Friday, April 06, 2007

Food Glorious Food

Reading the comments on Mum's site gave me the idea for today's post. Pamela wrote:

"such a pleasure making new friends. I have 104 feed on my bloglines. When certain ones light up - I get excited and can't wait to get home from work to read. Thanks for reading my place. Wish we could all get together for tea and coffee. (Beccy can bring the flapjacks!! Hey the hubby made them last night and wow'd our friends. Everybody wanted the recipe)"

To which Mum replied:

"Pamela and I thought I had a lot links! A bloggers convention would be nice. I always eat far too many goodies when I'm visiting Beccy and would you believe it- this is the girl who hated cooking as a teenager".

This got me thinking about when I first started to enjoy cooking. I don't think I ever hated cooking as a teenager it was just that Sam loved it and was so good and creative that I let her do it all (I think I was also quite lazy). During the holidays when Mum and Dad were at work Sam would blackmail me by saying she'd make lunch and I had to do all the other chores such as clean the bathroom, change the bedding, walk the dog, go to the shops and vacuum. I agreed because Sam would make the most delicious combinations, if I was left to my own devices I would make a bowl of Smash and top it with baked beans and a fried egg (I would then eat it out of the bowl with a spoon).

I remember making Victoria sandwiches and fairy cakes as a child and on one occasion preparing and cooking a Sunday roast complete with homemade menu and seat placings but I'm sure Mum must have helped me with the meal. Also this was back in the days before dishwashers so whatever was used for cooking had to be washed, dried and put away by the chef, that was a big reason not to cook (did I mention I was lazy).

Then there are the disasters. The first time was when I boiled a pan of potatoes. I was quite worried and Sam told me what to do. I peeled the potatoes, salted the water and watched them until they started to boil. I turned down the heat and ran off upstairs to finish the game of monopoly with Sam. What seemed like only a few minutes later (but was obviously longer) Sam commented on the strange odour. We rushed downstairs to find that I had increased the heat when I thought I had turned it down, all the water had boiled away and the potatoes were mush stuck to the bottom of the pan. I then had to confess to Mum when she got home from work! (It was a long time before I was asked to boil potatoes again).

Another time Sam made pancakes, during her making of them we got into an argument (as sisters do) and I (being the stubborn minx I am) refused to eat them so she put them in the oven on the melamine plate to keep warm until I stopped sulking. Suffice to say the plate exploded and it was time for another confession.

In my defence I think these incidents and the fact that Sam was so good put me off cooking for a long time. Instead I became chief peeler of vegetables and washer upper and vowed never to cook again. I told Mum I would live off cheese sandwiches and cold baked beans eaten from a tin (no washing up) when I went to university. Then I gave up eating meat (Sam had left home by now) and Mum agreed as long as I cooked an alternative for myself and slowly my love affair with cooking started. While away at university I discovered the joys of entertaining and hosting dinner parties (even if half the budget was spent on booze)! Now I have a family I love preparing dinner from scratch and us all sitting down together at the end of the day to eat and share our news.

Stephanie has written a lovely post kind of about my family so pop over here to read it. In her post she makes references to the English not being the greatest of cooks. Now I could retaliate with...but I'm not instead I'll tell you about the great Fish 'n' Quips event that Sam has organised. It is a celebration of English food in the run up to St. Georges Day and is open to anyone who would like to play along. Read all about it here and if you think it sounds like fun sign up for it, I have.

As we're on the subject of food here is my Fridays feast:

Appetizer

When you travel, which mode of transportation do you prefer?

Private helicopter/plane would be my transport of choice. By boat is by far my least favourite along with coaches when you're stuck in the seat by the toilets (which smell) and are five months pregnant.

Soup

Have you ever met a blogging friend in person?

No, I'm fairly new to this bogging lark and have only met (virtually) two bloggers from Ireland, the rest of you live too far away. There's many I would love to meet so why don't y'all hop over to Ireland?

Salad

When was the last time you were really, really tired?

Last night. I got a virus back in 1992 and it wiped me out, ever since I get really tired and ill if I don't take good care of myself. I need lots of sleep and can sleep anywhere much to the amazement (and annoyance) of my family.

Main Course

If you could have dinner with any one fictional character from a book or movie, who would it be?

Oooh, that's tricky. My shallowness comes out here as I think of my eye candy (Mika) but I guess it would have to be Johnny Depp and no, he can't bring Vanessa! Ah I'm rereading the question and the character has to be fictional so how about Johhny Depp playing Captain Jack Sparrow? No, not allowed, OK how about Mr Darcy or another of Jane Austen's characters as long as we got to dine out in the Austen era and dance after.

Dessert
Fill in the blank: One day, I hope to see the snow topped mountains as I whoosh down the slopes on my skis along with my family.


20 comments:

Sam said...

my dearest Beccy - I love you. I don't think we actually intended to confess the melamime plate incident - we actually tried to hide the evidence but somehow they worked it out.

And thanks most of all for trying to help me stick up for English food.

vegetarian haggis is delish

Yvonne said...

So there's hope for me yet...I agree, there's nothing better than enjoying food with family and friends.

Hope you're enjoying the beautiful weather! Can't believe it's still nice.

ChrisB said...

Sam and Beccy I do believe I found that plate wrapped in newspaper in the dustbin. Mothers always stay one step ahead xxx

Beccy said...

Sam and Mum I can't remember the plate ending up in the dustbin, I guess the trauma of the day made me block it out!

Hellojed, plenty of hope for you. I'm loving the weather, can't believe how good it is.

Anonymous said...

Great post - I have so much to comment on.

First - when I was a kid I'd do ANYTHING to get out of helping in the garden. And guess what - now that I'm an adult - LOVE to garden. I guess our parents eventually do rub off on us! Unfortunately, cooking was never my forte.

and okay - MR. DARCY - last night my husband was gone and I do what I always do when he is gone - pop in Pride & Prejudice. (I love Colin Firth) (I just sigh all over the place. The new adaptation is good too and much quicker to watch)

Unknown said...

Beccy, travel: barking fast motorbike.
Met a blogger: yes Keith, who lives about 7 miles away. We meet twice a week for a pint.
Tired: last night after watching the Masters golf till midnight.
Fictional character: Lara croft.

Sam said...

I want to know why she was looking inside bewspaper in the bin? weird.

FH said...

You ate so many goodies as a child!Good that you like cooking now,at least sometimes!:))

Have a great weekend Beccy and happy Easter.

Beccy said...

Karmyn, there is currently a Jane Austen season here on a Sunday evening. New films have been made for the TV series, so far we've had Northangar Abbey, Persuasion and Mansfield Park, Emma will be showing tonight.

Lara Croft eh John, not a fan of her myself but can understand her attraction.

Never thought of that Sam.

Thanks Asha, I love cooking when I have the time!

Steffi said...

Yes,I hate as child and now sometimes cooking too.
Enjoy the weekend with your family!I wish you all "HAPPY EASTER!"

Anonymous said...

How fun this is for your sister and mom...and for Pamela and her girls.
This post is more than I post in an entire week. Whew!
Love the plate story. Confessions of the Blogosphere.

frannie said...

I'm with you on Mr. Depp. He can be my main course any day!

my4kids said...

Beccy I'd love to hop over to Ireland to meet you but i don't think its in the budget!
Great post by the way
I have never liked cooking but I have always been a good baker.

Brooke - Little Miss Moi said...

Dear beccy. Great post. I was never much of a cook at home and now I love it too. Too lazy, ditto. I burnt rice here in Kyiv not long after I'd arrived - always used a rice cooker in oz. There are still stains on the saucepan!

sallywrites said...

One day I will come to visit you Beccy!!

Beccy said...

Happy Easter to you as well Steffi.

Swampy, I'm a long way from Mum so feel safe to make my confessions!

Hands off Frannie, he's mine!!!!

Terri, I love Baking, unfortunately my body doesn't!

LMM it must be something to do with growing up!

I look forward to it Sally.

Marmite Breath said...

You and Sam sound a lot like my sister Rhonda and me.

I'm going to do the Fish and Quips thingy--must post and let Sam know and then come up with something Marmite related. :)

Emma in Canada said...

I can solve dessert with a bit of soup! Come to Canada. There are mountains! There is me! yeah, I can think of better bloggers than me to meet too, but there's still the mountains. Granted, 3 hours away but what's a holiday without a drive?

Emma in Canada said...

I can solve dessert with a bit of soup! Come to Canada. There are mountains! There is me! yeah, I can think of better bloggers than me to meet too, but there's still the mountains. Granted, 3 hours away but what's a holiday without a drive?

Beccy said...

Welcome Nat, sisters eh, what would we do without them! I'm still thinking about my fish 'n' quips post!

Emma I would love to come to Canada and visit you. I wish air travel wasn't so expensive!