The elusive ingredient thread

[Orang Utan]

I wasn’t sure where to ask the following question, so thought it might be worth starting a thread for people to seek advice on how to locate ingredients they might not be able to get in supermarkets.

I’m after some whey. Proper whey, not protein powder for body builders. The liquid whey that you get from making cheese. A recipe calls for it. May just substitute with veg stock if I can’t locate.
Anyone know where I might score some, apart from farm shops? I think it may be more popular in middle eastern cuisine than in others.
Or do you think I could use whey protein powder like I’d use a stock cube?

 

[Orang Utan]

Also merguez sausages?
The only ones I can get are beef rather than lamb, from the halal section of Sainsbury’s or Waitrose, but they’re only vaguely-spiced like the ones I’m used to and they’re thick, when they should be thin.

 

[SpookyFrank]

These days 'farm shops' aren't really farm shops, they're overpriced crap shops that happen to be in the countryside.

 

[Epona]

I actually have no idea where to buy whey, but it's easy to make if you fancied a go at it

Make Whey from Leftover Milk (and use it in drinks) Sustainable Bartender

Save your leftover milk and make whey. Use it for your cocktails like gin fizz and whisky sours to add texture instead of egg whites.

sustainablebartender.com

 

[Steel Icarus]

I think it has to be sunny when you do that, though.

 

[sojourner]

Also merguez sausages?
The only ones I can get are beef rather than lamb, from the halal section of Sainsbury’s or Waitrose, but they’re only vaguely-spiced like the ones I’m used to and they’re thick, when they should be thin.

Ron Merlin eats them,he'll be able to tell you.

 

[sojourner]

These days 'farm shops' aren't really farm shops, they're overpriced crap shops that happen to be in the countryside.

There are proper ones round here.

 

[Epona]

I think it has to be sunny when you do that, though.

The method I posted a link to uses the hob to warm the milk

 

[xenon]

I wasn’t sure where to ask the following question, so thought it might be worth starting a thread for people to seek advice on how to locate ingredients they might not be able to get in supermarkets.

I’m after some whey. Proper whey, not protein powder for body builders. The liquid whey that you get from making cheese. A recipe calls for it. May just substitute with veg stock if I can’t locate.
Anyone know where I might score some, apart from farm shops? I think it may be more popular in middle eastern cuisine than in others.
Or do you think I could use whey protein powder like I’d use a stock cube?

You can’t use whey protein powder it’s normally flavoured. Unless you’re making a dessert.

 

[danny la rouge]

The method I posted a link to uses the hob to warm the milk

“Make whey while the sun shines”. I laughed because it’s the sort of cryptic Dad joke pun I make. They pass everyone by, but that’s part of the fun.

 

[Spymaster]

Also merguez sausages?
The only ones I can get are beef rather than lamb, from the halal section of Sainsbury’s or Waitrose, but they’re only vaguely-spiced like the ones I’m used to and they’re thick, when they should be thin.

Hundreds of places online.

Goat ones here.

 

[Ron Merlin]

Also merguez sausages?
The only ones I can get are beef rather than lamb, from the halal section of Sainsbury’s or Waitrose, but they’re only vaguely-spiced like the ones I’m used to and they’re thick, when they should be thin.

Ron Merlin eats them,he'll be able to tell you.

If there's no Moroccan butcher's round your way, then mail order is your friend.
I've tried a variety of sources but these are pretty good.


I've not tried Lidgate's merguez yet but am tempted.

 

[sojourner]

You can’t use whey protein powder it’s normally flavoured. Unless you’re making a dessert.

Mine is plain. They're not all flavoured.

 

[mojo pixy]

I make yogurt quite regularly and I'm inundated with whey because I like to leave it to thicken into 'Greek style', by letting the whey leak out. I normally just drink it with a bit of fruit juice or squash mixed in, but the point is if I make 1.5l of yogurt, easily a pint of it will drain out as whey.

So basically, consider buying a yogurt maker and then you'll have a potentially unlimited source of thick creamy yogurt (for essentially the price of plain milk ), as well as whey. I know its not a solution for today, but in the long term IMO worth a thought.

The one I have is this one, it's simple and versatile.

 

[Orang Utan]

Hundreds of places online.

Goat ones here.

Would rather buy fresh meat in a shop though, especially if I just want a few sausages. It’s not really worth it unless you have a big freezer and buy in bulk.

 

[Orang Utan]

I appreciate the whey making advice but I’m not making whey just for one recipe!

 

[mojo pixy]

I appreciate the whey making advice but I’m not making whey just for one recipe!

Yeah it's less of a one-off thing and more of an investment in a long-term supply of whey and lovely thick yogurt.

 

[Orang Utan]

Anyway, I called a local Moroccan/North African restaurant to ask them where they got theirs and they kindly pointed me in the direction of a halal butchers only a couple of miles away.

 

[trashpony]

I can’t help on the questions but I’m intrigued about what you’re making

 

[Orang Utan]

I can’t help on the questions but I’m intrigued about what you’re making

The whey is for a yogurt and pine nut dressing for some roast courgettes, onions and peppers.
And I’m making sausage rolls with the merguez

 

[JimW]

Have you tried a probate solicitors? I've heard where there's a will there's a whey.

 

[Epona]

“Make whey while the sun shines”. I laughed because it’s the sort of cryptic Dad joke pun I make. They pass everyone by, but that’s part of the fun.

Aaah gotcha - I do quite like puns but sometimes autistic brain communication defaults to literal interpretation - I think that's one of the reasons I am fascinated by puns, because I really don't always get them straight away so when I have one to make I tend to think it's quite clever
If you hadn't said, it would quite probably have occurred to me in the middle of the night when I was trying to get to sleep or summat

Also you can make whey by putting milk in a jar on a sunny windowsill instead of warming it on the hob, so there is that