I've got taste! (Other Food & Drink Websites)

Member Name: AliB

Product:	Other Food & Drink Websites
Date:	14/09/01 (140 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Really useful for most aspects of food & drink info.

Disadvantages: You can't taste!

http://www.taste.co.uk

Taste. - "Food to Inspire You"

I first visited this website after seeing the TV adverts they were running fairly recently, especially the Guy Fawkes one with 'Gunpowder Pepper Mash' - this intrigued me, making something as mundane and ordinary as mashed potato sound spicy and exciting! So I had a look. Now, I'm one for recipe books, and having a go at something new in the kitchen every now and again, so a website offering culinary advice, ideas and recipe after recipe appealed to me a lot, and I have to say I was not disappointed.

On the homepage you'll find a list across the top of the page of where you can go on the site and what you can look at. As you pass your mouse over each option it brings up a list of options within that option! For example, in 'Recipes' you have the choice of Recipes home, Recipe search, Stuck for ideas?, Glossary, Cookery FAQs, Forums, 10 things to do with?., and Features. Whichever you decide to go to these options remain at the top of the page so you can easily navigate your way to wherever you like. Also on the home page you basically have hints at and links to everything new on the whole site. There's quite a lot of Sainsbury's and Carlton advertising but I think that's cos it's a Sainsbury's and Carlton website!! Each page is colourful and well illustrated, important, I think, when it comes to grub. This site covers the whole spectrum of culinary issues and concerns: you've got what to cook, how, where, when, what to drink with it, who's cooked it before, who's cooking on TV, what's healthy and what's not, and where to eat if you don't actually want to cook yourself (do the cooking yourself, not cook your own arm, for example).

As I said, I'm a bit of a foodie (or is it foody)? So, I subscribed to the newsletter. Yes, I subscribed, and it's rather good! The subject of one a few
weeks ago was 'free wine?' and I'm sure there aren't many of us who wouldn't check that out! It was actually informing the reader that with every 12 bottles they buy from the Taste shop they get one free, which, if you're a big wino is a good offer. The latest newsletter (07/09/01) has this subject: 'Buy online with Taste for wine and get a 13th bottle free!' - which is the same offer - must be a long-standing thing! The newsletter basically outlines the current features and headlines on the site with links to each. For example, in that latest one you have a link to the 'summer ideas collection', before the summer ends! And they combine food and entertainment: "The new foodie film 'What's Cooking?' is out now, and a box office hit in its first week - read our review before you head off to see it, plus try some of the recipes from the film". (So, it is foodie!). The newsletter also gives the option to unsubscribe should you get bored of all the gastronomic gassing.

All in all, if you like your victuals (and I do), you'll probably like something on Taste.co.uk, if not everything!!


(Oh, and by the way, Gunpowder Mash is basically spicy mashed potato! In case you're really interested here's the ingredients and method:

To serve 4:

1 1/2 kg potatoes
150ml milk
30g butter
nutmeg (a grating!)
ground black pepper and salt

Peel the potatoes and cut them into 5cm pieces. Bring to the boil in lightly salted water and cook for a further 15-20 minutes or until tender, then drain.
Heat the milk with the butter. Mash the potatoes and add the warm milk, a grating of nutmeg and plenty of black pepper, mash once again until really smooth and creamy.

It recommends serving this with bangers (haha) and onion gravy.

Mmmmmmmm.)

Summary: