Convenience Costs Polly

As a result of our decision to skip up and down a rather large mountain in Co Mayo, it was decided that something relatively quick and easy, with a high protein/calorie content would be served up for dinner last Saturday night. After all, those energy depleted mountaineers would need something good to fill them up.




The Scouts were running around on the back lawn of The Atlantic Adventure Centre like headless chickens, chasing the ball as though they'd never mounted Croagh Patrick while the adults of the party complained about their aching limbs. I envy the boys enthusiasm for life and wish that I possessed even a tenth of their energy!

As we had travelled by train, we'd travelled relatively lightly. Our arrival in Westport heralded scouts, equipment, leaders, but thankfully no tents and was well past closing time at the local shops. Our Leader had wisely chosen to bring a few essential supplies in her rucsac.

Saturday night menu consisted of nearly 1kg of minced/ground beef, 1 kg spaghetti (dry) and two jars of Dolmio's finest Taste of Sorrento ragout sauce, complete with cherry tomatoes, basil and pesto. For sixteen persons this provided a very acceptable first course, which was followed by a staple of oven chips and chicken goujons.

Personally I stuck to the spaghetti, which despite having been produced from a jar was very acceptable. In fact, to my surprise, it was quite delectable.

Admittedly, I did simmer the made up beef ragout on the stove for rather longer than the recommended 20 minutes, but I don't imagine that this made a huge difference. The end result was sixteen empty plates...

This week I did look up the price of these Dolmio jars and was horrified to discover that my suspicions regarding thecost were correct. At an exhortitent €2.80 per jar, I could have fed a biblical five thousand for the same amount of money!

Take a 1 kg net of Tesco's cooking onions costing a mere €1.79 and I'd probably use three of them + two 400g cans of Tesco Value Chopped Tomatoes @ €0.90 + a pinch of mixed herbs where a whole 18g pot of Tesco Value Mixed Herbs costs 32c (cost impossible to assess due to tiny quantities used) , Schwartz Bay Leaves Refill 6g €1.35 /20ish & I'd probably use 2, plus a teaspoon of Tesco Olive Oil costing €7.35/litre.

As the meat and the spagetti part of the above dish is a common factor, I am not going to include them in this cost comparison. However 2 x €2.80 = €5.60 - €1.34 = €4.26 difference in the cost of Polly's Spagetti Bolognaise and Dolmio's Spagetti Bolognaise with a taste of Sorrento!

If cooked correctly this dish is rich enough to be flavoursome and filling without the addition of expensive ingredients such as parmesan cheese and pinenuts. Made my way it does take a little longer, regarding the preparation of the ingredients, but in terms of convenience I'd say that there is very little to choose from between the two.

Personally I'd always prefer to carry a few fresh vegetables and/or cans to glass jars purely for safety reasons and a plastic bag with a few herbs makes very little difference to anything bar the flavour of the resulting meal. I honestly believe that it is a case of swings and roundabouts in relation to convenience foods and flavour, but this example does just go to prove that the cost of convenience is indeed high!

Anyway, regardless of its origins this is one of my favourite meals and I'm now beginning to feel a little hungry, so at the late time of *@!€* I shall go and dress myself, make some dinner for us all and then head off to Scouts!

Ciao!

Polly Pierce

Polly's Traditional Medicinal Hot Chocolate

Hot off the back of a weekend out in the wilds of Charleville Castle, this week has been sheer relief in the food stakes. No more Dunne's Stores Beef Curry boiled in a bag for me, or so I thought...

Our evening meal on Saturday had consisted of what I can only refer to pre-digested excreta containing lumps of beef, served with a tiny portion of boiled white rice. Each was given a choice of boil in the bag Beef Curry, Chicken Curry or Spaghetti Bolognaise for those of a weaker disposition.

The emphasis of the weekend being placed firmly on Camp Craft and NOT on cooking resulted in three lines of hungry scouts queuing up for sustenance as the light quickly faded. Considering the offending bags were still frozen solid and each billy can is only able to accommodate one meal at a time this proved to be somewhat of a challenge, but we survived!

Later in the evening, following a star lit hike through Charleville Forest one and all were cold and thirsty, needing something warm and sweet to ward off the imagined companions that'd accompanied us on our hike. Toasted marshmallows and hot chocolate for twenty proved to be just the thing to settle our troup down before bed...

Some five days later, having gladly left the meagre rations behind in the forest I am happy to report that I'm also dying with Coryza! (That's posh for a head cold...) After hours of sneezing fits, streaming eyes and half a box of tissues later I remembered the camp-fire hot chocolate and realised that this was just the cure required.

Admittedly it was just for me which of course simplified its preparation, as did the use of my trusty microwave oven. In just three minutes I was able to make the perfect medicinal hot chocolate. How? I used two teaspoons of Nutella in warmed milk and stirred it frantically for a few moments!

It may not be rocket science, but I can assure you that this rather odd way of making one of life's little childhood luxuries is A1! The hazelnut & chocolate spread can take a while to dissolve, although probably no more than conventional hot chocolate/drinking chocolate or cocoa. It also adds a touch of creamy luxury missing from most other attempts at making your own after ski chocolate drink at home.

There was only one thing missing from this afternoons mug and that was the shot of spiced Drambuie! As I still have to venture out to the school run, I am quite content to forego that particular pleasure, but it does add to what is already divine!

All credit goes to BB, my eldest son for the new method of spoiling oneself. Due to his absolute laziness/imagination there is a new family tradition to pass on to my grandchildren, assuming this horrid cold doesn't finish me off first...

Bon Viveur!

Polly
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