On location in S.C: “Gadding about” resumed!

I feel I should take a moment to explain the “home cooking”. I realise that it's not what you'd call “American” food and that's exactly the point. My friend is British and misses his favourite dishes and so whilst I'm here my contribution is to cook food he loves.

So, as usual my day begins planning the supper – so that anything we need can be picked up en route. Tonight it's slow cooked beef with onions and a fab gravy – roasted new potatoes too. First up ransack the cupboards and pantry – this is serious stuff – I need a good stock base for the beef – the search reveals Balsamic vinegar for added zing and garlic too. So, on the list is A1 Steak Sauce - it's an absolute must – diluted, this sauce makes a fine addition to a stock base.

  

Next up in the ingredient challenge and one for the shopping list is a “stock pot” i.e. a jelly, not a cube of compressed powder. A “stock pot” is as near as I can get without spending all day watching a stock made from scratch. Enter what we call in the UK exactly that, “Stock Pots made by Knorr”.

My mission - “should I choose to accept” to coin a well used phrase from “Mission Impossible” is to source them.

They are as rare as hens teeth – you'd think by now I'd remember that in the USA they change the name of products - undaunted the search continued and finally I am rewarded – and to prove my point – in the USA they are called “Homestyle Stock”.

Puzzled – you bet. I could understand it if there were several similar products to choose from but if this is the case I've not come across them – aargh!