…..when this happens to you.
I was cooking a chinese meal at Goon’s the other night and was busily stir-frying some vegetables, when one of Goon’s flat mates walked in. This girl is a ‘Value’ addict - and I mean ADDICT. Pretty much everything she buys is of the blue stripey label variety or similar smaller store versions.
On the side I had some cooked rice which was cooling in order to be made into egg fried rice. She picked at it and said “What did you put in this rice? It tastes really good!”
I was genuinely suprised by this. “What, really!?”
“Yes, it tastes fantastic! What’s in it?”
“Ummm…. nothing.”
“Nothing!?”
“No, nothing.”
“REALLY?” Poor girl was obviously confused.
“Well….I salted the water a little before I boiled it.”
A fairly long silence followed.
“Right…..I guess that must be it then. ”
“Yes, salt is good, I guess.”
“Yes. it must bring out the flavour…. of rice. ”
And she shuffled off, apparently a little embarrased. I could read this in two ways.
- I’m a genious cook who can make salted rice taste amazing.
- Eating Value products on a daily basis is so utterly hideous that plain and simple things like rice boiled in salt water taste fantastic in comparison.
As much as I’d love to believe point 1, I have to accept that it probably is the value effect.
So the lesson for today is: If you’re bored of what you’re eating, here’s a simple solution. Go Value for a week and then you’ll find everything you cook after that tastes amazing. 
…..when this happens to you.
I was cooking a chinese meal at Goon’s the other night and was busily stir-frying some vegetables, when one of Goon’s flat mates walked in. This girl is a ‘Value’ addict - and I mean ADDICT. Pretty much everything she buys is of the blue stripey label variety or similar smaller store versions.
On the side I had some cooked rice which was cooling in order to be made into egg fried rice. She picked at it and said “What did you put in this rice? It tastes really good!”
I was genuinely suprised by this. “What, really!?”
“Yes, it tastes fantastic! What’s in it?”
“Ummm…. nothing.”
“Nothing!?”
“No, nothing.”
“REALLY?” Poor girl was obviously confused.
“Well….I salted the water a little before I boiled it.”
A fairly long silence followed.
“Right…..I guess that must be it then. ”
“Yes, salt is good, I guess.”
“Yes. it must bring out the flavour…. of rice. ”
And she shuffled off, apparently a little embarrased. I could read this in two ways.
- I’m a genious cook who can make salted rice taste amazing.
- Eating Value products on a daily basis is so utterly hideous that plain and simple things like rice boiled in salt water taste fantastic in comparison.
As much as I’d love to believe point 1, I have to accept that it probably is the value effect.
So the lesson for today is: If you’re bored of what you’re eating, here’s a simple solution. Go Value for a week and then you’ll find everything you cook after that tastes amazing.
All great cooking… all good cooking starts with good produce. Respect your ingredients and it’s all easy after that. If you can convert anyone to eating good food you should pat yourself on the back. But don’t forget that most people start out pretty ignorant. I’m cooking gourmet food in a fine dining restaurant tomorrow, but just 12 years ago my idea of fine dining was McDonalds. We’ve all got to learn.
Comment by Trig — January 28, 2007 @ 8:42 pm
Just twelve years ago you were 7 years old!!
I think we all thought McDonalds was amazing at that age. I’m not sure Miss Frugal is going to be converted to using quality produce anytime soon. I suppose lots of students are like that. But it does make me shudder a bit when she uses that stuff to cook for dinner parties.
Comment by ros — January 29, 2007 @ 3:21 pm