Billy & Me Quest for Eats

Oooh yeah… that’s the good stuff

We strongly advise everyone who reads this to run out (right goddam now this instant) and get a slow cooker. While Billy is happy with pretty much anything; it was once commented that one could spear a sewer rat to a wall and Billy would happily peel it off and chow it down with a nice side salad; at this chilly time of year, Billy is delightedist of all with a thick meat that falls off the bone like socks after the elastic has worn out. With tender stodgy vegtables that have had hours to soak up the meaty flavour. Basically by things that are impossible to cook as they take hours and hours.

Which is where the slow cooker comes in. Pop in your stuff; set the timer and head off to work. Lamb shanks in red wine with sweet potatoes, broccoli, garlic, thyme and a big mix o’ herbs. Niiiiice.

Even better was last night, when the meat had all been devoured the night before, we threw in some more wine, lentils and some chilli and put in on 5 hour slow cook during the day.

It’s an amazing device. Great winter food that cooks itself and awaits your arrival back from the cold tubes.

Again, niiiiice.

Billy: 8
Eoin: 8
Locations: In our bellies

A camera in a food can!!! I want this!! Billy wants this!! If anyone of Billy’s mates are reading this; it’s his birthday coming up soon… this is a biiig hint..

Umami: the fifth flavour! I just came across this idea today and had to mention it briefly in the blog. I won’t go on about it at any lenght (or even girth) as the wikipedia entry more than suffices.

It’s a wonderful idea; that there are essentially four kinds of flavour (much like the three basic colours) and a chef mixes these to create a meal much as a painter mixes paints. These are Saltiness, Sourness, Sweetness and Bitterness.

These four tastes and their endless variations composed all of Western Thought and Practice until the introduction of MSG…. Then came a fifth UMAMI!!!

What I find hilarious and wholly accurate about the choice of titles is that no word in the English language could adequately describe the no-taste and yet more-taste of MSG. It’s sometimes referred to as savouriness. I’d take issue with this as I think that’s probably a subset of three of the first four. UMAMI refers to something which, in my opinion, is entirely different… that odd, can’t quite put your finger (or tongue) on it flavour of all cheap Chinese food (and Pringles too of course).

Once you pop, you can’t stop. Why? The power of UMAMI, of course.

Wonderful.

(All I’m waiting for now is for Umami to duke it out with Godzilla for supreme power)

Link to gmap here