This looks like the best meal that you have had from the kitchen so far. It even looks as though the potato has been cooked in an oven rather than zapped in a microwave.
What was the cheese like? Let me guess that it wasn't a tasty mature cheddar...more like plastic? Still, a big improvement on lunch and the butter is a bonus (although I would need a few extra portions to go with a baked pot).
By far the best choice so far - baked potato, and as has been pointed out, thrust into the innards of a roasting hot oven rather than left in a microwave to get all sodden and pathetic. And butter too!! - I had to rine my screen AND glasses before I could believe that.
However, I would remind you of the insidious creeping effect of Stockholm Syndrome. Be strong. Give no quarter. If you find yourself saying "Mmmmm that was lovely" you're a goner.
What is the substance grated into the potato? Maybe it's the colours of my screen, but it looks very scaringly yellow to me. Never seen anything like it!! I see some praise this potato dish in high tones - it goes to show the cultural differences within Europe - because frankly it looks plain weird to me, a potato that big, unpeeled and sliced open to accomodate the very yellow gratings. But I understand NHS must try to cater to British tastebuds rather than to central European ones. Now I had a delicious grilled potato sausage today on the winemakers' market. It is a local kind of sausage filled with a small amount of minced meats mixed with shredded potatoes and lots of spices, and it was served with sauerkraut cooked al dente. Maybe that would have looked weird to you. Best wishes to you, TM, and to your family; I hope you will get round to travel places as soon as possible and taste well prepared foreign foodstuffs, if you want you can stop at my place, too. Greetings from Barbara in Styria
I didn't say I enjoyed it. The yellow stuff is supposed to be cheese. Potatoes with their skins on can be v tasty with the right fillings. It's not perfect but it's a big improvement on some of the other stuff. Must try Austrian cuisine.
Well, better looking than lunch! Not that it would be hard to achieve that!
I was thinking of you as we tucked in to roast free range chicken! OK. What made me think of you was the mashed spuds which were, I am sorry to admit, slightly waterlogged rather than roasted! Not my best effort!
Beware of Stockholme Syndrome although, with amoked salmon bagels coming in weekly that should not be too much of a problem really. At least you will get a dose of reality orientation then!
It could be worse. It could have been a repeat of lunch!!
I don't know what you're complaining about! My family are lucky to get anything at all for their din-dins and, when they do, I indulge in a great show of sighing, slamming loud tin trays down and acting all hard-done-by; occasionally I even indulge in a shrill diatribe as an appetiser... This wouldn't be unfair of me if what I slammed down in front of them was an attractive prospect but it actually bears a strong resemblance to the tasteless gloop you photograph so expertly. I'm what you might call a 'reluctant' housewife and an even more reluctant peeler of spuds, sprinkler of herbs and a thoroughly cheerless feeder of throngs.
I think I could take over the NHS catering without anyone even noticing; I can bung some even more horrid slop together without it getting noticed because, unlike you, most hospital patients don't run a witty blog from the confines of their public bed and from my memories of an orthopaedic ward, most patients are either very old and therefore thought to be mad or they are very young and extremely ill and are therefore often not prepared to expend the physical effort it takes to express an opinion that the scoff is appalling.
I'd like to fling my own culinary ineptitude into the grim mix because I'd expect the NHS to react by putting together a middle-management, whizz-kid 'think-tank' charged with putting together a 'Catering Solution Pathway' proposal costing yet more millions in 're-branding' but costing not one single new pence in £/patient spend. And since I'm a rubbish cook I shouldn't care less because I'd be earnin' a paltry wage for my kitchen cock-ups which is more than I am at the moment. And yet, even though I've got my own apron and can opener, I can't bring myself to take this evil plan any further.
So all I can say, amazingly-cheerful-under-the-circumstances and entertaining Traction Man, is that I wish you well in your quest to get those Hairy Bikers in charge of NHS catering.
The food you post pretty well always looks horrible, but it looks more horrible at weekends. Different staff do you think, or do they know that "loved ones" might bring in smoked salmon, bagels, raspberries, dark chocolate, meringues flavoured with lavendar, freshly-squeezed orange juice (I could go on)?
That looks ok. As long as the soup was hot I reckon it's cream of veg. The tattie looks fine as well but the cheese is odd. It's that shiny stuff that doesn't seem to melt. I know, I've had it. It just goes into a gunge. Still - better than what you've been getting. That pink thing you got for lunch made me feel ill just looking at it. never take anything with pastry or crumbs. They can cover a multitude of sins *still traumatised by harvest pie*
The soup was hot and had more flavour than the averaged tinned soup. The potato was well cooked and served with real butter. Let me tell you that butter is so rare in this place that my supper had to have an armed guard in case some other poor ravenous sod tried to hijack it between the kitchen and my room. I don't know if butter is normally served but it may be a special privilege for me alone. As for the cheese... it was as you described. Plastic, tasteless and unable to melt to anything but an orange elastic band.
Looks like that weird orange-tinged stuff that Americans think is "cheese". Apparently originally developed as a waterproofing agent in Vietnam. Still, it could have been out of a spray can...
I think we're becoming immune to the horror of the food you're being served up when we consider that the potato above is actually OK. People, it looks DISGUSTING! It doesn't even look like food.
The cheese looks like it might be some kind of recycled crate packaging. But at least they didn't dump 'gravy' all over th spud (that horror from a few weeks ago has never left me....)
Crikey, is that butter to go with your potato? How unusual!
ReplyDeleteSpecial treatment
ReplyDeleteThis looks like the best meal that you have had from the kitchen so far. It even looks as though the potato has been cooked in an oven rather than zapped in a microwave.
ReplyDeleteWhat was the cheese like? Let me guess that it wasn't a tasty mature cheddar...more like plastic? Still, a big improvement on lunch and the butter is a bonus (although I would need a few extra portions to go with a baked pot).
ReplyDeleteAny word yet from the hairy bikers?
Cheese was like plastic string. No news from the hairy ones.
ReplyDeleteBy far the best choice so far - baked potato, and as has been pointed out, thrust into the innards of a roasting hot oven rather than left in a microwave to get all sodden and pathetic. And butter too!! - I had to rine my screen AND glasses before I could believe that.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I would remind you of the insidious creeping effect of Stockholm Syndrome. Be strong. Give no quarter. If you find yourself saying "Mmmmm that was lovely" you're a goner.
Are there many other vegetarian options on the menu ?
ReplyDeleteA few. They're usually better than the food with meat in it.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the substance grated into the potato? Maybe it's the colours of my screen, but it looks very scaringly yellow to me. Never seen anything like it!!
ReplyDeleteI see some praise this potato dish in high tones - it goes to show the cultural differences within Europe - because frankly it looks plain weird to me, a potato that big, unpeeled and sliced open to accomodate the very yellow gratings. But I understand NHS must try to cater to British tastebuds rather than to central European ones.
Now I had a delicious grilled potato sausage today on the winemakers' market. It is a local kind of sausage filled with a small amount of minced meats mixed with shredded potatoes and lots of spices, and it was served with sauerkraut cooked al dente. Maybe that would have looked weird to you.
Best wishes to you, TM, and to your family; I hope you will get round to travel places as soon as possible and taste well prepared foreign foodstuffs, if you want you can stop at my place, too. Greetings from Barbara in Styria
I didn't say I enjoyed it. The yellow stuff is supposed to be cheese. Potatoes with their skins on can be v tasty with the right fillings. It's not perfect but it's a big improvement on some of the other stuff. Must try Austrian cuisine.
ReplyDeleteThat Ki-Ora coloured cheese is scary.
ReplyDeleteHope it was edible...
All texture and no taste.
ReplyDeleteThe potato looked ok (was it cooked inside?) but the cheese looks more plastic than Jordan.
ReplyDeleteIt was more plastic than Jordan, Becky. It definitely had implant written all over it.
ReplyDeleteBecky, how can anything look more platic than Jordan.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a near normal meal TM, think I am developing Stockholm Syndrome as well.
Well, better looking than lunch! Not that it would be hard to achieve that!
ReplyDeleteI was thinking of you as we tucked in to roast free range chicken! OK. What made me think of you was the mashed spuds which were, I am sorry to admit, slightly waterlogged rather than roasted! Not my best effort!
Beware of Stockholme Syndrome although, with amoked salmon bagels coming in weekly that should not be too much of a problem really. At least you will get a dose of reality orientation then!
It could be worse. It could have been a repeat of lunch!!
I don't know what you're complaining about! My family are lucky to get anything at all for their din-dins and, when they do, I indulge in a great show of sighing, slamming loud tin trays down and acting all hard-done-by; occasionally I even indulge in a shrill diatribe as an appetiser... This wouldn't be unfair of me if what I slammed down in front of them was an attractive prospect but it actually bears a strong resemblance to the tasteless gloop you photograph so expertly. I'm what you might call a 'reluctant' housewife and an even more reluctant peeler of spuds, sprinkler of herbs and a thoroughly cheerless feeder of throngs.
ReplyDeleteI think I could take over the NHS catering without anyone even noticing; I can bung some even more horrid slop together without it getting noticed because, unlike you, most hospital patients don't run a witty blog from the confines of their public bed and from my memories of an orthopaedic ward, most patients are either very old and therefore thought to be mad or they are very young and extremely ill and are therefore often not prepared to expend the physical effort it takes to express an opinion that the scoff is appalling.
I'd like to fling my own culinary ineptitude into the grim mix because I'd expect the NHS to react by putting together a middle-management, whizz-kid 'think-tank' charged with putting together a 'Catering Solution Pathway' proposal costing yet more millions in 're-branding' but costing not one single new pence in £/patient spend. And since I'm a rubbish cook I shouldn't care less because I'd be earnin' a paltry wage for my kitchen cock-ups which is more than I am at the moment. And yet, even though I've got my own apron and can opener, I can't bring myself to take this evil plan any further.
So all I can say, amazingly-cheerful-under-the-circumstances and entertaining Traction Man, is that I wish you well in your quest to get those Hairy Bikers in charge of NHS catering.
Regards, Glo
You know what, I reckon even I could stomach that.
ReplyDeleteYou've been spoilt today.
The food you post pretty well always looks horrible, but it looks more horrible at weekends. Different staff do you think, or do they know that "loved ones" might bring in smoked salmon, bagels, raspberries, dark chocolate, meringues flavoured with lavendar, freshly-squeezed orange juice (I could go on)?
ReplyDeletewell , no protein in site , but no peas either so at least you were spared that .
ReplyDeleterhonda , usa
That looks ok. As long as the soup was hot I reckon it's cream of veg. The tattie looks fine as well but the cheese is odd. It's that shiny stuff that doesn't seem to melt. I know, I've had it. It just goes into a gunge. Still - better than what you've been getting. That pink thing you got for lunch made me feel ill just looking at it. never take anything with pastry or crumbs. They can cover a multitude of sins *still traumatised by harvest pie*
ReplyDeleteThe soup was hot and had more flavour than the averaged tinned soup. The potato was well cooked and served with real butter. Let me tell you that butter is so rare in this place that my supper had to have an armed guard in case some other poor ravenous sod tried to hijack it between the kitchen and my room. I don't know if butter is normally served but it may be a special privilege for me alone. As for the cheese... it was as you described. Plastic, tasteless and unable to melt to anything but an orange elastic band.
ReplyDeleteI didn't get butter. Maybe the occasional bit of flora if I asked for it. I only like butter though so didn't. God knows what was on the toast
ReplyDeleteIt was probably non-dairy spread made from cheap processed fish oil or soya. Why serve that crap when there's a natural and more tasty alternative?
ReplyDeleteWhen a man gets over-excited about a jacket potato, it's time to ditch Stockholm in favour of Traction Syndrome.
ReplyDeleteLooks like that weird orange-tinged stuff that Americans think is "cheese". Apparently originally developed as a waterproofing agent in Vietnam. Still, it could have been out of a spray can...
ReplyDeleteI think we're becoming immune to the horror of the food you're being served up when we consider that the potato above is actually OK. People, it looks DISGUSTING! It doesn't even look like food.
ReplyDeleteThe cheese looks like it might be some kind of recycled crate packaging. But at least they didn't dump 'gravy' all over th spud (that horror from a few weeks ago has never left me....)
ReplyDelete