Sunday 5 June 2011

How do you want your steak cooked?

This is my post as part of Sian's Storytelling Sunday....see the others here.
We didn't eat out when I was a child......I don't think it was because we couldn't afford to.......I think it just wasn't done back then......restaurants were for adults.....a very rare child free treat in the evening.
So when we went to the carvery at the Regent Palace Hotel at Picadilly Circus once a year.......it was a real treat.
It was a treat to travel from the outskirts into central London by tube........it was a treat to visit the world famous Hamleys toy shop
 it was a treat to see the bright lights and be over-awed by the hustle and bustle of Picadilly Circus
but best of all was the carvery itself......where adults could even carve their own meat.......and you could have the vegetables you actually liked [unlike at home!]......and as much of it all as you wanted.....you could even go back for more....quite amazing to us back then.
and then the desserts....I don't actually remember what they were.......because I always had the same one......strawberry mousse.....served in a wine glass......I can still taste it today....the most delicious dessert I've ever had

So with this lack of 'eating out' experience...... it perhaps wasn't surprising......that when we went to a restaurant on our first holiday abroad.......my younger brother replied very seriously to the question "how would you like your steak cooked" with the words "nicely, please".......much to the amusement of the other diners. He was teased about it for a long time afterwards. 

photos courtesy of google

31 comments:

Amy said...

I think your brother sounds like a very polite young man!

Mary B said...

That last sentence made me giggle and of course how else would you want your food cooked

Kathyk said...

Yes, I remember thinking we were VERY "swanky" going in to a Berni Inn and having a steak too!!! Fab pix - I remember the prawn cocktails and strawberry mousses too!

Happy Sunday

Kathyk

debs14 said...

Lovely story, and going out for a meal was certainly a big treat when I was growing up too!

Tracy said...

Lovely story. Todays kids are very lucky with how often they go out. We only went out on birthdays and it was always to the same place.

helena said...

I think that is a very good reply to the question.

Ladkyis said...

I'm with your brother, that's exactly how I like my steak cooked.
What a lovely story.

Anonymous said...

Your story is a nice reminder of a much simpler time. Treats such as those you describe were that much more special because they were so rare. Thanks for sharing!

Elizabeth said...

I think I like your brother! A simple answer to a simple question. Our family was too big for eating out--would have cost a week's wages!

Jimjams said...

Love it - the perfect response!
One of my friends at Uni had never been out to a restaurant at all before living away from home - and tried to help clear the dishes away ... into the restaurant kitchen!

JO SOWERBY said...

i remember eating out as being a very special treat and normally involved a trip to nana and grandad's and pub sandwiches on the way or the occasional fish and chip supper at home. now that was a treat,
jo xxx

Susanne said...

We didn't eat out much either when I was young. It may have been high school before I actually went to a nice restaurant for dinner. Great story and pictures.

Becky said...

How polite of your brother! We very rarely ate out when we were young either - it was a real treat. My children have been very luck as they were taken to restaurants from quite an early age.

Cheri said...

But isn't "nicely" how we all want our steaks cooked? What a sweet story. Growing up we mostly ate at home or had take-out like pizza. our treat was going out for ice cream. And with the size of our family (seven kids), the choices were chocolate or vanilla - no matter how many options were on the menu!

Jane said...

this made me chuckle, whenever we ate out I always asked for fried egg, I was easily pleased then!

Sian said...

Oh, I could really relate to this one! I love a story like that. We never ate out either, and when I came up to the city to study I had to learn "how" from the more sophisticated students. Your brother's comment sounds just about right to me.

Thanks for joining in Storytelling Sunday and giving us a chuckle today Jacky.

Rachel Brett said...

That is very sweet...and not such a silly answer! :)

Miriam said...

What a fabulous story, we never 'ate out' as children either. I think your brothers reply is what I would like to say when asked how I would like my steak done!

Ginger said...

I remember strawberry mousse being a favourite as well! My sister gave a similar response on a date, "cooked" was how she wanted her steak :)

humel said...

lol! Quite right too :)

We had an excellent local carvery, but I found out today (when I tried to book a table for my in-laws' visit next weekend) that it's now closed down :(

Alison said...

Great story Jacky...the first time i was ever taken out for a meal was by my best friend's family-I had gammon steak and thought I was 'the bees' knees'
Alison xx

Tracy said...

I love your story Jacky, I can't remember eating out in a restaurant, only cafe's when I went shopping with my Mam.
Happy crafting
Tracy x
p.s. The cupcakes didn't last very long and I forgot to take a photo

Anonymous said...

What a lovely story. I can't ever remember going out for a meal to a restaurant - unless it was to a cafe when we were on holiday.

Denise said...

Is there any other way to cook a steak other than 'nicely'! Fish and Chips were a real treat when I was growing up too

Lynne in NI said...

Great story Jacky! It was much the same when I was growing up ... we only got to go to the chip shop on birthdays or when we were on holiday at the local sea side, and a meal out was only for a very BIG occasion. Thanks for the memories!

Anonymous said...

What a perfectly polite response! I can understand the teasing, but as his mom I would have been quite proud!

Melissa said...

What a cute story, very nicely done! We've traveled to London several times (from Texas) and always consider Hamley's a treat since DH is a collector & we always frequent toy stores.

Anonymous said...

Great story - reminds me of the very few times we went to restaurants - I think you could ocunt them on one hand over a 2 year period, the ones I remember most were Thanksgiving, talk about having to get all dressed up (including gloves).

Christina said...

These are really great pictures!
Hugs Kristel

Maria Ontiveros said...

Love it! We also only went to restaurants on special occasions. And there were some (like the only Chinese restaurant near by) that my parents would not take us to until we were teenagers because they thought we would not appreciate the food before then. Thanks for bringing up that memory.
Rinda

Anonymous said...

Just brilliant! Love it!