Sunday 16 June 2013

Cheaper than Chips: 16-6-13 review

Well, it's certainly been an interesting day.

First of all, the plans all panned out well, dinner was delicious as were breakfast and tea.

Beth came in with a whole chicken asking would I be interested in a carcass.  As I had roasted a chicken for lunch, I was highly confused but all was made clear soon enough.  Alex had to take certain items into school to make a curry in food technology.  Unfortunately, the ingredients, if bought separately, amounted to around £10.  Yes, there would be leftovers, but it's a lot to shell out for one lesson.  One of the items was certain chicken pieces and Beth quite rightly reckoned that if she bought a chicken she would get what she needed and more by cutting it up.  Hence the carcass.  So not only did I have the carcass from the roasted chicken, I also had a carcass from a raw chicken.  No complaints there.

However, it made me think - if you were a family really close to the line, there's no way you could provide those ingredients for your child.  That would mean the parent having to approach the school to explain, something that could be very difficult and potentially embarrassing and distressing for parent and child.  It just confirms me in my belief that teaching children how to cook should be a home based activity in the context of a family meal, not an activity costing goodness knows what for one portion!  Frugality and cooking skills could be taught together while producing meals for the family to enjoy.  There's little more satisfying than seeing your loved ones tuck in with enjoyment!

Anyway, back to the chicken, I now have a load of stock, which I intend to reduce down to a thick jelly, and various bits of chicken.  I have to say that, for a vegetarian, she did a fine job of cutting that chicken up into portions with minimum waste!

On to the mint tea.  I Googled and it's dead easy.  Cut your mint.  Bung it in a teapot or mug, pour over boiling water.  Leave to steel for five minutes.  Pour and drink.  And it was really very nice indeed.  I'll post this separately too, so apologies to my regular readers.

Last of all I got an email from my friend who is involved in the food bank here, asking me if I would like to get involved in one particular way.  I'm thinking it through but the feeling is to say yes.  More later on if it comes to anything.

So, as I said, an interesting day!

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