When he raves about Knorr stock cubes I couldn't agree more - I use them in all my cooking.

Incidentally, in Her Majesty's Estate I couldn't get Knorr but Oxo Chicken cubes worked almost as well.

I think stock cubes are very much up to the individual.
I was surprised he appeared to stick to one brand, I keep several and also make my own stock.
When in a French supermarket, the choice is endless and I bring back quite a selection.
The porcini ones are notably cheaper and more abundant over there.

My personal favourite commercial stock is the little round tubs of Vegetable Boullion which are widely available.

I think I am the only person ever to be detained by police, for ten minutes only I might add, for having mushroom stock cubes in my briefcase whilst they assertained what they were, after a routine motoring check.

I used to allways keep them in foil in my case to drink at lunchtime!

....how come Bovril, which is now suitable for vegetarians, tastes identical to the days when it was "full of beefy goodness"?

I`ve tried to cook with it many times, I find it do distinctive.
Marmite gravy on chicken is good though.

I've always wondered that about Bovril which is, incidentally, indispensible for gravy.

I find cornflour invaluable in the cupboard for gravy, it can save the day at anytime, but I am still very pleased with myself for thickening gravy with blitzed jerusalem artichokes yesterday.
There are so few recipes for them and as I have 2 pounds of them currently, I am experimenting a lot as they are such an under appreciated vegetable.

Todays recipe, should it work, is spring onion and artichoke soup with cheese pastry croutons.
15p a head and it should serve 8 people.

Another stock tip, should you have an access of veg, onion and meat scraps etc, it`s well worth making it into a stock and freezing it in ice cube trays.

Is it pronounced 'Norr' or 'K-norr'?

It has varied forever Foz.

I am pretty sure we all prounounced it Noor, until they decided in ad campain that they were K-Noor.

Either way, its the little yellow box next to the pasta at Tesco Express.

(Dang! I gave them a free advert again!!)

I pronounce it GNAW!