A.K.Haart has an interesting post on Marks and Spencer, and rather than fill up his comments column with my views, here's a different slant...
Last Friday, Her Fragrancy the Senora O'Blene and Scrobs visited our surgery for a flu jab. It's a ritual well worth the effort, as flu is just not pleasant, but this week, we've succumbed to an additional nasty cough in the lady's case, and a wretching stomach-churning bug in my case. It's a new vaccine this year, and we didn't get the flu side-effects though, just something else!
Apparently, like often happens at this time of year, all these things start to occur and we usually escape! But for me - ooooh no! A good friend just took one look at me and said 'Are you alright'? And the last time I'd seen her, she'd asked exactly the same question, so I must wear a scarf next time...
So, what to do about comestibles when under these circumstances (which are improving by the hour)! Mrs O'Blene's cough is not as bad as well, so she's well on the road to recovery.
Her Ladyship insists that the answer is a plain old tin of Heinz tomato soup! Yup, the elixir of life in a bowl with a couple of cream crackers! The world starts to improve in no time at all.
To get back to Mr H's post though, us oldies here, have always relied on baked beans, soup, tinned spaghetti etc, as a pleasant eaterant! Ever since we were students, companies tried dried curries, tinned curries, some sort of foreign Indian mince thing, but we always reverted to the staples, and this week has been no exception! The old ideas stopped the rot!
Mind you, we do sneer a bit when we see ready-cooked mashed potato on the shelves in M and S...
It's good to hear that things are improving health-wise. We could never get on with tinned tomato soup but still enjoy tinned tomatoes and we sometimes go for tinned mushy peas when we can't be bothered to cook some veg.
ReplyDeleteCome to think of it I remember some kind of condensed tomato soup in the seventies. We used to heat it up, bung some cheese in and end up with a quick and tasty fondue.
Strangely enough, Mr Gander and I had our 'flu' jabs this morning. Mine is currently making its presence felt, but I'd rather that than have the 'flu' anytime! As you say, when any lurgy gets to you there's always a comfort food that you suddenly have a craving for. In my early twenties it had to be a Vesta beef curry, but a really good tomato soup with a little swirl of cream on top and a slice of buttered bread is do die for if you'll pardon the expression. Actually, a not too hot curry is very good for the tum as is ginger and camomile. Of course we mustn't forget the properties of alcohol as an antiseptic!!
ReplyDelete"Much to be said for going to bed
With a bowlful of soup and a cracker!!
A wee dram of whisky might make you feel frisky,
But be careful not to do anything risky
Or you'll shatter her dream of a cooling ice cream.
It would melt on the duvet and then, where would you be?
Knowing you well I think I can tell
That you'd say 'When we both hit the sack,
If I get you another ice cream would you kindly remove
All the bits of the crackers that got round my kn****rs.
So that I can sleep with the knowledge that thee
Will be up before me in the morning to make yet another cuppa of tea.
That reminds me, Mr H...
ReplyDeleteI haven't had a decent minestrone for years, Mrs O'Blene doesn't really like it, but a dollop of parmesan can lighten any dish as far as I'm concerned!
Yes, it's all behind us now Goosey, thank you!
ReplyDeleteIt's four-cheese ravioli today, and the last of the toms - the yellow ones from seed DD gave me! Funnily enough, they've lasted much longer than the standard reds; these are Scotland Yellow, and are just 'different'!
As for ice cream, it'll be Arctic Roll, which is a staple here...
And no crumbs; especially on Remembrance Sunday!
Don't forget, REAL butter on those crackers !
ReplyDeleteActually I've been lunching on Heinz Tom soup for the past year. I can't tire of it.
Their cup-a-soup is very tasty too. There ministrone even has crispy croutons in it. When the railway has gone down in London we go into siege mode. Anyone in a uniform gets mobbed and so can't get food. I carry several sachets of this and instant porridge for emergencies.
Their
ReplyDeleteHeinz tom soup used to taste better than it does now so I add a little bit of salt and some Worcester sauce, then have it with bread and proper butter. When I last tried Cup-a-soup it was actually quite good so have got some in store to try.
ReplyDelete