The Gourmet Growler

[stuartbert two hats]

For my Glastonbury celebration next week, I'm planning to reinvent a festival "classic", the carbtastic Growler. I'm just trying to plan the final recipe. This is what I've got so far (in order or layering)

* High end baguette from Waitrose, toasted and buttered.

* Grilled back bacon

* Smashed avocado/guacamole

* Salt and pepper chips, tossed with finely chopped fried onion+garlic.

* Three cheese mix (cheddar, ??, ??), melted under the grill.

* Dijon mustard mayo.

 

Waddya think? Are the layers in the right order? Will it be too dry/wet/salty/acid?  How do the good people of eFests think I can tweak this recipe to further elevate the humble Growler?

I firmly believe it had to go, not because the basic idea was bad, but because the quality of the ingredients had fallen far, far below what we've come to expect from Glastonbury.

[Hugh Jass]

I say do it!

Funnily enough Mrs J and I were saying that we should make a growler at some point next week.

[stuartbert two hats]

Oh, I'm doing it! Just want to make sure I get it right, because I'm not going to be regular growler maker, especially since I've recently been diagnosed with high cholesterol!

[gizmoman]

For those unfamiliar,

https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/special-features/glastonbury-growler-review-legendary-glasto-77451

[stuartbert two hats]

Any thoughts on the cheese mix? I was thinking camembert?

[yehbutnobut]

That is a fucking great idea and I'm going to steal it... sorry not sorry.

[stuartbert two hats]

5 minutes ago, yehbutnobut said:

That is a fucking great idea and I'm going to steal it... sorry not sorry.

Spread the growling! What twist are you going to put on it?

[tarw]

34 minutes ago, stuartbert two hats said:

Any thoughts on the cheese mix? I was thinking camembert?

To me a raclette would be the choice to pimp it up.  Depends if you are going for bland carbs and low price in homage to the original or want a flavour explosion.

[yehbutnobut]

1 minute ago, stuartbert two hats said:

Spread the growling! What twist are you going to put on it?

Yours will to take some beating tbh... I'd probably hold the dijon and add a sprinkle of freshly chopped chilli's just to give it a nice kick. 

Back during my uni days in Plymouth there was a place called Jake's that served the best inebriated end of night grub. They used to do a similar baguette called the Angel Delight: two chicken burgers cut in half, bacon, chips, grilled cheese, and then this epic homemade secret sauce on top. Probably why I loved the Growler when I found it, as it's not a million miles away. 

[stuartbert two hats]

The £4.90 question (I'm sure it was a lot more than that on the last year) is vinegar. Should I vinegar the chips? Normally for me, a chip butty is about 1/4 vinegar, but I'm not sure if it fits here.

 

Fuck, I'm hungry.

[OG]

You don't want to overpower the other flavours with overly strong cheese. A crumbly white mature cheddar for depth, red Leicester that's not offensive and adds a bit of colour and mix that with mozzarella to give you nice melt you need 

[jparx]

56 minutes ago, stuartbert two hats said:

Any thoughts on the cheese mix? I was thinking camembert?

Some gruyère would go down well. 

[OG]

2 minutes ago, stuartbert two hats said:

The £4.90 question (I'm sure it was a lot more than that on the last year) is vinegar. Should I vinegar the chips? Normally for me, a chip butty is about 1/4 vinegar, but I'm not sure if it fits here.

 

Fuck, I'm hungry.

Go the American way and hold the vinegar and replace with some chopped pickles. 

 

Fuck I'm hungry too 

[priest17]

I find it weird the Big Dog isn't widely considered better. Great idea, mind.

[stuartbert two hats]

4 minutes ago, OG said:

Go the American way and hold the vinegar and replace with some chopped pickles. 

 

Fuck I'm hungry too 

Ooooooh, pickles! Mrs hats has a nice line in finely sliced pickled red onions. Almost fresh pickles onions - you can use them the next day and they have a much lighter flavour than whole pickled onions.

I think you're right. If I want to drench in vinegar, then I really want to strip the whole thing back and go for very simple flavours, paint with a broad brush. I don't* want to do that.

 

* My baguette is big enough for two attempts at this.

[stuartbert two hats]

11 minutes ago, jparx said:

Some gruyère would go down well. 

I was thinking gruyère. Mrs hats was worried about the melting and I was worried about the salt levels, but I think it might be a goer.

[jparx]

I expect many pictures of both the creation and the final product of this behemoth!

[august1]

I would go for half baked bread which needs finishing in the oven. Asds usually have offer on grated cheese so pick up mozzarella, edam and whatever you fancy?

 

and Stu I think one of the avocado/guacamole/S+P/Mustard is needed. Too much going all with all three imo. Spicy mayo seems a winner for a growler.

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

I never got to eat an original 'Growler', or even see the outlet. I feel a little bereft now at not having done so. I mean that photo above of two of them just screams out clogged arteries to me - how splendid. 

I get where you are coming from stuartbert, in that your proposal will be a taste sensation. However, like Dyson say 'If you want a Dyson, then it's got to be a Dyson'. Well. if you want a Growler then it's got to be a Growler. A culinary fusion of oil and goo, fashioned in a half arsed way to pretend it's respectable. 

I'm going to make me a Growler. A meal, nay feast, that I'm pretty sure that Caligula would have had on the menu, had the Roman's actually invented everything.

[The Red Telephone]

We are making Growlers next Sunday as our Fake-Glastonbury food of the day. The bake at home baguettes they sell at the One Stop near me will be perfect. On Friday, we are having No-Goat Curry and Saturday, No-Fish Sushi Burritos.

A word of warning for those who have not dabbled in the world of Growlers before though - I am still digesting the last one I had in 2016.

[Hugh Jass]

9 hours ago, stuartbert two hats said:

Spread the growling! What twist are you going to put on it?

I’m tempted to go for authenticity. Which would mean popping down to Lidl’s and getting the cheapest, nastiest ingredients possible.

If I buy the baguettes today they should be at the appropriate staleness level by next week.

[stuartbert two hats]

7 minutes ago, Hugh Jass said:

I’m tempted to go for authenticity. Which would mean popping down to Lidl’s and getting the cheapest, nastiest ingredients possible.

If I buy the baguettes today they should be at the appropriate staleness level by next week.

I don't think Lidl does mustard bland enough.

[Wellyboot]

I'm so excited to see how this turns out  pics please!!! 

[stuartbert two hats]

I'm considering chopping up the bacon and mixing with the chips. Thus only effectively reducing the number of layers by one. Is this a deconstruction too far?

Plus, I'm considering sour cream and spring onion 😲

[stuartbert two hats]

12 hours ago, august1 said:

 

and Stu I think one of the avocado/guacamole/S+P/Mustard is needed. Too much going all with all three imo. Spicy mayo seems a winner for a growler.

You make some very good points. Obviously, I'm going to completely ignore you 😁