OK, What's For Lunch or Tea Today?

[Marco]

Sure, but what do you think of my point about Scotland exporting the vast majority of its superb fish and seafood, to the likes of France and Spain?

Why aren't the Scots eating it?

Marco.

[walpurgis]

Lol... The curries thing is interesting, as I wouldn't have though parents of your generation would've been exposed to such, so what was going on there? I know even my dad never tasted curry until I ordered a takeaway, sometime in the late 70s, and he hated it!

He loves (a mild one) now, though

Marco.

Presumably from the French side of the family which had Algerian connections.

[struth]

think its due to the common market, and foreign hols tbh.. folk got into trying spanish and italian food etc, and got a liking for it; fish used to be eaten more as did crab etc when available. the eu come and catch much of our fish, which may well change soon.. fish is expensive tho here, and barring fish fingers average folk dont think its good value, and if youve a family to feed on a budget, the a lump of mince and onions goes a lot further..

. my mum loved curry as did my brother. i never could like it when younger even tho i tried.

[Marco]

Presumably from the French side of the family which had Algerian connections.

Ah I see... You mean the more discerning side of your family?



Marco.

[struth]

Simple cod steak and chips today

[Marco]

ive i pretty basic palate, i accept that.. fish wise, cod, haddock, salmon, trout are my thang ....cod steaks i get out of Tesco being my current fav.. lovely white flakey meat, with a nice clean taste and a good breadcrumb outer....

I never used to like curry, but im getting better at some of them.

Not sure which word to use to describe my palate, as I don't wish to sound pretentious (or snobbish), but I wouldn't describe it as "basic". At the end of the day, we were all brought up how we were brought up [which was largely out with of our control], and so the eating habits we developed when we were young I believe largely, although not totally, shape how we eat today.

And in that respect, being brought up in an Italian family, I was exposed to certain types of foods, fresh herbs and spices, etc (as my parents always grew them in the garden, and which my mum cooked with), that even today some folks in the UK would regard as a little 'exotic', let alone back in the 70s, when olive oil was generally only something you found in chemists to treat earache!

Therefore, from a very early age, my palate has been 'honed' on strong flavours, unusual (to some) ingredients and fresh food made from scratch, as a) there werem't many ready meals around in the 70s, and b) my mum or dad wouldn't have touched them with a bargepole, even if there had been. They always bought fresh fish from the local fishmonger, fresh meat from the local butcher, fresh veg from the local fruiterer, etc, etc - all of which existed then in the small town where we lived in the south side of Glasgow.

Then my mum would use those ingredients, coupled (crucially) with the traditional Italian ones she'd get from the Italian deli in Glasgow, owned by her cousin, and so things like fresh Parma ham, Salami, Parmesan, extra-virgin olive oil, etc, chilli peppers, etc, would be no stranger to me from an early age, to cook traditional Italian dishes that her mum and grandmother used to make - and she was a great cook.

Coupled with that, we used to travel to France and Italy every year, by car, with my first experience of that probably being around the early 70s, and I'd be introduced to classic French food (and wine, diluted with water), en-route at some of the restaurants we stopped at, and then when we got to Italy, a whole world of amazing food was opened up to me, as we spent virtually the whole of our six-week holiday (during the summer schools hols) being invited round, from relative to relative, to eat the delicious home-cooked food they'd made - and just like my mum all were great cooks.. And you're talking meals that commonly contained around six courses, and took place over 5-6 hours!

So, essentially, from a very early age I've just been used to eating well, then I married Del, and she's a great cook too, as she also shared my type of food culture, with her dad's side of the family being Croatian/German.... Therefore, that's why I eat the way I do now, as it's simply what I've been accustomed to for 50-odd years, and also because, for me, it's a massive part of my Italian culture, which doesn't treat food simply as 'sustenance'; food *MUST* to be something that's worth eating , and that's been prepared with LOVE and PASSION.

I'm certainly not alone in that view either, as if you speak with any other Italian, Frenchman, Spaniard - you name it - the vast majority will feel the same way about food, and practice the mantra of LIVE TO EAT, not eat to live. Yet, for some reason, the attitude in Britain towards food (although getting much better now), for the majority, is still not as passionate, as generally it is with other Europeans.

In Britain, it's more common for folks to be happy just to eat anything that fills them up. it's no 'big deal', but which for the likes of an Italian or Frenchman, would be an anathema.

Why is that, I wonder?

<Discuss>

Marco.

[guy]

im not big on black or haggis etc..i dont really eat offal etc, it was not a first go to when young as i didnt like it much, probably due to fact it wasnt great stuff. took me years to get a liking for it. my dad loved tripe and onions which not only smell disgusting but look it too...

Interesting about offal - I am fine with eating it as long as I don't think about it too much

I had a "petit déjeuner anglaise" in Normandy once - even the waitress tried to persuade me not to have the andouillette (effectively fried course chopped intestine), it tasted ok but the texture was "interesting".

A good butchers black pudding is a treat for me, but only occasionally.

I am sure that in the '60's we ate more offal in England - one of my favourites at primary school (and it was a regular on the menu) was braised heart - brilliant meat/gravy with mashed potato and mashed swede. I have mentioned it to my children and they seem to think that it is disgusting to even consider cooking a heart.
I would draw the line at brain though!

[walpurgis]

I tend to find fire damaged, dismembered animal corpse somewhat revolting.

[guy]

Just read your post Marco, and I do think that in England the general populace got used to food as a fuel as part of the effect of our early "industrial revolution", also rationing for two world wars didn't help with variety - my mum told me how angry she was being posted to Germany in the 1940's and '50's and finding that they didn't have rationing - I think it carried on in England until about 1952?
Typical of the UK obsession with "class" perhaps - any old shit is good enough for the plebes as long as they have enough energy to work?

[guy]

I tend to find fire damaged, dismembered animal corpse somewhat revolting.

None of the above was "fire damaged" - cooked to perfection