Her Fragrancy, the Senora O'Blene and Scrobs were partaking of a liquid lunch recently, and a casual remark rather hit home during the conversation, which normally accompanies such delectable actions...
'Why do pubs try too hard to become 'restaurants', when only a few years ago, they were doing very well on more 'basic' comestibles, with decent ales and wines, and the occasional G and T!
When Mrs O'Blene's mum and dad ran a very successful pub - so successful that a) I married their younger daughter, and b) they made enough dosh to pay cash for their retirement home, the key answer to providing basic lunches and suppers was exactly that, 'keep it simple and basic'!
When Scrobs was a mere stripling, aged about twenty, a good lunch was one or two halves of best bitter, or a couple of bottles of Guinness, and a cheese roll or two, preferably with a banger on the side, depending on the level of breakfast, and also whether a previous site visit in the freezing cold had formed an appetite normally attributed to a hungry leopard.
This was always fabulous fare, especially in the future Mrs Scrobs' pub, and the next fifty years were probably drafted about then, but nobody knew then of course.
Nowadays, the fare offered by pubs has to include some jollop which is called 'jus' or something similarly stupid, a concoction to make cod seem more likable without beer-batter, and an unidentifiable slop with an unidentifiable name, which might just be minced turkey...
The Senior Mrs Scrobs (my Mum) always maintained that a good pub lunch should be something with cheese, and a bottle or two of a strong ale, and she should know, as her dad also ran a pub in Campton, Bedfordshire, when beer was four old pence a pint...
4 comments:
A pint and a cheese and onion sandwich would be my choice. Maybe cheese and pickle for a bit of variety - or a hot sausage roll.
It's all you really need, isn't it!
The good beer and a good, normal sandwich beats everything for a great lunch, and costs so much less!
Senora O'Blene is also very partial to a snag roll of an evening, while watching Doc Martin!
Scrobs, you're so right as always. There's nothing like basic, well-prepared and fresh food to bring the customers rolling in, accompanied by the sound of darts hitting the board (hopefully not a customer), the clacking of dominos, and the occasional game of cribbage to make you feel at home. If I want restaurant food I go to one that does good food without the usual menu nonsense. I'm lucky that there's one near us that has a lovely atmosphere, a big main room with other little rooms coming off it, the dining room has a canal side view, and the food is as fresh and delicious as can be. On the other hand, some pubs need to up their game as the usual rather dry and tasteless sarnies aren't going to earn them any brownie points whatsoever. Why not have a little sandwich bar where you can choose what mixture of fillings you want. There's a little butty bar near Preston Records office where you can do that and it does a roaring trade.
Thank you Goosers! As you and Squire Gander are experts in this field, I'm glad that we agree on such good terms, as I wondered if my desecration of 'modern' cheffery terms might be the norm...
It's also interesting that you often talk about canals! I wish we had something like that, as although I've never been on a canal in my life (The Broads don't count), the idea of a pint of
'Old Cockersand's Abbott's Best Bitter - 8.7 abv', and a Lancashire cheese cob would just fit the bill at most times of the day!
Mrs O'Blene and I usually share one dish as we eat like birds these days, and I have to admit to copying a great course from our local, with steak Anglais and pepper sauce (steak from Tesco, sauce from Colmans), and it was great with a few chips!
There, I've admitted it! I'm a gormmette!
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