Comments on: The Cost of Food http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/the-cost-of-food Food - Photography & More Mon, 21 May 2012 19:55:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.7 by: miles http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/the-cost-of-food#comment-1430 Wed, 30 Jan 2008 21:59:58 +0000 http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/the-cost-of-food#comment-1430 Cid, That sounds great, I would love a lunch like that. As for the posts I shall post a few from yesteryear and some of my own. You can make your own mind up! Miles Cid,
That sounds great, I would love a lunch like that. As for the posts I shall post a few from yesteryear and some of my own. You can make your own mind up!
Miles

]]> by: miles http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/the-cost-of-food#comment-1429 Wed, 30 Jan 2008 21:57:46 +0000 http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/the-cost-of-food#comment-1429 Rod, It's not just food, the bad weather has had an adverse effect on hops, hence the continued rise on beer prices. It's just not right! Miles Rod,
It’s not just food, the bad weather has had an adverse effect on hops, hence the continued rise on beer prices. It’s just not right!

Miles

]]> by: miles http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/the-cost-of-food#comment-1428 Wed, 30 Jan 2008 21:55:33 +0000 http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/the-cost-of-food#comment-1428 Annie, That's very interesting, we hardly ever get asked to wrap food up for customers to take out, probably because my portions are small!! Wasting food is a crime and I applaud anyone who actively discourages it. Miles Annie,
That’s very interesting, we hardly ever get asked to wrap food up for customers to take out, probably because my portions are small!! Wasting food is a crime and I applaud anyone who actively discourages it.

Miles

]]> by: miles http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/the-cost-of-food#comment-1427 Wed, 30 Jan 2008 21:51:37 +0000 http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/the-cost-of-food#comment-1427 Christine, Good question. Many of our menus are set for 2008 and 2009 (think weddings and conferences) so we have to take the hit. As for our lunch and dinner menus we are not going to put our prices up as yet. The secret is as Cid has said, to make the most of the produce in front of you which is what we do. If something becomes too expensive for the market that we are in then I shall drop it from the menu, there is a limit to everything. Miles Christine,
Good question. Many of our menus are set for 2008 and 2009 (think weddings and conferences) so we have to take the hit. As for our lunch and dinner menus we are not going to put our prices up as yet. The secret is as Cid has said, to make the most of the produce in front of you which is what we do.
If something becomes too expensive for the market that we are in then I shall drop it from the menu, there is a limit to everything.
Miles

]]> by: Annie Flinn http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/the-cost-of-food#comment-1420 Wed, 30 Jan 2008 20:42:53 +0000 http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/the-cost-of-food#comment-1420 Okay, cue the chime in from America. I just had a friend come stay for two and a half days. My food budget for those two days was nearly $70, and we ate out for a meal. Luckily, the large portions gave us enough to have for a second meal. Americans are BIG into taking the leftovers home for another meal. Since that meal cost me another $70 something, leftovers were gladly taken, and happily eaten. Good thing my wine cellar and bar were already fully stocked. I can remember the first time I took my German friends, one of whom was in her 80s out to lunch at a place in Luxembourg. Of course, no one could finish her meal, so I asked for the leftovers to be boxed up for each of us. Poor Tante Lena nearly died of apoplexy, but was certainly happy to have another meal. On another ocassion, I asked to have my left-over potatoes boxed up. The little girl of the owner asked my friend if I was too poor to buy potatoes for my home, and was that the reason I was taking my restaurant food with me. But, waste, want not. And besides, there might be another potato famine and those left-overs will come in handy. Okay, cue the chime in from America. I just had a friend come stay for two and a half days. My food budget for those two days was nearly $70, and we ate out for a meal. Luckily, the large portions gave us enough to have for a second meal. Americans are BIG into taking the leftovers home for another meal. Since that meal cost me another $70 something, leftovers were gladly taken, and happily eaten. Good thing my wine cellar and bar were already fully stocked.

I can remember the first time I took my German friends, one of whom was in her 80s out to lunch at a place in Luxembourg. Of course, no one could finish her meal, so I asked for the leftovers to be boxed up for each of us. Poor Tante Lena nearly died of apoplexy, but was certainly happy to have another meal. On another ocassion, I asked to have my left-over potatoes boxed up. The little girl of the owner asked my friend if I was too poor to buy potatoes for my home, and was that the reason I was taking my restaurant food with me. But, waste, want not. And besides, there might be another potato famine and those left-overs will come in handy.

]]> by: Cid http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/the-cost-of-food#comment-1417 Wed, 30 Jan 2008 19:53:31 +0000 http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/the-cost-of-food#comment-1417 Miles and Elsie, I should have told you both that I've made several batches of bubble & squeak recently after Elsie mentioned it here. Everyone so far has loved it.... goes with fish and all meats I think. Tomorrow a friend is due to pop round for lunch and looking at what's in my cupboard/fridge I could get a bit depressed, but hey there's a bowl of stock from yesterdays chicken and I know I've got plenty of risotto rice, garlic clove, pinch saffron and a piece of parmesan that's been in the fridge for some time.... or will she be watching the carbs? Perhaps it should be veg soup with garlic croutons (mix with a little olive oil, 8 mins in an oven 190c for those who haven't tried making their own). Either way it's not going to cost a fortune and won't take long to make. I look forward to your post on left-overs Miles. Cid Miles and Elsie,

I should have told you both that I’ve made several batches of bubble & squeak recently after Elsie mentioned it here. Everyone so far has loved it…. goes with fish and all meats I think. Tomorrow a friend is due to pop round for lunch and looking at what’s in my cupboard/fridge I could get a bit depressed, but hey there’s a bowl of stock from yesterdays chicken and I know I’ve got plenty of risotto rice, garlic clove, pinch saffron and a piece of parmesan that’s been in the fridge for some time…. or will she be watching the carbs? Perhaps it should be veg soup with garlic croutons (mix with a little olive oil, 8 mins in an oven 190c for those who haven’t tried making their own). Either way it’s not going to cost a fortune and won’t take long to make. I look forward to your post on left-overs Miles.

Cid

]]> by: Christine http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/the-cost-of-food#comment-1416 Wed, 30 Jan 2008 19:38:17 +0000 http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/the-cost-of-food#comment-1416 Miles, This is very interesting. I am just wondering about the effects on the likes of you and headchefs elsewhere. Are you likely to use the same food and ingredients and simply pass on the cost or will you be looking to the cost and re-assess your menus accordingly? Christine Miles,
This is very interesting. I am just wondering about the effects on the likes of you and headchefs elsewhere. Are you likely to use the same food and ingredients and simply pass on the cost or will you be looking to the cost and re-assess your menus accordingly?

Christine

]]> by: miles http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/the-cost-of-food#comment-1415 Wed, 30 Jan 2008 19:12:06 +0000 http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/the-cost-of-food#comment-1415 Cid & Elsie, I often talk about food thrift, it is something which, by and large has become lost on us. I love reading older cookery books because they always had a section dedicated to using leftovers. I shall do some posts on these in the near future. Miles Cid & Elsie,
I often talk about food thrift, it is something which, by and large has become lost on us. I love reading older cookery books because they always had a section dedicated to using leftovers. I shall do some posts on these in the near future.
Miles

]]> by: Elsie Nean http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/the-cost-of-food#comment-1413 Wed, 30 Jan 2008 19:07:54 +0000 http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/the-cost-of-food#comment-1413 Miles, Thank you for an interesting and informative post. I remember the farmers' warnings last year about rising prices because of the weather. There is also the impact on fuel, of course. These price rises are happening globally and I have certainly seen it during my shopping. Cid is right in people making more of left overs and learning a wider range of meals. Our forebearers knew a thing or two about it. It made me think again about the cost and perceived value of the cheaper chickens which may end up remaining the preferred option. Elsie Miles,
Thank you for an interesting and informative post. I remember the farmers’ warnings last year about rising prices because of the weather. There is also the impact on fuel, of course. These price rises are happening globally and I have certainly seen it during my shopping.
Cid is right in people making more of left overs and learning a wider range of meals. Our forebearers knew a thing or two about it.
It made me think again about the cost and perceived value of the cheaper chickens which may end up remaining the preferred option.
Elsie

]]> by: Cid http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/the-cost-of-food#comment-1409 Wed, 30 Jan 2008 09:26:32 +0000 http://www.milescollins.com/wordpress/the-cost-of-food#comment-1409 Miles, More than ever then should people learn to make left-overs count. What were we saying only a few weeks ago about chicken (free range of course).... roasted then the next day add the last of the cold meat into a fried rice... then simmer the carcass for stock to make soup or sauce or a base for cous cous etc etc. I'll be the first to admit that mine is probably not the national average weekly family budget for food, and for those on a low income it must be difficult. Nevertheless to draw up a menu for a family of say four or five that would be interesting. An old friend of mine telephoned last night and we chatted for a while about life and the universe.... and she mentioned that she had decided as an exercise to shop totally at her near by Aldi for a period of time to see if it made a difference financially, which it did. Now I'm not suggesting we necessarily go the same way but there are choices, one size does not fit all. Moving on... you have reminded me about the Seville oranges for the annual marmalade making, another excellent use for the stock pot. Cid Miles,

More than ever then should people learn to make left-overs count. What were we saying only a few weeks ago about chicken (free range of course)…. roasted then the next day add the last of the cold meat into a fried rice… then simmer the carcass for stock to make soup or sauce or a base for cous cous etc etc. I’ll be the first to admit that mine is probably not the national average weekly family budget for food, and for those on a low income it must be difficult. Nevertheless to draw up a menu for a family of say four or five that would be interesting.

An old friend of mine telephoned last night and we chatted for a while about life and the universe…. and she mentioned that she had decided as an exercise to shop totally at her near by Aldi for a period of time to see if it made a difference financially, which it did. Now I’m not suggesting we necessarily go the same way but there are choices, one size does not fit all.

Moving on… you have reminded me about the Seville oranges for the annual marmalade making, another excellent use for the stock pot.

Cid

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