Quick question - roast potatoes - vegetable oil or sunflower oil???

[FAQtothefuture]

It's all I have in - which is best?

thanks

[notsoteenagemum]

What no Lard or Goose Fat

I'd probably use vegetable then.

[FAQtothefuture]

no - they only had horrible cheap lard at Morrisons, and I've never found goose fat in our town in 7yrs of looking .

Shall use vegetable - hopefully have some of the beef fat to add to it later as well.

Thanks

[LoveBuckets]

Either. Try shaking the boiled potatoes in their pan with a tablespoon of flour before putting them in to roast. Nice and fluffy-crispy outside.

[FAQtothefuture]

ahh Ruby - that's interesting - never thought to look for tins..........what it be with (ie meats/fish, beans/soups etc etc?)

I shall give them a good shake and add some flour as well.

thanks for the tips - got the (lovely) IL's over later - beef is already in the oven, but just starting to think about prepping the veg and potatoes ready and wondered best ways of doing it.

I'd like to live up to the expectations of a good "English" dinner

[HolidaysQueen]

Horrible cheap lard is all you can get (there only isn't Taste the Difference lard because it isn't trendy, unlike goose fat!) and it makes much better roast potatoes than oils

I use lard for proper Sunday roasts for guests (unless they're veggies!) but otherwise use whatever oil to hand. Topping up with beef dripping is a very good idea!

[MarthaFarquhar]

Another vote for lard. The cheapo stuff is all you need.

[FAQtothefuture]

this was value lard - they were clean out of the normal stuff (almost out of beef roasts too - which is odd as I thought most people had their roasts on a Sunday ).

May not be around much until tomorrow - got 6 of them descending on us in the next 20 minutes or so - eek

[FAQtothefuture]

actually thinking about it - just as well I didn't get lard - it's pig fat isn't it? - and FIL doesn't eat Pork at all - that would have been a bit of a oops moment

[OhBling]

FAQ - I am loving the preparation for the PILs tonight!

Technically, sunflower and vegetable are similar. I doubt either would matter - and should both be better than olive as they get hotter (having said that, I always use olive oil - I am a cheat that way!)

[OhBling]

OOh - and on the culture thing - here's my hot Southern African tip (works across SA, Botswana, Zim, etc really) : when in doubt, offer food and drink. Basically, as long as the host is being appropriately hospitable - ie serving up loads of food - you're all good!

Good luck!

[FAQtothefuture]

lol OhBling - this is a big occasion.

FIL has left Zimbabwe for the first time in his life for this trip - honestly - he's never even been over the border - he had to get his first ever passport for this trip!

It's the first time this group of Zim family have been together for nearly 10yrs (our wedding in Zim end of '99)!! It's his 3 eldest children, plus 5 of his grandchildren (he's got 8 in total) all together in the same place at the same time!

[FAQtothefuture]

ahh now you see OhBling - we've got the added dimension of me being the wife of the eldest son, and a mother at that. You know the status of eldest sons/married woman with children etc in Zim - it's all terribly complicated. He's the 3rd born but the oldest son.

Like you say - if in doubt I'll just offer the food and drinks .

[FAQtothefuture]

oh and also only the 2nd time FIL has met DS1 and 2, and the first time for meeting DS3!

[OhBling]

Oh god, yes. This could be interesting. And it's your (or rather, DH's* house...)?

Is MIL with him too?

Food. Stick with food. Honestly, you can't go wrong. Preferably home made, obviously.

[FAQtothefuture]

yes it's our/DH's house - no MIL - she passed away 8 months before I met DH

right they're here - gotta go

[OhBling]

Good luck! It will be fun.

[ilovetiramisu]

don't forget to put salt in the water when par-boiling your potatoes. Never understood why mine wouldn't work beforehand.

[claireybee]

My IL's like warm milk with tea (tea with a saucer even if it's in a mug ). Milk served in a separate jug not put in the cup for them.

They also eat rice with a roast and have been known to ask me if I 'forgot' the rice when I served a roast without it.

Oh and MIL wanted African gravy not meat gravy (tomato and onion type sauce).

Hope it all goes well

[OhBling]

I had forgotten about the double carbs. Good point.

[FAQtothefuture]

well it all went well (the meal) - but I have been "subjected" to my first ever proper family "meeting" - ohbling - you probabl have some idea what I'm on about.......FIL, his 3 eldest children and their spouses...............omg we have just finished about 1/2hr ago - with a short break for dinner

[Mumcentreplus]

glad to hear you survived..

[FAQtothefuture]

es I survived.........but I have to endure attend another one before FIL goes back to Zim later in the year - to "resolve issues raised at this one" (and believe me there were some major issues - all very "political" - both in terms of family politics and party politics).

[Mumcentreplus]

lol..at least you have a few months to brace prepare yourself..

[OhBling]

Yup. Although I think this is something that is more traditionally African than white African, if that makes sense? We have family meetings too, but they tend to be fairly short, with lots of shouting! . One of my good friends who is black and whose family are that wonderful combination of modern and traditional.... well, let's just say that she's been dragged from Johannesburg to Cape Town to attend such meetings in the past!