anyone for chutney?

[cyclegirl]

Early hours of the morning and I can't sleep, so unfortunately you get the pleasure of my company..soz! I've been thinking about chutney (I promise that I do get more random)

Now does anyone go through phases? I?m a phasey kinda girl. My current phase is chutneys. I?m really not sure where this has stemmed from. I think it may be a symptom of what to take to a party I?ve been invited too (oh yes, that?ll be another story, in another thread and prob under a headline along the lines of ?cycle girl, projectile vomiting, host screaming), and to be a polite guest its good to take something for the host isn?t it? (have read somewhere that it is ?proper? - housewife?s weekly?!)

I?m guessing its not quite the norm to take chutney..there is a method to my madness. Firstly, it?s a BBQ and secondly, I like the idea of springing upon my host a delicious concotion of homemade chutney, made by my own fair hands and decorated with some kind of ribbon?? I can see them all swooning over the delicacy of Pear and walnut jellied chutney?whilst I quietly and modestly enjoy the accolade and new found accomplishment *then cyclegirl wakes up*

Except?I can?t cook, can?t be bothered and don?t know what half the ingredients are?so my phase has come and gone. Am left instead to scratch my head once again and revert back to housewife?s weekly for another suggestion?

Although I am starting to get into decoupage?.perhaps a nice decorated teatray

..or I could just take wine (although technically I end up drinking it and not really anything left for the host..oh well, life?s a bitch sometimes  )

[Ludo]

Let's talk about phrases! I go through all kinds, mostly foodie and musical ones, I seem to obsess about something until I make myself sick of it, then I move on. We wont even talk about the polenta, with chives and soy cream for breakfast phrase!

Hehe chutney sounds very prim and proper! You've actually got me wanting to go and find myself a jar today when I pass through Tescos. Mmmm could spend an ages gazing at all the various intriguing concoctions! Oh no I feel a new phrase coming on....I shall blame you!

[Dreaming]

I too enjoy indulging in a phase. Presently its cheese straws, before this it was snack eggs (was a flithy phase which included me hiding snack eggs in my work desk for fear of being outed as a dirty snack egg addict).

Chutney sounds like as good a phase as any, indulge and furthermore, be proud.

[stresspuppy]

Hmm you do post some very interesting threads cyclegirl  I used to think Chutney was the food of the devil  (together with jam, jaffa cakes, sweetcorn, a lot of chinese takeaway food - I find it all too sweet UGH! and well just wrong food). However as I've matured like a nice piece of cheddar (a food favourite) I do find a chutney that's not overly sweet, more savoury, can be a good accompaniment to a nice chunk of cheese. One of my all-time favourites has to be a cheese and Branston pickle sandwich so I guess I've always had a secret chutney tendency. I'm even thinking of making my own and have actually photocopied recipes!!! watch out Xmas time - a jar of chutney might be coming your way 

I'm more of a savoury kind of guy and love my salty savoury foods, olives, anchovies, marmite, ready salted crisps (none of this weird flavour nonsense) and I also make a mean homemade Piccalilli - feel the burn 

[cyclegirl]

I actually hate chutney..just like the idea of it! ...but am def liking all the secret food phases coming out of you guys!

polenta, with chives and soy cream for breakfast phrase

Seriously?!!!

snack eggs (was a flithy phase which included me hiding snack eggs in my work desk for fear of being outed as a dirty snack egg addict).

Yay, am not the only one to love those scary little eggs...I think this is my conforting eating phase.

I do have to hold my hand up to the Dairylea plastic cheese and fabric ham snack box...I know, pretty grim and my secret sneaky pleasure...but am hoping this too will pass

And, pup...did you really mention Jaffa cakes as food of the devil???!!!!! what a weird and wonderful lot you all are  

[Ludo]

polenta, with chives and soy cream for breakfast phrase
Seriously?!!!

Er, there's nowt wrong with that! Haha

And Jaffa cakes were the last non-vegan food that I ate before changing my ways! Think I demolished a whole pack of em!

[Alexandra]

I love jaffa cakes but I hate the way they market them as being low calorie, when yeah, each individual one is, but you can't eat just one! You've got to eat a whole pack!!

Mmmm I love chutney with cheese. I've had soooooooo many weird food phases hee hee I used to have cravings for pickled onions and grapefruits (not together though). So acidic I'm surprised my teeth didn't erode away. And in my last year at uni the only lunch I ate was greek salad. And while I was refeeding it was natural yoghurt with dried fruit and spenda all mixed up.

Snack eggs! Quorn make a veggie version that I LOVE. Best thing about quorn - no suspect gristly bits. Bleugh! Ooooh and I also like extra light dairylea triangles.... mmm plastic.

[cyclegirl]

those quorn eggs are really good and this is coming from a hardcore carnivore...the bacon stuff is just wrong though

[someone]

I've known some vegans to make homemade jaffa cakes and they look so good!!

Have to agree on the "fake" bacon and thats coming from a hard core veggie!

Love your chutney post, made me smile! Your dream about making home made chutney, if you want to wow someone with home made stuff, homemade pea butter cup cakes are the way to go, so easy and more construction then cooking!! Also vegan so good for you ludo (plus me who loves them too!)! Gave them to my sister when she came back from travelling and won't stop stealing them!! I go through phases so bad, my "junk" phases are brilliant (which is my current phase), nachoes, chocolate, 30p pasta mixes, have to start a chutney one next!!

Have a normal key board as on my boyfriend's pc, has all the letters!

[cyclegirl]

hey Liz! am missing your dodgy keyboard 

You need to tell me how to make homemade peanut butter cup cakes..think this could be the answer! (plus they sound very yummy)...

*cyclegirl goes off to get her pinny*

[someone]

back on the dodgy one!

http://vanillasugarblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/chocolate-peanut-butter-cups-as.html

Althrough i cook i don't bake as i just can't (but i do try), these turn out so good (as long as you use small fairy cake cases, my mistake).
More construction then a recipe and so much nicer then reese peanut cups! surpised dark chocolate worked so well!

plus makes people think there so hard and therefore think i can bake!

[cyclegirl]

brill, thanks! cheap to make and not alot of baking involved..right up my street *thumbs up*

[Ludo]

Ta Lizzy! Shall def endeavour to make the peanut butter cups, they sound so yum and they're vegan friendly! And best of no oven involved, yay awesome! Ooh and did you say that you know someone who's able to make vegan jaffa cakes? Wow! That's a new one to me, but sounds amazing!

Btw if you've not already discovered them we've got a great veggie, vegan, whole-food store in Brighton by the name of Infinity Foods, they're based in the north laines and seem to stock everything a veggie could want, including loads of freshly baked scones, muffins, pizzas, breads etc, also there are two great shops could Taj that are great for fresh veg and deli type foods. The Chinese supermarket in the North Laines is also a treasure trove of ingredients, and a must if you like any kind of oriental foods, it's just fun to browse there! Brighton is fab in general for veggies/vegans, I'm still discovering new cafes and shops everyday! The laines in particular are wonderful, I even found a cafe that does the best vegan choc muffins!....Must go now I'm in danger of making my mouth water with all this grub talk!

[someone]

Infinity foods is amazing!! I love there brussel style pate, something i have missed so bad in my 7 years of vegetarianism till a month ago.There vegan icecream bars are so good! bit expensive but there food is so good! So pleased i found another fan!! Also get my nooch there.

Chinese super market is a recent find for me (even through i've walked past it so often), found some ok tofu (i'm spoilt for tofu where i live so nothing can compare!) good spices ect.

Have you been to planet india or that veggie buffet in ship street??, ok but for 3.50 its a good meal.
I love browsing through food shops like health stores, veggie food shops and Asian supermarkets. Lucky as i have an epic asain food store 5 minutes from my house as well as a load of korean shops, it will be missed!!

Have you been in red veg? they do good home made vegan cake for about ?1.50 and so good!! so

Out of my many cook books i have "another dinner is possible" written by someone who cooks for the cowley club on london road in brighton, really good cook book, its my current bible!!


Do try pea nut butter cups, use small large ones seem a bit sickly, my silly mistake when i first made them!!

Heres the link for jaffa cakes (by the way its an ace vegan forum)
http://www.postpunkkitchen.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=115004

[Ludo]

Mmmm, Brussels style pate is yum! I've been enjoying loads of pate on crusty rolls lately with....you guessed it chutney! I'm so easily influenced! Haha
Shall def look out for the veggie buffets and red veg, I've wandered past the place quite a lot but I've not yet tried anything from there. When I go to London I always eat at the chain of vegan Tai buffets spread out around the city, there's a great one in Goodge Street which is called Wai that does an amazing mix of things including vegan prawns.
I believe the Cowley club also do vegan food, and it's also a great politically conscious hangout I've been told, where they have music and stuff so shall have to investigate.

Thanks for the link, those jaffa cakes look so tempting, think there's even mention of vegan creme eggs, what a discovery!

What a great thread!