British Food Fortnight starts today!

Albus_Scope

No this isnt just about who makes the best bacon sarnie.

British Food Fortnight, set for September 20th to October 6th 2024, is the nation's premier celebration of local produce, regional culinary traditions, and sustainable farming practices. Since its creation in 2002, the event has grown so much, bringing together food lovers, producers, chefs, and communities to celebrate the diversity of British food. For the disability community, this fortnight is not only about enjoying the rich flavors of the UK but also advocating for inclusivity in food accessibility.

One of the key features of British Food Fortnight is its emphasis on local produce. The event promotes supporting small-scale farmers, artisan producers, and sustainable food systems, encouraging people to buy British and eat seasonally. This has great significance for individuals with disabilities, who often face unique challenges when it comes to food shopping and meal preparation. Local markets, farm shops, and community events can provide an opportunity to source fresh produce in a more accessible and supportive environment compared to large, often crowded supermarkets. I do love a good farmers market.

British Food Fortnight also showcases the rich tapestry of the UK’s culinary heritage. From hearty Cornish pasties (a personal fave) and Scotch eggs to refined, delectable afternoon teas and classic fish and chips, the event invites everyone to indulge in the nation's favorite dishes. Inclusivity is key here, and many event organizers are taking steps to ensure that venues and experiences are accessible to all. Whether it’s offering wheelchair access, providing menus in Braille, or ensuring dietary needs are accommodated for, there is a growing recognition of the importance of catering to everyone.

For those of us with disabilities, food isn’t just about taste—it can be about independence. British Food Fortnight offers opportunities for people to learn new skills, with many events focusing on cooking classes and demonstrations, which can be a really empowering experience for the individual. These classes often cater to a variety of needs, with adaptive tools and accessible methods, ensuring that everyone has the chance to engage with and enjoy the process of cooking.

With this year focusing on sustainability and supporting sustainable practices, the event encourages responsible consumption, which benefits both the people and the planet. 😊

Steve_in_The_City

@Albus_Scope I tried to give you an awesome vote but the system isn't working for me!

Food is very important. It is about independence. Foodies come together, no matter what our backgrounds are. I like to go shopping (independence) and I enjoy the dialogues I have with the people that serve me. I like creating daft little recipes, too. I think your post is good.

Albus_Scope

Thanks @vikki66 and @Steve_in_The_City I'm really glad you enjoyed it. I do think it's a very important topic for us all.😊

Sandy_123

I like food shopping me, I do a lot of cooking, recipes from all over the world, so my cupboard is stocked full of spices.

As a child we only ate English food. The most we got adventurous was when heinz did curried beans, urgh, nice then but not now

I love watching recipes too.

Lots gadgets to make things easier in the kitchen. Jar openers etc.

Steve_in_The_City

@vikki66 I know it's just an oversight on your part, and I sure you didn't do it intentionally, but on your list of esteemed British cheese you left out Dairylea! On a serious note, I quite agree: We have a diversity of cheese from the British Isles and I think they are world class. I was in a restaurant in Rome and three grown men were having Parmesan as a dessert cheese. Their conversation about it was inadvertently hilarious. I thought I would rather have a nice piece of Stilton any day!

@Sandy_123 I am like you. I was brought up on 1960's English stodge and food only became adventurous when Vesta Ready Meals hit the supermarket shelves! I too cook from around the world, like cookery programmes and gadgets. I have attached a .pdf of a mock menu I made for a friend who was coming to dinner. It is the 2nd page of the menu and shows how awful British cooking was.

When colour tv's first hit the market they were terribly expensive. Fanny Craddock did a tv programme on how to give a dinner party at just one shilling (I think that is 5p) per head. It was very budget conscious of her. During the show she said something along the lines of "and for those of you watching in colour you can see just how pretty it looks." I though anyone who can afford a colour television really doesn't need to worry about feeding people for a shilling!

vesta.pdf

Sandy_123

Vesta I don't think I ever tried that make of food @Steve_in_The_City my 1st taste of authentic food was at age of 15 when I bought my 1st Chinese takeaway away. Do you remember when Chinese takeaway aways used to do those proper home made chips that was really thick? None of those around now, it's all frozen fried chips. We used to go in just for their chips as teenagers and sit on the wall eating them.

I do cook English foods but I do like nutrition and goodness of whole and ground spices. Like I have a mexican dish planned on Thursday.

Can you imagine cooking for 5p a head now?

Steve_in_The_City

@Sandy_123 They tried to bring Vesta meals back a few years ago with some TV advertising. It wouldn't sell these days as people are too food educated, but you can get some on Amazon. Search Vesta. Not that I am recommending it!

I remember the chips from Chinese Takeaways. They were delicious. You could also buy deep fried fish, so you didn't need a chippy for your fish & chips. I think the reason it tasted so nice was that they didn't change the oil as regularly as they should! I cook English food as well, but not exclusively so. I too love Mexican food and make my own salsa as supermarket stuff is too mild. I think you have some happy memories of sitting on the wall with your friends eating chips.

To answer your question: No, I can't imagine feeding someone at a dinner party for 5p per head, even then. This may be because I didn't know what a dinner party was. I didn't mix in those socially high ranking circles. I remember one Xmas Eve being on our local market with my mum. It was freezing cold and the stalls were closing down. But she had little money and she wanted to wait until she got the last turkey on sale at a bargain price. It only had one leg…

Steve_in_The_City

@Sandy_123 They tried to bring Vesta meals back a few years ago with some TV advertising. It wouldn't sell these days as people are too food educated, but you can get some on Amazon. Search Vesta. Not that I am recommending it!

I remember the chips from Chinese Takeaways. They were delicious. You could also buy deep fried fish, so you didn't need a chippy for your fish & chips. I think the reason it tasted so nice was that they didn't change the oil as regularly as they should! I cook English food as well, but not exclusively so. I too love Mexican food and make my own salsa as supermarket stuff is too mild. I think you have some happy memories of sitting on the wall with your friends eating chips.

To answer your question: No, I can't imagine feeding someone at a dinner party for 5p per head, even then. This may be because I didn't know what a dinner party was. I didn't mix in those socially high ranking circles. I remember one Xmas Eve being on our local market with my mum. It was freezing cold and the stalls were closing down. But she had little money and she wanted to wait until she got the last turkey on sale at a bargain price. It only had one leg…

Sandy_123

One leg is still good Steve. I bet it was the best Xmas dinner.

Yeah vesta don't look appealing. To me anyway. I avoid foods with 100s of ingredients and anything starting with sugar. I make my own spice mixtures instead of ready made season packets. Or sauces.

I appreciate a lot of people can't or are limited.

Albus_Scope

Ooooh, I do love a bit of Angel Delight @vikki66 I often pick up a pack to much on at a weekend, it's a proper comfort pud. Big fan of tom thumb drops too.

Sandy_123

Caught up with the first episode really good

Steve_in_The_City

Hi @Sandy_123 I agree: Food with too many phoney ingredients isn't good food. I am glad you are able to make your own spice mixes and sauce. I think you must be a good and adventurous cook. At one time I made everything from scratch. I have never used curry powder, ever, and I have often dry roasted and ground whole spices. So I think we would get on in the kitchen except now that I am getting on a bit and find it difficult and painful to stand and keep my balance, I have dropped standards and will buy readymade sauce etc. It is all about giving myself an easy life in the kitchen and with that in mind I have every gadget known to humankind. I plan food carefully and go for minimum effort prep-wise but maximum gain on the dinner plate. Also, I find it helpful to make a huge panful of food, divide it into portions and freeze.

As for my mum and Xmas dinner, you really don't want to have a stroll along that path! It is culinary dark! I was a very sporty lad and always starving, but I never asked mum "what's for dinner" just "when is dinner", 'cos the "what" was pretty awful. She was from Yorkshire but her Yorkshire puds were abysmal. After leaving home I rang her one day to ask how to cook cabbage. Her advice was well meaning but a masterclass in how not to cook cabbage. I told her I was going to pay a visit one Xmas and she said great, I'll cook a turkey! I lied and told her I had turned veggie 'cos I just couldn't face it!

I hope you have a nice Mexican meal on Thursday. It is my birthday on Thursday and I have got a nice meal planned. I feel like a traitor because this thread is about British food and I am ashamed to say my meal won't be very British except for some cheese afterwards.

@vikki66 I can remember all those deserts, but not the sweets. There used to be a desert that thankfully has disappeared from the face of the planet called Junket. If Junket is still around and anyone eats and enjoys it, then I apologise in advance for any offense caused.

Albus_Scope

Ooooh, excellent recipe there @vikki66 I like throwing some crushed up Crunchie chunks in there, for a bit of extra texture.

I'm having to change my diet soon, the perils of middle age, so I'll have to cut back on all the fun things. Boo hiss.

And a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to @Steve_in_The_City a fellow Libra. ❤️

Sandy_123

Happy birthday @Steve_in_The_City hope you have a good day.

chiarieds

Happy birthday from me too @Steve_in_The_City - I hope you've had a good day & enjoyed your meal. Great to hear from another cheese fan!

My Mum's Yorkshire Puddings (& yes, she was from Yorkshire) were lovely, made in a large rectangular tin, then portioned out with lots of homemade gravy & served before the main course of a roast beef dinner. When my son's wife first had one of mine she thought it was odd as it wasn't a little, round insubstantial thing (she'd only had frozen ones before). I certainly celebrate the Yorkshire Pudding!

My Dad only liked traditional British food, so, when he was away on business trips, I remember her making curries from left over Sunday lunch beef, & she introduced me to pasta; the rest is history…….

@vikki66 - I had completely forgotten about satin cushion sweets; they were really good. I must admit I had a thing about aniseed balls, pear drops & coltsfoot rock! I also liked Angel Delight.

I changed to a wholefood diet as soon as I was expecting my first child; something which I've maintained; don't eat cakes, biscuits or sweets, with only the very, very rare exception.

I used to make my own bread, but haven't done so for a decade. Thankfully I have a neighbour who was a chef, & loves baking to give away to his friends, & he knows I like a wholemeal loaf!

Steve_in_The_City

@Albus_Scope Thanks for the greeting. @Sandy_123 Thanks for the greeting. Yes, I had a good day. I hope you enjoyed your Mexican meal. @chiarieds Thank you for the greeting. I swear Yorkshire Pudding rises and tastes better when made in a roasting tin, and that used to be a usual way of serving it - I made it that way myself as well as in cast iron skillets. Then I turned to those 4 hole tins, then finally to deep muffin tins. Then I gave-up on making it as I am at an age and state of health where I have to keep things easy in the kitchen so buy buy them ready made! I believe that in The North they were served as a starter to take the edge off the appetite for the main course. I have heard them referred to as something along the lines of "filler-upper-all" and I wonder if anyone continues the tradition of serving them as a starter?

Sandy_123

No mine are just put on the plate, the grandkids have at least 5 and still want more, they have a habit of putting their dinner inside and eating it that way. I have seen places like Toby carvery serving them as desserts which is a bit odd. Glad you had a good birthday

Steve_in_The_City

Hello Everyone: I think we are a very lucky country to have some wonderful dairy produce. I have been fortunate enough to try butter from very small family run establishments, and it is so much better than from supermarkets (although I now rely on Supermarkets). And as for clotted cream, I think we maybe the only nation in the world to have it. And as for our Rhubarb and Rhubarb desserts, they are delicious. And for Rhubard, read Gooseberries. But one product that I look forward to each year is the arrival of Jersey Royals. They are good for my psyche. They tell me summer is coming and I will be able to get out and about. I can make easy but really nice light meals out of them with salmon fillets with asparagus or tiny little Welsh Lamb Cutlets. Another British product that is on sale globally is Scottish Smoked Salmon. Another product that I like is Black Pudding! I think the days of British food being ridiculed are gone. I think we are very International in our taste in restaurants and what we cook at home.

michael57

not as exotic as the rest of you but i enjoy cheddar cheese on toast with a tin of plumb peeled tomatoes on top melted cheese on crumpets is a nice snack or just heinz beans on toast simple tastes in food all my life great taste in dawnie and a wicked sense of humour that i put down to eating the potatoes covered in blue dye we had as kids meant for the cows

Albus_Scope

I am a big fan of the humble beans on toast with a bit of grated cheese on top. Proper comfort food.

At least you're not mooing now @michael57 😆

michael57

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/914580#Comment_914580

you do not put cheese on beans on toast that is just not right your as bad as dawnie haha