Restaurants in the UK with laminated menu's never fill me with confidence. I usually try and avoid these establishments, but occasionally and usually with a group of people from work, that I will end up in one of these well known "chain restaurants". If I know what is going to be on the menu without having to look at it, then where is the enjoyment or anticipation in that? Now if you go to a restaurant with a blackboard for a menu.. now we're talking. Seeing an item struck through because they have run out talks fresh food, which usually means it's seasonal and if we're really lucky - local.
Now there is one exception and that is if you are in the USA. If you are given a laminated menu here, then there is a good chance your are in a diner or a BBQ shack... and with these places you can sometimes hit the jackpot. Usually the gold mine is the place that has been run by the same family for generations. Good, home style food, but fresh ingredients that they turn it over in huge quantities. If only we get could get more of that style of mass catering here in the UK, then I would be very happy to be given a laminated menu.
Monday 17 January 2011
Tuesday 11 January 2011
Food, Travel & Me
I have been very lucky to travel from a very young age. My first holiday was to Majorca and we flew from London on the now long gone Laker Airways. I was 2 years old and from what my parents tell me, I spent my time walking down the aisle of the plane, offering to help other passengers open their patties of butter.
One day I was writing down all the countries I had visited - I am not sure why I decided to do this, but whatever the reason it turned out I had been to 27 different countries. I went to the world map I had on my wall and proudly inserted pins into all the different places I had been. That was it, I there and then decided that I had to put as many pins in my map as I possible could. Quite by accident I had become a "country collector" and so far I have reach 80 - Costa Rica being most recent new stamp in my passport.
So where does food come into all of this. I had always been quite adventurous in trying different foods. My dad is convinced that it was due to the fact that the baby food I was feed on, was a far spicier mix than what was available ever before. However, my first real memories of finding food interesting was watching Keith Floyd on television and his culinary trips around the world. I think I only started watching it to indulge my passion for travel and find out more about the countries he was visiting. However, what I actually discovered was his passion for food. What he was saying - it all made sense, if you liked Thai food you shouldn't just go to a Thai restaurant, but you should buy a plane ticket and go to Thailand.
Keith Floyd's programmes for me were addictive and I was hooked. I even went out and bought his videos, so I could watch it all over and over again. From that point, I not only wanted to learn more about food, but I wanted to cook food.
So why a blog? I want people who are not into food, to get into food and people who are not into travel, to get into travel. For those people who are already there, then maybe they will appreciate what I write. Anyway a blog is a personal thing, so at least I will have a good record of all my culinary adventures.
One day I was writing down all the countries I had visited - I am not sure why I decided to do this, but whatever the reason it turned out I had been to 27 different countries. I went to the world map I had on my wall and proudly inserted pins into all the different places I had been. That was it, I there and then decided that I had to put as many pins in my map as I possible could. Quite by accident I had become a "country collector" and so far I have reach 80 - Costa Rica being most recent new stamp in my passport.
So where does food come into all of this. I had always been quite adventurous in trying different foods. My dad is convinced that it was due to the fact that the baby food I was feed on, was a far spicier mix than what was available ever before. However, my first real memories of finding food interesting was watching Keith Floyd on television and his culinary trips around the world. I think I only started watching it to indulge my passion for travel and find out more about the countries he was visiting. However, what I actually discovered was his passion for food. What he was saying - it all made sense, if you liked Thai food you shouldn't just go to a Thai restaurant, but you should buy a plane ticket and go to Thailand.
Keith Floyd's programmes for me were addictive and I was hooked. I even went out and bought his videos, so I could watch it all over and over again. From that point, I not only wanted to learn more about food, but I wanted to cook food.
So why a blog? I want people who are not into food, to get into food and people who are not into travel, to get into travel. For those people who are already there, then maybe they will appreciate what I write. Anyway a blog is a personal thing, so at least I will have a good record of all my culinary adventures.
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