If you haven’t already read Nigel Slater’s ‘Eating for England‘, you’re in for a treat. It’s one of those perfect winter reads.
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The inspiration for ‘Eating’ came as Slater when he was asked by the American press about what defines the British attitude to food. He recalls struggling to find an eloquent answer but the reward for that struggle to us, his readers, is ‘Eating’ – a collection of short essays, lists and memoirs about food in Britain. The past, the present and the future. He liberally references the celebrity chefs and cooks of our time and lauds them for their positive influence on the modern culinary identity of his beloved country. Those whom he finds less inspiring are left anonymous but his word caricatures of them leave their identities blindingly obvious.
Some of my favourite essays explore Slater’s fond memories of childhood snacks and cakes that have such a powerful emotive allure as much for the personal context they hold in his life as for their taste on the tongue. Toblerone, the various biscuits in variety packs…. don’t we all have fond (and not so fond) memories of the foods of our own childhoods? ‘Eating’ also gives us a glimpse into the various tribes of modern home cooks in Britain and their cousins are also at large in Australia, I suspect.
I found ‘Toast’, Slater’s other biographical work a little confronting and difficult to read at times due to Slater’s observations of life with his stepmother after the death of his mother but ‘Eating’ was deliciously warm and comforting from the first chapter to the last.
Do you think that one day (soon, I hope) one of our own prominent food writers will write ‘Eating for Australia’? The stories they could tell. Until the real food writers of Australia release ‘Eating for Australia’, here are some of my favourite food memories to start the ball rolling.
How NICE biscuits seem to taste of coconut and how you can hardly taste the sugar densely baked into the top? And how NICE biscuits grow on you with age.
The evolution of our desserts from honest apple crumbles and pavlovas to decadent, glossy quadruple chocolate extravaganzas of cake, mousse and ganache? And you don’t just go out to eat these delicacies either. Everyone (except myself) seems more than able to whip them up at home thanks to Masterchef and Adriano Zumbo’s cook book and cake mix.
The phenomenon of Hot Cross buns being available in supermarkets earlier and earlier each year. Not so long ago, January 2 seemed early for me. Now it’s pretty standard to seem them stocked around December 24….
How Mi Goreng is the default dinner option for so many of us when calling for home delivery seems a bit too much effort.
My favourite lunch was and always will be sushi, green tea and some fruit. Interestingly, I much prefer the sushi I find in Australia than the real deal I found in Japan. It seems to be one of those foods that has adapted itself to local palates.
Chocolate. So many chocolate coated happy food memories. The mass produced stuff we now get from all over the world.
The artisan products from the chic chocolate boutiques dotted around the country.
The chocolate bars we love from overseas for reasons including their unique flavours and the fact that they’re only readily available on holidays which makes them stash worthy when you get home and unpack your luggage.
And last, but not least, our obsession with limited edition Tim Tam flavours. I’m a sucker for new release Tim Tams but somehow always end up feeling a little underwhelmed after eating them.
Like Nigel Slater, buttered white toast is my ultimate comfort food.
Especially when served with a bowl of homemade chicken soup. Ever since I realised just how easy it is to make most of my favourite soups, I’ve said no to tinned and packet soups. Except for French Onion soup mix from which you know I can make approximately 5219 different dishes from.
Have you read ‘Eating for England’?
What are your ‘Eating for Australia’ memories? Let’s crowdsource this.
