Written by Frederica
Politicians love to lecture the populace. They believe (in their smug arrogance) that the people are like children and need to be guided every step of the way through their lives by intrusive governance. They preach their ‘wisdom’ from the ‘Olympian Heights’, imagining in their delusion, that the populace will hang gratefully upon their every word! One of their favourite lectures relates to food.
“You are all too fat”! “Too much junk food”! “Too many take-aways”! It is a never ending sanctimonious ‘finger wagging’ exposition on how ignorant we all our about our nutrition. They tell us to ‘eat less of this or more of that’.
One of the most irritating of their lectures is about the effects of our food consumption upon ‘climate change’. “Stop adding to global warming by eating all those bad ‘atmosphere polluting’ animals. Save the planet”! When I hear one of their favourite expressions ‘eat a more plant based diet’, I am amused and I do so wish I could answer back!
My biology mistress once began a class lesson with the phrase “All our food comes from plants!”. We looked round at each other disbelievingly. Then someone piped up “But what about when we eat animals”? She flung the question straight back. “What do cattle eat”? “Grass and hay ma’am”! “Exactly!”. Whatever food item we proposed, she was able to illustrate, irrefutably, the relevant food chain showing, absolutely, that all our food does indeed come from plants!
That same mistress also gave us an unforgettable lesson in food hygiene and the prevention of the spread of disease-causing bacteria. One day she laid out a new experiment. A dish containing a piece of meat was set up beside a large bell jar. The meat was left unprotected for a few hours then covered with the bell jar that sealed it off from the room. A few days later we were horrified to see the meat crawling with maggots and a few days later still we entered the lab to be met with the horrific sight of the bell jar black with bluebottles! As she had, in the intervening period, illustrated to us the life cycle of the fly; the ways it would crawl over any surface in its quest for a food source (they weren’t at all fussy!) and the way it would regurgitate fluid from its body to soften any new food source before ingesting, we were suitably and eternally horrified at the unsanitary ways of this insect and the need to protect our food from its predations at all costs!
The town planners never seem to refuse permission for another fast-food outlet. They spring up almost overnight in the way that mushrooms used to do when animals grazed in fields that were not contaminated to saturation point with chemical pesticides or fertilisers. The ubiquitous ‘golden arches’ hamburger joints are also now allowed to take up prime sites everywhere.
Even the oldest and most quaint of villages has its share of Indian; Chinese; fried chicken and pizza establishments. What used to be small, independent, butchers; bakers; greengrocer/fruiterers and grocer/cheesemongers (plus, of course, the old original fish and chip shops – often also selling fresh fish) are now a selection of boring and soul-less shopfronts. From these establishments emanate strange and often unappetising aromas and a plethora of discarded, unsightly packaging.
I included fish and chip shops in the above list in the interest of fair discussion. Yet I am loath to do so because fish and chips has been almost uniquely British and has been with us for such a very long time. From my early childhood the ‘chippy’ has been a much loved feature of the ‘corner shop’ sites close to many of our homes. I imagine that even then some families ate too many portions of it in a week. However, it was not a cheap meal even then. Therefore most households did cook for themselves at that time.
Cookery programmes featuring ‘celebrity chefs’ abound on TV. Even the streaming channels seem to host them. People watch avidly. Yet few of their audiences seem to know how to cook! If they did know how to cook there would be far less demand for todays ‘junk’ that is full of additives, preservatives and calories. Though I notice that our current Health Secretary is not averse to sending out for ‘posh’ takeaways for himself and his staff for ‘working lunches’!
The substance of my grumpy-old-woman gripe in this instance is that it is politicians who have caused the appalling state of the Nation’s cookery skills. They sounded the death knell for cookery classes and domestic science skills being routinely taught in schools. They stopped teaching the Nation’s children how to cook and to learn nutrition skills. So began the downward spiral into nutritional ignorance that is extant today.
As with many of my generation, I had a Mother who could cook very well. There was much less imported food then. There was also less money available for the kitchen budget, Therefore, most of what we ate was seasonally produced in the UK: home grown in our gardens or the cheaper cuts of meat requiring long slow cooking. Even the rabbit that I had thought was a pet disappeared one day, having been despatched for my Mother by the local butcher (who was also my godfather). It re-appeared in the form of rabbit casserole. Being young and sentimental, I took rather an exception to this action. For many years afterward I was averse to rabbit meat in any form.
I was required to help in the kitchen and run errands for my Mother to the local shops for meat and groceries from a list furnished by herself. Thus, when I began domestic science lessons at school aged 11, I was disconcerted to find that the first lesson consisted of how to make tea and toast and how to sweep a floor! Small beer for me! I had passed that milestone long ago. But things improved. The first proper dish I ever cooked at that school and took home for the family tea was a cheese and potato pie. I went on into higher education still taking cookery and domestic science lessons.
I am given to understand that cookery lessons are given in some schools today. I am not sure how extensive these may be unless new schools are once again being equipped with cookery facilities. My contention is that politicians have once again been responsible for a problem in society for which they now feel they have the moral right to blame the people!
Politicians are indeed responsible for most of the ills that we face, most likely even all of them. We need and deserve better and at a much lower cost too.
Absolutely agree with you Frederica. Few children had idyllic lives during the fifties and sixties, but we were taught the basics that would serve us well for a lifetime. My three boys, born in the eighties and early nineties, were shown how to cook at home (not so much in school), and all three enjoy cooking from scratch using real food. Schools had their part to play but I blame the parents (as well as useless politicians) for the dire state of children’s health and well being. If the parents are obese, the children will probably follow in their footsteps. The NHS should stop footing the bill for these lazy people. I know what it is like to be overweight but got to grips with it.
I agree with what you say Lisa. Yes some responsibility must lie with parenting …but t’was ever thus! When cookery and domestic science was dropped from compulsory curricula (Is that the proper plural??) it meant that several generations issued out on the opportunity to learn at least the basics. Thus, they were not equipped to pass on any skills to their own offspring either. My Mum used to say that if you educated a child you gave it the tools to begin educating the next generation. Thus has our education system failed successive generations, falling further and further behind what the way we were educated in our own youth (fifties and sixties). We were the lucky ones!
Sorry that should have read “missed out on the opportunity to learn”!
We have been indoctrinated to such a degree of risk aversion that we are panicked by a pandemic where the majority have to be tested to know they are ill and total deaths are so near average – This means that already we could not deal with anything stronger than what has to be the mildest pandemic possible and just collapse at the sign of any threat of real invasion as illustrated where we cannot even resist calm water crossings by unarmed economic migrants! – Our culture has become so weak and decadent after generations of no real threat it is very likely to be overwhelmed and most likely by the CCP and its genocide habit.
Can’t argue with that Lindsay! As Biscotte has said below, the HSE and PC brigades have had huge input in reducing the risk aversion of recent generations to ‘almost zero’ levels. Indoctrination through ‘educashun’ has convinced so many these days that the ‘Nanny State’ knows best! Thus the beguiling, perfidious politicians have achieved their aim of almost total control!
It must be the day for the “Grumpies” I’m a grumpy old retired hill farmer.
I agree that much of our food does not taste like it used to. Thanks to the populariy of the “continental” breeds, beef is “up to weight” much earlier that our old traditional catle. Result it is immature and tasteless. Bank – managers like them because the “turnover” is faster, but as a Welsh farmer friend once said ,”It’s not the turnover that counts, boyo, it’s the leftover.”
I kept Shorthorns; bred for the conditions on the farm. I had bred every cow, its mother and in many cases its great granny. The lad who bought the farm on my retirement also took the cattle “at Valuation”. Ten years on he is cashing in on my work – selling vacuum packed cuts of three-year-old grass-fed beef, hung for at least three weeks… Real Beef!
What people tend to forget is that what we eat is (or should be) governed by where we live. As an extreme case,can you imagine a vegetarian Esquimo”. I tell would be veggies that they should try and maintain a healthy diet on food produced no more that twenty miles from where they live. It cannot be done. Thanks to our British climate we are unable to grow enough protein. Why twenty miles? It’s as far as the carriers cart could realistically bring fresh produce to the market overnight. (Think about Food-Miles and Carbon Footprint.)… Next time you are in a supermarket look at the country of origin part of the label on your fruit and veg. It is most instructive. Ask yourself,”Do we REALLY need mange-tout from Kenya? Apart from a short season of Kentish Cobs all our nuts are imported.
If our politicians really want to save “our NHS”,they could lead by example and reduce their waist-lines… The rant could go on, but word-counts matter
Thank you for your comment Dickatbarn. That was so interesting! (I really mean that). It wasn’t a rant at all but an illustration of food production as we used to know it before big business got its claws into everything! The trouble is that we are all so busy rushing from A to B and ‘turning a buck to make a living’ that we seem not to have the time to ‘live’!
Before the government put us into virtual house arrest I was patronising local farm shops stocking locally sourced meat an other produce. I always try and buy British produce and I look at all the labels to see where it is sourced. I look for 21 day matured beef (or longer if possible). It is surprising to see which supermarkets major on British (and even better – local) fruit and veg. Surprisingly our local Aldi stocks Kent pears while Morrisons all come from Holland and Belgium. Also, I can live without stuff with huge air miles!!! I think we would all be better off for growing some of our own fruit and veg. Even in a small garden a few lettuces and tomatoes taste so much better freshly picked. Blueberries grow well in a pot. Even a balcony could produce something useful.
How wonderful that the man who bought your farm is continuing with the tradition that you set up! That must be so satisfying for you to see.
There is a local sheep farm in our area that is now able to supply ‘organic’ open air lamb in freezer packs and there is a waiting list for such.
dickatbarn. Thank you for explaining that so well. I will excuse your dig at vegetarianism, because as I usually say to farming folk round here – ‘unfortunately we can not live on grass’!
I live in North Derbyshire now. The farming is hill farming here, mainly sheep rather than cattle. I am under the impression that many of the sheep farmers are part time, and are having to bid for scarce grazing rights on bits of land. That may be to do with the National Park, National Trust and god knows how many other bureaucratic bodies!
Just one thing though, looking at it from a National point of view, we are actually capable of producing far more of our own fruit and veg with the use of polytunnels for instance. Of course bureaucratic ‘planning’ would stick it’s nose in there, I dare say.
In today’s way of doing things, there would probably need to be such things as ‘annual certificates’ for cookers; specialist courses for how to hold knives; lectures about ovens are hot; no washing up allowed (as happens in many offices) and hence installation of (annually tested) dishwashers; costly child protection act police background checks for visiting ‘master cook’ winners doing demos; and on and on. ‘Its expensive you know . . ‘.
The local scout camp no longer allows campfire cooking. On questioning I was told youngsters may not always cook food properly such as sausages and wind up with some sort of salmonella or suchlike. Its an hse directive. BTW the scout camp has two small ponds some two or three feet deep, after days of constant rain. A couple of years back life belt stations were enforced- hse edict / cost machine kerching, and inspection costs annually kerching,
‘When I was a boy’ we learnt woodwork – including how to hold a chisel and not sawing your fingers off. These skills have served me all my life. But like domestic science, it has been priced out in favour of racist awareness, keeping warm is bad, how to apply for benefits, and gender studies no doubt.
Biscotte. OMG. You have got it just about right. I had not factored in the ‘nanny state’ directives. Probably because I left school long ago before all this PC rubbish started to come into being. My children were taught cookery at home by myself. My son got really into it, became adventurous with his food and is now a very fine cook. My daughter wasn’t really all that fussed about cooking but she knows enough to get by! How much our children have lost by not being taught the realities of life and how to ‘get on with it’! It’s a very mad, sad World! I’m quite glad I’m old!
Gosh Biscotte. Stranger and stranger. We agree again. I remember my brother, 5 years older than me, learning woodwork. I’m sure, like you say, such useful subjects have been stopped by a combination of h.s.e. directives and lefty woke culture.
Biscotte…….and toasting bread without burning it.
School dinners were a civilised dining event at my bog standard comprehensive in the 70s. Two courses eaten with cutlery! Next week meal times may be the only time pupils are allowed to take off their face masks whilst shovelling some fast food down. Course times have changed, we were supervised by adults.
Matt. I feel so sorry for the children these days. They are being exploited by politicians left right and centre! I remember proper school meals. Very tasty they were too especially school roast potatoes….. delicious! There was always a queue for second helpings of those! It is a crime to force children to wear masks. I wish all the parents would refuse to comply! Disobedience to the diktats is the only way now!
Thank you Frederica. You had a better education than me. Some parts of your home life were different, probably better than mine.
I stopped eating meat because it is now ‘factory farmed’, almost all of it. I’ve even been told recently that sheep are being raised entirely indoors, never seeing grass growing. Not sure whether that is true.
I want beef and dairy cattle to spend at least part of their lives out, eating grass. I want sheep to live out, only coming in for lambing. I want chickens to be free range. Coming in at night to protect them from foxes. Though there was nothing wrong with the chicken run we had at the bottom of the garden.
I was spared the knowledge of what happened when they stopped laying. Your experience with the pet rabbit is truly disgusting. Rabbit meat should come from wild rabbits, shot in the evening. Not killed by myxomatosis.
Any way, what you say is basically very true. The politicians and the planners have directed our lives in all the wrong directions and now finding ways to blame us.
Over the last couple of years I’ve really woken up to just how much I HATE the SYNTHETIC taste, of mass produced food and food supplements.
I’m underweight and the Fortisip that our wonderful N.H.S. supply is truly disgusting. Bananas and pears are available from the local shop and some vegetables but the greengrocer recently went. Now an ‘Indian’ Take away!
There are usually 2 kinds of microwaveable meals there for a vegetarian, and even sometimes cheese and onion sandwiches.
P.S. I’m a grumpy old woman too. I admit I’m also lazy, don’t do proper cooking, avoid causing myself work by dirtying dishes.
Pauline there are still farmers who farm traditionally. There are still farm-to-plate farm shops out there. I used to buy my meat from them until we were forbidden to travel by the Politburo! But when I can I sneak off to a local butcher who does display good meat the traditional way, though its not strictly speaking ‘local’! There are also suppliers who supply from farm to freezer but thats not so useful for someone living alone of course! My Mum found it less appealing to cook for herself after my Father died. So I understand that completely. But it’s a shame not to eat something nice that you’ve cooked for yourself at least now and again. I don’t like processed food either especially when I look at what’s on offer in the supermarkets and usually recoil in horror! However, there are firms that do nice ready meals and deliver them too. Look for ones that are not the usual suspects peddling their wares on TV channels. Google for your local area and see what comes up. You might be surprised! Eating can be fun!
Thanks for trying to help me Frederica. I did look into having meals delivered etc. But actually I’m managing o.k. thanks. Just having a moan and discussion. It’s more interesting than eating!