Just writing in my spare time ...If I ever get any!...Ciao has completely changed since I last wrote...
Just writing in my spare time ...If I ever get any!...Ciao has completely changed since I last wrote a review....hmmm..? need to figure it all out.... soon be CHRISTMAS YAY!!!
Member since:25.04.2003
Reviews:56
Members who trust:22
TESCO VALUE GRAVY
I think it's quite likely that most people have a tub or packet of instant gravy or stock cubes etc lurking in the food cupboard somewhere. Perhaps in some homes only to make an appearance once or twice a week with the sunday roast or perhaps with a dinner such as Bangers and mash..
Well ..a couple of shops ago while picking my online order at tesco.com ,I had finished the shop all except going through check out when I remembered that I had run out of gravy during the week. So I thought i'd add some quick but seeing as I always shop to an exact budget and an average price for 200ml of instant gravy can be around 0.70p to just over £1.00 ,It was looking like I might have to take out one of my smaller items to free up some change for the gravy ... However as I am one of those who doesn't usually make gravy anymore then twice a week, if that, and having about 0.50p already free I thought I'd see how
much Tesco's Value Gravy was . It was 032p so I added it to the trolley and went to checkout.
Making the Gravy
Making the Gravy is pretty standard just how you'd make up an instant bisto or other brand.
The instructions for preparation is: place 4 or 5 heaped teaspoons in a measuring jug and make up to 280 ml /half a pint.
My experience preparing the gravy
While preparing I noticed that this gravy is so easy to mess up . You need to start mixing it as soon as the first drop of boiling water hits the granules. The first lot I made was just way to lumpy. The next lot I made turned out almost with no lumps. I think if you mix a smaller amount of hot water very quickly into the granules first (similar to when you prepare instant custard) it makes kind of a paste which helps eliminate the lumps when you add the rest of the water.
The taste of the gravy
Now on this particular tasting that i'm writing about I had made a roast dinner 'of sorts' The dinner consisted of homemade yorkshire puddings (which were particularly flat that day!) ,sausages.homemade roast potatoes and some Vegatables. (please see pictures)
I added the gravy, as I would usually for a dinner such as this and then my son and I sat down to eat. At first I thought it tasted ok but as I had added quite a lot of gravy to the dinner, I noticed more and more as I ate that it was pretty bland. I was quite surprised, as when it was in the tub in its dried form it smelt quite all right. Although I did manage to eat all of the dinner without the gravy spoiling it to much overall, it did kind of leave a lingering after taste.Looking at the ingredients I noted that potato starch is listed first and then vegatable oil and then salt followed by wheat flour and also listed was onion seasoning . Now if you can imagine draining some salty boiled potato's water/stock and using that as the base for some gravy then adding vegatable oil ,salt and then onion flavouring oh and not forgetting colour(plain caramel) and all the additives and anti caking agents etc you can probably well imagine for yourself what the gravy would taste like. It really did taste a lot like salty potato stock.
so for taste I'd say this would get 2/10 perhaps 3/10 because of its low price.
Would I recommend it?
With most things it's all down to personal taste whether one will like something and if you are anything like me -sometimes down to budget. However as on this occasion the gravy just about got away with doing its job (as a VERY temporary substitute at least) and as it is very cheap I wouldn't NOT recommend it. I will however say that me personally-I will always buy a different product to this one whenever funds are available (which if I can help it will be EVERY time from now on!)
I buy tesco own if I need to. I havent tried the value product but if you are stuck again tesco own is about 80p I think. Tastes a lot better than potato stock:) C
Oct 9th, 2009
exceptional by (7%):
very helpful by (93%):
