Dear Tesco,
I am writing this letter more in vain than in hope.
You opened a huge new superstore near me in a bog in Co. Cavan, not long over a year ago now. When you opened it was a miracle! Suddenly we had a shop that supplied dragon fruit, fresh tuna and papparadelle. It was a miracle - no a mirage - in a bog.
The locals had never seen the like and the "foodies" were in heaven as they had no longer to drive to Dublin to get ingredients.
I was able to tell my sister, resident in Blackrock, Co. Dublin, that I could get her celery seeds so that she could pickle her glut of cucumbers. Who would have thought? (or if you are on Facebook, who would "of" thought?)
It was sheer bliss; but like the megastore you opened in Bloomfield in Dun Laoghaire with it's stunning fish display - it was short-lived. You realised - no profit realised - that Cavan people were; "meat and two veg" and not much else, so the rest of us, could get lost.
The dragon fruit was replaced with swede and parsnip and the tuna with chicken fillet.
The pasta aisle diminished from De Cecchi to Dolmio, from oricchiette to short-cut macaroni.
The spice racks from galangal to cinnamon.
We, foodies were of no importance. But to be fair we realised that you had profit margins and shareholders to consider.
However, the final straw was, as far as I am concerned, your decision to stop stocking free range chicken. We here in Ireland have access to British television though Sky. We are aware of Jamie Oliver's campaign to try to improve the plight of the intensively-reared chicken. Some of us actually care that chickens have horrendous lives. But your care is only "lip service". The free range chicken in Bailieboro does not sell so instead of making the effort to sell, you take the easy way out and stock the intensive stuff.
Your staff in Bailieboro are probably the nicest and most helpful in Ireland but they haven't a clue about food. You don't bother to invest the time to train them. So the friendliest staff have no idea of the hapless lives the chickens lead that they sell on the shelves. It's no wonder that they look at me like I have ten heads when I ask, "where are the free range chickens"?
I know your answer before I ask - profit margins.
But sometimes principle must come before profit; even in the multi-nationals. Sometimes it is right to do something even if it does not make a profit. Sometimes a company has to be reputable. You are a British multiple trading in Ireland. You are responsible for the displacement of many local retailers and suppliers. You have a responsibility, albeit a moral responsibility to consider the welfare of animals you supply as meat. You have responsibility to your customers, to give them the option to make the right decision. Do you care? Do you heck?
Tesco Free Range Chicken Jamie Oliver Galangal De Cecci Dolmio Celery Seed Cavan
Friday, 20 July 2012
Sunday, 15 July 2012
Calories and Yobs
Two things have infuriated me recently (well actually probably far more than two). The crazy idea that if we display calories on menus that somehow we will reduce the level of obesity. Obesity sadly is a fact and the numbers defined as obese are increasing every year.
Smokers are on the increase too and this is despite warnings printed on cigarette packs and a ban on smoking in most public spaces.
Alcohol has warnings printed on bottles and there are restrictions on sale and advertising.
So despite all these dire warnings and bans what have we actually achieved? Not much if the truth be known.
I was in a very small bakery/cafe in Dublin's city centre recently where the menu was displayed on the wall. We were sitting on bar stools facing the wall. I glanced up and saw that beside the price of each sandwich was displayed the number of calories in each item. There was a negligible difference between any of the options apart from one which was the "diet option". If I had seen the calories displayed previous to making my choice would it have influenced me? Unlikely, because I do not eat out very often and I am educated enough to be able to tell bad calories from good. If a sandwich contains good bread, cheese, roasted vegetables and olive oil then yes it will be calorific but the calories are more beneficial than that supplied by a chocolate muffin and a latte full of refined sugar and hydrogenated fat.
Stand in a supermarket any day of the week and look at the items people buy. The people who are on a low budget invariably buy the most amount of processed foods. It is no coincidence that they are the most expensive, the most calorific and the person making the purchase is at the very minimum overweight. Stick a label on the shelf with the calorie content and see what difference that will make to the decision to purchase. I would be willing to bet none.
What is required is education; but that would be too easy and too logical for our legislators. A programme should be introduced in primary schools where the children are educated in nutrition and beneficial calories. The subject should be given the same status as the core subjects. After all the outcome of this education is going to have far more impact on their lives than any amount of maths, language or science.
All of which leads on very nicely to yobs. Yobs in every society are thankfully the minority. However, we now have to legislate for them and not for the rest. Because they can't control their bad behaviour, drinking, drug taking; the rest of us who can - are to be penalised.
In the UK recently I was in a lovely old fashioned pub selling real ales on tap. We were asked were we intending drinking inside or outside and as it was a nice evening we said outside. The barman then started pulling my ale into a plastic glass. When I asked could I not have a real glass he replied "I am not allowed to give you glass if you intend drinking outside". So because there was the possibility that a few yobs could hit each other over the head with a real glass, the 50 people outside sitting quietly, enjoying their beers on a balmy summer evening had to drink from a plastic glass.
Because a minority of people at weekends get drunk, coked up and start fights and cause mayhem the solution is to restrict the sale of alcohol and to increase the price. Once again the majority have to pay for the actions of the minority.
The actual solution is far more logical but would require a declaration of intent. Zero tolerance against any sort of anti-social behaviour and a change in legislation to allow severe punishment for any misdemeanors related to drink or drugs. Yobs need to know that should they behave as yobs the consequences will be swift and severe.
Then maybe the rest of us - the majority, can get on with making informed decisions as to what we eat and what and where we drink, to relax and enjoy our occasional treats without financial pain or guilt.
Smokers are on the increase too and this is despite warnings printed on cigarette packs and a ban on smoking in most public spaces.
Alcohol has warnings printed on bottles and there are restrictions on sale and advertising.
So despite all these dire warnings and bans what have we actually achieved? Not much if the truth be known.
I was in a very small bakery/cafe in Dublin's city centre recently where the menu was displayed on the wall. We were sitting on bar stools facing the wall. I glanced up and saw that beside the price of each sandwich was displayed the number of calories in each item. There was a negligible difference between any of the options apart from one which was the "diet option". If I had seen the calories displayed previous to making my choice would it have influenced me? Unlikely, because I do not eat out very often and I am educated enough to be able to tell bad calories from good. If a sandwich contains good bread, cheese, roasted vegetables and olive oil then yes it will be calorific but the calories are more beneficial than that supplied by a chocolate muffin and a latte full of refined sugar and hydrogenated fat.
Stand in a supermarket any day of the week and look at the items people buy. The people who are on a low budget invariably buy the most amount of processed foods. It is no coincidence that they are the most expensive, the most calorific and the person making the purchase is at the very minimum overweight. Stick a label on the shelf with the calorie content and see what difference that will make to the decision to purchase. I would be willing to bet none.
What is required is education; but that would be too easy and too logical for our legislators. A programme should be introduced in primary schools where the children are educated in nutrition and beneficial calories. The subject should be given the same status as the core subjects. After all the outcome of this education is going to have far more impact on their lives than any amount of maths, language or science.
All of which leads on very nicely to yobs. Yobs in every society are thankfully the minority. However, we now have to legislate for them and not for the rest. Because they can't control their bad behaviour, drinking, drug taking; the rest of us who can - are to be penalised.
In the UK recently I was in a lovely old fashioned pub selling real ales on tap. We were asked were we intending drinking inside or outside and as it was a nice evening we said outside. The barman then started pulling my ale into a plastic glass. When I asked could I not have a real glass he replied "I am not allowed to give you glass if you intend drinking outside". So because there was the possibility that a few yobs could hit each other over the head with a real glass, the 50 people outside sitting quietly, enjoying their beers on a balmy summer evening had to drink from a plastic glass.
Because a minority of people at weekends get drunk, coked up and start fights and cause mayhem the solution is to restrict the sale of alcohol and to increase the price. Once again the majority have to pay for the actions of the minority.
The actual solution is far more logical but would require a declaration of intent. Zero tolerance against any sort of anti-social behaviour and a change in legislation to allow severe punishment for any misdemeanors related to drink or drugs. Yobs need to know that should they behave as yobs the consequences will be swift and severe.
Then maybe the rest of us - the majority, can get on with making informed decisions as to what we eat and what and where we drink, to relax and enjoy our occasional treats without financial pain or guilt.
Sunday, 8 July 2012
Fork to Farm
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| Myself and Raman plating up. |
The judges were Arun Kapil of www.greensaffron.com & Sunil Ghai, the well-known chef from anandarestaurant.ie
We had great fun with The Beatles playing and a comedian and a very supportive, appreciative audience. Uncle Ben's supplied goody bags filled with all sorts of rice and sauces. The Kal showrooms are superb and a must see for anyone thinking of upgrading or installing a new kitchen.
My lamb curry recipe can be found here http://www.foodbornandbred.com/2012/06/rainy-recession-rib-ticklers-for-wummer.html#.T_mtvJHhfP4
The following day it was a very early start and off down to Redwood, Co Tipperary to Oldefarm. Margaret and Alfie produce free range pigs in the most idyllic setting here. They run courses for people interested in getting their own pigs and have a wealth of experience and knowledge as well as a real passion for food. Their pigs are happy pigs, leading a healthy outdoor life rooting and foraging the way nature intended. Their pork and bacon has to be tasted to be believed and they make their own sausages. Alfie also makes a damn good burger. I tried my best to get the ingredients but think there is a magic ingredient in there somewhere he was not telling me about!
They can be found at www.oldfarm.ie. Do yourself a favour and treat yourself to real food produced from happy, healthy and gmo free pigs. Margaret also writes a really great blog www.ayearinredwood.com filled with terrific recipes and stories about life rearing pigs and lots of other animals.
At the course yesterday they had a woman who had flown over from northern Portugal to participate. So the Oldefarm brand has become truly international.
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| Jemima's babies |
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