The Ultimate Gravy Recipe

PT is a recent, but very special new cyber-friend. Her enlivening chat on FB has brought me much joy, huge pleasure and a hell of a lot of laughter, not least during some bleak thesis-writing sessions. Objective, honest, compassionate and completely unshockable – and all this from an American too!

Today marks her birthday, so i´ve been racking my brains for a fitting tribute for my very special buddy.

One of her favourite teases (and she can tease mercilessly) is to tempt me with her mouth-watering culinary expertise, from baking experiences to full blown roasts - always a sure-fire way of winning over my heart. After a change of owners at McLlo´s, the mutton roast no longer has a place on the menu, and during this cold weather, there is nothing i miss more than a decent roast.

This then, especially for you PT, the ultimate recipe for gravy. I have stolen it from The Sun newspaper.

Scientists reckon they have found the perfect gravy recipe — using beef joint juices and left over water from boiled cabbage.
Saucy scientists at the Royal Society of Chemistry conducted the important culinary test to come up with the recipe for the perfect accompaniment to roast dinners.
And it's not too far from famed oldie food writer Mrs Beeton's original recipe — published in 1859.
The only difference is that chemists at the society say a teaspoon of soya sauce should be added to the more commonly used ingredients of meat juices, flour, salt, pepper and vegetable water.
The beef joint should be cooked on a bed of halved onions, carrots and celery, the boffins said.
When the meat has finished cooking it should be removed from the roasting tin along with the veg, and a small amount of flour should be sprinkled over the meat juices.
It should be stirred to form a dough before the vegetable water is slowly poured in.
Once the Marmite-like deposits on the bottom of the roasting dish have dissolved then add the salt and the soya sauce.
The concoction should then be reduced.
Chemical scientist John Emsley, who last year came up with the perfect recipe for Yorkshire pudding, said: "Gravy is a way to recover proteins, essential vitamins and minerals that may be lost on roasting a joint of meat and when cooking vegetables.
"It can also be used to provide other essential minerals such as iodine which is needed for key hormones and for the brain.
"A lack of iodine in the developing foetal brain condemns that person to a lifetime of low IQ."
The society says a good gravy has a lot of nutrients, including protein, vitamins B1 and B6, riboflavin and nicotinic acid.

PT would make an absolutely excellent travel companion, and i have thought of sneaking over to Utah, hiding her in my rucksack (for she is quite small), and snatching her away to Africa with me. Unfortunately, with her three young, beautiful kids, it isn´t gonna happen. Drats!

Have a great birthday PT xx