This is one reason why Old Stylers cook meals from scratch and avoid ready meals!

thriftlady_2

I read that article too and exactly the same thoughts ran through my head. More money, more wasteful packaging and less taste. I just don't get it

TKP_3

I once made a banoffee pie for our dance group (HM of course), and everyone commented on how real the banana flavouring was. I then pointed out that it was REAL bananas.
They were shocked - banoffee pie with REAL bananas? What a revolution...
Now my banoffee pie is requested at all "bring a plate" events.

Justamum

TKP wrote:

I once made a banoffee pie for our dance group (HM of course), and everyone commented on how real the banana flavouring was. I then pointed out that it was REAL bananas.
They were shocked - banoffee pie with REAL bananas? What a revolution...
Now my banoffee pie is requested at all "bring a plate" events.

Presumably the people at your dance group are not used to home-made.

Many years ago I saw a recipe for banoffee pie and thought it sounded really nice, so I made one - and it was really nice! The rest of my family thought it looked a bit too sweet and sickly for them so I ended up eating it all by myself Not all in one day I hasten to add - it took me a couple of days to eat it all! :rotfl:

LJM

i love hm puddings especially since they cost so much less than prepacked

shell2001

I too love making HM puddings, cakes and biscuits - unfortunatley I LOVE eating them too!

THIRZAH

Shirley Goode's recipe for Sticky Toffee pudding which she posted in her Blog sometime early in December is really good-and it freezes.

She's recently posted a recipe for Bakewell pudding-the real thing like they make in Bakewell- but I haven't tried it yet.

nodwah

I got that mag too and it's funny that a lot of the premiums brands like M&S come out badly in the taste tests. My Dh bought a lemon merengue pie from Asda the other day and it tasted like pure chemicals with shaving foam on top - disgusting and it's such an easy thing to make (I confess to using ready made pastry!)

competitionscafe

To be fair there were a few which they liked - the following got 5 stars (the maximum):

Sticky toffee pudding
Gü: "Tastes fantastic."

Chocolate mousse
Gü: cheeky & saucy little pots aü chocolat, "Fab."

Chocolate cake
M&S chocolate fudge cake: "Moist sponge with just the right amount of topping."

Set desserts:
Sainsbury's crème brûlées: "looks good"

Custard:
The Real Eating Company fresh vanilla custard: "Good classic."
M&S luxury thick and creamy custard: "nice and thick. Lovely."

Fruit salad
M&S layered rainbow salad: "looks absolutely lovely. Tastes great too"

Still prefer homemade though [twice as nice and half the price]:) (although I would buy M&S custard - had it before and it is good) especially for an 'instant' dessert (bananas and custard, yum!)

Quite a short list of 5 star ratings from the long list of products they tried and some categories did not have a 5 star product, eg: rice pudding, the best one was only 2/5! Rice pudding, fruit salad etc is so easy to make as well and homemade is always better and cheaper.

nodwah, I have had that lemon meringue pie from Asda (I did not buy it and had to be polite and eat it at a friends house) - your description "tasted like pure chemicals with shaving foam on top - disgusting" is very accurate!!

lil_me

TKP any chance in the recipe for banoffee pie, been trying to use up a huge amount of bananas!


Eating them is my downfall, made banana & coconut muffins tonight and 2 have evaporated already!

*zippy*

I would love the banoffi pie recipe too please thanks :0)