When I was at RVL yesterday, I naturally chatted with my friend Steve – in the kitchen, where he was busy prepping for the evenings food (RVL being open Friday and Saturday nights). He had just taken out of the oven a baking tray filled with Nicholls Free Range chicken marylands which had been oven baked in stock mixed with generously distributed lemon wedges, fresh herbs and unpeeled garlic bulbs. The aroma was to die for, and the sight of those perfectly-cooked, crispy-skinned chickens made me wonder why the hell I wasn’t returning to RVL for an evening meal.
As I lay in bed last night thinking over my day, the thought suddenly occurred to me – you can buy pre-made meals in supermarkets and specialty shops. You can buy pre-prepared food (like meat, all ready and prepped to cook) also. You can buy fast food from outlets like KFC or Maccas. You can get takeaway from takeaway joints. But can you get beautifully and lovingly pre-cooked stuff like Steve took out of his RVL oven anywhere? I would gladly have paid Steve $10 for one of those pre-cooked marylands, to take home and add my own veggies to.
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9 comments:
Perhaps you should head line this post 'Advertorial' Rita.
Perhaps I should Anon, but then again, it's NOT an advertorial, but merely my sharing thoughts. If you knew me, you would know that I'm nobody's puppet here. Many have told me I should/could make money out of the blog or web site. I refuse, as I want it to remain totally a matter of opinions, not paid ads.
I am careful and considered in what I say (mostly). I also am polite and caring. I am honest in my opinion of RVL. I don't need to piss in Steve's pocket. I genuinely love the food there, and, in my everyday life, recommend friends and family go there.
It's like writing a reference for an employee. Sometimes you write words that may well sound hollow or false to the reader, in which case they probably are. Other times, the words you write can't possibly express the huge amount of admiration and/or respect you have for the person's work.
I don't feel the need to have to say this to you, but just, once again, wanting to share an opinion.
I know what you're trying to say, but it sounds like a work in progress.
Ouch
Rita - the simple answer to your question is that down here you can't. You can get varying quality on the mainland and there are various companies that do what you are suggesting....BUT the Americans have it down pat. I'll dig up some links for you.
Food laws also make it difficult.
Even so, how many people would but this style of food. Some have tried with varying degrees of success, but ultimately most people would still go back the 'convenient' fast food.
Sort of think that it depends on what your expectation is going to be Rita.
From reading what you were saying, the chicken you were referring to was actually intended for the dine in customers and you happened to be there when it popped out of the oven. Of course it was sublime.
In the reality of fast food takeaway, which is reliant on a combination of sloth, convenience, marketing and speed, many of the foods that we love will not respond well to those criteria. You know a hungry jacks burger is cooked in seconds, not minutes. Pizza, pretty quick, and hey, if it involves a fat fryer.
So my questions would be these two;
1. Would you be prepared to ring ahead and book a meal to take out, and would you accept that it will look shite in a box, and suffer in quality in transit (or even re-heating).
2. Are you sure that instant satisfaction is confined to gen Y, I'm starting to believe it was started by the baby boomers darling.
HRV. is right there are health issues, but also many foods, simply don't travel well or respond kindly to the microwave.
cartouche
Just thought, by the way...
When I was working as a poor down and out chef in London (way back when), there was a place in Kings cross called the stockpot. £5 for a huge stew and fresh baked bread , eat in or take away. If memory serves, choices included, beef bourghignon, goulash, carbonara, stroganoff, lamb, char siu pork, chicken, maccaroni cheese, lasagne, meatballs and a roast beef dinner. All of which travelled well and re-heated if need be.
It was a cross between a cafeteria with a tray away style sevice and of course the use of the dreaded bain. But it was so rammed full, that the food just kept coming out of the kitchen freshly cooked.
Maybe the key is that it has to be popular to succeed.
Cartouche.
Thanks for all those words Anons, TG, HRV and Cartouche.
All very valid and thoughtful words, which I agree with.
I love the sound of the London Stockpot place. It sounds like my kinda takeaway!
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