Margery
LostCousins Member
Known as "nursing home hours", Bob.
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LIVER AND BACON WITH OR WITHOUT ONIONS - THE AMBROSIA OF THE GODS
- Thread starter Bob Spiers
- Start date
Margery
LostCousins Member
And I thought that it was only us!
A
At home in NZ
Guest
Definitely not, I don't even start cooking dinner until just after 7pm.
But, when I was working and had a child dinner was always served to suit her routine.
Heather
LostCousins Member
We are the same Margery.
Katie Bee
LostCousins Member
We are with you, Bob. Dinner, tea, supper or whatever it's called is served at 6pm weekdays and 1pm weekends.
A
At home in NZ
Guest
This is making it look like a southern versus northern hemisphere habit.
My memories of growing up in England are school dinners at about mid-day and nothing cooked in the evening because it was bread and jam or similar for tea at about 4.30 maybe 5pm and supper was cocoa and biscuits not long before bedtime.
I can't remember Saturdays but it was always roast at about 1pm on Sundays.
Bob Spiers
LostCousins Superstar
Yes that is even later than our own working regimes, we both worked in different towns roughly 6 miles away from home and my wife got home circa 5.30 most days but I rarely before 6pm. However twice a week my duties took me to London travelling by car or train depending on venue. Allowing I tried to leave London before the rush hour (avoiding 5-6 like the plague) I was rarely home before 6.30 and often by 7pm. My wife cooked more or less exclusively in those days and so timed dinner for 6.30-7.0pm; the former if I was commuting locally, and the latter on my London days. I think I had a bulky mobile phone towards the end but rarely able to use same to alert to my likely ETA.
When we ate at 7pm we thought that 'late' eating and we would compensate at the weekend by eating by 6.30 latest and usually by 6pm. I retired two years before my wife and began to take over the cooking. I even remember getting into trouble timing the meal to be ready to be served by 5.30 and she insisting she had to have a 'sit-down' time. But on her retirement by due process we settled down to eating at 5.0pm , finished by 6.00pm to allow me to watch the evening news on BBC. There were (and are) exceptions of course, but in the main we try to keep to these times.
Thinking back I have to sheepishly admit I have become a little like my father who was a stickler for meal times. At home Sunday dinner at 12.00 and woe betide if not home by then, and if playing with friends in the garden, we had to tell them to scarper (go home). Tea on Sundays was at 5pm (sharp) and the same in the week when it was an evening dinner. However Mom and Dad ate to suit his work pattern of a fortnight on days and fortnight on nights. When he was on nights they ate with us at 5pm of course, allowing Dad to bike to work around 6pm for a 7pm shift. On days we kids had our meal at 5pm whilst Mom awaited Dads arrival around 7pm and they ate together.
I leave breakfast to last even though it only applied on a Sunday (weekdays it was toast and/or cereals often eaten on the trot in order to get to school on time). But Sundays was different and has always stuck in my memory as one of the good things of my childhood, because it was ALWAYS a 'cooked' breakfast (aka Full English) - WITH MUSHROOMS (at Dad's insistence as he thought them a delicacy). Breakfast was at 8.30am and often cooked by Dad (he even peeled the mushrooms) which allowed Mom to get on preparing for our Sunday roast dinner.
We rarely have a cooked breakfast these days although now and again (like every other month) I announce I will be cooking an 'All-day' breakfast(as found on a good many Restaurant Menus), but eaten as a dinner of course. I usually go in for the full works, avec fried bread, but not always avec mushrooms as they are not my wife's favourite, although I have been known to cook some for myself.
Bob Spiers
LostCousins Superstar
I shall be alright then when and if I end up in one. These hours would also have suited Dad, but knowing him he would have set about having them changed if much later.Known as "nursing home hours", Bob.
As an aside (and I think part of an old posting of mine) one year we had my wife's parents down for a holiday, and Dad was staying with my sister (also in Kent). We arranged a get together in Margate/Cliftonville and my wife had arranged for us all to go to a Dolphin extravaganza being held at a Cliftonville Hotel in their pool. The show was booked for 12.30 as the next show was 2.30 which would have been too late for the other things planned. When we mentioned the show to Dad he looked at his watch (it was nearly 12) and said it was time for lunch. We pointed out that we had to make the show and could we not eat after the show? He was not moved and so asked to be excused and took himself off to have a meal in a nearby restaurant.
My in laws looked on amazed but we went into the show and when it was over found Dad sitting on a Bench reading a Sunday paper. He was not at all fazed about missing the show and said he would remain on the bench until we returned. Now you know what I meant about him being a stickler for time. (Now't so funny as folk)
Bob Spiers
LostCousins Superstar
Thank goodness we are not alone Katie and can go along with those times quite easily. As a matter of fact I go the kitchen to make a cup of tea(Coffee for my wife) and a snack at 12.45 almost every day as we have dinner at night. This timing allows a ritual hour sit down and rest (often a snooze). Then providing no routine light duties need to be undertaken (on a Manana basis 'never do today what you can put off until tomorrow') I return to my computer until 4.30 -4.45 when it is time to prepare dinner.
No wonder they say you know where you are with Bob - and I think they mean that literally.
It was the same for me, including the cocoa. Though my mother sometimes tried to palm me off with Ovaltine....
We took the decision to have cooked breakfasts once neither of was commuting, but we never have a 'full English', usually it's porridge, or boiled or scrambled egg. Occasionally we'll add a little bacon, ham, or mushrooms - whatever needs eating. Subject to availability we have kippers once a week, and for a very occasional treat smoked haddock with a poached egg.
And just to embarrass any husbands reading this, I bring my wife breakfast in bed every day.
Or 'early bird' dinners in the US. Generally about 40% cheaper, so very good value if you eat out.
Bob Spiers
LostCousins Superstar
Leaving aside breakfast for a moment one of my favourite meals is smoked haddock with a poached egg which I occasionally do for an evening meal (about once a month). It is somewhat of a light meal (for me especially but about right for my wife) which is why I tend to serve with buttery mash (crème fraiche if I must) and peas.
Returning to a favourite breakfast (semi) cooked meal you can't beat Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise sauce. I was first introduced to Eggs Benedict when we were on a cruise to celebrate my wife's 60th birthday. I heard someone on a neighbouring table ordering same, so asked the waiter what it was. Actually, before he could reply, the lady who had ordered it said it was her favourite dish and comprised of parma ham served on a muffin, with a poached (runny) egg and smothered in Hollandaise sauce. I actually ordered it for both of us as my wife had yet to join me, and that was a risky thing to do. But I needn't have worried as she thoroughly enjoyed her Eggs Benedict.
I have since tried several recipes and some advocate ordinary ham or lean bacon (NOT crisped). I have now perfected the recipe but admit along the way poaching the eggs in white wine vinegar water can be a bit trial and error unless one uses a proprietary egg poacher. However it hardly matters as long as the eggs are runny and the Hollandaise not too overpowering.
A. Muse
LostCousins Member
Just back from Sunday lunch in a pub (not done this in years) and surprised to see that all of the 'roasts' were served with Yorkshire pudding. It brought back memories of my Grandmother's Sunday roasts where lamb was always served with a baked suet pudding. I think this was suet, flour, and water formed into a mound and baked on a flat tray in the oven with the joint. It came out looking rather like a roasted whole cauliflower. Anyone else remember this? And to go back to earlier posts about steak and kidney pudding, one of my favourites was cold steak and kidney pudding (i.e. leftovers) served at the next meal with tomato ketchup.
You can't, but it's a lot of work if you make your own Hollandaise sauce, and an awful lot of calories too. My compromise is slightly runny scrambled egg over black forest ham (if available, home-cooked ham if not), served on a muffin, crumpet, or half a slice of toast (according to availability).
Hard to imagine that there would be leftovers - there never were in my day.
PS There's a recipe for Egg's Benedict here - love the name of the website!
Margery
LostCousins Member
Peter, try smoked salmon, it's quite a taste sensation!
Heather
LostCousins Member
Bob, you mentioned that your Dad peeled mushrooms, I have never peeled a mushroom, nor have I ever washed them, just a gentle wipe with a paper towel maybe, how about everyone else?
And the mention of runny poached eggs ugh!
almost sent me running to the bathroom. Runny yolks ok but runny whites, no thanks
And the mention of runny poached eggs ugh!
almost sent me running to the bathroom. Runny yolks ok but runny whites, no thanks
A
At home in NZ
Guest
I quite liked Bournvita but mum didn't often buy it as cocoa was cheaper. Thank goodness she never tried to palm us off with Horlicks
I am so jealous, my partner and I remembered it from our youth and when we go back to England usually try to have it at least once. Haddock does not 'grow' in NZ waters, neither does the cod you get in your fish and chip shops.
A
At home in NZ
Guest
I don't peel mushrooms but if they are too grubby will rinse them then wipe with a paper towel.Bob, you mentioned that your Dad peeled mushrooms, I have never peeled a mushroom, nor have I ever washed them, just a gentle wipe with a paper towel maybe, how about everyone else?
And the mention of runny poached eggs ugh!
Am with you all the way about runny whites, looks like that stuff crying kids get running down their chin.
I have done, on more than a few occasions - but it's much more expensive and, in any case, when Black Forest ham is available it's an even better choice.
I used to in the 1980s. These days I'll only do it if the mushrooms are badly blemished.
Bob Spiers
LostCousins Superstar
Have memories of my Dad peeling mushrooms (and I forgot cutting off the stalks), mainly because apart from this Sunday morning ritual and the cooking of the Breakfast, Dad never took part in any kitchen chores. As for the subject of 'to peel or not to peel' that topic has come up many times before in the family and with friends. All variations mentioned cropped up, but none changed my engrained practice (nor I believe my sisters) to peel mushrooms and de-stalk them. Then I got married.
My first marriage was to a country girl and at first I lived with my in-laws in a lovely rural village and everyone picked field mushrooms and I was shown how and where by my father-in-law. So every Sunday morning I had to accompany him very early - did I say VERY EARLY - as he rose at 5 am 7 days a week (5 of the days he also held down a job and liked to spend at hour on his small holding before setting off to work) and so at around 5.30 am I was expected to go with him ... ON A SUNDAY MORNING!! Her mother would always wash the mushrooms and dry them, but have no idea if they were peeled or destalked. I recall asking my wife to peel ours and remove the stalks.
My second wife came from Northampton and a townie and she had never really like Mushroom, has no idea how they were prepared, but does remember they were field mushrooms. These were picked by her father (often accompanied by her) when he visited his sister (married to a farm labourer). His sister lived 'out-in-the sticks- even more remote than my former village - and one crossed fields to reach their tied cottage. She has some recollection of her mother washing and drying the mushrooms, but not of peeling and thinks they were also de-stalked.
Moving on further and living in Kent in an urban setting, no more picking of field mushrooms (at least not by us) so, because I liked mushrooms, they were bought either from a greengrocer or from a weekly market stall. My wife followed the routine passed on by me, to wipe, peel and de-stalk. Later when mushrooms were sold a-plenty at Supermarkets, they were (or looked) clean enough to bypass the wipe routines, but by and large they were wiped, and yes peeled and stalks removed.
As I said earlier the subject of how we prepare mushrooms as cropped up many times. Generally my sisters followed the same rituals we learned from watching Dad but we have all experimented with not peeling and even using the stalks either eaten with the mushrooms, or added to greens water, brought to the boil, and used to make the gravy.
So to conclude I still peel mushrooms and either find a use for the stalks or discard them with the peel.
And the mention of runny poached eggs ugh!
I am surprised my narrative would conclude you to think I meant runny whites - no always runny yolks every time. The secret is to know when to lift out the eggs from the vinegar water.
Mind you I know plenty of people my wife included who will not touch even a faintly undercooked white of an egg however cooked and in the past my friends wife when staying with us would always ask for her fried egg to be well done. My interpretation of this (copying the American 'Easy-Over') failed and it took several tries before I could produce a 'well-done' egg that met her standards. (As far as I was concerned you could have soled your shoes with the end result).