Nostalgic Food - Good and Bad!

odyssey06 · 04-09-2019 7:34pm

Gloomtastic! wrote: »

^ Beef Olives. Haven’t thought of them in decades. I think they were nice.

Aptly that is the name of an episode in 1960s set BBC radio comedy Cooking in a Bedsitter...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b083mrvf

Mollyb60 · 07-09-2019 3:50pm

Ah god this thread is bringing back so many memories!! My mother is a decent enough cook but like most here, fell afoul of the boiledtodeath veg trap. I never liked veg till my late 20's because I thought it was all just mush. She still cooks them like this to this day so I never eat veg at home.

We had the boring old staples when we were kids, sausages and mash, fish fingers and homemade chips, shepherds pie, mince stew, bacon and parsley sauce. My sister and brother hated onions (still do) so she would just leave the whole onion in the stew for the flavour and take it out at the end which I thought was genius. I remember the introduction of curry was a big deal in my early teens. Fairly sure it was just powdered curry from a tub. Loved the crispy pancakes too. They were a treat. As were the tiny microwave cheese pizza's you would get.
She would (and still does) cook a big sunday dinner every sunday. Roast beef 99% of the time with an extra chicken for those of us who don't like the beef. Mushy veg, mash and onion gravy. Served at 1pm religiously. Trifle/cheesecake/pavolva for desert. OR! If we were really lucky, she'd make a baked alaska. It would be devoured.

My granny would always make amazing soda bread and we would often have a fry for tea. I remember her gutting fish that my grandad had caught for dinner. Oddly enough though I never remember eating fish when I was a kid (Apart from the fish fingers). I also strongly associate rice pudding and ground rice and jam with my granny.

I think I was 17/18 before I ever tasted pasta and even then it was the macaroni cheese in a tin so wasn't a great introduction to it! I got a right shock when I moved to Dublin for college and was introduced to such exotic foods as couscous, celery and tikka masala.

the beer revolu · 07-09-2019 4:00pm

I've just remembered French Bread Pizza.
Findus or Birdseye.
They were popular in our house as a Saturday lunch. Then my sisters developed a kinda strange homemade version.
Onion, rasher and chopped tomato were cooked in a saucepan and the cheese added to the pan.
This gooey mess was then spread on French bread and put under the grill.

the beer revolu · 07-09-2019 4:12pm

Anyone remember the Lemon meringue pie mix that came in a sachet with a little capsule that melted as you heated the mix. You still had to make your own pastry and meringue.
That was convenience in the 70s and 80s!

Came in a blue box, as I remember.
Anyone recall the brand?

QueenRizla · 07-09-2019 5:13pm

the beer revolu wrote: »

Anyone remember the Lemon meringue pie mix that came in a sachet with a little capsule that melted as you heated the mix. You still had to make your own pastry and meringue.
That was convenience in the 70s and 80s!

Came in a blue box, as I remember.
Anyone recall the brand?

Was it this one by Birds?

https://www.thomasridley.co.uk/birds-lemon-pie-filling-and-40025u.html

I remember the French bread pizza, was a treat.

odyssey06 · 07-09-2019 5:25pm

QueenRizla wrote: »

I remember the French bread pizza, was a treat.

Sounds like I missed out on that one

What would be the closest thing in the freezers today?

Ryath · 07-09-2019 5:55pm

odyssey06 wrote: »

Sounds like I missed out on that one

What would be the closest thing in the freezers today?

Used to quite like them but Frozen food was a rare treat for us. Thought they still made them haven't had them since I was a college student. Think aldi or lidl do a version of them.

Dial Hard · 07-09-2019 6:10pm

QueenRizla wrote: »

I remember the French bread pizza, was a treat.

My sister still has a serious grá for these and always has a pack of the Aldi ones in the freezer. Never saw the appeal myself, far too much bread.

janmaree · 07-09-2019 6:10pm

I've never seen sheep's tongues but I still cook ox tongue in the pressure cooker with onion, garlic, bay leaves and peppercorns. It takes about an hour and when it's peeled and curled into a small saucepan with a weighted down saucer on top to press it, then thinly sliced when cold, it's really lovely. We all love it in our family and when I manage to find one, I try to share it around. It's such a shame to shun these things, they're good food. A tongue sandwich with a smear of sandwich spread....heaven on earth

Graces7 · 07-09-2019 8:10pm

the beer revolu wrote: »

Anyone remember the Lemon meringue pie mix that came in a sachet with a little capsule that melted as you heated the mix. You still had to make your own pastry and meringue.
That was convenience in the 70s and 80s!

Came in a blue box, as I remember.
Anyone recall the brand?

Cannot remember the brand buy my mother made that often and combined here recipe with the kit. Oh would love some NOW!

Graces7 · 07-09-2019 8:13pm

should NOT have opened this thread as I am now very very hungry! lol

Goodnight! Off to the kitchen!

the beer revolu · 08-09-2019 8:04am

QueenRizla wrote: »

Was it this one by Birds?

https://www.thomasridley.co.uk/birds-lemon-pie-filling-and-40025u.html

I'm pretty sure it wasn't Bird's.
None of the ones on the market now seem to match up with my memory.

laros · 08-09-2019 8:16am

Came in a blue box, as I remember.

Was it Made by Royal.?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/25692985@N07/5682420710

the beer revolu · 08-09-2019 9:04am

laros wrote: »

Was it Made by Royal.?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/25692985@N07/5682420710

Yes, that's the one.
Thank you.

Jimbob1977 · 08-09-2019 9:17am

Braycot biscuits

Sodastream

French bread pizza (already mentioned). There was a spicy one with peppers. Hard as a brick if overcooked. The height of sophistication in 1991.

Lucozade in glass bottles wrapped in orange film.

TK Red Lemonade

Mollyb60 · 08-09-2019 9:38am

Does anyone rememer spice burgers? My mam tells me that they're still available in shops but i havent seen them in years. The closest my family ever got to a vegetarian meal. Lol.

The Nal · 08-09-2019 9:46am

Mollyb60 wrote: »

Does anyone rememer spice burgers? My mam tells me that they're still available in shops but i havent seen them in years. The closest my family ever got to a vegetarian meal. Lol.

Theyre still available. My brother still eats them.

Mollyb60 · 08-09-2019 9:50am

Well holy ****. I'm gonna have to go on a fact finding mission to get some and see if they're as nice as i remember.

iamwhoiam · 08-09-2019 9:53am

Rasberry lemonade .We only got it at Christmas along with a bottle of Cream Soda .Both made us belch like an aul fella and it came up our nose too !!

L1011 · 08-09-2019 2:21pm

Spice burgers would still be common enough in chippers in and near Dublin. I now want to go get one...

My local place usually cut them in half along the centre to get them to cook more thoroughly; not sure why but they don't do it anymore.

Corkgirl18 · 08-09-2019 2:32pm

Hi, I've a question that I hope you don't mind me asking in this thread.

My mother recently spoke about a green fizzy drink that she used to love as a child. Apparently it was greengage flavour!

Anyone have any idea if something like this can still be bought? I couldn't find anything online.

Dizzyblonde · 08-09-2019 10:18pm

Corkgirl18 wrote: »

Hi, I've a question that I hope you don't mind me asking in this thread.

My mother recently spoke about a green fizzy drink that she used to love as a child. Apparently it was greengage flavour!

Anyone have any idea if something like this can still be bought? I couldn't find anything online.

I don't think we had that in Dublin, it sounds very exotic!

Mam of 4 · 08-09-2019 10:20pm

Mollyb60 wrote: »

Well holy ****. I'm gonna have to go on a fact finding mission to get some and see if they're as nice as i remember.

Dunne Stores , Tesco , usually stock them !
Lovely with a sprinkle of pepper and coleslaw on the side !

the beer revolu · 09-09-2019 11:13am

Corkgirl18 wrote: »

Hi, I've a question that I hope you don't mind me asking in this thread.

My mother recently spoke about a green fizzy drink that she used to love as a child. Apparently it was greengage flavour!

Anyone have any idea if something like this can still be bought? I couldn't find anything online.

Greengage was a popular jelly flavour. Don't remember any greengage drinks, though.

mloc123 · 09-09-2019 11:35am

rubadub wrote: »

Lots of people had the same electric knife too.

My grand aunt would not use one... "ruins the taste of the meat"

Mollyb60 · 09-09-2019 12:25pm

My mam still has an electric knife. Its so handy.

Gloomtastic! · 09-09-2019 1:02pm

I still use an electric knife for large roast joints - beef, turkey etc. Much easier to get consistent slices rather than hacking away with a carving knife (even a very sharp one).

rubadub · 09-09-2019 3:28pm

Mollyb60 wrote: »

Does anyone rememer spice burgers? My mam tells me that they're still available in shops but i havent seen them in years. The closest my family ever got to a vegetarian meal. Lol.

They are not vegetarian, never were! not sure if you thought they were but lots do as it looks like meatless stuffing. I remember they released vegetarian ones and I think I posted it in the vegan/veggie forum and think there were a few shocked posters. My friend claimed to be vegetarian but would eat these in the chipper, even after me telling him there is beef in them, fingers in the ears stuff.

The vast majority of chippers would have Walshes brand, they went out of business and there were campagins to bring back the spice burgers. They did bring them back but not other products they made. They now have warnings against freezing them saying they have already been frozen, so my guess is they have a smaller plant making lots at a time and freezing and maybe making other things. They were on offer in tesco last time I was in, 1.33 for 2.

There is a copy cat Irish brand too but they are not as good. The walshes one have also changed recipe and while still good are not as good as they used to be.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/spice-burgers-back-on-the-menu-due-to-popular-demand-1.691538

L1011 wrote: »

My local place usually cut them in half along the centre to get them to cook more thoroughly; not sure why but they don't do it anymore.

The instructions say to slice them, or it used to say it at one stage, I wish they came presliced. Could be people finding them too greasy when sliced & deep fried

The Nal · 09-09-2019 3:36pm

rubadub wrote: »

They are not vegetarian, never were! not sure if you thought they were but lots do as it looks like meatless stuffing.

Yeah its basically cheap pudding.

Mollyb60 · 09-09-2019 4:25pm

rubadub wrote: »

They are not vegetarian, never were! not sure if you thought they were but lots do as it looks like meatless stuffing. I remember they released vegetarian ones and I think I posted it in the vegan/veggie forum and think there were a few shocked posters. My friend claimed to be vegetarian but would eat these in the chipper, even after me telling him there is beef in them, fingers in the ears stuff.

The vast majority of chippers would have Walshes brand, they went out of business and there were campagins to bring back the spice burgers. They did bring them back but not other products they made. They now have warnings against freezing them saying they have already been frozen, so my guess is they have a smaller plant making lots at a time and freezing and maybe making other things. They were on offer in tesco last time I was in, 1.33 for 2.

There is a copy cat Irish brand too but they are not as good. The walshes one have also changed recipe and while still good are not as good as they used to be.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/spice-burgers-back-on-the-menu-due-to-popular-demand-1.691538

The instructions say to slice them, or it used to say it at one stage, I wish they came presliced. Could be people finding them too greasy when sliced & deep fried

Yeah I always thought they were just spices and whatever but again my mam told me that there was beef in them. I was shocked.
It was the Walshes ones we used to get too. I'll be down home now in October so I'll have to pick up a pack of them to try. My mam used to deep fry them. Is there another way to cook them?

Nostalgic Food - Good and Bad!

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