http://www.thriftygobbler.com Blogs, reviews, product comparisons and other babble, for lovers of thrift and food en rich@thriftygobbler.com Copyright 2011 2011-03-17T23:32:15+00:00 http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/cinnabon/ http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/cinnabon/#When:22:32:15Z Sticky icky If you ever ventured inside an American shopping mall circa the 1990s, you will know the smell of the Cinnabon. The extravagant, sickly sweet wafts used to permeate air-conditioned buildings in a way that Starbucks can only dream of. The (now less prolific) kiosks dole out doughy swirls, laced with syrupy combinations of cinnamon sugar, caramel, frosting and pecans. You can get them on Oxford Street now, but it’s not the same. Even delicious food can only taste so good if you eat it on Oxford Street. Make these. Eat them for breakfast, - quickly, while they’re still warm. Our copycat cream cheese dip is totally non-optional. Nigella’s schnecken (borrowed from How to be a Domestic Goddess) For the dough: 500g bread flour 50g caster sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 7g/1 sachet easy blend yeast or 15g fresh yeast 75g unsalted butter 150ml milk 2 large eggs For the syrup: 125g unsalted butter 2 tablespoons demerara sugar 4 tablespoons maple syrup 3 tablespoons golden syrup 200g walnut or pecan pieces (we used toasted hazelnuts) For the glaze: 1 large egg 2 tablespoons milk For the filling: 50g caster sugar 100g demerara sugar 1 tablespoon cinnamon 12-bun muffin tin and lined baking tray for turning the sticky buns out onto later Combine the flour, sugar, salt and yeast in a large bowl. Melt the butter in the milk, beat in the eggs and stir into the dry ingredients to make a dough. Knead for 10 minutes. When it’s springy and smooth, form it into a ball, put into an oiled bowl, turn to coat, and cover with clingfilm. Leave in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size Now beat the butter until soft and smooth and add the sugar, still beating. Beat in the syrups and then divide this mixture between the muffin cups. Top with the nuts Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. When the dough’s ready, knead once more and then roll out to a large rectangle, approximately 60 x 30cm, with the long side nearest you. Beat the egg and add the milk. Glaze the dough,with whatever you have to hand Mix the filling ingredients in a little bowl and sprinkle onto the dough. Now, roll up from the long side and away from you, carefully and firmly (though not too tightly), keeping a firm sausage shape Cut into 12 even slices, and lie each slice cut side up, on top of the nuts and syrup in the muffin cups Leave to prove for about 20 minutes and when they’re risen, put into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, by which time they should be golden and cooked: crisp in parts, sticky in others Place the roasting tin or baking sheet on top and turn the whole thing the other way up. (You will need oven gloves and a degree of caution for this.) Remove the muffin tray and dislodge any nuts that are still stuck in it, adding them, along with any residual syrup, to the upturned buns. Leave to cool, then apply to face - as if you need my encouragement Gobbler’s copycat Cinnabon wonder-dip 100g softened butter 100g cream cheese 200g sugar ½ tsp lemon juice ½ tsp vanilla extract Beat the cream cheese and butter . Add the sugar slowly and mix for as long as you can, or until smooth. Add the lemon and vanilla towards the end and keep mixing. You want it glossy and gloopy. You’ll know Make it 2011-03-17T22:32:15+00:00 http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/bills-basics/ http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/bills-basics/#When:09:33:23Z Classics made simple enough? Here at Thrifty Gobbler we love Bill Granger. But only in book form. We don’t want to look in on his sun-bleached existence, talk to his children, or sit patiently as he guides us through a stir-fry. It’s just all a bit too wholesome for our cynical, impoverished outlook. His books are a different matter. Feed Me Now, and Sydney Food are firm favourites in the Gobbler kitchen, so the arrival of a new title, claiming to feature ‘100 classic recipes made simple,’ pricked our ears immediately. We skim through the blurb and, in amongst the waffle, learn that this is to be a book of much-loved basics to cover every occasion, from a quick breakfast to a romantic dinner for two. The recipes are categorized – Baking, Breakfast, Soup etc. – and in amongst the French onion soup, pancakes, and Kedgeree, we’re delighted to find a few curvier balls, such as Tom Yum and Laksa. The pictures are hunger-summoning as ever, but the real beauty only becomes apparent when you go to tackle a recipe. Bill’s knack, not only for delicious food, but for making it achievable to the everyday gobbling pleb is unrivalled. The instructions are concise and easy to follow, the ingredients (usually) easy to find, but the results will make you wonder why you ever bothered hammering salmon on croot (sic.) into Google – Bill’s Basics are much easier on the brain. - Book Reviews 2010-12-20T09:33:23+00:00 http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/why-ill-never-eat-pine-nuts-again/ http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/why-ill-never-eat-pine-nuts-again/#When:13:45:54Z By Laura Goodman After a bucket of coffee, my raspberries tasted odd. But that’s coffee for you. Later, an egg and cress sandwich was peculiar, but I was hungry, so I shoved it in as quickly as I could, tricking my tastebuds with sheer speed. In the evening, at the pub, I was eating bitter, metal-flavoured crisps, counting the hours since the coffee - and I started to whinge. Nothing unusual about that. I’m a whinger. I woke up the next day with a still-fuzzy mouth. I started considering what it tasted like. It was bitter, like an over-brewed green tea. It was metallic, like a tin. And it was wrong, like orange juice after Colgate. It seemed to be located in an unrinseable part of my throat. And so to Google. Did I have mouth cancer? A brain tumour? A baby growing inside me?  I typed: ‘bad taste in mouth after eating’. Google screamed back at me: “PINE NUTS!!!!!!!!!!!” “HAVE YOU EATEN PINE NUTS RECENTLY?” “HAHAHAHA, YOU HAVE PINE MOUTH!” I searched Twitter: ‘Day 5 of pine mouth. Tried drinking Aloe Water for the past 4 days and has not worked’ said @sqlagentman ‘If your pine nuts are from China you could end up with a nasty taste in the mouth! I speak from bitter experience!’ said @MattJF ‘Adventures in Pine Mouth Syndrome: Day #5. Captain’s Log: Dudes, this sucks’ said @bytheseat I scoured articles written in America, where they noticed it first; I located academic studies, citing it as an emerging problem, I unravelled pages of forum chit-chat; and I even read a piece in the Daily Mail. The problem isn’t linked to an allergen or a toxin or anything nearly that logical. It’s a taste disturbance which seems only to affect a small minority of people - the two friends I ate dinner with on that fateful night still have lovely, functioning mouths. The apparent surge in sufferers may be a result of a shortage - rising demand for fancy-pants salads and fresh pesto forces pickers into the forest before the pine cones are mature, which can lead to ‘rancidity issues’. Most cases have been traced to pine nuts from China (including mine). A handful of kindly tweeters have approached me with remedies: charcoal tablets, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, aloe wash and – worst of all – Fisherman’s Friend. They tell me I have up to four weeks of this, and I’ve got news for you: it’s gross. Coffee is disgusting, wine makes me splutter, I struggle through plain cous cous, and a packet of dried mango turned out to be the second worst supermarket purchase of the year. - 2010-12-03T13:45:54+00:00 http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/jonnys-leftovers-kale-pasta/ http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/jonnys-leftovers-kale-pasta/#When:11:22:26Z Just trust us on this one We accept that leftover kale probably isn’t the most common household problem. But imagine this scenario; it’s Monday evening, and all you have in the fridge is leftover sausage and/or bacon from Saturday’s fry-up, and a bag of kale from your roast dinner. Still struggling to picture it? Then buy some kale, because this dish is a cracker. Recipe here. - Jonny's leftovers 2010-09-17T11:22:26+00:00 http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/coffee-pressing-new-developments/ http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/coffee-pressing-new-developments/#When:09:14:27Z Mornings at Gobbler towers have been stressful affairs of late. We were recently given a coffee machine that we thought would solve the perennial slog of inaccurate plungers - ie. they crack, leak, and ultimately make crap coffee. The machine had two functions; a dripping filter, and an espresso maker. As we like our coffee nearly every which way - American diner-style, from a pot on the stove, and black as Jeremy Paxman’s soul, in a shot after dinner - this machine was the dream. Or at least, it would have been, had it worked. The dripper made weak, muddy water that tasted like the dishes, and the espresso function took half the morning to make a single shot, whilst emitting a weird, unsettling smell - as though the strain of making coffee gave it a hernia of the circuits. So, with heavy hearts, we plodded into town to get another leaky old plunger. Many of you will now be scratching your heads, wondering why we’re so down on the plunger (cafetiere to those of you with French GCSE). In truth, we’re not. They try their best, but are fundamentally flawed. How much coffee should you add? How much water? How long do you wait before plunging? The process of turning coffee beans into coffee demands accuracy. Much better are the stainless steel stove-top pots that make a consistent cup, with very little hassle, but they can cost £30+ for a small one or two cup option; not very thrifty. But as we learned, there is another way. For the price of a decent plunger, we picked up one of these. The Aeropress coffee maker takes up a fraction of the time and space of the average plunger. It makes up to 4 shots of smooth, dark espresso, and needs no more than a rinse when you’re done. Air pressure is the key. The coffee sits on a filter paper in a plastic funnel. You add boiling water, stir for 10 seconds, insert the inner tube and press down firmly. The rubber seal on the end of this tube ensures the air has nowhere to go but out through the filter, taking the water with it. It takes about 20 seconds to press down fully, and you’re left with 1-4 shots of beautifully smooth espresso - to which you can add water, for a longer drink. But the most satisfying part of all - excluding the coffee itself - comes with the cleaning. You simply unscrew the bottom filter section, hold the main unit over a bin and press down on the plunger. The paper and coffee pops off in a delightful little ‘puck’, leaving you to rinse the rubber seal. That’s it. Bearing in mind, by this point you’ve probably spent 3 minutes in total, including the time it took for your kettle to boil, we are yet to see the downside. Since writing, we’ve discovered that the Aeropress has been knocking around for 5 years, so this ‘news’ feature isn’t really news at all, but we don’t care; we love coffee, you love coffee, and for under £25, you’ll struggle to make a better cup. Done deal. - 2010-08-10T09:14:27+00:00 http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/top-5-cocktail-shakers/ http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/top-5-cocktail-shakers/#When:14:15:49Z Stirring is for wimps Obviously, the thriftiest way to make your cocktails is in a bucket, with a wooden spoon and your feet. But, although we are everyone’s thriftiest Gobbler, we are also pretty darn elegant, and would never engage in such a practise. 1. Boston cocktail shaker, Amazon (www.amazon.co.uk) £11.99 There are a few shapes of cocktail shaker, and this is the Boston. This particular Boston has a few recipes printed on it and a brushed steel ‘finish cup’. Everyone loves brushed steel. 2. Tin & glass Boston cocktail shaker, Amazon www.amazon.co.uk) £3.99 Feeling a bit skanky? Yeah, we are too. This is like the above Boston, only for povs. 3. Acrylic cocktail shaker, John Lewis (www.johnlewis.com) £5 The perfect shaker with which to practise all that tossy stuff they do on the movies. 4. Acrylic cocktail shaker, Bar Craft (www.verynice2.com) £3.72 Another chuckable shaker. Not as pretty, but with recipes on the side. Functional. 5. XXL cocktail shaker, Amazon (www.amazon.co.uk) £13.52 XXL shaker. XXL drink. XXL fun. - Top 5 2010-07-21T14:15:49+00:00 http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/top-5-lollies-to-lick-part-2/ http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/top-5-lollies-to-lick-part-2/#When:18:48:17Z Rum and ginger Based on the assumption that a delicious drink can’t not be a delicious lolly, may we present to you part 2 of our Top 5 lollies to lick. It’s a delicious take on one our favourite things to drink in the sun; rum & ginger ale, with mint and lime. And, by delicious take, we mean it’s frozen. Enjoy your own here Top 5 2010-07-19T18:48:17+00:00 http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/readers-pies1/ http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/readers-pies1/#When:11:38:23Z Proud of your pie? Let us admire it with you This month’s pie comes from a Welsh/German pie-making duo, named Susanna and Lee ‘the leek’ Roberts. It’s stuffed full of chicken, leeks and (controversially) bacon. Interview to follow. - The shops are already covered in christmas tat. D-Camz is selling off the Post Office. They’re trying to make us call it the 02 Academy Brixton. In the spirit of the rampant commercial expansionism that has come to define our soulless generation, we offer you the first corporate Reader’s Pie. Sponsored by those friendly and reliable arborists at Fernshire Tree Services, who no doubt need something hearty like this nice chicken and leek combo to keep their energy while providing a comprehensive range of high quality work all over Kent and East Sussex. - This month’s pie comes from a young fan of the Gobbler named Alice. She made this pie with only the smallest helping hand from her good (grown up) friend Tillie, and we were so impressed we couldn’t let her get away without telling us all about her crusty creation. Are you proud of your pie? Yes. Tell us what’s in it. Apples and blackberries (I peeled all the apples). If the pie had superpowers what would they be? Flying. Or Arabic dancing. What do you think of people who don’t like pies? People who don’t like pies are crazy. Will you ever make another pie again? Yes next time we will make SIX. Who had the biggest slice of your pie? Dad. Anything else to add? It was yummy and i wish you were here to try it So do we Alice. So do we. - This pie, just in. From some boys at university in Nottingham who have done us a chicken and mushroom and the second in what we hope will be a series of blinking good pie-faces. This is JEREMY TALBOT - he favours the singular oven glove. JEREMY, YOU’VE LEFT THE OVEN ON! - The first reader’s pie of 2010 comes from Natalie and Joanna in Watford. It’s a work of beauty, containing chicken and leek (and more, as we shall see). It is modelled here by Natalie, with so much enthusiasm that we just couldn’t resist. Whose recipe did you use? It is from this book - with a little improvisation. We wanted mushrooms, so we had them. Did you watch TV while you ate it? If so, what did you watch? Come Dine With Me. I think we were inspired. If the pie was a human, what would its name be? Maud or Derek. Did you eat it all? We each had a HUGE portion, then Joanna took the rest to work… - We’d love to know about your pies. So if you have a recipe, photo, or even a description of a pie you’ve enjoyed recently, then send it over to us at: eatup@thriftygobbler.com Odds and ends 2010-06-27T11:38:23+00:00 http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/koya/ http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/koya/#When:05:44:14Z Udon it? Photo by Suzie Ok, so we’re a bit late on this one. By now every blogger in the whole damn sphere has sunk their face into a write-up of Koya’s twangy udon. But we know many of you have been putting off your trip to Soho’s newest noodles, waiting for the Gobbler nod before hopping on the bus. We’re doing this for you. The first thing to say is that this place is popular, so expect to wait. We pitched up around 1900 hours and were asked to take a seat outside - there’s a little waiting room-style row of chairs on the pavement. The second thing to say is that these noodles are hefty, so bring an appetite. There are a number of different options from which to choose - assuming you only really have eyes for udon. You can pick from cold noodles in a hot broth (Hiya-Atsu), hot noodles in a hot broth (Atsu-Atsu), and cold noodles in a cold sauce (Hiya-Hiya). Once you’ve selected the temperature at which you’d like to receive your noodles, attention switches to the extras. Amongst the usual meaty suspects, there’s a good deal of tempura, so adopting the personae of hungry lunch breakers, we went for an Atsu-Atsu with tempura prawns, and a Hiya-Atsu with duck.  The noodles are spectacular. Koya specialises in udon, so you’d be foolhardy to stray. Each batch is laboured over with a potent mix of sweat and love by chefs Oda and Yamasaki, who import flour from Japan, and mix it with water from the Thames. The noodles are thick and springy, smooth and slippery, and clearly worth all the effort as they slither into the broth, which by the way is no slouch either: Salty, and complex, with hints of ginger and sweet mirin. Having tried both noodle/broth combinations, we favoured the Hiya-Atsu, as it gave you control over the amount of noodles you had cooking at one time, and maintained elasticity and bite. The tempura was also just how we like it; crisp and light with a fat succulent prawn perfectly cooked within. Perhaps a better option would be to order a selection of tempura as a side order, because whilst we love the sodden batter, it’s the type of thing we like to regulate. Koya certainly isn’t the thriftiest place we’ve eaten - it’s perhaps not even the thriftiest place we’ve eaten udon - but such things are relative, and when two chefs have devoted this much time and effort to making a single foodstuff this enjoyable to eat, we’ll happily skip a mid-morning coffee to make up the difference. - Japanese 2010-05-31T05:44:14+00:00 http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/farm/ http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/farm/#When:07:58:25Z Farmers unite Admit it, a farm cafe opening in Brighton’s hemp-clad north laines doesn’t sound that original. Brighton Pavilion was the only constituency in the Kingdom to elect a Green MP, and it’s easy to see why. The place boasts enough nobbly home grown organic produce to choke an army of beaming Hindu cows, besides which, it’s home to Bills. Need we say more? But the newly opened Farm cafe is different. Helmed by a sculptor-turned-farmer and his sculptor-turned-farmer’s wife, Farm brings together produce from local farms and serves it piping hot to the people of Brighton. Most of the meat on offer has travelled less than a stone’s throw, field-to-plate, and as we sink our teeth into a pair of their signature Farm Burgers, it all makes begins to make sense. The decor is made up of a mismatch of old furniture, milk jugs and church pews, and the walls list the various farms that contribute produce to the menu. It’s a nice place to park yourself. The menu is uncomplicated, allowing the brilliance of the ingredients to do the talking, and the roast of the day is clearly a hit - as evidenced by the steaming pile of meaty remains in temptingly full view of our table. On the day of visit, the roast is salt beef - a category we feel more than qualified to judge. We like our beef piled high and served on rye, with dill pickles and mustard. Farm don’t disappoint. The breakfast is equally impressive, with sausages, bacon, and black pudding, all from the same farm (Jessups) and therefore, potentially, the same pig. But it’s the lovingly spiced Farm burger that leaves the greatest impression on the Gobbler gut. Moulded into the sort of shape that only a homemade burger could be, and served on chewy foccacia, with coleslaw and homemade potato wedges, this is a big win. So what to wash all that down with? The farmy name and back to basics ethos might have you braced for a pint of builder’s tea, but remember, this is Brighton. As well as an array of smoothies, milkshakes and herbal teas, Farm boasts coffee from the legendary Monmouth’s coffee company of Borough market. They also deliver, and offer a full corporate catering service, straight to your work place. This is not some Dingle-brained Hovis commerical by any means. But, what of the location? Two doors up the road from the mighty Bill’s breakfast, is this a declaration of war? Should we get a pitchfork? No, it’s all perfectly amicable. Bill is a greengrocer, and Farm’s owners have supplied him with meat for years - it was Bill who suggested they set up shop in the first place! Splendid. We’ll just take our turf wars and gang rivalry back up the M23 then guys and leave you all to it. Things must just be different in the country. - Cafés & coffee shops 2010-05-19T07:58:25+00:00 http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/top-5-lollies-to-lick-part-1/ http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/top-5-lollies-to-lick-part-1/#When:14:00:51Z Summer… is that you? If Mr Fish and his goons are to be believed, this week should see the first proper ‘ice cream weather of 2010’. This got us thinking about the lollies we might make, should the inconceivable actually occur. Our first installment is a little bit odd. It’s a gazpacho lolly. Gazpacho, in case you’re not aware, is a Spanish tomato soup, usually served chilled. We saw no reason why it wouldn’t translate into a lolly, and sure enough, it translated just fine. Full recipe here. - Top 5 2010-05-17T14:00:51+00:00 http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/the-larder-peanut-butter/ http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/the-larder-peanut-butter/#When:09:17:15Z For this particular larder item, we enlisted the help of a sibling (student) and his friend (also student). They voted unanimously for the saltiest, most unhealthiest butter by miles, and then buggered off to watch Countdown or something… probably. Skippy 3 stars £1.79 53p/100g Dense and sticky, with just the right amount of salt (although probably too much to be healthy). Aldi, Grandessa 4 stars 87p 25p/100g Nice and gloopy, with all the taste of the Skippy. Win. Peanut Butter Co. 3 stars £2.19 64p/100g One for the purists; this one contains little more than peanuts, yet still manages to cost more. Tesco 2 stars 87p 25p/100g Low on taste, and nowhere near grainy enough for our knife. Meh. Sainsbury’s 2 stars 99p 29p/100g Much like Tesco’s effort, but with an odd aftertaste thrown in for good measure. Waitrose, Essentials 4 stars £1.06 31p/100g Lovely coarse butter, well-seasoned and at a tastey price. - Spread 2010-05-09T09:17:15+00:00 http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/the-thrifty-gobbler-picnic-kit/ http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/the-thrifty-gobbler-picnic-kit/#When:20:14:09Z Picnic doesn’t hamper us Cool bag (www.argos.co.uk) £6.99 For stopping your salami from getting its sweat on. Cups, saucers, spoons ‘n’ that (www.wilkinsonplus.com) £12 We want you kitted out as bulkily as possible, mmm-kay? Tupperware (www.amazon.co.uk) £1.75 Lock up your tater salad all nice. Chair (www.sainsburys.co.uk) £7.49 Look down on your fellow picnickers from the lofty heights of a Sainsbo’s deck chair. Jug (www.asda.com) £5 Insert Pimms/ homemade ginger beer/ Tango. Rug (www.picnicshop.co.uk) £15.95 Tartan. To makes you look proper. Bit of bunting (www.marksandspencer.com) £3.50 To help you find us. Straws (www.wilkinsonplus.com) 38p Well, what kind of a picnic are we having? The whole shebang (www.woolworths.co.uk) £24 Long live the Woolies website. Hamper, knives, forks, spoons, plates, napkins. - 2010-05-03T20:14:09+00:00 http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/a-cake-of-nandos/ http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/a-cake-of-nandos/#When:11:26:14Z The chips are white chocolate I don’t know who ‘Saz’ is, but the more people that see this cake, the better. It’s the work of Jodelka. Give cake it’s dues here. Odds and ends 2010-04-26T11:26:14+00:00 http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/otto-pizza-to-open-in-london/ http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/otto-pizza-to-open-in-london/#When:08:59:01Z Notting Hill gets a slice of the action Otto Pizza is poised to open in London’s Notting Hill, and we Gobbling folk can’t wait to go grab a slice of their cornmeal crust pie. It’s the project of friends Rich and Tom who first happened upon the cornmeal concept while on holiday in America. Following a trusted recommendation, they stopped off at the Dove Viva pizza restaurant in Portland Oregan, and were so impressed that they set about bringing the distinctive flavour and texture back to London. You might (we did) know cornmeal as polenta, or even grits. It brings strength to a pizza crust, allowing the chef to be ‘more creative (and generous) with the toppings.’ Its high fibre content makes it more filling than a traditional base, and the lads down at Otto reckon a 12” pizza feeds 2-3 people. They haven’t provided an estimate for hard up and hungry Gobbler, but you can rest assured we’ll be down there as soon as the oven’s on to see what they’ve got. Otto Pizza opens soon. For more information, head to www.ottopizza.co.uk Odds and ends 2010-04-21T08:59:01+00:00 http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/pizza-tour-slice-of-brooklyn/ http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/pizza-tour-slice-of-brooklyn/#When:19:15:15Z Manhattan? Fuhgettaboudit! Being white and middle class, we hate nothing more than going to a new place and ‘seeing the sights.’ No, we must see the side of Delhi its downtrodden workforce sees, and taste the bitter taste of Bangkok, as endured by its lowly street urchins. You won’t catch us following any umbrella waving tour guide – even if it means massive unnecessary expense and hours of aimless ‘exploring’. We won’t have it. So, imagine our surprise last month in New York when we found ourselves on a bus, speeding over Manhattan Bridge, utterly engaged by a tour guide named Tony Muia, enthusing about Brooklyn and its phenomenal pizza restaurants. Tony is as Brooklyn as it gets. Born and raised in the city, there’s very little he doesn’t know about its rich cultural heritage - and the food that comes with it. His increasingly popular Slice of Brooklyn pizza tour covers as many areas of interest, famous film locations, and historical landmarks as anybody needs to see in one day. But that’s just as well, because Brooklyn is the sort of place you could live in for ten years without ever getting to know it properly. The tour takes four and a bit hours, and rarely does Tony stop talking, but you’re unlikely to notice, or care. There’s a lot of knowledge to impart, and he imparts it in such an easy and compelling manner that even when he rants about the sale of his boyhood baseball team - the Brooklyn Dodgers - you can’t help but listen. We see the three bridges that join Brooklyn with Manhattan and Staten Island, the docks where Elvis was shipped off to fight in the war, the street where John Travolta filmed the opening sequence of Saturday Night Fever, and the famous Coney island theme parks. But all of this sightseeing and film watching becomes a second thought once the pizza arrives. The bus stops at two of New York’s most beloved restaurants, each the sort of place a visitor might overlook, and each serving the finest pies this Gobbler has tasted for some time. The first is a guide book favourite, but don’t let that put you off. Directly descended from New York’s first ever pizzeria (Lombardi’s in Manhattan), Grimaldi’s in the DUMBO district of Brooklyn (down under the Manhattan bridge overpass) serves a Neopolitan style pie, baked in a traditional brick oven. Regular folk wait on line for hours to grab a bite, but thanks to Tony’s connections, your table (and accompanying pizza) are there waiting for you when you roll up. The base is light and crisp, the mozzarella like none we’ve ever tasted and the sauce so pure and sweet, we’d happily spoon it onto our breakfast cereal. The second restaurant is not so well known. Located far deeper within Brooklyn, L&B Spumoni Gardens’ started life as an ice cream cart, selling the legendary L&B spumoni. Its speciality is a Sicilian style pie - deep and square and with cheese bubbling away beneath the tomato sauce. The problem here, is that by the time we reach the restaurant, we’ve already eaten four large slices of Grimaldi’s finest, and are feeling a little on the heavy side. Refusing to shirk a responsibility, Gobbler chewed on until Tony took pity and had the waiter package the remaining slices up to take home. In short; we can’t really recommend this enough, just make sure you skip breakfast. - 2010-04-20T19:15:15+00:00 http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/the-super-taco/ http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/the-super-taco/#When:07:34:15Z Tastier than a speeding bullet You may have noticed a drop in Gobbler activity over the past month. Then again, you may not. Either way, we would like to assure you that we are not dead, nor have we lost faith in the mission for cheap and delicious food, we’ve just been away. We’ve been slumping around, picking up little nuggets of culinary delight to funnel down the interweb to you, beautiful reader. Many of these nuggets will inspire, some shall amuse, and the vast majority will be of little use whatsoever. None of this matters; we are back, and to kick things off, we’ve brought you a recipe. But not just any old recipe; not some ill-advised soup, or poorly-researched pie, no. We’re kicking things off with a taco… a super taco. Gobbler picked this one up in San Francisco. We had planned to have burritos, but upon arrival our friendly guide shoved a brace of these little fellas beneath our collective nose. Obviously the recipe we cobbled together only goes some way to recreate the magic of the lovingly prepared article that dribbled down our chins at La Taqueria on Mission in San Francisco, but we’ve had a good go. And at the end of the day, isn’t that all that really matters? Recipe here... - 2010-04-19T07:34:15+00:00 http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/top-5-wintery-soups-part-5/ http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/top-5-wintery-soups-part-5/#When:16:19:17Z Wintery, not winter This final installment only really applies to people living in wet old Blighty - everywhere else should be gearing up for Gazpacho by now. I went outside a few moments ago and treated myself to a comprehensive drizzle soaking - just to get in the mood. And now that I’m back in the warmth, it’s time for a delicious bowl of classic minestrone and a flick through my soggy pile of holiday brochures. Make yours here Top 5 2010-03-30T16:19:17+00:00 http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/how-to-fritter-bananas/ http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/how-to-fritter-bananas/#When:10:00:02Z Deep fry something healthy. Make it delicious instead. The other day we got to thinking about banana fritters. We did a little research and discovered a small stand in North Sumatra that served the finest in the world. So we pulled some funds out of the enormous and expansive Thrifty Gobbler budget sack, and sent our roaming reporter Tillie Pea on a mission to discover their secrets. Here’s what she found… This is not 29 Acacia Road. This is Nias Island, North Sumatra. And this is Ibu Lennys, who probably doesn’t lead an amazing double life. But when Ibu fries a banana, an amazing transformation occurs… the humble banana becomes PISANG GORENG! And you don’t even really need a profound appreciation of 80s superhero cartoons to give it a go yourself. (Serves 5) 5 bananas 150g self-raising flour 15g sugar A small pinch of salt Lukewarm water Coconut oil for frying (available from Asian supermarkets, but vegetable oil will do otherwise) First, you will need to make the batter. Mix together the flour, sugar and salt. Gradually add enough lukewarm water to make a smooth, thick batter Take your bananas. Make sure they are not too ripe (Ibu is using tiny little ‘nanas, but we thought you had enough to worry about finding coconut oil) Peel them up Slice each banana lengthways into sections no thicker than 5mm Stop about 1 cm before the end of the banana, so that it all stays in one piece Fan out the slices from this base Coat the banana in the batter Drop the fritter into the (bubbling hot) coconut oil Give them a poke every now and again, so they don’t stick together When they are golden brown, take them out (you can use a sieve if you don’t have a fancy fryer) Enjoy. Hati-hati, they will be HOT! Thrifty? They go for 500 Indonesian Rupiah a pop…that’s about 3p. But think what you’ll be saving on the airfare. - How To 2010-03-03T10:00:02+00:00 http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/make-it-houmous/ http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/make-it-houmous/#When:18:10:13Z Oh, isn’t this houm-er-ous Houmous is underrated. We know because we checked: it has less than 600 fans on facebook to Jedward’s 16,000. Now, we can’t stop you from gawping at the spiky mentals on your tellybox, but we can provide you with a thrifty dollop of the good stuff to gorge on while you do so. Thus restoring Jedward/ houmous equilibrium. We got a bit carried away with ours, adding lime and sugar to give it a subtle sweetness, and a bit of cumin to give it depth. 1 tin of cooked white chickpeas (brown works well too, just don’t be alarmed when it appears off-colour) 2 teaspoons of Tahini sesame paste (this can be £2+, but it keeps well and can make several batches) 1 teaspoon of natural Greek yoghurt 1 clove of garlic 1 lemon or lime, or a half of each 1/4 tsp cumin Salt and pepper 1/2 tsp sugar 1 tbsp of (extra virgin if possible) olive oil Paprika and more olive oil to garnish Drain the chickpeas and peel the garlic Blend together. This should come together in a paste, thicker than your final houmous will be. If you don’t have a food processor, dice the garlic as fine as you can and mash up your chickpeas with a fork or potato masher Add the remaining ingredients in no particular order and blend again Sprinkle with paprika and drizzle with olive oil to serve Wash, rinse, and repeat The sums: TOTAL: £1.50 for around 400g Compared to: Sainsbury’s houmous £1.01 for 200g (in the larder) Tip: Reserve some of the liquid from the chickpea tin – if you need to thin your houmous later, this’ll be nicer than using water. Additions: Shower with toasted pine nuts or un-crushed chickpeas for texture. Mix in finely chopped red pepper for colour, chilli powder or harissa for heat, or caramelised onions if you like it sweet. - Make it 2010-03-01T18:10:13+00:00 http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/make-it-chapati/ http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/make-it-chapati/#When:14:10:57Z A thoroughly nice chapati Baking your own bread is an ancient and spiritual experience that everyone should just bloomin’ well get on with and stop moaning. And if you don’t have the time or patience to do it, then just flob right off and go eat a potted noodle or whatever it is you lot like to eat. With this message still ringing in our poor little ears, we left River Cottage for the last time and set about finding the quickest and easiest way to appease old Hugh and his mates before things turned ugly. Sure enough, we found it. A delicious chapati. (makes 12) 2 cups wheat flour 1 tsp ghee or oil 1 tsp salt A little water Mix all the dry ingredients together and knead with as much water as it takes to form a smooth, elastic dough Leave to prove for one hour Make as many identical balls as you like/need, sprinkle with spare flour and roll out to roughly the thickness of a tortilla Heat your griddle, or skillet, or frying pan and place your chapati on it Cook the chapati on both sides, until brown spots appear Serve with whatever you fancy - we can’t tell you! Easy, or is it? There is undoubtedly art in the perfection of these apparently simple breads. Ours for instance were a little crispier than we might have liked, so we welcome you to inundate us with tips and tricks to achieve the soft, pleasingly chewy chapati we all want to eat. Comment away. -   Make it 2010-02-18T14:10:57+00:00 http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/top-5-wintery-soups-part-4/ http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/top-5-wintery-soups-part-4/#When:14:45:37Z It’s still winter, we checked Mulliga-who? Tawny’s the name, I’m a deliciously comforting, spicy Indian soup, now kindly get your spoon off my lawn. There’s nothing quite like a bit of spice to unblock that wintery old nose and fend off the chills for another minute or two, and this cracking Indian offering is a Gobbler fave and no mistake. Make me here - Top 5 2010-02-17T14:45:37+00:00 http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/the-gourmet-chocolate-pizza/ http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/the-gourmet-chocolate-pizza/#When:08:11:17Z Willy Wonka eat your Oompa Loompa out We were sent this fine chocolate pizza the other day, and feeling hungry, we popped it straight in the oven. A few days later and the replacement has arrived, looking every bit as delicious as the name suggests. But before you all go rushing to buy one in time for Easter, ask yourself how did it fare in the TG chocolate pizza taste test? Let’s see… First impressions are good, although it looks about as much like a chocolate pizza as a frisbee looks like a plastic one. This is a silly detail to pick on of course - chocolate log doesn’t look much like a log - but it’s probably best to point out early on that it is really just a large disc of chocolate, cut into slices, with chocolate shavings and stuff on top. Apparently ours is an Easter special and the regular one looks much more lifelike, but don’t expect an actual pizza with sweet toppings. In terms of taste, we can’t complain; lovely creamy milk chocolate base, with shavings cascading all over the place, and a pair of white chocolate easter bunnies to fight over at the end. Having eaten a slice, we can appreciate the decision to scale down from average pizza depth - it’s a lot of chocolate as it is. And it comes in a takeaway-style brown cardboard box, making it a great gift for any chocolate-based religious occasion, but go for one of the regular varieties for maximum it looks like a real pizza effect. - Odds and ends 2010-02-17T08:11:17+00:00 http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/make-it-mango-lassi/ http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/make-it-mango-lassi/#When:11:04:41Z Gobbler’s fine young lassi ‘What’s that, Lassi, the readers have sampled you in Indian restaurants around the country, and are now stuck trying to recreate you in their kitchens? Let’s go see if old Mr & Mrs Gobbler can’t help them out…’ Laboured Lassie pun over. We found this tin of mango pulp in our local Morrisons, and immediately thought lassi. It’s way much cheaper than buying real mangoes. Here’s how it went down: (Serves 2) 1/2 tin of mango pulp, (or 1 ripe mango, if you’re feeling flush) 150ml/5fl oz milk 175ml/6fl oz natural yogurt 2 tsp sugar Put everything into a food processor or blender, and blitz until smooth Serve in tall glasses with a few ice cubes for good measure The sums TOTAL: £1.30p OR 65p per person Compared to Your average restaurant-bought lassi, £2 - Make it 2010-02-10T11:04:41+00:00 http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/top-5-heart-shaped-things/ http://www.thriftygobbler.com/site/top-5-heart-shaped-things/#When:08:15:46Z Say it with a ramekin Besides the weighing scales we brought you in our last top 5 (they’re still there! Give them a home!), we’ve found more heart-y gifts for your dear one. And they’re WELL cheap. How romantic are we?! 1. Glitter Heart Party Straw in pink or lilac, Amazon (www.amazon.co.uk) 36p Suck it up, love birds. Slurp your Gobbler ginger beer, through these wondrous sparkly straws. They’re 36p, so stock up. You just never know when you might need another. 2. 8-inch Heart Sponge Tin, Cake Craft Shop (www.cakecraftshop.co.uk) £4.25 A tin. For doing a cake in. 3. Love Toast, I Want One Of Those (www.iwantoneofthose.com) £2.99 Love toast. Breakfast in bed to make his/her heart melt, without all the effort of, say, a boiled egg. 4. Wilko Novelty Cookie Cutters, Wilkinson (www.wilkinsonplus.com) 97p A heart-shaped cookie cutter as part of a set of 6 means your lavish 97p purchase isn’t rendered useless after the occasion. You’ll be making flower cookies for mothers’ day, gingerbread men for general japes, and circles if you’re a total bore. 5. Le Creuset Heart Ramekin in cerise, John Lewis (www.johnlewis.com £6 Should your loved one complain about the great gift of ramekin, tell them: ‘THIS AIN’T NO REGULAR RAMEKIN. IT’S A POSH ONE’. Or stick a soufflé in it. - Top 5 2010-02-10T08:15:46+00:00