Hey.
Welcome to Sorted.
We're a bunch of mates in London,
looking for the exceptional things in food
that will help make our-- and your-- lives a little bit
better.
In amongst constantly ribbing each other, some of us
are chefs.
The rest of us-- well, we're normal.
But every video we make always starts with a suggestion
from you guys.
I'm gooey in the middle baby, let me bake.
Hello.
My name is Ben, and this is Baz.
Today, I'm terrified, because Ben's been shopping,
and he's asked us to review the moon.
So today, we've gone out and bought
five arguably pretentious ingredients.
Definitely.
And we're going to put them to test with our mate
James, who's a chef, and our mate Jamie, who's definitely
not a chef.
I have no idea how they're both going to react to these.
They have to guess what they are,
what they might use them for, how much they
cost, and therefore-- also, if they're useful, or not.
My gut reaction is that James has all these in his cupboard,
already.
Is that because you have, and you're
projecting your own thoughts, and you just want to be James?
Yes.
No.
Well-- well-- well-- yeah.
Let's kickoff.
Lift the cloche.
Oh!
Barbecue sauce?
[SNIFFS] Oh, it's fruity.
It's not barbecue sauce.
Oh, I recognize that taste.
It's balsamic-y.
Little bit onion-y.
Blueberries.
It's like a-- like a balsamic vinegar glaze, or something.
It's ketchup.
But it's a black garlic ketchup.
Black garlic?
What would you use it for?
Because I've said it is a glaze, it might go well as a glaze.
Like, on some kind of meat, or something.
I'm guessing, like, posh chicken nuggets, or something.
[LAUGHING]
In each of these instances, we've
also got you one dish-- that might be a cliche, it might
be interesting-- for you to taste it, and to think,
is this better than an original, normal ketchup?
It's very sweet.
Which is weird, because tomato ketchup is sweet.
But this feels sweeter.
That takes on a completely different, like, flavor
and experience than just having ketchup.
As an ingredient in that jar, how much
might you pay for that job, there?
Oh, it's got Anglesey sea salt, innit?
Hang on a second.
That changes the game, doesn't it?
Six pounds.
I wouldn't pay more than three pounds for that.
That particular bottle was 5.95.
And comparison is always important, so where we can,
we're trying to make a direct comparison.
That is 7 1/2 times more expensive than a branded tomato
ketchup.
I-- [SIGHS] I probably wouldn't buy a jar of it,
just because I just wouldn't use it enough.
I think I'd-- I'd buy that more as a cooking ingredient than
a condiment, almost.
I would probably buy that, if I was in the right mood-- like,
at a farmer's market, and I hadn't--
you know, I was in that more frivolous stage of going, like,
oh-- they've got some honey made by--
I don't know-- wasps, or something.
Like, oh, that's worth a try.
I'm guessing you bought that shirt at a farmer's market, as
well, then?
Yeah.
On a whim.
Exquisite taste.
Yes.
Barry, have you got a bottle at home?
Yes.
I have.
Where-- where did--
where did you buy yours?
From a farmer's market.
Pretentious or not?
Yeah.
But also delicious.
Pretentious or not?
You decide.
Give us a twirl.
Oh.
Oh, no.
Is this-- it's glittery.
It's going red with skin contact.
And it's so glittery.
Smells sweet.
There's bits of gold leaf in it, isn't there?
[GROANS]
Oh, OK.
Whoa.
That's got some sweetness to it.
Looks like sherbet, or something.
This can only be used for, like, one thing.
It's got to be cupcake decorating.
This is Rose Gold Shimmer, for prosecco.
No.
Shimmer for prosecco?
Are you actually having a laugh?
It's lovely.
It's dry.
It's fizzy.
It's prosecco.
Half a teaspoon.
Oh, yeah-- look!
Look!
(WHISPERING) Silence.
Of course, I-- I don't know how this
is gonna work, due to the fact that he's kind of blind.
They also say that, of course, it's
perfectly good to go in lemonade, for kids' parties,
baby showers, and things like that.
It's turned a really nice, dry drink into something so sweet.
It's sherbet-y, kind of sweet sharpness.
And then you get a prosecco through it.
How much would you pay for that little tub?
Bear in mind, you'd probably get 10, 12 drinks out of that-- one
or two bottles, probably.
The easy answer, Ben, is I wouldn't pay for that tub.
I haven't got that.
Don't worry.
But I might get some.
I reckon they would actually charge eight pounds for that.
Five-- five pounds.
Five pounds.
It's, um--
It's really expensive, isn't it?
Eight pounds 95.
[SIGHS] I mean, I'm not--
I'm not actually surprised by that.
At least there is a little bit of taste,
and it kind of fills the entire drink.
And that's the only thing you need
to put into that, to make it into an occasion.
It's like a fancy store.
It's like an accessory, you know?
And you're willing to pay more for accessories
than you are for ingredients.
Oh, it's definitely pretentious.
Weirdly enough, in terms of pretentiousness,
I don't think it's pretentious.
I just think it's crap.
Pretentious, to me, is where you are spending more money
on something than is necessary, even though you can get a--
this just isn't a necessary product, whatsoever.
This is just completely superfluous.
Spin it, and lift it.
Instant coffee is not pretentious.
I wouldn't have a clue what that is.
Is it gravy granules?
Doesn't smell like much.
Oh, I'm really-- I'm nervous.
I'm nervous.
You might need quite a bit to get it.
Maybe a bit more than that.
(CHOKING) Not more than that.
Don't need more than that.
[GAGS] Gah!
So-- do you have any idea what is is, at all?
Or not?
The only-- [GAGS]
[COUGHS] What is that?
Like, powdered licorice, or something?
Blimey.
Exactly that.
That is raw licorice powder.
Licorice!
Of course.
I hate licorice, that's why.
Yeah, I hate licorice of all sorts.
I like anise, but I don't like licorice.
That was a good old-- ah.
What would you use it for?
Presuming you liked it, what do you think it could be used for?
I'd probably use it in some sort of baked goods.
Chili con carne?
I suppose you could do some--
something like that with it.
But other than that, I'd burn it.
Ben, do you want to try it with some ice cream?
You said you wanted something that might mellow out
the strength of it.
So we thought dairy and cream and vanilla and sugar
might help.
It needs a lot.
It needs way more than I thought.
But none of the acrid burn is there, anymore.
It's all mellowed by the fat.
Yeah, it has a real bitterness.
I don't hate it when it's put with something else.
I just don't like the flavor, and would never
choose to eat it.
Fair.
How much would you pay for a little tub?
4.99.
7.50.
Five pound 95 for that.
I don't know what to make of that.
What do you make of that?
I don't know.
This is quite difficult, isn't it?
It's an unusual ingredient.
They probably don't get many people
buying it outside of restaurants, and stuff,
so it's going to be a little bit more expensive.
It's not a commodity at all.
I'd-- I would actually really like to use it some more,
and experiment with it, and do some more stuff with it.
It's hard for me to say whether I'd buy it,
or not, because I don't like it.
But I can see how chefs would use it,
and I think it could be a chef-y thing.
Is it pretentious, or not?
I don't know.
Like-- I don't think Barry would have that.
And I think that's one of my markers
for is it pretentious, or not.
I think it's chef-y, but I don't think it's pretentious.
Pick it up, pick it up, pick it up.
Let's go!
Another unidentified powder in a bowl.
Oh.
Whoa.
Smokey.
It's not salt.
After smelling it, it's definitely smoked.
But I was just thinking, is it smoked salt?
It could-- but tasting it, it's not salty.
Is it smoked sugar?
That's exactly what it is-- oak smoked granulated sugar.
What might you use it for?
100% of caramel.
You wouldn't get any flavor if you baked it.
I hate this.
"Following the success of our smoked salt,
and smoked water--" are you actually having a giggle?
I'd be interested to know what it tastes like when it's used.
Cue taster.
We've made you two cremes brulee--
vanilla.
One with regular granulated, one with smoked granulated.
Are you-- you're not going to tell me which one's which,
are you?
Just some strawberries.
OK.
So you have to use a lot of it to get the smoked flavor.
The smell is there, but the smoke flavor doesn't come out
until you literally pour it on.
I say that's the smoked one.
Correct.
That is the smoked one.
Not because I can taste smoke.
Because that's coarser than castor sugar.
And that had a better top.
How much do you think, for that packet?
I'm going to say four pounds.
Six pounds.
Four pound 50, for that.
But I think the interesting thing is the comparison.
That makes it 65 times more expensive
than regular granulated sugar.
That is the wankiest thing that we've had, so far.
It's-- it's another one that I want to try more of.
Because-- infusing that into the custard,
making syrups out of it--
I'm really interested.
I feel like cocktails might be great.
Pretentious, or not?
Useless, or not?
[LAUGHS] I mean, I feel like there's no question
that that's pretentious.
Don't need to ask these guys.
If you want smoked sugar, make a fire, pour some sugar on it.
Don't spend four pound 50 on it.
It's-- it's pretentious.
It is.
Do it.
It's too warm in here to be ice.
Oh.
Pa-pow.
Oh.
Great.
I think he knows straight away what that is.
Says a lot.
So did you.
I know.
Oh, it tastes like seawater in Spain.
It's so salty.
This looks like Himalayan salt block, and-- are we--
we're probably not cooking on it, are we?
Are we cooking on it?
Because you don't have to cook on it, do you?
You can, like, shave it, and season it.
So this is what they are saying about it.
Chefs and foodies are now grilling, chilling, softening,
searing, and serving on these pink salt blocks--
otherwise known as salt plates.
Cooking on a Himalayan salt block
naturally imparts the minerals and vast health benefits
of the dusky pink salt into your food.
So basically, what we get in our jaws, that we then twizzle,
starts out life as this-- which actually starts out as, like,
a glacier, or something.
And that's ice.
Right.
I hate to break it to you, James--
you're testing it for cold food.
Tell me Jamie's not testing it for steak.
Tell me that's not going to happen.
You know what you could cook on that, then?
If you heat that up, you could cook a steak on that.
Barry, what do you use your Himalayan salt for, at home?
I've got-- I've got a little tiny one--
You've got a block?
I've got a little tiny one.
Of course you have.
I hate you so much.
And so, how does that taste better than--
[MIMICKS SALT GRINDER]
It's not about the taste.
It's about the experience.
[WRETCHES]
Sashimi-- does serving it on a Himalayan salt block
make any difference?
What happened to the rest of my-- my-- my salt block?
I don't know if it's user error, or whether that just
don't work, but apparently it cracks in the oven.
Oh, it's salty.
Whoo!
What you've not got is the amazing sear.
It hasn't browned.
It hasn't-- there's no color to them.
Whoa!
It's salty AF.
Considering we've not added any other seasoning to it
than lemon, it does taste like it's got salt on it.
But then, I suppose it has, because the salt--
the salt is there.
So it has been salted.
No.
Don't put sashimi on a salt block.
How much would-- how much do you think it is?
So a block that size, let's presume you can reuse it.
Because we broke that thing.
I honestly don't really know.
But I'll say, like--
I'll say 20 pounds for that size of a block.
20 pounds.
18 pounds 44.
So pretty damn good on the price, again.
Question is, is it pretentious, or not?
It's-- it's half pretentious.
Because I feel like it probably-- like,
if you cook meat on it, or something,
it probably works really well.
Like, it's super salty.
I want-- every-- every single one,
I'm like, I want to test it more.
I want to do some more stuff on it.
It's just not me sitting on the fence,
it's actually just me being interested
in all of these things.
That is one of the most pretentious things
that we've done today.
There is absolutely no need for that.
And if Barry actually does use something
like that to grate salt over items,
then that is completely and utterly ridiculous to me.
There is no need for that, whatsoever.
Pretentious.
Stupidly pretentious.
Like, making-me-angry pretentious.
I have no idea what you're terrified about in that video.
Your middle name is Pretentious.
I've seen your search history.
Comment down below with your thoughts on each of the items,
and if you thought they were pretentious, or not.
What is your definition of pretentious?
And we'll see you next time--
every Wednesday, every Sunday, as always.
Bye!
As we mentioned, Sorted is just run by a group of friends.
So if you like what we're doing, then there
are loads of ways that you can support us and get
more involved.
Everything you need to know is linked below.
[BEEP]
Sorry, my watch is ringing.
(WHISPERING) That was pretentious.