Category Food thoughts
I don’t wanna be a TV star
Previous published in the Northern Echo Put yourself in my position. It’s six o’clock at the beginning of the evening, the booking diary’s full, the staff are all briefed, the kitchen’s all prepared, the candles are lit and we’re waiting for the first diners to arrive. It’s quiet at the moment but within a short […]
Rules rule ok
Previously published in the Northern Echo Our lives are governed by rules: rules for driving on the road; rules for how we should dress for work, interviews and appearing in court; rules for queuing at the post office; rules for writing emails and letters; rules for eating food. Who invents all these rules? Obviously we […]
Is there horsemeat in Iceland?
First published in the Northern Echo One of the first pages I turn to in the Northern Echo is the letters page: Hear All Sides. It’s compulsive reading; even more so than in most other papers I read. People’s views are always interesting but one would assume it’s generally those who feel very strongly about […]
Horsemeat? we’re all to blame
First published in the Northern Echo. Young Kieran at work’s just passed his driving test and, like the patronising old fool someone of my age can be, I started to go on and on about how insurance companies insist that this was now the most likely time for him to have an accident. Even though […]
All generalisations are wrong
Sitting on the A1, driving to work, I see in my rearview mirror a car cutting in and out of the others behind me; changing lanes at speed, darting and diving in and out between other cars so as to gain that extra few seconds. I spend a much of my life on the roads […]
Squirrel a little away
I’m sure you’ve been there: because you couldn’t leave something alone, you cause a major calamity. Like maybe a dripping tap’s been getting to you so you try to tighten it in situ but only succeed in pulling it off the sink. There’s water squirting everywhere so you come up with a cunning, if rather […]
Are you feeling a little horse?
I guess I’d like to be remembered for something. Changing the world for the better would be nice but unlikely. Some memorable quotation would be quite good but I don’t know if I’ve any in me. And my parents didn’t even imbue me with a memorable name. A chap called Lord Acton got all three; […]
Is fat an F word?
We’re unfair to fat. Recently I was reading about a new only-slightly invasive technique for ridding the body of fatty deposits that stop one being attractive to other people – or so we’re told – and I was wondering how far I’d have to be pushed before I resorted to such measures. There’s a lot […]
Oh dear, what I’d do for you.
“This is absolutely wonderful”, she said. “It’s a doddle”, I replied, but I could instantly tell she didn’t believe me. “You cook such lovely meals and I appreciate how much effort you put in”, but I was already thinking she didn’t actually understand. Of course I was pleased she was pleased. That’s what cooking for […]
Bill Oldfield 