Foodie Fads

I'm a kid of the '60s and remember when prawn cocktail or melon balls were considered the height of culinary sophistication. It's actually very funny looking at cookery books from the 1960s and 1970s. I remember being stunned by Chicken Kiev the first time I ate it (though I have a suspicion that no self respecting Ukrainian would serve it). The Red Army would not be able to march on that Comrade!

My pet hate is greenery on a plate with the dessert. I don’t want mint/dill or cabbage leaves served with my crème caramel THANK YOU! Also, which celeb chef came up with the idea to dribble or wave perfectly good chocolate or raspberry sauce over the pud? If you want me to love you, give me a proper dollop of the stuff on the side, don’t sketch a Matisse outline with it –it’s harder to wash the plate afterwards.

Anyone remember Pavlovas when they first arrived in the UK from Down Under (and where Down Under is still a matter of bloodthirsty debate in this bit of the planet)? With all due respect to my adopted country, I’ve never understood the excitement over this pud. It is too fresh airy for me. A pud should have substance – enough to make you want to curl up and wash your whiskers for several hours afterwards. This doesn’t even deserve a cat lick.

Thank heavens that Nouvelle Cuisine has moved on. Who really enjoyed the coaster sized piece of steak with an ice cream scoop of fancy potato? We are designed to eat REAL food, not meccano constructions of pickled cabbage balanced on a soupcon of salmon.

OK, a straw poll. Given the choice between a fish pie made with a variety of fish and heaps of spring veggies followed by a treacle pud and hot custard or half a ducks breast with a glaze of sauce and three peas, which would you choose?