The Great 'Posh Nosh For No Dosh' Hunt

Somerled

Having drunk champagne on Christmas day its all very nice but much prefer a good bottle of claret or port.

One way to impress is to do your homework weeks ahead by buying, second hand if possible, a variety of decanters or carafes. As we all know wine when aerated improves the flavour of some wines - so it is possible to pass off a £4* bottle of wine when in a decanter for someting much more expensive, i.e. £10 -£15.

Or be cheeky and accidently on purpose put a few bits of sediment in the decanter and say your hand slipped i.e. especially with port.

Either way pouring wine from a decanter is much more civilised, dare I say regal than from a bottle - it shouts "I'm beyond the label show-off brigade"

* OK I meant to say £2, 3 or 4 but didnt want to seem to much of a cheap skate.

Bargain_Rzl

catowen wrote:

Tescos also do this, as long as they sell the product, they will accept the voucher without you buying the item.

I think Tesco's only do it up to a certain % of your total spend, whereas Waitrose is unlimited and is also "posher" - the meat is certainly much higher quality.

angelavdavis

Somerled wrote:

One way to impress is to do your homework weeks ahead by buying, second hand if possible, a variety of decanters or carafes. As we all know wine when aerated improves the flavour of some wines - so it is possible to pass off a £4* bottle of wine when in a decanter for someting much more expensive, i.e. £10 -£15.

Or be cheeky and accidently on purpose put a few bits of sediment in the decanter and say your hand slipped i.e. especially with port.

Either way pouring wine from a decanter is much more civilised, dare I say regal than from a bottle - it shouts "I'm beyond the label show-off brigade"

I completely agree - backing up the presentation counts message, my in-laws were dead impressed when the red wine and spirits were served up in decanters.

I also managed to get some stainless steel hanging labels for the spirit decanters in the post-Christmas sale in BHS one year so when we have company, I add a little spirit in each decanter ready to serve everyone! No one wonders what spirit it is - even if its actually Lidl's own gin! I also serve tonic in a small portion glass jug (saw this done once at a hotel) and obviously, always with a slice of lemon and ice. The whole routine makes people feel special and really looked after! OK its a bit more washing up, but its only a couple of times a year!

My decanters came from my auntie's house - she was a real horder! Although they looked dated when empty and dusty, once given a good clean and polish up, they look fab sat together on a round stainless steel tray on the side board. My Mum thought I was barmy when I said I would take them - she's dead impressed now though!

mayb_2

We have a Waitrose just opened in our area and most of the contents are just too expensive for my budget. However, when they reduce they really do reduce not just a couple of pence off of a piece of green looking meat or smelly fish. They also have some good prices on special offers too. So worth a look now and then- their reduced stuff is in the same place as the full price stuff too so no rumaging around with 30 other people all trying to grab a bargain,

Larumbelle

Waitrose will always have a dear place in my heart. When I was 16 and living in a hostel I used to raid their skips. I got caught one time - the manager phoned the police. Then he realised what I was doing a took me inside. Sat me down, asked me how on earth I got into this state. He made arrangements for me to collect some food at the end of each evening and even got me a job through a friend at woolies a few weeks later. It makes my blood run cold when I think where I'd be now if it wasn't for him. I'd never be able to afford to shop there, but if I go somewhere that's got a waitrose I always try to go in and buy something.

Anyway, where was I? Oh, posh nosh.

Chestnuts are all around and free! Plus you can use them in loads of recipes to jazz them up. I put them in potato and veg bakes and stuffing as well as sweet dishes.

When I buy cheap(ish) sausagemeat I put a little (shhhhh) black pudding in. This costs hardly anything but gives it a depth of flavour that you'd never get any other way, short of breeding, slaughtering and mincing your own pig, Gorden Ramsay or H F-W stylee. People assume you've bought the really expensive stuff. I just never tell people what the 'special' ingredient is. People can be so selectively squeamish. I shudder what goes into some cheapo sausages, blood is the least worry. And... what do they think steak is made from, red food dye?

I jazz up veg with dressings. Sesame seeds and butter, cumin seed or honey and mustard all work with carrot, for example. It makes something simple seem luxurious and people assume its taken a long time to cook.

Mini roast potatoes with a little cream cheese make really nice canapes that are well, cheap as chips.

Buy the cheapo spirits at tesco or lidl and put it through a britas water filter. Put back into a nice bottle if you have one and into the freezer until you are ready to use it. It tastes as nice as the premium stuff. Or, melt sweets or cordials into it while its in the freezer. You can't do this with the Asda smartprice stuff, it doesn't freeze. I think it really just driniking alcohol with flavouring.

organic_wanabe

Thanks for telling us that Silvercharming. It really made me stop and think. I had a great experience in The Link this morning with a member of staff being really helpful. OK it didn't change my life but wouldn't the World be a better place if we could all be a bit more thoughtful and kind. For the first time this year I feel quite Christmassy. BTW I love Waitrose - didn't realise that they took money-off vouchers indiscriminately, must start saving them up.

Anyway, back to the subject. Ages ago I bought a stove top coffee maker in TKMaxx (Bialetti) - I now have 3 in different sizes. Anyway it makes great coffee (better that Starbucks) for a fraction of the cost and only takes about 3 minutes (just enough time for the milk to heat up in the microwave, unless you are serving expresso of course) . Friends are always popping in for coffee and they used to think I had a very expensive coffee machine

Sarahsaver

I only drink ground coffee which people think is so posh but actually it's cheaper than the instant cack.

Somerfield have got pink Cava for £4.99 at the mo.;)

Waitrose RTC things are usually fantastic value.

Sarahsaver

it posted me twice :eek: sorry

lynzpower

In tescos yesterday there was literally LOADS of those party food trays, mini pizzas/ bacon & sausage rolls/ pates the lot.

Im not a huge fan of these things but there were a lot there and perfect for entertaining and they were all yellow labelled to about a third of the normal price.

bonnie_2

I got loads in asda on fri, lynz for 40p a packet selll by date 15th but if you stick them in the freezer and get out and cook later they will be ok for about a month in there.