Aah!

Bisto.

We are almost able to prepare meals in our kitchen now, although there are a lot of fiddly bits to be finished off - most of them because we changed our minds a few times during the process. Alas, I could find none of the ingredients required for making gravy other than the water which we still keep in the tap. I had to rush down the to our local emporium to buy these instant gravy granules. I have never bought them, or anything like them before. Something over fifty years ago, when I first started cooking for myself, I found I wanted to make some gravy as part of my evening meal. In those days, emporia weren't open at that time of day, so I decided which ingredients went into gravy and guessed at how they should be combined. It worked - at least, it did to my satisfaction. Since then, my recipes have improved but, I have never resorted to either instant gravy mixes or recipe books for making sauces - until now; I don't suppose we'll finish the tub, it tastes of flavour enhancers.
I can't find my favourite kitchen knife either, this one does not take a good edge, neither does it keep the dull edge it will take.

Sadly, I had awoken this morning to hear the news of Lynda Bellingham's death. As an actress, she became famous for her role as a mother serving gravy made from Bisto's rival, Oxo. It was not a connection that occurred to me until after I had decided to use this picture today. The Bisto ads ensured that she became both famous and type cast as a mother figure, particularly when she played Helen Herriot in the tv series, "All Creatures Great and Small," even though her stage children played a tiny part in that particular narrative. A lovely lady whose obituary can be found here.


P.s. I do a mean custard as well, not to mention the TD universal salad dressing and marinate.

I've just posted Friday’s “Caught Red Handed.”