Never mind crisps, what about custard

[Brian Gaff (Sofa]

I got some of those little pots of custard the other day, but the first one I had on my pudding did not taste like custard, it reminded me of the smell you got from using cellulose paint for model aircraft, like banana oil that made tissue shiny. I'm not dead nor did I have any other effect other than the lack of custard taste and this weird smell and after taste. It claims to be from Devon and is best before June next year, and is microwavable. Its really put me off now I think its going to be ice cream with the Christmas pud. Brian

[Jim GM4DHJ ...]

fenestrating

[alan_m]

Made using real milk rather than the cornflower and water that you may be used to?

[Owain Lastname]

I think the taste is probably a mix of plastic pot and long-life preservative.

If I have custard I use custard powder, or buy a pot of fresh custard from the chilled cabinet.

There's also tinned custard which is probably less plasticy-tasting, but it tastes more like the custard powder variety than the fresh.

Personally I'd prefer cold thick cream to contrast with the hot pudding.

Owain

[SH]

You have parosmia! Get a PCR test! :-)

[Scribbles]

I only tried that stuff in the plastic pots once and I thought it smelled/tasted more like floor polish than food. I concluded it probably was an effect of something leaching from the plastic container as it heated. Presumably safe for human consumption but utterly unappetising and after the first couple of spoons full, it went in the bin.

[Tim+]

+1

Tim

[Johann Klammer]

[Nick Odell]

Listeners to The Archers and those over 90 years of age (a Venn diagram may well show two completely overlapping circles here) will know real custard is vanilla essence, sugar, milk and eggs. For the rest of us there's Bird's. First choice in order of taste, make-it-yourself from the powder; next make-it-yourself, instant; finally ready made in pots.

I don't know why but none of the so-called equivalent supermarket brands ever manage to taste the same. Next time, tell your shopper that it's Bird's or nothing.

Nick

[Harry Bloomfield, Esq.]

I don't like Christmas pud, but I have used those little pots before and not noticed a taste issue. We tend to buy tinned, or the boxed stuff, when we use it.

I do sometimes find other foods which taste rather odd, in particular those chocolate swiss roll with cream things, where you cut slices off. I took a chance on buying one a couple of weeks ago and that one was absolutely fine.

It's maybe one of those Marmite things, where there is a component others do not mind, but you hate.

[John Rumm]

Hmmm there seems to be a shortage of decent stuff in carton's at the moment. The supermarket own brands are a bit disappointing. Not tried the plastic pot version, but it might taste of pot (and not it good way!)

Double cream is better for the Christmas pud IMHO :-)

[fred]

Brandy butter, and lashings of it

[gareth evans]

IMHO FWIW those who hate Marmite have spread it too thickly.

Marmite spread thinly on cheese is a delicacy.

Marmite spread thickly is revolting.

In any case, as it is advertised as yeast extract, how do they go about extracting the poo from each yeast cell? :-)

ISTR a visit to Wadworth's brewery in Devizes nearly 40 years ago where they discussed passing the buckets of used yeast onto the Marmite factory. Yes, there was free beer, but they make the mistake of giving it out in 1/2 pint glasses, for heavy drinkers will know that you can down 1/2 pints much more quickly than pints and so get back into the queue again and again. Perhaps I shouldn't joke too much because my 35th "Birthday" in Alcoholicsis coming up in a couple of months or so.

[newshound]

I still make the milk/cornflour/orange flavoured sauce that my mother used to make. I was introduced to brandy butter by my first wife (Dutch) and that's pretty good too.

[Harry Bloomfield, Esq.]

gareth evans presented the following explanation :

I think that used to be the case. I used to love it on my morning toast. It had a lot of taste, quite fierce, needed to be spread very thinly and it was easy to spread.

Not now - It will not spread, it just rips the bread up. It has to be allowed to warm on the toast, before it will spread and spread thinly there is no taste to it.

[Graeme]

In message <sp7q25$19g$ [e-mail], Harry Bloomfield <?.?@harrym1byt.plus.com.invalid> writes

<Marmite>

Glad you said that Harry, as I thought it might just be me. Having been enjoying Marmite for nearly 70 years, I find it less easy to spread now, even more so on bread and butter than toast. It seems OK when the jar is first opened, but becomes less spreadable with age.

[Andrew]

I have that dutch stuff, alcoholic "egg nog" on xmas pudding. It's just about the only use I can think for it.

[Andrew]

The custard and cream sold by Judes is not bad.

[Bob Eager]

I have not found this at all. I find it absorbs moisture over time, and goes runny.

I am currently using the second of two catering tubs, both of which I have had for a couple of years. They have been sealed, but they are specially runny, so perhaps it isn't just moisture.

I am about to start a recently purchased tub, so that will be interesting.

[Brian Gaff (Sofa]

Probably, but whatever it is, its not what I like!

I do have something odd about the way my taste works, always have done, but this is the first time its been a problem with Custard. Brian