Beef and Mushrooms in Lager

Tuesday 22/2/2005

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Diary and Notes

Apart from the obvious i.e. death, senility, incontinence, losing one's teeth, cancer, children, loud noises, teenagers (especially rough ones hanging around in groups waiting to mug them for their pension books), fast cars, the cold, the heat, people giving them coffee instead of tea, travelling etc., there can be nothing more frightening for old people than having to cook for the younger generation. I know from my own experience that there is little more frightening for us, than to have to eat their food. We know what to expect, we've been to the homes that smell of boiled cabbage and musk. They know what to expect; lectures on how vegetables are more healthy if they're not boiled for seven hours and passed through a sieve and complaints that the meat is tough and flavourless.

There is no common ground. They don't eat things with chillis in, they abhor garlic and don't even know what fresh ginger is. In their world there is only one type of cooking oil - non descript vegetable oil (and they consider that a new fangled invention, now that they can't get their lard anymore) and their general skills are somewhat lacking. I fear the old, not for their physical and economic reliance on us healthy, strong youngsters, but for their overcooked lamb cutlets, their bland, tasteless gravy and their watery, packet custard.

You guessed it, I was visiting relatives again and this time they were inflicting dinner on me!

Yes, I know you feel my pain.

I was hoping to be saved the dinner by claiming noshblogitis. That special disease only I can get, whereby I am unable to eat due to the rules of the game, unfortunately they'd planned ahead for this and made something different - they were experimenting!

Yes, I know this may seem a little odd. People over the age of sixty 'having a go', 'trying something new', but it really happened and it wasn't a complete disaster. I think the plan was to make a beef stew with some beer, but there wasn't any beer apparently so lager was used instead. It of course worked fine but was considered quite a topic of conversation around the dinner table. Alongside were some scalloped potatoes (really just round, thin chips but adventurous just the same for my hosts) and some peas and carrots (not too overdone, although the carrots were a little on the mushy side).

All in all not bad and certainly better than the disgusting filling at the Sally Pussey's Inn. Top marks for effort as well and it's nice to see even the oldsters getting in the noshblog spirit. They'll be making bouillabaise next (no they bloody wont).

Cake Blog

Cherry pie and custard - supermarket bought however and not home made like I was hoping for.

Menu

Scalloped Potatoes

Peas and Carrots

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