"gravy" news and stories

For those who love feeling April fresh and ever so slightly like hassenpfeffer, Archie McPhee debuts their savory new suite of Gravy Bath Salts.

"The only lump in this gravy is you! Rip open the package of Gravy Bath Salts and stir in the seasoning and it will turn your bath into a warm, thick, savory smelling pool of gravy and soap. You've never been this clean or felt this much like mashed potatoes."

After your soak, towel (or ladle) off, and grab a loved one for a rousing round of Hot Dog Hideaway. Oh, we're such fools for your meat-based antics, Archie. And yours, too, purveyors of Bacon Lube.

[via: Archie McPhee]

French Onion Soup is a delicious meal on its own, but instead of repeats the next day, turn your soup into a rich and creamy gravy.

Who ever said Easter feasts required big, slow-roasted birds? The creative folks behind What the hell does a vegan eat, anyway? featured a gorgeous seitan roulade for their holiday entree.

Like good vegans, they made their own seitan, the old-fashioned way - no store-bought stuff for them! If you're feeling ambitious (and have some time on your hands), the seitan recipe is here.

After making and rolling out the seitan, it was filled with mushrooms and kale, rolled up, and baked for 25 minutes at 350 degrees F. The best part? Instead of twine, they used these cute reusable silicone ties to secure the roulade while it baked. They added some mushroom gravy at the end, which looked great, but I'm sure it tastes delicious plain, as well. Although if you're not gonna eat gravy with Easter dinner, when are you gonna eat gravy? Just sayin', is all.

My dream is that these lovely people will welcome me into their home and adopt me and offer to cook for me every night. But until that happens, I'll just keep featuring their awesome recipes.

• Everything you need to know, kitchen-wise, about Thanksgiving, including four different kinds of turkey and gravy, four different kinds of stuffing, six different types of potatoes, and even four variations on cranberry sauce.
• What to do with the turkey carcass.
• What to cook the other 29 days of November.
• Gifts for the cook on your list.
• Ideas for a simple, chic holiday party.
• More recipes from this month: Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls, Greek Salad Pita Sandwiches, Brown Sugar Ice Cream with Cayenne-Spiced Walnuts, and The Perfect Pie.

In my family we take our Thanksgiving gravy very serious. My father, the primary holiday chef in my parents' marriage, learned the secrets of gravy-making from his mother and has passed them on to me (my sister doesn't have a whole lot of interest in gravy prep). For years now, I known how to create at least half a gallon of turkey gravy (the picture to the right is how much gravy we had leftover after a 10-person meal last Thanksgiving). This skill ensures that there will always be more than enough gravy to extend past the life of the turkey and that the dog will be given gravy on top of her dinner for at least a week after holiday meal is over.

And now I'd like to share some of my gravy making prowess with you. Last year Scott and I made an episode of Fork You devoted to the flour toasting technique that is a vital component of the gravy prep. Two years ago, I wrote a lengthy post describing in detail how to make this gravy. And for those of you who don't want to watch or read, here are my basic tips. Toast two cups of flour in a pan on your stove top until it turns a nutty brown (gives the gravy good flavor and color). Make a pot of stock with the turkey offal and neck. If you are making a vat of gravy to take to someone else's dinner (something I have done) you can make stock with a package of turkey wings from the store.

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