[Sca-cooks] RE: good source, and gravy

[Weems, Lora]

To Adamantus: (and everyone else);

Mea Culpa.  I >did< mean $3.99 per gram, not ounce - and here in North
Texas,
that's a VERY good price, since, IF you can find saffron in a grocery store,
you expect to pay $5 to $8 for a packet that has 10 - 12 strands.  But it
_IS_
Spanish, not Mexican, the vial says so.

Now, a new store just opened in Ft. Worth - Country Market.  (There are
a few in other areas of the country, but this is the first one here.  It's
an HEB on steroids.) ohboy ohboy ohboy.  I'm not fortunate enough to be on
either coast, where some of the more 'exotic' items are more commonplace -
there are Asian markets, and so forth, but Foat Wuth is still pretty much
of a hick town, and if you want something other than what is at the local
Winn-Dixie, you really have your work cut out for you.

When you ask for Fava beans, and the grocery manager gets a glazed look
on her face, you know you are in trouble.

Also, to get a real pretty dark brown gravy, the women in my family
have always added a tablespoon of instant coffee to the liquid.  I KNOW
it SOUNDS weird - but you get NO change in flavor, just a nice rich color.
You can get the same result other ways - browning the flour, adding Kitchen
Bouquet, etc. but this is very simple and changes nothing - not the taste or
the texture.

Leofwynn