[Sca-cooks] canned gravy??????
Mairi Ceilidh
jjterlouw at earthlink.net
Sun Dec 28 10:08:05 PST 2003
> The first time I saw this was at Thanksgiving dinner at my soon-to-be
> in-law's house. My M-I-L made the gravy with giblets (which I don't care
> for, opting myself for a nice veloute sort of texture to my gravy) and
then
> added chopped hard boiled eggs. I was appalled. I ate some to be nice,
but
> never liked it, although I don't have anything against h.b. eggs. They
just
> don't belong in my gravy. She was from south Georgia, and their family
had
> been living in northern Florida for decades (which isn't all that
different
> from south GA, once you get away from the cities). If I recall correctly
it
> seemed to be sort of clearish, so she may have also used corn starch as a
> thickener. All very bizarre to me. It was also the first time I'd ever
> seen anyone stringing celery stalks. (Using a knife to cut away a small
> section at one end, then pulling along the back to remove the fibers
running
> lenghthwise. I've done it since to larger, tougher stalks, but even in a
> professional kitchen setting, I'd never seen anyone take the time to do
> this).
> As for skimming fat, the method Adamantius describes of a tall container
in
> the fridge works best and most fool-proof, and it doesn't have to get
> completely cold to have the separation complete. It only takes a few
> minutes for most poultry drippings to separate. To get it congealed to be
> able to lift it off cleanly takes a while, but just getting it all on top
> makes removal of the fat pretty easy.
> Christianna
Eggs in giblet gravy (and stringing celery) must indeed be a South GA/North
FL thing. My grandmother always put the giblets and hard boiled eggs
(albeit usually grated instead of chopped) in gravy at Thanksgiving. I have
been known to do it myself, on occasion. It does add a richness that I
like. I do agree that there are times when a smooth, creamy gravy is
required, but I do love chunky giblet gravy.
Mairi Ceilidh, just 18 miles from the GA border in North Florida
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