Food & farming

rick_chasey

MidlandsGrimpeur2 said:

I worked in the charity sector for years, so perhaps nothing like as cutthroat as finance or other sectors. Even so, it was apparent that anyone in positions of seniority spent most of their time with political maneuvering and status preservation, as highlighted above.

I quickly decided I had no interest in any of that. I know I am never going to earn huge money but I am comfortable and don't want for anything. I get to live the life I want with the people I love and we enjoy it. Isn't that the whole point, we get a brief window into this world, why waste it chasing something that can never ultimately be fulfilled? I understand people that chase money and status, it's just not for me.

I think people with a similar approach to mine do seem to live far less stressful, more fun and enjoyable lives, but that is just personal opinion (and apologies for my cod philosophical ramblings above!).

Lots of people enjoy the manouvering and get satisfaction out of progression.

Just because it’s not for you doesn’t mean it’s not for them either.

pblakeney

Last time I did any serious OT was to get a project complete on time. Working 16 hours a day for a week followed by a penultimate day which finished at 02:00 then a 06:30 start to finish that day.
My wife asked me why I was working to that extreme. I had no answer that addressed my life. I stopped doing OT that day.

rjsterry

The reason why I made the original comment is that - if I have understood correctly - RC is trying to establish something that may eventually become his own business. It's very easy in that situation to justify the extra hours, etc, but to some extent you are also setting up the boundaries under which you will later operate. Once established, habits are hard to break. In other words start as you mean to go on.

Jeez, I sound like my dad. Apologies.

MidlandsGrimpeur2

Lots of people enjoy the manouvering and get satisfaction out of progression.

Just because it’s not for you doesn’t mean it’s not for them either.

Fair point and I completely accept that. I was simply highlighting what I value, I understand we all differ in our approach.

rick_chasey

MidlandsGrimpeur2 said:

Lots of people enjoy the manouvering and get satisfaction out of progression.

Just because it’s not for you doesn’t mean it’s not for them either.

Fair point and I completely accept that. I was simply highlighting what I value, I understand we all differ in our approach.

Sure. Often the people who don’t find it stressful are those who succeed anyway. Comes naturally to some people. So the cost-to-gain ratio is different too.

briantrumpet

I was just about to post this in the 'Learnt' thread in response to crisps, but I'll put it here instead...

I reckon you could make a business out of a really good mashed potato shop... you'd get much more bang for your buck (in terms of filling you up), you could have all sorts of flavours & toppings (sell it in those boxes that can handle gravy), and the kitchen side would be a relative doddle.

Did I mention that I really really like good mash? Not too fluffy, not too emulsified, just right, somewhere in the middle, with enough butter, cream & seasoning.

pangolin

briantrumpet said:

I was just about to post this in the 'Learnt' thread in response to crisps, but I'll put it here instead...

I reckon you could make a business out of a really good mashed potato shop... you'd get much more bang for your buck (in terms of filling you up), you could have all sorts of flavours & toppings (sell it in those boxes that can handle gravy), and the kitchen side would be a relative doddle.

Did I mention that I really really like good mash? Not too fluffy, not too emulsified, just right, somewhere in the middle, with enough butter, cream & seasoning.

Clifton sausage in Bristol has a mash of the day.

Pieminister?

Both have strayed from the pure potato path though.

TheBigBean

briantrumpet said:

I was just about to post this in the 'Learnt' thread in response to crisps, but I'll put it here instead...

I reckon you could make a business out of a really good mashed potato shop... you'd get much more bang for your buck (in terms of filling you up), you could have all sorts of flavours & toppings (sell it in those boxes that can handle gravy), and the kitchen side would be a relative doddle.

Did I mention that I really really like good mash? Not too fluffy, not too emulsified, just right, somewhere in the middle, with enough butter, cream & seasoning.

Quite a few places like this although they often focus on pies as well

briantrumpet

That would my USP - no straying from the spud-centric path, no pandering to people who don't worship the terrific tuber as the star attraction.

pangolin

https://makarsmash.com/

Awful lot of non mash on their menu though.

briantrumpet

pangolin said:

https://makarsmash.com/

Awful lot of non mash on their menu though.

See, no confidence in the food of the gods that they are supposedly focused on.

You can even have potato desserts...

https://www.tastingtable.com/1313006/ways-eat-a-potato-for-dessert/

briantrumpet

Also, I'd want to make it as cheap as chips (boom boom), so people can have a nutritious and tasty meal, not pretending to be cordon bleu... keep the menu simple, have (say) four variations for main and dessert each day, and rotate the menu, so people come back for that 'Menu du jour' (or Pomme de terre du jour') experience of trusting the chef to offer something good every day.

You could also feature different varieties of spud at different times, to get punters really excited.

Pross

pangolin said:

briantrumpet said:

I was just about to post this in the 'Learnt' thread in response to crisps, but I'll put it here instead...

I reckon you could make a business out of a really good mashed potato shop... you'd get much more bang for your buck (in terms of filling you up), you could have all sorts of flavours & toppings (sell it in those boxes that can handle gravy), and the kitchen side would be a relative doddle.

Did I mention that I really really like good mash? Not too fluffy, not too emulsified, just right, somewhere in the middle, with enough butter, cream & seasoning.

Clifton sausage in Bristol has a mash of the day.

Pieminister?

Both have strayed from the pure potato path though.

There used to be a Pieminster in Clifton too didn’t there? I worked in Berkeley Square and it was just around the corner at the top of Park Street. I spent way too much on lunches there.

Pross

briantrumpet said:

Also, I'd want to make it as cheap as chips (boom boom), so people can have a nutritious and tasty meal, not pretending to be cordon bleu... keep the menu simple, have (say) four variations for main and dessert each day, and rotate the menu, so people come back for that 'Menu du jour' (or Pomme de terre du jour') experience of trusting the chef to offer something good every day.

You could also feature different varieties of spud at different times, to get punters really excited.

I can see it being like the Spam sketch on Monty Python.

pangolin

Pross said:

pangolin said:

briantrumpet said:

I was just about to post this in the 'Learnt' thread in response to crisps, but I'll put it here instead...

I reckon you could make a business out of a really good mashed potato shop... you'd get much more bang for your buck (in terms of filling you up), you could have all sorts of flavours & toppings (sell it in those boxes that can handle gravy), and the kitchen side would be a relative doddle.

Did I mention that I really really like good mash? Not too fluffy, not too emulsified, just right, somewhere in the middle, with enough butter, cream & seasoning.

Clifton sausage in Bristol has a mash of the day.

Pieminister?

Both have strayed from the pure potato path though.

There used to be a Pieminster in Clifton too didn’t there? I worked in Berkeley Square and it was just around the corner at the top of Park Street. I spent way too much on lunches there.

Yeah there's a few around. I used to work on the Triangle up there too, few good places to eat but not great for the wallet as you say.

Pross

pangolin said:

Pross said:

pangolin said:

briantrumpet said:

I was just about to post this in the 'Learnt' thread in response to crisps, but I'll put it here instead...

I reckon you could make a business out of a really good mashed potato shop... you'd get much more bang for your buck (in terms of filling you up), you could have all sorts of flavours & toppings (sell it in those boxes that can handle gravy), and the kitchen side would be a relative doddle.

Did I mention that I really really like good mash? Not too fluffy, not too emulsified, just right, somewhere in the middle, with enough butter, cream & seasoning.

Clifton sausage in Bristol has a mash of the day.

Pieminister?

Both have strayed from the pure potato path though.

There used to be a Pieminster in Clifton too didn’t there? I worked in Berkeley Square and it was just around the corner at the top of Park Street. I spent way too much on lunches there.

Yeah there's a few around. I used to work on the Triangle up there too, few good places to eat but not great for the wallet as you say.

There was a really good jacket potato shop on the Triangle but it changed to Magic Roll which I didn’t like. The place around the other side opposite what is now Sainsbury’s (deli place with a take away at the back) did good toasties.

briantrumpet

Pross said:

briantrumpet said:

Also, I'd want to make it as cheap as chips (boom boom), so people can have a nutritious and tasty meal, not pretending to be cordon bleu... keep the menu simple, have (say) four variations for main and dessert each day, and rotate the menu, so people come back for that 'Menu du jour' (or Pomme de terre du jour') experience of trusting the chef to offer something good every day.

You could also feature different varieties of spud at different times, to get punters really excited.

I can see it being like the Spam sketch on Monty Python.

The fact that that is still cited suggests that my marketing would stick in people's minds.

Might even end up with a film called Mashalot.

In fact, maybe that's the name of the business... 🤔

briantrumpet

Pross said:

pangolin said:

Pross said:

pangolin said:

briantrumpet said:

I was just about to post this in the 'Learnt' thread in response to crisps, but I'll put it here instead...

I reckon you could make a business out of a really good mashed potato shop... you'd get much more bang for your buck (in terms of filling you up), you could have all sorts of flavours & toppings (sell it in those boxes that can handle gravy), and the kitchen side would be a relative doddle.

Did I mention that I really really like good mash? Not too fluffy, not too emulsified, just right, somewhere in the middle, with enough butter, cream & seasoning.

Clifton sausage in Bristol has a mash of the day.

Pieminister?

Both have strayed from the pure potato path though.

There used to be a Pieminster in Clifton too didn’t there? I worked in Berkeley Square and it was just around the corner at the top of Park Street. I spent way too much on lunches there.

Yeah there's a few around. I used to work on the Triangle up there too, few good places to eat but not great for the wallet as you say.

There was a really good jacket potato shop on the Triangle but it changed to Magic Roll which I didn’t like. The place around the other side opposite what is now Sainsbury’s (deli place with a take away at the back) did good toasties.

The first jacket potato shop I was aware of was one on Park Street just as it turned towards The Centre near the cathedral... became a bit of a thing with pupils from school for a while... that would have been late 70s.

pblakeney

briantrumpet said:

Pross said:

pangolin said:

Pross said:

pangolin said:

briantrumpet said:

I was just about to post this in the 'Learnt' thread in response to crisps, but I'll put it here instead...

I reckon you could make a business out of a really good mashed potato shop... you'd get much more bang for your buck (in terms of filling you up), you could have all sorts of flavours & toppings (sell it in those boxes that can handle gravy), and the kitchen side would be a relative doddle.

Did I mention that I really really like good mash? Not too fluffy, not too emulsified, just right, somewhere in the middle, with enough butter, cream & seasoning.

Clifton sausage in Bristol has a mash of the day.

Pieminister?

Both have strayed from the pure potato path though.

There used to be a Pieminster in Clifton too didn’t there? I worked in Berkeley Square and it was just around the corner at the top of Park Street. I spent way too much on lunches there.

Yeah there's a few around. I used to work on the Triangle up there too, few good places to eat but not great for the wallet as you say.

There was a really good jacket potato shop on the Triangle but it changed to Magic Roll which I didn’t like. The place around the other side opposite what is now Sainsbury’s (deli place with a take away at the back) did good toasties.

The first jacket potato shop I was aware of was one on Park Street just as it turned towards The Centre near the cathedral... became a bit of a thing with pupils from school for a while... that would have been late 70s.

Spuds-U-Like was a chain around then, I think.

briantrumpet

pblakeney said:

briantrumpet said:

Pross said:

pangolin said:

Pross said:

pangolin said:

briantrumpet said:

I was just about to post this in the 'Learnt' thread in response to crisps, but I'll put it here instead...

I reckon you could make a business out of a really good mashed potato shop... you'd get much more bang for your buck (in terms of filling you up), you could have all sorts of flavours & toppings (sell it in those boxes that can handle gravy), and the kitchen side would be a relative doddle.

Did I mention that I really really like good mash? Not too fluffy, not too emulsified, just right, somewhere in the middle, with enough butter, cream & seasoning.

Clifton sausage in Bristol has a mash of the day.

Pieminister?

Both have strayed from the pure potato path though.

There used to be a Pieminster in Clifton too didn’t there? I worked in Berkeley Square and it was just around the corner at the top of Park Street. I spent way too much on lunches there.

Yeah there's a few around. I used to work on the Triangle up there too, few good places to eat but not great for the wallet as you say.

There was a really good jacket potato shop on the Triangle but it changed to Magic Roll which I didn’t like. The place around the other side opposite what is now Sainsbury’s (deli place with a take away at the back) did good toasties.

The first jacket potato shop I was aware of was one on Park Street just as it turned towards The Centre near the cathedral... became a bit of a thing with pupils from school for a while... that would have been late 70s.

Spuds-U-Like was a chain around then, I think.

That's the one. Well, in the singular.

pblakeney

Close enough! 😉
Not bad for an old sod with a failing memory. 🤣

Pross

Only ever went to one of them. It was in one of those outlet shopping places just off the M1 up near Mansfield on my way back from a site meeting aroun 15 years ago. Wasn’t impressed.

briantrumpet

Pross said:

Only ever went to one of them. It was in one of those outlet shopping places just off the M1 up near Mansfield on my way back from a site meeting aroun 15 years ago. Wasn’t impressed.

I think the novelty wore off.

Anyway, much easier to eat mashed potato out of the box with just a fork.

pblakeney

Pross said:

Only ever went to one of them. It was in one of those outlet shopping places just off the M1 up near Mansfield on my way back from a site meeting aroun 15 years ago. Wasn’t impressed.

That's a fair comment. I found one around the same time, it was a poor imitation.
Either the originals were much better, rose tinted glasses, or easier pleased.
I remember bigger potatoes, fluffy on the inside, crispy on the outside and loads of filling. Oh, and loads of real butter.

Pross

pblakeney said:

Pross said:

Only ever went to one of them. It was in one of those outlet shopping places just off the M1 up near Mansfield on my way back from a site meeting aroun 15 years ago. Wasn’t impressed.

That's a fair comment. I found one around the same time, it was a poor imitation.
Either the originals were much better, rose tinted glasses, or easier pleased.
I remember bigger potatoes, fluffy on the inside, crispy on the outside and loads of filling. Oh, and loads of real butter.

Most places that do them now seem to microwave them or at least reheat them in a microwave. I’ve got a good place in my village but make a decent one myself, one of the joys of WFH is being able to one for lunch although I usually forget to chuck one in the oven early enough.

I would also be in the queue for Brian’s shop when it opens. I assume there’ll be options of mushy peas and gravy with his mash. Or cold with Branson pickle on the side. Getting hungry now!

rjsterry

Has Brian not just reinvented the pie and mash shop?

TheBigBean

rjsterry said:

Has Brian not just reinvented the pie and mash shop?

He wants the mash and mash shop.

surrey_commuter

Pross said:

pblakeney said:

Pross said:

Only ever went to one of them. It was in one of those outlet shopping places just off the M1 up near Mansfield on my way back from a site meeting aroun 15 years ago. Wasn’t impressed.

That's a fair comment. I found one around the same time, it was a poor imitation.
Either the originals were much better, rose tinted glasses, or easier pleased.
I remember bigger potatoes, fluffy on the inside, crispy on the outside and loads of filling. Oh, and loads of real butter.

Most places that do them now seem to microwave them or at least reheat them in a microwave. I’ve got a good place in my village but make a decent one myself, one of the joys of WFH is being able to one for lunch although I usually forget to chuck one in the oven early enough.

I would also be in the queue for Brian’s shop when it opens. I assume there’ll be options of mushy peas and gravy with his mash. Or cold with Branson pickle on the side. Getting hungry now!

there will be no peas, gravy or branston in Brian's shop

briantrumpet

surrey_commuter said:

Pross said:

pblakeney said:

Pross said:

Only ever went to one of them. It was in one of those outlet shopping places just off the M1 up near Mansfield on my way back from a site meeting aroun 15 years ago. Wasn’t impressed.

That's a fair comment. I found one around the same time, it was a poor imitation.
Either the originals were much better, rose tinted glasses, or easier pleased.
I remember bigger potatoes, fluffy on the inside, crispy on the outside and loads of filling. Oh, and loads of real butter.

Most places that do them now seem to microwave them or at least reheat them in a microwave. I’ve got a good place in my village but make a decent one myself, one of the joys of WFH is being able to one for lunch although I usually forget to chuck one in the oven early enough.

I would also be in the queue for Brian’s shop when it opens. I assume there’ll be options of mushy peas and gravy with his mash. Or cold with Branson pickle on the side. Getting hungry now!

there will be no peas, gravy or branston in Brian's shop

I would allow those, but anything that goes in the box would be a sideshow, not the main attraction. When mash is done really well, it merits the spotlight. It would have to be lip-smackingly good every time for repeat custom.

webboo

briantrumpet said:

surrey_commuter said:

Pross said:

pblakeney said:

Pross said:

Only ever went to one of them. It was in one of those outlet shopping places just off the M1 up near Mansfield on my way back from a site meeting aroun 15 years ago. Wasn’t impressed.

That's a fair comment. I found one around the same time, it was a poor imitation.
Either the originals were much better, rose tinted glasses, or easier pleased.
I remember bigger potatoes, fluffy on the inside, crispy on the outside and loads of filling. Oh, and loads of real butter.

Most places that do them now seem to microwave them or at least reheat them in a microwave. I’ve got a good place in my village but make a decent one myself, one of the joys of WFH is being able to one for lunch although I usually forget to chuck one in the oven early enough.

I would also be in the queue for Brian’s shop when it opens. I assume there’ll be options of mushy peas and gravy with his mash. Or cold with Branson pickle on the side. Getting hungry now!

there will be no peas, gravy or branston in Brian's shop

I would allow those, but anything that goes in the box would be a sideshow, not the main attraction. When mash is done really well, it merits the spotlight. It would have to be lip-smackingly good every time for repeat custom.

Whilst mash potato can be nice, who would pick it over chips except on health grounds.