Finally Some Good Fucking Food pt.3
aka class warfare and steak dinners
Guys, I’m tired.
So the day of me publishing my newsletter last week, across the UK outrage boiled on social media as it was revealed private catering company Chartwells, who were in charge of distributing the £30 worth of food that vulnerable children and families were supposed to be receiving weekly instead of free school meals, instead had been profiteering by sending these families actually about £5 worth of food instead. This included tuna scraped into moneybags and ham slices in clingfilm, because apparently £30 is not enough to buy one (1) whole tine of tuna or packet of ham. Compared with their glossy images of canapes being served at the private schools they catered, it was enough to make me sick.
Of course, there was a huge uproar, questions asked and at least currently the government have at least reverted back to vouchers for the time being. (I would recommend following Jack Monroe not only for their excellent food tips and cookbooks but they have been campaigning and keeping awareness up of the whole situation as it develops further, especially as this shitbag government will try to worm its way out of providing for the most vulnerable people in whatever way it can. One example is they are currently considering cutting the £20 uplift to benefits, because you know what struggling people need in a pandemic? Less money.)
Now today, I was shown this article in the Guardian about middle-class people pretending to be working-class. It’s based off some really excellent research by Sam Friedman and Dave O’Brien and if you are genuinely interested in how class affects people in the arts I would highly recommend reading their back catalogue of work and research.
I wish I could read one of these things and let it not affect my life. However, the anger I feel when I have to read about privately schooled Ella co-opting some “humble roots” bullshit whilst there are literally children being denied adequate nutrition by a government that does not care for them, and their parents have to go hungry in order for them to be fed, well frankly Ella, you can fuck off.
I don’t care for these people who need some way of telling themselves that they did actually deserve all the things they get. You may have worked hard, you may be talented but if you actually care or believe in structural inequality like class systems, then the best thing for you to do is actually read up on it, figure out how you have benefitted and see what you can do to help people who haven’t. I’ll be including a reading list at the end of this newsletter for some useful resources of where to begin.
But BACK TO FOOD.
Sorry guys, went off on a tangent there, but the Chartwells thing coupled with endless parades of posh people trying to police poor people on “actually healthy food is really cheap, after all a potato is only like 5p you illiterate fucks” has turned me into that moment in Kill Bill where the red lights are flashing and the siren goes off. My first boyfriend once told me that my mum would save money if she didn’t buy Lurpak, as if that extra £2 a month would magically get us out of that emergency council housing, give my mum a payrise and generally let us lead the life of Reilly. Anyway [ex-boyfriend I can’t name for legal reasons] and any other person who thinks they know how poor people should “budget”, we don’t need your advice. Poor people are allowed to have nice things because here’s the real kicker: poor people don’t deserve to be poor equally as much as any of you reading this deserve to be comfortably well off.
Anyway, BACK TO FOOD.
I know most people reading this are nice lovely people who know better, but I had to get that rant off my chest. Anyway, here are the meals I enjoyed this week.
· A good chip butty.
I realized a while back that my boyfriend, in an exercise which only highlights our class disparity, introduced me to things such as mushroom pate and blue cheese and truffle, whilst I introduced him to the concept of fried cheese and a chip butty. I like a lot of fancy food, but give me an adequately salt and vinegared chip butty on soft white bread and I will take that over anything on any given day. (especially if the chips are homemade!)
· Steak Dinner
I picked up these Gro Sizzle steaks as they were reduced in Co-op to about £1.50 for two, and as a vegetarian I don’t really get to have “steak dinners” often at all, so I decided to give them a try. I paired with a cheesy sweet potato mash (butter + cheese of choice + cream if you’re feeling decadent), mushrooms in a creamy honey and mustard sauce (cream +stock +honey and mustard dressing, although you could easily fry the mushrooms in butter and just drizzle the dressing for an easier life) and salad leaves. Whilst the steak itself is nothing too special, overall I really enjoyed this meal and was reminded me how much I love honey and mustard dressing. (I find it goes really well in summer with gnocchi and salad for a light, non-cheesy sauce.)
· ...and the leftover brunch
I’ll admit there was an ulterior motive to making the sweet potato mash as I was inspired by mishmash, a magazine I follow who posted about a brunch of poached egg on a sweet potato cake. The next day I added an egg to the mash (I would have added flour except we didn’t have any), fried in a pan like a pancake, reheated the leftover mushroom sauce and topped with a fried egg (I would have poached, but honestly could not be bothered with the cleanup after.) served with some salad leaves and voila! A delicious brunch.
· Halloumi wrap
I always forget how much I like sweet chilli sauce until I have it, and for a quick lunch I fried up halloumi and served in a tortilla wrap with garlic mayo, sweet chilli sauce, salad leaves and most importantly, chopped up cherry tomatoes – they add a crucial bit of freshness to contrast with the cheese!
I am very interested in any other good wrap filling ideas if you have them.
Aims for next week:
I’m still currently in essay mode, but I have bought some cheese scones from M&S, so currently debated different toppings for them atm. Currently trying to work out how best to incorporate honey and mustard dressing….
That’s all food-wise for this week, but join me next time so I sincerely hope I will be less angry and can just be silly about food again.
As someone who has spent the last four years applying for most opportunities under the sun and explain time and time again in the most dehumanizing, demoralizing way possible why I do indeed need money because we live in a capitalist hellscape, I just want to gently remind you that if you enjoyed my newsletter you can donate to my Ko-Fi or Paypal here. I’ve included a short list below of things you can read if you are interested in the UK class system and its effects, as well as things to support.
Books:
Chav by Owen Jones (this was a really important and eye opening read which actually helped me realise a lot of stuff about my own identity and explained a lot of my awkwardness in university!!)
Culture is Bad for You by Orian Brook, Dave O’Brien and Mark Taylor
Lowborn by Kerry Hudson
Skint Estate by Cash Carraway
Steal as Much as You Can by Nathalie Olah - this was recommended by Charlie, one of our newsletter readers (thanks Charlie!) and has been on my to-buy list for a very long time.
Charities:
The Trussell Trust (foodbanks)
Joseph Rowntree Foundation (UK poverty)
The Sutton Trust (research and programmes based around social mobility)
Arts Emergency (helping young working class people into higher education and the arts)
Reports: (These are in creative/cultural industries as that’s where my experience lies FYI, but I’d check the charities for more information on more general stats).
Finally, follow my friend Tom Mayhew, who not only did an excellent comedy show about being on benefits which will be coming to Radio Four soon (and you will all have to listen to once it’s out), but did a fantastic podcast series a while back called the 18 Percent, which interviewed a variety of working class creatives on their experience (including an episode with yours truly, where I’m pretty sure I rant about the Lurpak incident in full).