Food is big news in Oz, as well as big business. Everyone's a gourmet these days and chef's rival footy players for stardom. There's a decent restaurant in every suburb and top shelf bars around every corner. Produce is great, deli's plentiful and Masterchef is on the telly.
How different it is now to even 20 years ago. A combination of growing affluence and the aspirations that go with that, and media exposure has resulted in this welcome explosion of foodie lifestyle. Food is more than sustenance now, it's a central part of lifestyle.
In many ways my family growing up was ahead of that curve. Mum was an adventurous cook back in the day when most families were happy with the meat with three veg standard. We had dishes from all over the world on a regular basis, and every night a dessert to go with it. I have broad tastes today in large part because of what I learned at my mum's table; and an immunity from 'hot' food because I hate so much of it as a kid.
That's not to say we did not share much of what the rest of society ate. We had curried mince and meatloaf, corn beef (which I hate to this day), salmon patties and lamb chops. A lot of that cuisine came out of poorer times: cheaper cuts of meat with less discerning tastes made for a combination. The stark post-war recipes continued through the age of Aquarius and into the days when I was a kid and no-one complained.
I wonder if those dishes are as common today? I doubt it. There's more cash in our pockets, cooking shows oin TV and magazines in the newsagent. There are more dishes to experiment with than you possibly complete in a lifetime. Some of those home classics have been pushed into the background as a result.
They are classics though, and there remains something alluring about them still (well, not the corn beef) even if it's only nostalgia. I get a regular hankering still for many of the hearty meals I loved as a kid. Meatloaf may be downmarket, but it can be delicious - and it's great in a sandwich. The old curry mince may be simple, the Clive of India (or Keens if you were of that brand) curry powder nostalgic, but it's great fun sitting down to a bowl of it watching the footy (and it's beaut on toast).
Yesterday I made an old classic I think is in everybody's family cookbook: Chinese as we call it, or Chow Mein. It's a long way from being authentic, it's not haute cuisine and has no pretensions to be, but gee it's nice.It's real comfort food.
I set out yesterday to get the ingredients - beef mince, some cabbage, beans, check the curry powder, the rice to go with it, the packet of chicken noodle soup. To my amusement I saw the recipe for Chow Mein was on the reverse side of the packet - it's still going around. Back home I put it all together in quick time - another feature of the old recipes - and had it bubbling and simmering on the stovetop all afternoon. I sat and read the paper with the delicious aromas permeating the house and my taste buds salivating. Last night I sat down to a big bowl of this rich flavoured meal with rice. Must be years since I had it, but man was it good.
Lot to be said about modern times and food. No complaints here. It wasn't so bad then either though, and nice to return occasionally.
