Economy Gastronomy - new budget cookery programme; BBC

Butterfly_Brain

just browsing the BBC website and discovered that there are only four programmes in the series!

newlywed

MrsBartolozzi wrote: »

Thanks so much!!:D
No, I think the instructions I have written are enough to manage with is the bran just half dry half wet?

Here's the recipe etc:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/carolsbranmuffins_91964.shtml

Lesley_Gaye

competitionscafe wrote: »

Not watched it yet but this new series on BBC 3 might be of interest:

Britain's kitchens are a disaster zone - we appear clueless when it comes to cookery. Instead of sitting down to a freshly-cooked meal around the dining table Brits are now more likely to sit down to a takeaway in front of the TV.

Each episode, he picks two virgin cooks from a household and places them in a seven-day head-to-head cookery competition which starts with him slashing their food budget.

I was looking forward to watching this as I like to watch people realise that they can make something delicious themselves and sometimes without spending loads, and to experience the joy of producing good food.

But this programme seems to be set up to make the participants look foolish and to stress them so much that they cry, preferably on camera.

It started off promisingly with a family who knew NOTHING about cooking, I think they would have struggled to make a sandwich. But then got the 2 participants to make macaroni cheese without any instructions and predictably enough, what they made looked disgusting. We already knew they couldn't cook!

Then it went on to 'test' them, without actually giving them a huge amount of help. The chef demonstrated quite tricky recipes for such beginners, then they were left to cook the dish on their own with just a recipe sheet.

I have been making pastry for many years and don't think of it as hard, but I know many people struggle with it and I had several sticky / dry messes when I was a beginner. So I think it was a bit much to expect such newbie cooks to make a steak and kidney pudding. They did very well in the circumstances.

Then they were put in a professional kitchen for a shift. No tears were forthcoming, but I got the distinct impression that the producers were after a complete over-stressed breakdown.

I will probably watch it again, but if the same thing is repeated, and I suspect it will, I won't bother after that.

Did anyone else see it, and if you did, what did you think? Am I being over critical / cynical?

thriftlady_2

Lesley_Gaye wrote: »

Did anyone else see it, and if you did, what did you think? Am I being over critical / cynical?

I didn't see it Lesley, and from your description I'm glad I didn't. That sort of telly just makes my stomach turn I'm afraid. I don't really like anything with 'reality' in it lol! Even this Economy Gastronomy is too much for me. I'd much rather have someone standing behind a table telling me how to do something -like Delia back in the days when cookery programmes came under the category of education not entertainment. It seems like we can't have simple any more, every programme has to have a gimmick.

I am a grumpy old woman I'm afraid:D

MrsE_2

Well got brave & ventured into the butchers.

I said I wanted 1.2 kg of lamb to stew/casserole (for Navrine of lamb).

He got out a shoulder said he would chop it for me & get rid of the bones & excess fat & it would make about 1.2 kg of lamb.

It actually made 1.6 kg & he charged me £12.00, is that good.

When I got home I decided to just do 0.8 kg, as otherwise I would be left with 0.4 kg, not enough to do much with & its only for 3 of us so I guessed 0.8 kg would be enough???

I put the other 0.8 kg in the freezer for next time.

Its cooking now.

But can I say the reason people are scared of the butchers is you can't go in & know how much you are spending. I asked for 1.2 kg & ended up having to buy 1.6 kg

As it will do 2 goes its not bad actually at £6 a meal, but its a common thing with butchers, that you get served more than you asked for:rolleyes:

thriftlady_2

MrsE wrote: »

As it will do 2 goes its not bad actually at £6 a meal, but its a common thing with butchers, that you get served more than you asked for:rolleyes:

Could you not have said 'no, that's too much, I only want 1.2kg, can you put some back please?'. It's what I do

helyg

MrsE wrote: »

But can I say the reason people are scared of the butchers is you can't go in & know how much you are spending. I asked for 1.2 kg & ended up having to buy 1.6 kg

When I go into the butchers I sometimes ask for a price amount of something, eg £3 worth of mince, rather than by weight. Same with sausages, I never ask by weight I always ask for 6 sausages. If you ask for a weight and they weigh out more than you asked for you can always ask them for a bit less. They should display a weight per kg next to anything on display, so you can work out roughly then how much it will cost.

Well done for being brave though! :T

helyg

thriftlady wrote: »

Could you not have said 'no, that's too much, I only want 1.2kg, can you put some back please?'. It's what I do

Me too. Butcher probably thinks I'm really tight... :rotfl:

MrsE_2

thriftlady wrote: »

Could you not have said 'no, that's too much, I only want 1.2kg, can you put some back please?'. It's what I do

He had already priced & cut it.

ninky_2

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

just browsing the BBC website and discovered that there are only four programmes in the series!

don't think the ratings were great.....