Please note that on Ciao, I'll be spending sundays as my reading and rating day - the site is so s...
Please note that on Ciao, I'll be spending sundays as my reading and rating day - the site is so slow generally that the only way to avid meltdown is to do it all at once!
Member since:26.05.2004
Reviews:303
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I have never mastered the art of making gravy from scratch. Don't get me wrong, I can do it if I'm actually following a recipe in a book, but make me rely on my own skills and I always seem to get some thin, oily, flavourless slop Gravy is just one of those things I'm no good at .
Lucky for me then that I don't have to be good at it - there are various instant gravies available, the best known brand being Bisto, which has been around since 1908. They have a variety of flavours, - chicken, lamb, vegetable (as well as doing a white sauce) but my particular favourite is beef .
Making this is incredibly simple, simply put 4 heaped teaspoons of these dull grey looking granules into a job, and add half a pint of boiling water , and stir well. Watch as the dull looking granules dissolve to produce a glossy looking deep brown gravy .It will seem a little thin at first, but after a minute or two, it will start to thicken up nicely, and this is plenty of gravy to serve 3 or four people .
You can, alternatively, add the granules to cold water on the hob and slowly bring to the boil stirring, but who wants the extra hassle!
The gravy itself is lovely - not too thick, and with a mild beef flavour - nothing too overpowering, and I will confess to having used this gravy with other meats without anyone commenting. I've never had any lumps in it, and it doesn't go all 'skinny' too quickly after making. I've occasioanally added a little slug of warmed red wine into it to give it a little extra kick, and that's worked out yummy too, as is added some lightly fried onions. Probably my only criticism of the product is that it can be a little salty, and also that sometimes it leaves my mouth feeling slightly greasy .
However, being a premium brand it is a little more expensive than other brands on the market - my big red 300g container cost me £1.70 from my corner shop (it would probably be cheaper in a major supermarket)
Overall, I love this gravy - it's easy, it's fast, and it tastes good! 4 Stars!
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(+) Tasty and versatile, it can be added to a wide range of meals to give it a kick! (-) I wish they sold the bottle sizes that they have in the restaurants!
Oct 1st, 2009
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