junkets

[John Savage]

This is not a political rant. :-)

On a local radio gardening program (2GB here in Sydney) a caller asked
was there a home-grown substitute for setting milk when making cottage
cheese. (This need has been forced on us because most of the two major
supermarket-chain stores have removed junket tablets from their shelves;
not a profitable line.)

Another caller recounted how, in times of shortage during the war, her
mother would stir the warming milk with a twig from their fig tree
(edible figs) and this would cause the milk to set (albeit not smoothly).
The chosen twig was about the thickness of a finger and was first
prepared by having its bark peeled off.

Anyone have other plant-based suggestions?
--
John Savage (my news address is not valid for email)

[FarmI]

"John Savage" > wrote in message
> On a local radio gardening program (2GB here in Sydney) a caller asked
> was there a home-grown substitute for setting milk when making cottage
> cheese. (This need has been forced on us because most of the two major
> supermarket-chain stores have removed junket tablets from their shelves;
> not a profitable line.)
>
> Another caller recounted how, in times of shortage during the war, her
> mother would stir the warming milk with a twig from their fig tree
> (edible figs) and this would cause the milk to set (albeit not smoothly).
> The chosen twig was about the thickness of a finger and was first
> prepared by having its bark peeled off.
>
> Anyone have other plant-based suggestions?

Here's a pretty comprehensive list:
http://www.pfaf.org/database/search_use.php?K[]=Curdling%20agent

[John Savage]

"FarmI" <ask@itshall be given> writes:
>"John Savage" > wrote in message
>> On a local radio gardening program (2GB here in Sydney) a caller asked
>> was there a home-grown substitute for setting milk when making cottage
>> cheese. (This need has been forced on us because most of the two major
>> supermarket-chain stores have removed junket tablets from their shelves;

>> Anyone have other plant-based suggestions?
>
>Here's a pretty comprehensive list:
>http://www.pfaf.org/database/search_use.php?K[]=Curdling%20agent

Indeed an interesting list. I'd welcome suggestions for a substitute for
rennet in making junket, too. This involves setting the milk, rather than
just making it curdle. (I can use pineapple cordial base to make milk
curdle, but it won't turn it into a junket.)
--
John Savage (my news address is not valid for email)

[jones]

`Why are junket tablets not in the shops these day? Hadn't heard of that
one.

Katherine

This need has been forced on us because most of the two major
>>> supermarket-chain stores have removed junket tablets from their shelves;

[FarmI]

"jones" > wrote in message

> `Why are junket tablets not in the shops these day? Hadn't heard of that
> one.
>
> Katherine
>
> This need has been forced on us because most of the two major
>>>> supermarket-chain stores have removed junket tablets from their
>>>> shelves;

I can buy junket tablets here but then I live in the country. The only
problem is that they are flavoured and I havne't seem the unflavoured ones
for some years now (I haven't looked either though)

[FarmI]

"John Savage" > wrote in message
> "FarmI" <ask@itshall be given> writes:
>>"John Savage" > wrote in message
>>> On a local radio gardening program (2GB here in Sydney) a caller asked
>>> was there a home-grown substitute for setting milk when making cottage
>>> cheese. (This need has been forced on us because most of the two major
>>> supermarket-chain stores have removed junket tablets from their shelves;
>
>>> Anyone have other plant-based suggestions?
>>
>>Here's a pretty comprehensive list:
>>http://www.pfaf.org/database/search_use.php?K[]=Curdling%20agent
>
> Indeed an interesting list. I'd welcome suggestions for a substitute for
> rennet in making junket, too. This involves setting the milk, rather than
> just making it curdle. (I can use pineapple cordial base to make milk
> curdle, but it won't turn it into a junket.)

"Lady's bedstraw" is a natural rennet. I had some in my previous garden.
See:
http://www.englishplants.co.uk/ladysbed.html and
http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/b/bedlad25.html

[John Savage]

"FarmI" <ask@itshall be given> writes:
>I can buy junket tablets here but then I live in the country. The only
>problem is that they are flavoured and I havne't seem the unflavoured ones
>for some years now (I haven't looked either though)

Time goes quickly, but have you looked for junket tablets in the last
two years? I ask because the sole manufacturer of Junket Tablets (Chris
Hansons) ceased manufacture in 2005. I'm surprised that another importer
has not stepped into the breach to supply Woolworths and Coles, but none
seems to have. If junket tabs are still on sale at your store, mind
looking and telling me what brand they are?
--
John Savage (my news address is not valid for email)

[FarmI]

"John Savage" > wrote in message
> "FarmI" <ask@itshall be given> writes:
>>I can buy junket tablets here but then I live in the country. The only
>>problem is that they are flavoured and I havne't seem the unflavoured ones
>>for some years now (I haven't looked either though)
>
> Time goes quickly, but have you looked for junket tablets in the last
> two years?

I know about how time flys - appallingly fast! However, when I first read
your response, I did a quick mental recap and thought that although I may
just have bought my own junket tabs about 2 years ago (although I thought
this would be a bit of a stretch), I did recently notice them again in the
local supermarket and that was certainly well under 2 years ago. I noticed
them hanging on one of those irritating plastic hanger things that swing off
the columns in the aisle and because it got in my way, I did a quick look to
see if they were flavoured or unflavoured as having been bitten buying the
flavoured ones, I wanted to see if they had unflavoured ones - all flavoured
though.

I ask because the sole manufacturer of Junket Tablets (Chris
> Hansons) ceased manufacture in 2005. I'm surprised that another importer
> has not stepped into the breach to supply Woolworths and Coles, but none
> seems to have. If junket tabs are still on sale at your store, mind
> looking and telling me what brand they are?

In response to this query, I immediately went looking in my pantry to find
the flavoured ones as I was fairly sure that they were Hansons. Very
embarrassing experience altogether and I blush as I type this.

In my own defence, I have to say that my pantry is what would these days be
considered to be rather large - it's much bigger than the ensuites in many
houses or motels I've been to, so it can fit rather a lot in the space. I
discovered 2 packs of wild rice I'd forgotten I had, a jar of Asafoetida
(what WAS I going to use that for????), 24 packs of jelly and 4 packs of
plain junket tablets (all Hansons) but no flavoured ones. The plain junket
tabs must be rather (very?)old, but dont' appear to have a useby date on
them. Given that one pack has a price sticker of 97 cents and another has a
price sticker of $1.49 and the other 2 are price sticker free, you can
imagine how old the oldest must be. How long ago did bar scans become the
vogue? I blush!

Anyway, because I thought that the missing flavoured ones had indeed been
Hansons, I did a google and found this:
http://simplyjunket.com.au/news.php
and the picture of the junket that shows at this site is indeed the one I
had bought and found again recently in the small local supermarket so it
seems that Hansons can still be had after all.

Our local supermarket is very customer focussed (they'd want to be given
that for some items I pay up to $2 more for a single can than I would if I
bought in Woollies or Coles). I know that they have got in 2 items for me
especially - Honey soy Sauce and NilOdor and they had never heard of either
of them but made the effort to get them although Lord know how or where.

Anyway, I ramble, I will look for you but I am positive that it was the
exact same product as in the site I found. I'll report back.

[FarmI]

John

Checked out the junket in the local supermarket today. It IS Hansons brand
but the pic on the pack is different to the one at the website I quoted.

[John Savage]

"FarmI" <ask@itshall be given> writes:
>"John Savage" > wrote in message
>> "FarmI" <ask@itshall be given> writes:
>>>I can buy junket tablets here but then I live in the country. The only
>>>problem is that they are flavoured and I havne't seem the unflavoured ones
>>>for some years now (I haven't looked either though)

>the columns in the aisle and because it got in my way, I did a quick look to
>see if they were flavoured or unflavoured as having been bitten buying the
>flavoured ones, I wanted to see if they had unflavoured ones - all flavoured
>though.

I know its irritating to have someone question ones every statement, but
are you sure what's on sale at your store is *flavoured*?

>Anyway, because I thought that the missing flavoured ones had indeed been
>Hansons, I did a google and found this:
>http://simplyjunket.com.au/news.php

I was aware of the simply junket people, and very helpful they are. I
have pointed others in their direction, but shopping by post is not so
convenient. (For the information of others, you can buy junket powder
by post from them, for $7.)

I am interested to know whether your local independent supermarket is
selling the simply junket brand, or is there some other brand available
in some Australian stores? Simply junket sell only unflavoured powder,
you see.

Thanks for your research. :-)
--
John Savage (my news address is not valid for email)

[FarmI]

"John Savage" > wrote in message
> "FarmI" <ask@itshall be given> writes:
>>"John Savage" > wrote in message
>>> "FarmI" <ask@itshall be given> writes:
>>>>I can buy junket tablets here but then I live in the country. The only
>>>>problem is that they are flavoured and I havne't seem the unflavoured
>>>>ones
>>>>for some years now (I haven't looked either though)
>
>>the columns in the aisle and because it got in my way, I did a quick look
>>to
>>see if they were flavoured or unflavoured as having been bitten buying the
>>flavoured ones, I wanted to see if they had unflavoured ones - all
>>flavoured
>>though.
>
> I know its irritating to have someone question ones every statement, but
> are you sure what's on sale at your store is *flavoured*?

Yes. It is most definitely flavoured. I looked at the packs again the
other day when I posted the "Ping John Avage" response to say that it was
Hanson's brand. One of the flavours I noticed mentioned on the pack, was
pineapple. I think another was cherry but cannot now be sure as I was a bit
horrified at the thought of pineaple flavoured junket.
>
>>Anyway, because I thought that the missing flavoured ones had indeed been
>>Hansons, I did a google and found this:
>>http://simplyjunket.com.au/news.php
>
> I was aware of the simply junket people, and very helpful they are. I
> have pointed others in their direction, but shopping by post is not so
> convenient. (For the information of others, you can buy junket powder
> by post from them, for $7.)
>
> I am interested to know whether your local independent supermarket is
> selling the simply junket brand,

No, as I responded in the "Ping John Savage" I made after checking the
supermarket, it bears the Hansons brand name.

or is there some other brand available
> in some Australian stores? Simply junket sell only unflavoured powder,
> you see.

????? Now you have me thoroughly confused. I thought that unflavoured
junket was after given that you had asked about a rennet for making
junket????? The unflavoured powder would work the same as the Hanson's
tablets as the tablets are crushed to form a powder before adding to the
tepid milk.

[John Savage]

"FarmI" <ask@itshall be given> writes:
>Checked out the junket in the local supermarket today. It IS Hansons brand
>but the pic on the pack is different to the one at the website I quoted.

Thanks. With Hansons having ceased production at the end of 2005, it
sounds like the suppliers to your supermarket are drawing from a
stockpile. The tablets should be good for at least 3 or 4 years I'd
say, anyway.

As I'm limited to a text browser (no pics) I can't comment on any
illustration on the pack though.

I'm going to experiment with an extract of thistle flowers as an
alternative source of the rennin enzyme. I'd try the nettles, except I
haven't seen any stinging nettles since I was a kid and accidently ran
into a patch of nettles on a farm when a dog chased me as I edged too close
when admiring its newborn puppies! Do stinging nettles even grow wild
anywhere in Oz?

Maybe I'll crosspost the results of my thistle investigation to a
survivalism group! :-)
--
John Savage (my news address is not valid for email)

[0tterbot]

"John Savage" > wrote in message
om...
> "FarmI" <ask@itshall be given> writes:
>>Checked out the junket in the local supermarket today. It IS Hansons
>>brand
>>but the pic on the pack is different to the one at the website I quoted.
>
> Thanks. With Hansons having ceased production at the end of 2005, it
> sounds like the suppliers to your supermarket are drawing from a
> stockpile. The tablets should be good for at least 3 or 4 years I'd
> say, anyway.
>
> As I'm limited to a text browser (no pics) I can't comment on any
> illustration on the pack though.
>
> I'm going to experiment with an extract of thistle flowers as an
> alternative source of the rennin enzyme. I'd try the nettles, except I
> haven't seen any stinging nettles since I was a kid and accidently ran
> into a patch of nettles on a farm when a dog chased me as I edged too
> close
> when admiring its newborn puppies! Do stinging nettles even grow wild
> anywhere in Oz?
>
> Maybe I'll crosspost the results of my thistle investigation to a
> survivalism group! :-)

i would be interested to know, too :-) jackie french is on about nettles all
the time yet i too have not seen them except once or twice as a kid.
(perhaps she grows them specially).
kylie
kylie

[Chookie]

In article >,
"0tterbot" > wrote:

> i would be interested to know, too :-) jackie french is on about nettles all
> the time yet i too have not seen them except once or twice as a kid.
> (perhaps she grows them specially).

She probably does. I remember encountering wild stinging nettles from time to
time in Dad's garden, but they were little plants with leaves smaller than
mint leaves.

Now my Dad is growing European stinging nettles -- deliberately. They have
leaves up to the size of my hand and they do pack a punch. They are also high
in iron and vitamin C IIRC.

http://tinyurl.com/35lxv8

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"Parenthood is like the modern stone washing process for denim jeans. You may
start out crisp, neat and tough, but you end up pale, limp and wrinkled."
Kerry Cue

[meee]

"Chookie" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> "0tterbot" > wrote:
>
>> i would be interested to know, too :-) jackie french is on about nettles
>> all
>> the time yet i too have not seen them except once or twice as a kid.
>> (perhaps she grows them specially).
>
> She probably does. I remember encountering wild stinging nettles from
> time to
> time in Dad's garden, but they were little plants with leaves smaller than
> mint leaves.
>
> Now my Dad is growing European stinging nettles -- deliberately. They
> have
> leaves up to the size of my hand and they do pack a punch. They are also
> high
> in iron and vitamin C IIRC.
>
> http://tinyurl.com/35lxv8
>

A good place to look is veggie farms in colder districts. When my husband
worked on a cauli/cabbage farm he'd bring huge bunches home for me, although
they would not be organic by any stretch of the imagination.


> --
> Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
> (Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)
>
> "Parenthood is like the modern stone washing process for denim jeans. You
> may
> start out crisp, neat and tough, but you end up pale, limp and wrinkled."
> Kerry Cue

[FarmI]

"John Savage" > wrote in message
om...
> "FarmI" <ask@itshall be given> writes:
>>Checked out the junket in the local supermarket today. It IS Hansons
>>brand
>>but the pic on the pack is different to the one at the website I quoted.
>
> Thanks. With Hansons having ceased production at the end of 2005, it
> sounds like the suppliers to your supermarket are drawing from a
> stockpile. The tablets should be good for at least 3 or 4 years I'd
> say, anyway.

Well I made some up from the pack I had that predates bar codes and the
junket was delicious. Can't think why they'd go off in a sealed pack.

> I'm going to experiment with an extract of thistle flowers as an
> alternative source of the rennin enzyme. I'd try the nettles, except I
> haven't seen any stinging nettles since I was a kid and accidently ran
> into a patch of nettles on a farm when a dog chased me as I edged too
> close
> when admiring its newborn puppies! Do stinging nettles even grow wild
> anywhere in Oz?

Yep. Want me to send you some?

> Maybe I'll crosspost the results of my thistle investigation to a
> survivalism group! :-)

Since most of those people don't appear to be able to cook and only appear
to be interested in guns and knives and other very "boy" things, I'll bet it
drops like a lead balloon. Lord knows how these so called survivalists ever
intend to survive if faced with a veggie garden of things like Jerusalum
Artichokes or Warrigul greens etc. They don't know much about any wild
foods except mushrooms and would starve if left with only their guns and
knives and bug out bags.

[John Savage]

"FarmI" <ask@itshall be given> writes:
>>Well I made some up from the pack I had that predates bar codes and the
>>junket was delicious. Can't think why they'd go off in a sealed pack.

I expect that enzymes degrade with time and temperature.

>> Maybe I'll crosspost the results of my thistle investigation to a
>> survivalism group! :-)
>
>Since most of those people don't appear to be able to cook and only appear
>to be interested in guns and knives and other very "boy" things, I'll bet it
>drops like a lead balloon. Lord knows how these so called survivalists ever
>intend to survive if faced with a veggie garden of things like Jerusalum
>Artichokes or Warrigul greens etc. They don't know much about any wild
>foods except mushrooms and would starve if left with only their guns and
>knives and bug out bags.

Ah. Here I was thinking they'd be a group interested in surviving on just
cockroaches and thistles ("meat and one veg").
--
John Savage (my news address is not valid for email)

[0tterbot]

"John Savage" > wrote in message
om...
> "FarmI" <ask@itshall be given> writes:
>>>Well I made some up from the pack I had that predates bar codes and the
>>>junket was delicious. Can't think why they'd go off in a sealed pack.
>
> I expect that enzymes degrade with time and temperature.
>
>>> Maybe I'll crosspost the results of my thistle investigation to a
>>> survivalism group! :-)
>>
>>Since most of those people don't appear to be able to cook and only appear
>>to be interested in guns and knives and other very "boy" things, I'll bet
>>it
>>drops like a lead balloon. Lord knows how these so called survivalists
>>ever
>>intend to survive if faced with a veggie garden of things like Jerusalum
>>Artichokes or Warrigul greens etc. They don't know much about any wild
>>foods except mushrooms and would starve if left with only their guns and
>>knives and bug out bags.
>
> Ah. Here I was thinking they'd be a group interested in surviving on just
> cockroaches and thistles ("meat and one veg").

and barely-suppressed rage.
kylie

[John Savage]

Chookie > writes:
>Now my Dad is growing European stinging nettles -- deliberately. They have
>leaves up to the size of my hand and they do pack a punch. They are also high
>in iron and vitamin C IIRC.

Just curious: where did he get his seeds from? Are the plants perennials
much the same as mint is, needing to be cut back each year?
--
John Savage (my news address is not valid for email)