Nuts....

First topic message reminder :

I have been told to lower my cholesterol by the doctor here.  I already have a low cholesterol diet and have done for years and eat mainly fish and chicken.   I have been sent a link to a BBC programme all about lowering cholesterol by a friend and it seems oats and certain nuts are the way to go.....  However, I find nuts (hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds) very expensive to buy here, even in Eurospin !  Does anyone know of any cheap suppliers that sell big bags at a reasonable cost ?  Many thx.

No, Angie, but I can buy Vegemite whenever I go to San Francisco as there is an Aussie shop there. I always bring with me a large jar 

Well I am a brit Gala and I can't stand Marmite, yuk!!

Angela Fuller wrote:

MsMarmiteLover: How to make your own Marmite

www.msmarmitelover.comHere's one for you Steve and Modi....it helps if you live near a brewery !Not for your eyes Gala.  But I bet you know a recipe to make vegemite......???

Superb Angie, well it was a nice idea until I spotted it takes 10 days to make, no wonder it cost so much. I have to admit to being an avid hater of Marmite until I learnt the error of my ways when I was around 30.... Not being a Marmite baby like the other half I spent a long time in the dark whilst the rest of the family happily and sensibly ate loads of the stuff... I started with a tiny amount on toast while on holiday in Greece, well it was me that lugged the stuff all that way. The amount you could hardly see on your knife let alone spread it, now you can't see the knife! From what I understand (just read) Vegemite is a poor Oz imitation and it surprises me not that some people here would choose inferior (ex cons) products every time...  

Yes Steve is a long time.....I find 8hrs just to make some yoghurt frustratingbut 10 days is a lifetime.  Never tried vegemite, but I don't doubt it is inferior to the wonderful marmite....!!!!

Well Angie... Not according to the Americans....https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=q_BxxyhPFNs

For the lovers of Marmite, you can get it from Amazon UK and shipped to Italy:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Marmite-Large-500g/dp/B0019N89UU/ref=sr_1_15?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1438516499&sr=1-15&keywords=marmite

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Marmite-Yeast-Extract-125-Pack/dp/B000EZWHZW/ref=sr_1_22?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1438516499&sr=1-22&keywords=marmite

Geotherm wrote:For the lovers of Marmite, you can get it from Amazon UK and shipped to Italy:http://www.amazon.co.uk/Marmite-Large-500g/dp/B0019N89UU/ref=sr_1_15?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1438516499&sr=1-15&keywords=marmitehttp://www.amazon.co.uk/Marmite-Yeast-Extract-125-Pack/dp/B000EZWHZW/ref=sr_1_22?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1438516499&sr=1-22&keywords=marmite

WoW Geo that would burst the bank....! £16 (inc delivery to Itay) for one and the other was over £19 without even looking at the delivery costs...   It makes the  British Corner Shop

look decidedly cheap. In fact with the Abruzzolutely forum discount it may be worth a look Modi, think our 6 jars will last out until the cavalry arrive in spring next year. Tesco at £3.75 for 500g is looking a good bet...

Gala Placidia wrote:Well Angie... Not according to the Americans....https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=q_BxxyhPFNs

Well Gala, some people have no taste.....ha ha .....!!!  Marmite is very special and only for those with a discerning pallette....

I know we were talking about Hummus earlier, but has anyone tried Mutabal? It is another excellent Middle Eastern dip, but made with eggplants, which always seem in good supply here. Used to get it as well as hummus when working in Saudi Arabia from the local Lebanese restaurant. Went well with the boned barbeque chicken.
Currently barbequtng a half chicken now, but with Char Sui sauce!!

http://www.nutrizonia.com/arabic-eggplant-dip-mutabal/

Geotherm wrote:I know we were talking about Hummus earlier, but has anyone tried Mutabal? It is another excellent Middle Eastern dip, but made with eggplants, which always seem in good supply here. Used to get it as well as hummus when working in Saudi Arabia from the local Lebanese restaurant. Went well with the boned barbeque chicken.Currently barbequtng a half chicken now, but with Char Sui sauce!!http://www.nutrizonia.com/arabic-eggplant-dip-mutabal/

Seems to be confused with "baba ganoush" a lot and named as such whilst a lot claim they differ. We were introduced to baba ganoush I believe many years ago in Greece, but never knew it's name (or really what we were eating, but liked it). Re-introduced to it since coming here with one of our our friends. Having a Maltese parents and grandma who lived with them who was Italian she vaguely remembers these recipes and 99.999999% turn out superb, with baba ganoush it's 100%. It has no yoghurt that I know of so assume it is baba ganoush and not Mutabal. We literally have dozens of eggplants this year and they are massive, so will look at this new (ish) dip to use more of them - thanks Geo.

I also knew it as "baba ghanoush", but there are many recipes.

This may help to explain it better:

http://syrianfoodie.blogspot.it/2009/05/mutabal-and-baba-ghanoush-which-is.html

One of those things where over time there is so much confusion/mix up, there is no way to know... The quote from your link is as near as we will ever get I reckon...

Both these dishes have the same main ingredient, smoky baked aubergine

Steve, with so many eggplants, you may need these recipes http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/07/the-crisper-whisperer-how-to-handle-eggplant-overload-caponata-recipe.html

What a great thread!  

Nuts & cholesterol -> statins -> marmite -> hummus & tahini -> porage (Scottish spelling!) -> food processors -> thunder storms -> Bovril -> Vegemite -> mutabal -> baba ganoush!  

Wherever next?

Probiotics? 

There is no comparison between marmite and inferior brands, and I wouldnt expect Americans to know better   But, great blog link - if things were to get even worse in Italy at least i could make some of my own.   I tentatively introduced marmite to some Sicilians who sniffed it, made faces and said no. Then reluctantly tried it on toast and made faces, but after ten minutes asked for more.  Since then there's no going back - I have created a monster!   They all want my homemade lemon curd too, but complain its too aspro - but thats the point!

No thanks Gala I would not waste my download data allowance looking at inferior products. Americans and Australians are all the same to me - ex UK convicts ...

Steve, I would strongly recommend you to start doing some historical research, which will not hurt, and you will find out that a substantial number of those convicts were not hardened criminals, but people caught in a web of poor social and economical circumstances, political prisoners, trade unionists and victims of circumstances. I would bet that most British ordinary families (not talking about the aristocracy and upper echelons) will have one or two relatives who ended up in the colonies, courtesy of the British government. Here is just a brief outline to give you a start http://vcp.e2bn.org/justice/page11405-background-and-reasons.htmlhttp://vcp.e2bn.org/justice/page11405-background-and-reasons.html

You strongly recommend a lot of things Gala and I invariably turn off as soon as you do. ... 

Please, Steve, concentrate on the eggplants. They need your attention in this harsh weather 

Umm probiotics Gala, an interesting subject....Steve concentrate on making some baba ghanoush if you have managed to work all the gadgets for the blitzer....

Good idea, Angie! Yoghurt is an important source of probiotics, but, after reading an article regarding all the additives that commercial yogurts contain, I bought myself a yoghurt maker and I am delighted with the results. I enjoy natural yoghurt, but I also add to it honey, fruits, cereals. I also use it to substitute sour cream in recipes. Much healthier!

Angela Fuller wrote:Umm probiotics Gala, an interesting subject....Steve concentrate on making some baba ghanoush if you have managed to work all the gadgets for the blitzer....

Yes, something worthwhile from Mrs Strongly.... I instructed the OH to pull her finger out and earn her o'level cookery (or whatever it was called in Victorian times... ) , out came the attachments and it didn't work... Well, not true really, but it almost worn out the OH and the hand blender... but out came tahini, little thick and gritty, but fine once the lemon went in for the hummus .... Not too sure is the recipe was quite right when it said

Hulled or “natural” sesame seeds are what you see most often in stores

 Can't see how hulled are natural, but we most definitely had unhulled (natural)... But it turned out superb, so  the OH has redeemed herself somewhat. Just need to get Gala better trained next