Hand reared chickens, hand picked grapes, milk from a cow called Clair in Devon, carrots harvested by moonlight in Antigua ?

Is M&S food actually any good or just the same as the processed crap you can buy from Tesco, Sainsburys or ASDA but twice the price and made to sound nice ?

Personally I think a lot of it is rubbish, the pan-shaken roast potatos for example (which I think Delia invented ages ago), you get the equivalent of one potato for about £2.

The worst thing they do though is "foreign" food, which looks realy nice, but is in such miniscule portions that you need 3 lots to make a decent meal for one, and so devoid of any strong flavours that most of the curries taste the same (like chicken korma).

Originally posted by nick2
Hand reared chickens, hand picked grapes, milk from a cow called Clair in Devon, carrots harvested by moonlight in Antigua ?

Is M&S food actually any good or just the same as the processed crap you can buy from Tesco, Sainsburys or ASDA but twice the price and made to sound nice ?

Personally I think a lot of it is rubbish, the pan-shaken roast potatos for example (which I think Delia invented ages ago), you get the equivalent of one potato for about £2.

The worst thing they do though is "foreign" food, which looks realy nice, but is in such miniscule portions that you need 3 lots to make a decent meal for one, and so devoid of any strong flavours that most of the curries taste the same (like chicken korma).

Good thread Nick - I like it (but then you know I never need any excuse to talk about food!)

"This isn't just food - this is M&S food."

What a load of old cobblers. M&S can be both gourmet food for idiots and processed food for those who don't care. Take their "Cook" range for example. They're basically simple dishes that can be cooked, even by a novice to a high standard but designed for those who are lazy. After all, how difficult is it to make a herb butter for your pan-fried salmon? You just throw some unsalted butter in the Kitchenaid with some chopped parsley, garlic, cayenne pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice (a recipe for Beurre Maitre D'Hotel there!) and mix at 4 for about a minute and a half.

I don't believe Marks & Spencers chickens are hand-reared and they're certainly not corn-fed so I don't buy them. Oakham Gold chickens? No different to any other chicken bought at Waitrose or Sainsburys. The only thing M&S have ever been any good at are ready meals. But seeing as I hate what ready meals represent (prick the film, reheat, tip out) it's not somewhere I need to shop.

For food I much prefer Waitrose or even Tesco. M&S food is too over-priced and, unless you don't want to cook anything (you just want to throw it all in the oven @ 200degrees ) it's doesn't stock what you need to make a meal.

Take what I'm cooking tonight:

- Organic Scottish salmon and dill fishcakes (homemade)
- Pan-shaken King Edward roast potatoes with goose fat (homemade)
- Rocket, Young Garden Pea and Feta salad with lemon juice and olive oil dressing (homemade)

All the things you buy from M&S for convenience can be made, with little effort and quickly at home.

Nice though some M&S food is, I'd prefer not to have to remortgage my mums house to get my shopping in.

M&S food is very nice, but very expensive.

Originally posted by JonJParr
- Organic Scottish salmon and dill fishcakes (homemade)
- Pan-shaken King Edward roast potatoes with goose fat (homemade)
- Rocket, Young Garden Pea and Feta salad with lemon juice and olive oil dressing (homemade)


I'm so hungry now, I love home made fishcakes, mainly because they contain lots of fish.

It's generally very nice. I draw the line at £7.00 for duck l'orange though :D

Slightly off subject but I have heard M&S have a policy where they do not prosecute shoplifting pensioners!!!

Is this true? If it is I'm popping down the local OAP home and organising a coach trip with a shopping list!! :clap:

Originally posted by nick2
I'm so hungry now, I love home made fishcakes, mainly because they contain lots of fish.

The M&S ones are probably the best ones you can buy but I can make ones that are so much better. Plus I can season it how I like, add some caramelised red onion, parsley and loads of salmon.

It was dead handy when we were both working away from home. You can't have a fridge full of fresh stuff when you're not there all week, so M&S, Waitrose and Tesco were a godsend for their upperbracket pre-prepared stuff of a weekend :thumbsup:

Originally posted by JonJParr
They're basically simple dishes that can be cooked, even by a novice to a high standard but designed for those who are lazy. After all, how difficult is it to make a herb butter for your pan-fried salmon?

I don't think laziness has anythng to do with it. How difficult would it be for you to service your own car? Not very if it was something you'd done lots of times, and enjoyed tinkering with cars!

I don't have any interest in cooking, but that doesn't make me lazy. Consequently, I still struggle with making sandwiches let alone herb butter and pan-fried salmon. :D

Originally posted by Kristian
I don't think laziness has anythng to do with it. How difficult would it be for you to service your own car?

Of course it's to do with laziness! How hard is it to pan-shake some boiled potatoes and shove them in the oven? A lot less than servicing a car.

Originally posted by JonJParr
Take what I'm cooking tonight:
- Organic Scottish salmon and dill fishcakes (homemade
- Pan-shaken King Edward roast potatoes with goose fat (homemade)
- Rocket, Young Garden Pea and Feta salad with lemon juice and olive oil dressing (homemade)
[/B]

Showoff.

But is there any chance of posting the recipe on her JonJParr? I love cooking, and I adore fishcakes, but can only afford to buy them ready-made from Asda ;-(

Originally posted by JonJParr
Of course it's to do with laziness! How hard is it to pan-shake some boiled potatoes and shove them in the oven? A lot less than servicing a car.

For you maybe. What size would I cut the potatoes to? Which type would I buy? What kind of oil would I use? What temp would I put the oven on at? Shaking them in a pan I could manage!

Because something is obvious to you, doesn't mean it is obvious to everyone. I have no experience or interest in cooking.

Lazy logic being used by you on this one Jon!

A woman at work gets her 'bit and pieces' from Aldi in her lunch hour but puts them in a M&S Food carrier bag...... :loopy:

Her husband used to work with my hubby years ago and he used to take an empty thermos flask to work and fill it up when the drinks machine was on free vend between 8.30am and 9.00am....:loopy:

Obviously suit each other....LOL!!!!

I bet they shop at 3.50pm on a Sunday too!!!

Originally posted by JBee
Showoff.

But is there any chance of posting the recipe on her JonJParr? I love cooking, and I adore fishcakes, but can only afford to buy them ready-made from Asda ;-(

Of course JBee - I always share my recipes, it's part of the fun of designing them!

Salmon Fish Cakes
Makes about 5-6 fishcakes

For the filling:
400g Desiree or any other powdery potatoes
50ml Cream
30g Unsalted Butter
300g Organic Salmon fillet (cooked & flaked - leave the pieces quite large)
A big bunch of dill (chopped)
About 1 and a half red onions
Zest and juice of half a lemon (unwaxed are best)
1 egg
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
Salt & Pepper

For the coating:
1 egg
1 cup (250ml) milk
1/3 cup of flour
1 cup of breadcrumbs

Some vegetable or canola oil to fry the fishcakes in.

Instructions

1. Boil the potatoes whole until you can push a skewer through them. Drain and cool for about 5 minutes.

2. Add cream and butter to a small saucepan and bring to the boil.

3. Mash the potato and mix in the warm butter and cream mixture. Then leave it to cool again.

4. Using a large bowl combine the mashed potato mixture, flaked salmon, dill, red onion, egg, lemon zest and juice. Then season it to taste.

5. Stir in the breadcrumbs a little at a time - this will help the mixture to bind together. Mould the mixture into small cakes and put them on a baking sheet. Keep in the fridge until you're ready to cook them.

6. When you're ready to cook them make a simple egg wash (1 cup milk, about a third cup of flour and an egg). Mix the egg and milk together and gently whisk in the flour (you can use a Kitchenaid for this if you've got one).

7. Dip the cakes into the egg wash and then coat in the breadcrumbs.

8. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and shallow fry until nice and golden on each side.

Enjoy! :)

Originally posted by Kristian
What size would I cut the potatoes to? Which type would I buy? What kind of oil would I use? What temp would I put the oven on at?

Quarters or halves is good for roast potatoes.
King Edward or Highland Black Potatoes.
Oven at between 200-220 degrees C.
Some goose fat (heated above room temp) or vegetable oil to pan-shake them in. Throw a bit of salt and pepper in there too.

Originally posted by JonJParr
Quarters or halves is good for roast potatoes.
King Edward or Highland Black Potatoes.
Oven at between 200-220 degrees C.
Some goose fat (heated above room temp) or vegetable oil to pan-shake them in. Throw a bit of salt and pepper in there too.

I par-boil them and then shake them in the pan I boiled them in (with the lid on) to rough them up a bit, them drop them into realy hot fat in the roasting tin. Also, a bit of saffron or sage and orange zest is nice.

Originally posted by JonJParr

Take what I'm cooking tonight:

- Organic Scottish salmon and dill fishcakes (homemade)
- Pan-shaken King Edward roast potatoes with goose fat (homemade)
- Rocket, Young Garden Pea and Feta salad with lemon juice and olive oil dressing (homemade)

All the things you buy from M&S for convenience can be made, with little effort and quickly at home.


What time do you want me round????:thumbsup:

Originally posted by nick2
I par-boil them and then shake them in the pan I boiled them in (with the lid on) to rough them up a bit, them drop them into realy hot fat in the roasting tin. Also, a bit of saffron or sage and orange zest is nice.

Saffron? For roast potatoes? Are you mad or do you have money to burn? Orange zest sounds good though especially if they're to go with duck!

<------- looks in cupboard at various flavours of Pot Noodles and sighs heavily :(

Originally posted by JonJParr
Saffron? For roast potatoes? Are you mad or do you have money to burn? Orange zest sounds good though especially if they're to go with duck!

I work with someone from Iran, who brings me tons of saffron back when she goes to visit her parents. Saffron is very cheap in Iran and they grow the best saffron.

Originally posted by msbehavin
<------- looks in cupboard at various flavours of Pot Noodles and sighs heavily :(

Sorry can't invite you round - I doubt the girlfriend would be too pleased at having an unexpected houseguest.

Originally posted by nick2
I work with someone from Iran, who brings me tons of saffron back when she goes to visit her parents. Saffron is very cheap in Iran and they grow the best saffron.

But saffron's such a delicate flavour - do you not find it gets obliterated in the powerful heat of the oven?

<----- thinks has got cross-threaded in the Delia/Jamie/Floyd Flambe for Forummers thread instead of M&S one.

<------is peeved that no-one has invited her for tea yet.:mad:

Originally posted by JonJParr
But saffron's such a delicate flavour - do you not find it gets obliterated in the powerful heat of the oven?

I tend to add the saffron when I'm boiling the potatoes, so they absorb the flavour and go nice and yellow. The saffron I use is realy strong and it survives the roasting, which isn't that long as I par-boil first. I have used loads of shop-bought saffron before and it's just so weedy and weak compared to the Iranian stuff.

I tend to agree with Jon and Nick regarding the overpriced nature of Mand S food. Certainly, it is possible to buy food of at least equal quality, for less, at Waitrose, Tesco and Sainsburys. I think too, that Jon hits the nail on the head regarding M and S's strengths being in the direction of ready meals [which I've always thought of as rather anti-social, miserable little offerings].

I find M and S sandwiches very, very disappointing. Why can they not bring out a readymade crusty baguette, with cheese and tomato in it? I am sure it would be a best seller. It would prove very popular at lunchtime, rather than the soggy, limp, gooey mush that passes for M and S sandwiches these days. Yes, one can buy a baguette, cheese and tomatoes and make one's own, but it would be nice to have them readymade.

Never mind geopolitics, human rights abuses etc- these are the pressing, burning issues on everyone's lips that REALLY matter...

THe thing I dislike about M&S is their overuse of packaging. Where in a local veg shop you get your lettuce in a paper bag M&S feel the need to put the same lettuce on a thick plastic tray, wrapped in plastic. Whcih you then put in a really thick plastic bag.

This is all designed to increase the perceived value of the goods. So people will spend more on what is basically exactly the same produce. Its all just clever pyschology. There's loads of it in supermarkets to make you spend more. After all that's what its all about, consumers being in the shops spending their money.

I wrote a letter to M&S regarding packaging. They said they have a positive attitude toward recycling and packaging - because they reuse their coathangers!!!!!

Originally posted by tim_rutter
THe thing I dislike about M&S is their overuse of packaging. Where in a local veg shop you get your lettuce in a paper bag M&S feel the need to put the same lettuce on a thick plastic tray, wrapped in plastic. Whcih you then put in a really thick plastic bag.

This is all designed to increase the perceived value of the goods. So people will spend more on what is basically exactly the same produce. Its all just clever pyschology. There's loads of it in supermarkets to make you spend more. After all that's what its all about, consumers being in the shops spending their money.

I wrote a letter to M&S regarding packaging. They said they have a positive attitude toward recycling and packaging - because they reuse their coathangers!!!!!

M&S do use a lot of glossy paper packaging to make their products appear better than they actually are. Take for example a ready meal (shudders at the thought) - when you pull it out of the glossy sleeve it looks absolutely revolting!!

Those chocolate, I mean “no ordinary chocolate” cake thingys are nice but look nothing like they do on the TV advert. You heat them in the microwave and then slop out onto a plate in a heap!

I buy a few ready meals occasionally- not through laziness but because I only cook for myself it would be more expensive to buy all of the raw ingredients and then cook the meal from scratch, and then there is also spare food which goes off before I have time to eat it. Before you say freeze it I share a flat so its strictly limited freezer space.

M&S ready meals are by far cheaper than Waitrose (I walked round there in a state of shock the other week), but I find that the chicken tastes of rubber :gag: and the sauces all taste the same, whether its tomato or mustard etc. etc. I do prefer to cook from scratch when I can, its far nicer and means you know exactly what you're eating in terms of added salt, sugar etc.

The best thing about cooking from scratch is that you can (within reason) add more of the stuff you like and less of the ingredients you're not so keen on.

So a prawn curry can be more prawn than curry, a beef burger can be mostly beef and a Coq Au Vin, can have more.... er.... vin :)

Originally posted by nick2
Hand reared chickens, hand picked grapes, milk from a cow called Clair in Devon, carrots harvested by moonlight in Antigua ?

:lol: :lol: PMSL that is hilarious!!!!!!!!

Originally posted by nick2
The best thing about cooking from scratch is that you can (within reason) add more of the stuff you like and less of the ingredients you're not so keen on.

So a prawn curry can be more prawn than curry, a beef burger can be mostly beef and a Coq Au Vin, can have more.... er.... vin :)

My coq au vin always has a whole bottle in it!

My boyfriend used to work in a factory which processed ready meals. Exactly the same food was used but at the end of the process, the M and S food was seasoned differently and went into different packaging.

I think I'm right in thinking that a lot of M&S ready meals are made by Northern Foods, who have a factory in Sheffield near Crystal Peaks.

I have just had a lovely piece of Syrup and peacan sponge cake,although when i took it out of the box there wasnt much to look at. At £2.00 its a bit pricey but for some reason i always feel better with myself when i have been to Marks for some food.

I noticed their prices shot up around about the same time they started doing the 3for2 and 2nd half price offers :suspect:

I stopped buying stuff in Boots because of this nonsense. It just makes shopping harder, because you need to find 2 things you don't really want/need to get your moneysworth :mad:

Besides - your average M&S customer isn't interested in 'offers' so it's counterproductive :rolleyes:

************************************************** **************************************************

Originally posted by shieshuk
A woman at work gets her 'bit and pieces' from Aldi in her lunch hour but puts them in a M&S Food carrier bag...... :loopy:


Who's that?? PM me.

I think their sandwiches are ok, but that's about it.

Give me tesco's any day of the week!!

Originally posted by JonJParr
Of course JBee - I always share my recipes, it's part of the fun of designing them!

Salmon Fish Cakes
Makes about 5-6 fishcakes

For the filling:
400g Desiree or any other powdery potatoes
50ml Cream
30g Unsalted Butter
300g Organic Salmon fillet (cooked & flaked - leave the pieces quite large)
A big bunch of dill (chopped)
About 1 and a half red onions
Zest and juice of half a lemon (unwaxed are best)
1 egg
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
Salt & Pepper

For the coating:
1 egg
1 cup (250ml) milk
1/3 cup of flour
1 cup of breadcrumbs

Some vegetable or canola oil to fry the fishcakes in.

Instructions

1. Boil the potatoes whole until you can push a skewer through them. Drain and cool for about 5 minutes.

2. Add cream and butter to a small saucepan and bring to the boil.

3. Mash the potato and mix in the warm butter and cream mixture. Then leave it to cool again.

4. Using a large bowl combine the mashed potato mixture, flaked salmon, dill, red onion, egg, lemon zest and juice. Then season it to taste.

5. Stir in the breadcrumbs a little at a time - this will help the mixture to bind together. Mould the mixture into small cakes and put them on a baking sheet. Keep in the fridge until you're ready to cook them.

6. When you're ready to cook them make a simple egg wash (1 cup milk, about a third cup of flour and an egg). Mix the egg and milk together and gently whisk in the flour (you can use a Kitchenaid for this if you've got one).

7. Dip the cakes into the egg wash and then coat in the breadcrumbs.

8. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and shallow fry until nice and golden on each side.

Enjoy! :)

I would advise this would be best served with a large helping of plagiarism.....that is of course given the uncanny similarity with a recipe on the web (only real difference being is that Jon has halfed the amount produced):

Salmon fish cakes


Serving size: unspecified
Cooking time: Less than 30 minutes



Makes: 10-12 patties


INGREDIENTS


800g Desiree potatoes
100ml cream
60g butter
600g Atlantic salmon, cooked & flaked or 1 large tin red salmon
½ bunch dill, roughly chopped
3 green onions, spring onions
2 eggs
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 egg, extra
1 cup (250ml) milk
¾ cup flour
2 cups of breadcrumbs, extra
Veg oil for shallow frying Print recipeEmail recipeCreate shopping list


METHOD


Boil potatoes whole and unpeeled until a skewers passes through easily. Drain and cool 5 minutes; peel.

Bring cream and butter to boil in small saucepan. Mash potato with ricer or masher, mix in warm butter & cream; cool.

In a large bowl combine mashed potato, flaked salmon, dill, green onions, eggs, zest and juice. Season to taste.

Stir in bread-crumbs a little at a time to help bind patty mixture. Mould into burger-sized patties; place on baking sheet. Refrigerate until required.

Make egg wash by combining egg and milk together and gently whisking in flour.

Carefully dip patties into egg wash and then into breadcrumbs.

Heat oil in large frying pan and shallow fry until golden on each side.

Enjoy :)

:o THE CONTROVERSY! Could you give a URL for that source and then the plagiarism will be entirely exposed?

Originally posted by t020
:o THE CONTROVERSY! Could you give a URL for that source and then the plagiarism will be entirely exposed?

http://aww.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=46471&subsectionname=archive

Don't be fooled by all that people claim on this forum!

Originally posted by CJ444
http://aww.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=46471&subsectionname=archive

Don't be fooled by all that people claim on this forum!

I dunno.

I'm not happy about this idea of peeling the potatioes after you've boiled them. Seems like a right faff and unnecessarily difficult. I can't see it making any difference at all if you peeled them prior to boliing. I am prepared to be convinced, but I want some damn good reasons.

Nomme

As to your charge of plagiarism CJ I'm going to enter a plea of 'not guilty' and leave it at that. I have neither the time (nor the inclination quite frankly) to right a long post explaining the differences (and similiarities!) between the two different recipes. I can see how you might be slightly incensed by this. However, given that you have sufficient time to Google for a similar recipe and that you posted in the small hours of the morning (when most of us are happily tucked up next to a loved one) I'll assume you had "nothing better to do" - or indeed contribute given you've only posted what... 10 items?

As for boiling the potatoes whole I'd advise against it because most potato skins are slightly bitter and only improve in flavour when baked (similar to garlic). So, Nomme I think maybe the only reason for doing it this way is a warped sense of convenience especially given that you will have to peel them at some point?

ps: Could you find me a recipe for Aligot w/ garlic CJ? I don't have time right now but am sure you do.

Originally posted by JonJParr


ps: Could you find me a recipe for Aligot w/ garlic CJ? I don't have time right now but am sure you do.

No Jon, being a "trained chef" you should be able to manage, with little problem, to whip something up. In addittion as you seem to be able to find so very much time in your supposedly hectic business schedule to sit on Sheffield Forum all day posting, I suggest that you can muster a minute or two find time time to search for this recipe (anyone would think you had a students' schedule). Then just pop down to waitrose in your 4.6l Range Rover to collect the necessary ingredients! (-;

Keep up the BS Jon!

Originally posted by nomme
I dunno.

I'm not happy about this idea of peeling the potatioes after you've boiled them. Seems like a right faff and unnecessarily difficult.

It's not that hard, you just smash them up a bit and pick out the skins or push them through a potato ricer.
I would have peeled them first though.

I suppose it's not hard Nick - but why would you want to do it? Why not just peel them beforehand?

ps: Anybody think we've lost the plot on this thread? Tangent.....

It has gone a bit off the rails, perhaps we should move onto pre-packed sandwiches, another thing on my hate list.

Originally posted by CJ444
No Jon, being a "trained chef" you should be able to manage, with little problem, to whip something up. In addittion as you seem to be able to find so very much time in your supposedly hectic business schedule to sit on Sheffield Forum all day posting, I suggest that you can muster a minute or two find time time to search for this recipe (anyone would think you had a students' schedule). Then just pop down to waitrose in your 4.6l Range Rover to collect the necessary ingredients! (-;

Keep up the BS Jon!

:lol: LMFAO

Sorry Jon, but I think he/she's got you there.

PS. CJ - you didn't mention that the website with virtually the same recipe is the 3rd search result on Google when searching for.... "salmon fish cakes" (http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=%22salmon+fish+cakes%22&meta=) :D

Originally posted by t020
I think I'm right in thinking that a lot of M&S ready meals are made by Northern Foods, who have a factory in Sheffield near Crystal Peaks.

Yes they do t0, they also have the former Gunstones factory at Dronfield as well.

Originally posted by owdlad
Yes they do t0, they also have the former Gunstones factory at Dronfield as well.

That factory at Dronfield smells disgusting, I can't image what it's like in Dronfield when the wind blows the wrong way.

I LOVE M & S food...

Yes, it probably is geared to rich, lazy assed housewives who spend more time "doing lunch", shopping and drinking gin, but I don't care...

I long for the day that I can open my fridge, and see it stocked wall to wall with M & S food (although will probably get to that point, and then start a family).

I fully agree with Kristian... Not all of us can be bothered after a hard day at work to a) plan what we're going tohave (ie fish out a recipe) b) go and buy (or source, I believe the word is) the fresh ingrediants we need, and c) cook it. When I get in, I just want to put my feet up and relax...

In an ideal world, I would love to cook the things JonJParr mentioned, they do sound delicious. And I am v jealous that the best my boyfriend can rustle up is beans on toast. But until I have the energy to do that, and I want something a bit special mid week, then its M&S for me everytime.

Originally posted by Miss
I am v jealous that the best my boyfriend can rustle up is beans on toast.

At least your boyfriend can cook a healthy meal then, most M&S food has near lethal levels of fat and salt.

i count myself as lucky then..

my boyfriend knows how to turn the oven on and put some fish fingers in lol:loopy: :thumbsup:

burns them tho lol



so long as no one steals my wok, i know ill survive.
back to the topic of the thread, i too would love a fridge full of m & s food, but seeing as there suposedly 'no raw fish' sushi gave me awful food poisoning i'm trying to avoid the place...

Originally posted by nick2
At least your boyfriend can cook a healthy meal then, most M&S food has near lethal levels of fat and salt.

Ha ha ha... Not sure about it being healthy for me though after he's had beans on toast...

"Beans, beans are good for your heart..."