On Sunday we dropped small son off at a paint-balling birthday event between Carnforth and Silverdale, and used the two-and-a-half hours productively, walking to the coast and along past Jack Scout. A friend staying in Juan-les-Pins texted to say it was 22 degreess there, and lots of punters on the beach. I replied it was 20 degrees in the South Lakes and no punters. Amazing return of the Indian summer when we had been warned of deadly blizzards.
On our return I overcooked (i.e. to medium rather than rare) a piece of sirloin of Aberdeen Angus from Rowntree Farms. Foolishly I followed the divine Delia's method instead of my usual slavish adherence to HF-W as regards meat. Saw an edition of the latter's veg thing later. Again a table of cut-glass-accented and very photogenic gardeners/helpers, but can forgive him for the way he does in the end inspire. Never yet felt like cooking something Jamie Oliver fries off (his phrase not mine), and it generally seems to be fried. Likewise Delia, though she does always inform, and Rick Stein, again educational and never less than interesting, but not inspirational. Nigel Slater's presentation on TV so low-key as to induce sleep, pity as in spite of annoying writing style (see below) he often has good ideas and sound views.
Showing posts with label Jamie Oliver. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jamie Oliver. Show all posts
Monday, 31 October 2011
Monday, 16 June 2008
A fiver for that Jamie?
Sainsbury's ads with Jamie Oliver cooking dull food for a fiver starting to get up my nose. Twee, simplistic, condescending. Which is a pity as his heart is in the right place.
Just had a meal for about £3.50 I'd guess. 89p for 250g of mushroom, onion from allotment, £1 for 6 eggs from a guy who rescues battery hens, free salad from plot too - red mustard, rocket, lettuce, and pea tips from the greenhouse. Bacon bits for 60p from Lidl on the salad, a pepper say 45p, dressing home-made, bread with rosemary home-made, and the second strawberry granita of the year from allotment strawberries and a 20p lemon.
What it comes down to is taking time to cook. Even if you know nothing but take some time, make the effort, you can cook. I listened to a local radio show recently where they were interrogating mothers (sexist gits) about cooking, and one had me screaming, saying she never made fresh, she was too busy. Does the concept of busy legitimately include bingo, the pub, and Coronation Street?
I love nosing at other people's shopping trolleys, and you get some doozies, like one woman with about twenty chicken curry boxes. Maybe it was a party, maybe an event. But for a quarter of the price fresh she could have done a better meal. She was doubtless too busy, too busy also to care about the crap she was going to present to her guests, throwing money at it not time. 'Let's have a bloody awful meal together' is not an attractive invitation.
How can you be too busy to live well? It reminds me of an obituary I read years ago for a guy who died from overwork, aged 40 killed by exhaustion. The paper, though, sang his praises, saying he built up a huge fortune in a short time.So not only did he die with the most toys, but he beat everyone else to it. Brilliant.
Real luxury comes out of time not money. People appreciate it if you take time. Food tastes better, the digestion is better, and your health is better. But you'll miss bingo.
Just had a meal for about £3.50 I'd guess. 89p for 250g of mushroom, onion from allotment, £1 for 6 eggs from a guy who rescues battery hens, free salad from plot too - red mustard, rocket, lettuce, and pea tips from the greenhouse. Bacon bits for 60p from Lidl on the salad, a pepper say 45p, dressing home-made, bread with rosemary home-made, and the second strawberry granita of the year from allotment strawberries and a 20p lemon.
What it comes down to is taking time to cook. Even if you know nothing but take some time, make the effort, you can cook. I listened to a local radio show recently where they were interrogating mothers (sexist gits) about cooking, and one had me screaming, saying she never made fresh, she was too busy. Does the concept of busy legitimately include bingo, the pub, and Coronation Street?
I love nosing at other people's shopping trolleys, and you get some doozies, like one woman with about twenty chicken curry boxes. Maybe it was a party, maybe an event. But for a quarter of the price fresh she could have done a better meal. She was doubtless too busy, too busy also to care about the crap she was going to present to her guests, throwing money at it not time. 'Let's have a bloody awful meal together' is not an attractive invitation.
How can you be too busy to live well? It reminds me of an obituary I read years ago for a guy who died from overwork, aged 40 killed by exhaustion. The paper, though, sang his praises, saying he built up a huge fortune in a short time.So not only did he die with the most toys, but he beat everyone else to it. Brilliant.
Real luxury comes out of time not money. People appreciate it if you take time. Food tastes better, the digestion is better, and your health is better. But you'll miss bingo.
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