JasonCampbell

I think the fact that there's a back lash against Prozac (and that quit smoking drug, the name of which alludes me) is what's wrong with that. We've meddled with the idea of 'appetite suppressants' for 100 years, none have been successful. I can't share your faith that the next one will be. I do agree that fat people are fat because they eat too much, and most often they eat to much of the same things.

I suppose this mirrors the UK experience of prolonged rationing, encouraging people to create 'exciting new dishes' to use up the tonnes of leftover corned beef (bully beef), SPAM, and snoek. A lot of the British food advertising in this period used the AD line, 'Just what the Troops need', usually accompanied by an image of a mother feeding her family. And the children were potential troops, conscription was still in place even after the war was over, might as well get them used to army rations in plenty of time Of course another issue is that Britain was bankrupt at the end of the war, so those bananas and pineapples had to be rationed; we needed to export not import. My own mother, born in 1949, didn't see a pineapple until her teens, and my grandparents ran a 'corner shop'. But one of the side effects of all this rationing and war was that the returning 'heroes' had a taste for foreign food, my grandfather for example developed a taste for all things German. My Great Uncle, due to his service in the Middle East, found that he enjoyed the flavours of the Levant. When my great uncle came to call my Grandmother would lay on a spread; sauerkraut and sausages, spicy rice dishes and salads, fish fingers and chips for me and my brother. Probably the only 'authentic' dish was my fish fingers and chips, but it was always a fine spread, and nothing was wasted. Both veterans share a love of America, and it's food. My Grandfather particularly has a fondness for Texan style food.

I would say it's not possible in a free market economy. I think it's right to be concerned about a nations eating habits, but it's unlikely that any 'quick fix' is available. The suggestion that we may one day have a pill that enables us to eat what we like without worrying about the consequences is an example of how unlikely it is a solution will be found. The reality is that individuals have to take responsibility for what they eat. In the first world we can, but don't. In the third world they should but cant.

I'm surprised that nobody has suggested Steak & Kidney pudding, absolutely delicious when done properly. OOPS! Just noticed that the originating post did, sorry Simon! And Curry, I like to think of the Anglo- Indian curry as the original fusion cuisine. It's 'trendy' to slag off restaurant curries for their lack of authenticity these days, I think that's a shame. And Wimpy hamburger restaurants, a bender in a bun. Yes please!

I cant argue that a leg of NZ lamb is a leg of NZ lamb: and I can't argue the seemingly global dominance of NZ lamb on special. But a leg of lamb beyond NZ is a quite different animal. What might be called a leg of lamb in America isn't the same cut as you would find in France or Britain, as I'm sure you are aware. The original concept would loose much if it had to limit itself to only suggesting 'NZ lamb on special' recipes.

I think the reason that this excellent idea will fumble is because of geography. The cuts of meat are all different based on where you live, for example a cow is butchered very differently in America as compared to Britain.

Thanks Matthew, yes that's what I was getting at. 57c is just too low a temperature. Before I read your link I was thinking around 63c, but I bow to Heston's vastly superior experience. Incidentally I missed the Q&A, so I'll be looking through Hestons comments a bit later, thanks for flagging it up for me. As to the rarity of goose fat. Here in the UK you can buy it tinned or fresh, the cost at a rough translation would be about $1.50 a Cup (8 American OZ?). A duck would be cost 4 times that, but would also supply meat, so as Dave sort of suggests, if you buy 2 ducks and use the various cuts in different ways...

I'm not a restaurateur, but their takings go down when the weather is really hot doesn't it? OK this probably doesn't effect the guy with the Ben & Jerry's franchise, but generally? I find in the summer (and we're talking UK 'summer') I start favouring salads and fruit, things with a high moisture content, like beer. All the meat tends to be spicy BBQ. In the Autumn it's braises and casseroles. Winter it's roasts and stews. Then come February it's spicy, curry or similar. February is the depths of winter here so I guess I buck the trend on spicy food only in warm weather. Springtime in the UK is when I get my passion for trying new ideas, last spring it was Afghan cuisine. I think that it's because there's so little locally produced food at this time of year, accept fish.

I'm probably being a bit thick, but isn't 135 F about 57 Centigrade? Incidentally, if you're short on fat, top it up with goose fat.

Do you mean that your Victorinox blade has a serrated edge, or are you commenting on serrated edged knives in general?

Mine did at least 7 years (two in a commercial kitchen) before it got damaged, and I was brutal when it came to sharpening the blade. But we mustn't turn this into a 'my knife is better than your knife' debate. Suffice to say, mine is- in the correct hands.

OK! Just a newbie checking etiquette

And thank you alacarte for opening up the subject with your brief article. The whole subject of rationing is a difficult one to discuss, connected as it is with so many contentious issues. I feel it is however an imperative subject to discuss if anyone wishes to investigate, 'why we eat what we eat'.. . I especially liked the more personal and primary recollections made by Anna and *Paul, my own contributions are just regurgitated facts, although I'm glad you found them thought provoking. PS Is your post intended to draw this thread to a close? *EDIT Sorry Peter!

This probably illustrates an honesty on the part of the manufacturers and government authorities. Today the product could be labelled without the mention of 'other fish', although they would have to be mentioned in the small print on the back of the product. As to the Snoek, the 'other fish' suggested, here's a quote from the book "Snoek Piquante, Age of Austerity". " By the summer of 1949, more than a third of *Snoek* imported since 1947 was still unsold: 3,270,000 half pound tins out of 11,110,400- with another 1,209,000 still to come under existing contracts". In response the Ministry of Food published further leaflets suggesting interesting recipes for the unwanted Snoek, probably motivated by the knowledge that another two thousand tons of the stuff were due to arrive in August of that year. It may be an urban myth, but I've be told more than once that it eventually ended up being labelled as 'Food for Dogs and Cats', and disposed of very cheaply. * Edited because my spell checker changed Snoek to Snooker.

As a kind of comparison, here's two recipes, both are for Christmas Cake. The first published in 1923 in the British edition of Good Housekeeping calls for; 225g Butter. 225g Margarine. 450g castor sugar. 450g flour. 6 eggs. 2 tablespoons Treacle. 1 glass of sherry. Rind of 1 lemon (fresh). 225g of the following, currents, sultanas, dried orange peel. 110g of the following, citron peel and almonds. ½ a nutmeg grated. ½ a teaspoon of ground cinnamon. I've taken the liberty of converting the measurements into metric, obviously the original recipes used the Imperial measuring system. What's of note in this recipe is that although the ingredients were available for purchase, a large percentage of the British population wouldn't have been able to afford them. In 1923 even basic sustenance wasn't guaranteed. In times of shortage then the poor were very hard hit. With the implementation of rationing in 1940 the British government hoped to learn from past mistakes and ensure that every citizen, regardless of their financial circumstance, could eat. It was remarkably effective, but look how mean the Christmas Cake had become. The Ministry of Food gave this recommended recipe; 110g of margarine. 85g sugar. 1 level tablespoon of syrup. 225g of flour. 2 teaspoons of baking powder. Pinch of salt. 1 level teaspoon of mixed spice. 1 level teaspoon of ground cinnamon. 2-4 reconstituted dried eggs. 450g of dried fruit. ½ teaspoon of lemon substitute. Milk to mix.

Food rationing didn't end until July 3rd 1954 in Britain. Although rationing had been slowly eased in the years leading up to this date, Britain suffered rationing for over 13 years. Off the top of my head (and not checking my notes) ration books were already printed by 1936, four years before their implementation. Most health professionals maintain that the British people were at their healthiest during the 'rationing years'; before rationing there was no concept of 'food for all' and many British children were malnourished.

With a nod to Digby, It's a well known fact that girlies hate veg prep, whereas the chaps get stuck into it with gusto. It's also a fact that some men can be girlies when it comes to veg prep, while many women approach the task as chaps. You can recognise them by the 10" Chefs Knife they are using. As to Wusthoff knives and their use, I'll come clean and say I use Victorinox and Swibo. I'm sure the Wusthoff are very good, but my bank balance would be worsthoff, and would my cooking be any better off? As to bent and damaged blades, here follows a moral tale on letting girlies play with your 10" blade. I did, and the silly girl managed to put a kink in the centre of the cutting edge whilst dicing some carrots. No amount of work with a whetstone has rectified this problem, although I admit the knife still cuts well. I could have the knife professionally re-sharpened and this would probably remove the blemish. That would cost about £5 here in the UK.

I'd agree with the advice against buying a knife set, you never end up with what you really need. And I'd tend to confirm the 10" chef knife preference, I've two 8" that never see the light of day (unless a girlie wants to help with the veg prep, and that rarely happens).

Tupperware parties are dead in the UK, it was a news item a couple of months ago. They laid off 1700 people and hope to concentrate their sales through 'retail partners'. Another 'party sales' group called Anne Summers (SP?) is said to be interested in employing the ex-party people, although they sell plastic goods of a decidedly different nature . PS loved the article.

Raisins are most definitely not a good thing. I soften when confronted by a sultana, and generally enjoy most other dried fruits, I only mention this as I know you were dying to ask.

I wish the tone of this thread would become less confrontational and defensive. Anyone remember the original question? There are two types of eGullet thread in this respect, Jason. Type A always gets confrontational and defensive, Type B doesn't. Type A quickly forgets the original question, Type B doesn't. The laws of physics (and others) dictate that a Type A cannot transmutate into a Type B, although the reverse process can occur in a heartbeat. This has become a Type A thread, and you enter at your peril. If you have not yet completed the Advanced Certificate in Type A Survival, you may be well advised to spend a little time in the many excellent Type B threads to be found at eGullet, and especially in the UK Forum, The Symposium, the Italy Forum, and other places populated by a significantly different group of contributors. ...and the Adam Balic Bio Thread is a must for a little relaxation and light relief Welcome™ to eGullet, Jason Thanks for your kind advice and guidance. Is it imperative that I read Adam Balic's BIOS, I ask as it appears to be 135 pages long with 4040 contributions? Is their any plans for a 'Balic BIOS Lite' to get us newbies up to speed? Incidentally I found Adam's reply to my contention that Europeans over spiced food in the middle ages very good, he certainly gave me food for thought (OOPS! Pun).

I wish the tone of this thread would become less confrontational and defensive. Anyone remember the original question?

In medieval England spices were used to overcome the taste of heavily salted meat. People had a higher tolerance to salt ( based on the amounts recorded in recipes), so sticking half a pound of cinnamon into a bread sauce didn't seem as strange as it would today. The peasants had little access to meat, and no access to spices, they used locally grown herbs as a flavouring. Meat and spice consumption was an indicator of rank. The reason that spice consumption appears to quickly fall out of favour is quite complicated. Social upheaval led to the rise of the yeoman class, religious revolution and the discovery of the New World all contributed to the move away from looking to the east for inspiration. Also the agricultural revolution enabled the over wintering of meat, and this also increased cattle stocks, so making meat more available to the lower classes. As the need for preserving meat declined it was natural that the demand for spices declined. In reality spices were still used but in much lesser amounts as they no longer needed to overcome the extreme saltiness of the meat. If you look at Victorian recipe books you see that the use of spices never left British cooking.