2024.11.30

[lsanderson]

The Observer
Food
The new foodie rules: bring me a bottle of olive oil, and for God’s sake don’t follow a recipe
As a Waitrose report reveals that high-end, beautifully packaged groceries are the must-have gift, a food-lover heartily applauds the new trend
Giulia Crouch
https://www.theguardian.com/food/2024/nov/30/new-foodie-rules-waitrose-report

The new vegan
Vegan food and drink
Meera Sodha’s vegan recipe for a giant mushroom and pearl barley ‘sausage’ roll
Classic condiments combine for a delicious vegan main that will more than hold its own on the Christmas table
Meera Sodha
https://www.theguardian.com/food/2024/nov/30/vegan-sausage-roll-recipe-giant-mushroom-pearl-barley-meera-sodha

Yotam Ottolenghi recipes
Christmas food and drink
Yotam Ottolenghi’s Christmas feast: trout rillettes, leek nut-roast tatin, guanciale potatoes and pistachio bombe
An alternative festive spread: a starter to make ahead in minutes, a showstopping vegetarian main, Scandi-inspired spuds and salty-sweet ice-cream doused in boozy caramel
Yotam Ottolenghi
https://www.theguardian.com/food/2024/nov/30/trout-rillettes-leek-nut-roast-tatin-guanciale-potatoes-pistachio-bombe-christmas-feast-recipes-yotam-ottolenghi

Christmas food and drink
Chorizo parsnips, spicy roast potatoes and three-green gratin: Rosie Mackean’s alternative Christmas sides – recipes
Don’t plump for the same old trimmings this year; shake things up with these stellar side dishes
Rosie Mackean
https://www.theguardian.com/food/2024/nov/30/chorizo-parsnips-spicy-roast-potatoes-three-green-gratin-alternative-christmas-sides-recipes-rosie-mackean

The Observer
The Great British Bake Off
Interview
‘The Jack Sparrow of baking’: Bake Off’s breakout star Dylan Bachelet on fame, fans and life outside the tent
Michael Hogan
The ‘pirate of pastry’ says he is unfazed about his newfound sex-symbol status and still has a lot to learn
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2024/nov/30/bake-off-dylan-bachelet-breakout-star

Inside the restored Notre Dame Cathedral – in pictures
First look at the Gothic building, which has been undergoing extensive restoration work since a devastating fire in 2019. The French president has praised the reconstruction effort during a visit to the cathedral just days before its official reopening
Notre Dame reopening offers ‘shock of hope’, says Emmanuel Macron
Matt Fidler
https://www.theguardian.com/world/gallery/2024/nov/29/inside-the-restored-notre-dame-cathedral-in-pictures

Turkey Gravy sekrit recipe: Separate the fat from the drippings using your favorite method. Put the drippings back in the roaster, scrape off any brown bits, and bring to a simmer/boil. Heat the fat in a saucepan to drive off any water/liquid. Add either flour or glutinous rice (naturally gluten-free) flour to the fat and cook the roux until the flour/rice flour is cooked. Stir the roux into the drippings. Season to taste. If you add too much roux like I did this year, thin with chicken stock. If you don't have enough roux, thicken with cornstarch. Strain or blend if necessary or desired.

Comments

[carbonel]

Thanksgiving at my brother and SIL's this year. She doesn't make gravy. I was told if I wanted gravy, I was welcome to make it myself. I've never done that and always viewed it as rather an arcane skill. But I googled recipes and settled on Betty Crocker's. And it worked! The gravy thickened just as it ought and tasted like proper gravy.

[lsanderson]

Excellent. It's not rocket science, but it usually gets thrown together at the last minute. We had two people who had to have no gluten, so most of the usual recipes went out the window. Starches work, but they don't usually reheat gracefully.