NZ aren't available all year round so sometimes you have no choice. Berries are so good for you in other ways I'm prepared to take the risk, although it's easy for me to say as I've had the Hep A vaccination.by CarolynC - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: Low Fodmap etc... - 6 years ago
I really wish it was! I buy some for my mother too as she has IBS and she finds it amazing.by CarolynC - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: Breville Bench Top Oven - 6 years ago
Hi Wilma, when I bought mine they didn't offer an additional wire rack, but I don't think I would get one anyway as the oven does do different things well in different places. I actually use the bottom position for baking anyway - I only use the middle rack for toasting (bread and also nuts) or grilling larger things like chicken breasts. If I need more oven space I use my normal oven.by CarolynC - Foodlovers Non-Foodie Chat
Re: Electric Fry Pans. - 6 years ago
I've had no problems baking biscuits or anything else in it - it bakes more evenly than my big oven.by CarolynC - Foodlovers Non-Foodie Chat
Re: Low Fodmap etc... - 6 years ago
I react to onions (French onion soup! The worst!), but I now buy in Beano from the US which for me completely deals to any problem with beans or any veges. I wish they sold it here, but it's worth the cost to me to buy them on eBay as they've transformed my life. I used to bloat madly after every meal, especially with onions.by CarolynC - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: new baking craze: Succulent and Cactus Icing - 6 years ago
That's absolutely stunning, although I agree with Vanessa - for looking at only.by CarolynC - Foodlovers Food Talk