Budget Cuisine

The Magical, Mystical World of SPAM

by Bruce Watson, Posted Jan 8th 2009 @ 1:00PM

When it comes to food, I rarely turn down a dare. Whether the food in question is haggis or headcheese, tongue tacos or tortoise soup, I'm usually up for a challenge. Even so, there is one food that I have studiously avoided for my entire life.

Spam.

It's not that I'm opposed to processed meat. I've eaten more than my fair share of scrapple, pate, pon hoss, sausage, blood pudding, and other ground goodies. However, there's something about Spam that always turned me off. Maybe it was the 1950's-style ads on the old-fashioned can, or maybe it's the fact that the meat was just a little too pink. Regardless, I could never bring myself to give it a try.

Recently, however, amid reports of the growing popularity of the canned meat, I felt like the time had come to give it a try. After all, with some of America's top chefs using Spam in their cooking, my detachment started to seem a little provincial. Besides, the ingredients (pork shoulder, ham, water, sugar, salt, sodium nitrite, and potato starch) are a lot more natural than I might have thought, and the price is certainly attractive.

Source

Filed under: Budget Cuisine, Trends, Retro cookery, Ingredients

Time for Offal

COMMENTS 5

by Kat Kinsman, Posted Dec 15th 2008 @ 10:00AM

Time Magazine reports, with a soupçon of punny glee, that sales of offal in Great Britain have surged as of late, likely in response to the international economic downturn. Quoth London's Liz Logan:

"Tough economic times have Britons eating their hearts out and swallowing their tongues. Not literally, of course. But offal - or "variety meats," as the food category is euphemistically called in the U.K. - is experiencing a surge in popularity, with sales up 67% over the past five years."

Thing is, even in advance of the pound sterling's plunge, the nose-to-tail herd, helmed by offal stalwarts like Fergus Henderson and River Cottage's Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, had been squealing 'bout the culinary benefits of tripe, kidneys, brains, tail, giblets and trotters. Come for the savings, stay for the savoring -- the message seems to have come home to roost.

I posted a while back about my love of grilled chicken hearts, and I'm no stranger to whisking up a batch of giblet gravy, or a neckbone ragout, but I'm hungry for your favorite takes on organ meats. Post 'em in the comments below.

[via: Time]

Thank you to Flickr user vvvanessa for uploading this drool-inducing image to the Slashfood pool.

Giblet gravy recipe after the jump.

Filed under: Budget Cuisine, Magazines, Trends, Head to Tail, Ingredients, Offal

Refilling the Liquor Cabinet: Scotch Bargains

COMMENTS 4

by Bruce Watson, Posted Nov 25th 2008 @ 7:00PM

When I was a kid, my family went on a trip to Scotland. Given my mother's deep appreciation for single malt scotch, a fair amount of my time in Edinburgh was spent wandering around with my sisters while my parents tried out some of the local tipples. Years later, when I went back on my own, my shallow financial resources kept me from following in my parents' footsteps, but I was able to try out some of the blended scotches. In addition to helping me make friends, the experience gave me a deep respect for Bell's blended scotch; unfortunately, I've never seen it for sale in the states.

Over the years, however, I've drank more than my share of single malt scotch and have found a few favorites and a few that I despise. Glen Garioch, for example, is so awful that I wouldn't even use it to clean out a wound.

While blended scotches generally are reasonably priced, I've found that, by and large, they are a little too harsh for my taste. Moreover, by the time you get up into the blends that don't taste like paint thinner, you're probably paying more than you would for a decent single malt. A fine case in point is Johnny Walker Blue, which is outrageous at $175 for a fifth.

Laphroaig is a fairly reasonable single malt. At $30 for a fifth, it is on the low end of the scale, yet still offers a delicious Islay flavor. On a particularly cool note, Laphroaig also has the "Friends of Laphroaig" society; to become a member, one need only send in a piece of the metal foil that surrounds the top of a bottle. In return, one gets a "lease" of one square foot of the island of Islay, rent for which is a dram of scotch, payable if you come to the distillery. Even if you don't show up, they send you a certificate and Christmas cards.

On a cheaper scale, Bowmore is an Islay single malt that costs a mere $17 a bottle. Similarly, Auchentoshan is a lowland single malt that also costs $17. Both are decent, tasty tipples that are almost ridiculously underpriced. Auchentoshan has a mellower, softer flavor, while Bowmore is a little peatier and more intense.

Finally, for those whose tastes tend more toward the Irish end of things, Powers Irish whiskey is nicely priced in the $20 range. It is a smooth, flavorful spirit that makes an outstanding Irish coffee. Of course, Jameson's or Bushmill's addicts will find this a tough sell, but it is definitely worth a try!

Scotch on a budget(click thumbnails to view gallery)

Filed under: Budget Cuisine, Raves & Reviews, Ingredients, Drink Recipes

Top Shelf Vodka, Bottom Shelf Price - Refilling the Liquor Cabinet

COMMENTS 14

by Bruce Watson, Posted Nov 24th 2008 @ 8:00PM

Over the past few years, as premium vodkas have come into vogue, I've heard more and more about the taste of vodka. Suddenly, reviews have been overflowing with comments like "a nice, caramel finish," "a buttery nose," and "an insouciant grin underlying pearly orange tones." Okay, I made the last one up, but am I the only one who sometimes wonders if professional liquor tasters have been dropping acid?

At any rate, the irony of this is that the ideal vodka shouldn't have any flavor at all. In fact, I'd argue that the ultimate mark of a good vodka is that you can pull it out of the freezer, pour yourself a shot, and taste absolutely nothing except for the quick death of a few thousand brain cells. This, by the way, is why a traditional vodka tasting often has savory items like caviar, blini, fresh dill, and preserved herring. Since it doesn't impart flavor, vodka makes a good, inoffensive base for other flavors.

While most of the top vodkas on the market cost upwards of $30, there are a few classic and lesser-known vodkas that offer premium quality and (lack of) flavor for very reasonable prices. For example, Svedka is a first-rate, mild-flavored vodka from Sweden. Like Absolut, it has an great ad campaign; unlike Absolut, however, it is a very tasty, very reasonably priced vodka.

Filed under: Budget Cuisine, Ingredients, Drink Recipes

Recession bites! Gray's Papaya raises the price on its famous special

COMMENTS 5

by Bruce Watson, Posted Oct 22nd 2008 @ 6:00PM

Long before Manhattan eateries started lowering prices to bring in depressed (and recessed) customers, Gray's Papaya was famous for its amazing "Recession Special." Debuting in the 1990's, the special originally cost $1.95, but rose to its current price of $3.50 in the early 2000's. Consisting of a medium tropical beverage and two hot dogs, the combination of two perfectly prepared hot dogs and a medium fruit drink has become a New York institution and one of the city's best bargains.

Unfortunately, the arrival of a real recession has forced the hot dog retailer to raise the price on its special. In February, seeing the writing on the wall, Gray's founder Nicholas Gray began warning customers that a price increase was on the way. This week, it finally came to pass: the special has now gone up to $4.45.

Even with the increase of $0.95, the special is still a great deal, and a great way to weather economic hard times. Let's just hope that things get better before Gray's has to break $5!

Filed under: Budget Cuisine, Business, The Best ... in All of New York, Food Politics, Ingredients, Chefs & Restaurants, Fast Food, Restaurants

Delia's Frugal Food, Cookbook of the Day

COMMENTS 2

by Shayna Glick, Posted Sep 21st 2008 @ 3:00PM

THe covr of delia smith's new re-released cookbook, frugal food, featuring a head of cabbage.

We all know that times are getting tough. Food, energy and transportation prices have all gone up substantially. Cookbook's addressing this fact are doing well, or going to do well. That's one reason Delia Smith, the famous British cookbook author, is re-issuing her classic 1970's cookbook, Frugal Food.

This cookbook is chock full of inexpensive recipes and energy saving tips. There's a whole chapter dedicated to 'Pauper's Puddings" and includes the "cheap charter", which talks about how to use leftovers creatively among other things. There is also advice about using offal, unfashionable cuts of meat or kinds of fish, and also how to "conjure up the maximum flavour from the most frugal of ingredients".

The re-issued cookbook is coming out on October 30 for £17.99 ($36-ish in Us dollars). Some have suggested, though, just getting a copy of the original printing of the cookbook for half that amount. I found it on Amazon.com for $15.

[via The Guardian]

Filed under: Budget Cuisine, Cookbook Spotlight

Poverty brings out the best in consumers...and cuisine!

COMMENTS 1

by Bruce Watson, Posted Aug 19th 2008 @ 4:00PM

As the ongoing recession/inflation/credit crunch drives the cost of food higher and higher, British chain Sainsbury's has begun working to minimize food wastage. Meanwhile, ever-increasing numbers of consumers are cooking from scratch in an attempt to stretch their food budgets. Clearly, thrift is back!

As you rush around in your search for cheap things to eat, it's worth remembering that, in the kitchen at least, poverty can definitely be the mother of invention. Although cheap gas, greenhouse gardening, and factory farming drove down the price of food for most of the last century, the vast majority of human history has been characterized by the desperate search for sustenance. Keeping that in mind, here's a reminder about a few of the techniques that long-gone chefs once developed to preserve the harvest, get their vitamins, and avoid throwing anything away:

Organ meats: In the days before easy canning and greenhouse gardening, it was incredibly difficult to get the necessary daily allowance of vitamins. Lacking access to fresh fruits and vegetables, medieval farmers turned to organ meats. For example, rich in iron and Vitamin A, the liver was a dietary staple for generations. Similarly, kidneys, sweetbreads, and brains are also great sources of necessary vitamins. Much later, immigrants and the lower classes continued to eat these organs, as they were healthy and relatively inexpensive.

Filed under: Budget Cuisine, Did you know?, Retro cookery, Ingredients, How To

Proud father shows off son's catch

COMMENTS 1

by Neil Goldstein, Posted Aug 8th 2008 @ 3:00PM

My son Alec, who frequently tags along with Amy and me on our foraging hikes, is camping this week in upstate New York, with my wife Marti, and his cousin Colten. I received a picture mail message today around lunchtime which is displayed here. The caption in the text message read: Your son's catch. Complete with butter and garnish!

Filed under: Budget Cuisine, Wild Edibles, Ingredients

Tired of the garden weeds? Eat them!

COMMENTS 6

by Neil Goldstein, Posted Aug 8th 2008 @ 11:02AM

There are several plants I am familiar with that are considered weeds. Dandelion comes to mind instantly. We'll wait till fall to talk more about our little yellow lawn devils. I was shopping in the Union Square Greenmarket recently during a lunchtime walk, and amongst the multi-colored organic carrots and varietal greens, was purslane. Purlsane is a slightly succulent sprawling weed, with thick reddish stems. It radiates out, flat to the ground from a central root. I had seen this plant in my garden and flower beds before learning from one of my books what it was. Purslane is raised as a crop in other parts of the world, where it is used raw as a salad green, or cooked like spinach. Here we relentlessly pull it from the garden, and just throw it away. I had told a neighbor of mine that seemed to be overrun with the stuff to save it for me a few years ago.

Filed under: Budget Cuisine, Wild Edibles, Ingredients

That costs what?

COMMENTS 1

by Kat Kinsman, Posted Jul 11th 2008 @ 7:00PM

In some sectors, it's practically de rigueur (and awfully hilarious) to rip on the rarefied findings of NY Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni, but I've gotta say I tend to dig his indignation as expressed through the fewer-holds-barred medium of the website's Diner's Journal. I certainly jibe with his notions of the judiciously applied dress code and the diner's right to doggie bags, but I'm almost irrationally delighted by his use of the bully pulpit to call out the stealthy price jabbings of high-end restaurants.

He specifically cites the same outrageous charges (his boiling point is $7, mine was $6) for postprandial tea that I'd kvetched about a while back. Nothing falutin', not a monkey-harvested Pur-eh or shade-grown sencha -- just in his case a mint T-brand tea (which tea purists would prefer we refer to as a "tisane" rather than a tea as it's actually an herbal infusion, but I digress) which at $17.95 for 1.76 oz tin, retail, would surely produce, uh, more than 2.56 cups. Yes, service, water heating, cups, rent, etc. don't come for free but still, the whole enterprise is quite crabby-making in this strained economy.

Mr. Bruni, we salute your foray into the consumer advocacy front and will be following the "That Costs What?!?" series ~~juuuust as soon as you get that pesky RSS tag fixed~~ ravenously.

[via: New York Times Diner's Journal]

Filed under: Budget Cuisine, On the Blogs, Food News, Drink Recipes, Chefs & Restaurants, Restaurants