Recently, food has become an undeniable source of comfort for the nation. But alongside the back-of-thestorecupboard suppers and increasingly creative baking (sourdough discard trifle, anyone?), there are other meals occupying our minds. The ones we can’t eat just now.
That beloved restaurant, scene of so many special dinners; the favourite street food van that’s always worth the queue; the destination bakery you make a beeline for on holiday; or even just a fry-up at the local caff where they remember exactly how you like your toast… Among the many things we’ve learned to appreciate in lockdown is that eating out is about so much more than just paying someone else to do the washing up (although we’ll never take that for granted again).
And it’s not just eating out you might be missing most. It could be the suddenly exotic pleasure of having friends or family round for a big Sunday roast. Time for some gratuitous detail.
“I’m intent on going to Kerridge’s Bar & Grill at the Corinthia Hotel in London. It was meant to be the venue for an episode of my podcast, Out To Lunch – and nothing would signify to me that life had started again better than being able to eat that cancelled meal. What’s more, I can’t think of anyone better to feed me than Tom Kerridge. The first post-lockdown meal requires big-fisted flavours and he’s brilliant at those. The braised beef pie with sauce Diane, clotted cream mash and fried ox tongue has to be in my future.” JAY RAYNER, WRITER AND BROADCASTER
CG @GIGI6630