Remember the good old days when you could wander into a chipper without a care in the world or worries about high cholesterol, obesity, or high blood pressure and order one, or maybe even two batterburgers or spiceburgers and a large bag of chips?
Not any more, at least in the case of the spice burger, which has just been consigned to the food graveyard.
Spice burgers were one of the few classic dishes that Ireland gave to world cuisine. Granted, they never feature on the menu in Zunis or La Campagne, but if they were called “Herb and beef cakes in a red wine jus, served with home cut deep fried organic potatoes,” they'd fly out of the kitchen. They've been on the market since the early 1950s and were the first product manufactured/invented by Walsh Family Foods. Maurice Walsh was a butcher in Glasnevin and it was at the rear of his shop that the spice burger was born. I presume he was just wondering what to do with the pieces of cow that nobody would buy or eat which spurred him into coming up with this tasty concoction that's described as “a delicious blend of Irish beef, onions, cereals, herbs and spices coated with traditional outer crumb.” What a great idea. Just chop or mince the bits up and mix it with some herbs and spices so that nobody knows what the hell they're eating, especially after a few pints on a Saturday night.
They didn't rest with the spice burger, but went on to produce garlic mushrooms, burgers and the good old onion ring, it's a wonder nobody has sued them for causing obesity or a heart attack Now this culinary empire is no more with over 50 people added to the dole queue. Pleas to Enterprise Ireland were ignored. There's plenty of money for the developers and the banks, but none for the poor old spice burger. “They didn’t want to know,” said an internal company source. “It’s a sad tale.”
It sure is. The new generation prefers a soggy pizza in a cardboard box to the delights of the deep fried spiced burger. I don't know how long the batter burger will survive, so go out and grab one while you can and bite into that delicious, greasy batter before it's too late.
It’s a man’s world
Father's Day has come and gone. It doesn't get half the hype of the Mother's Day equivalent, we're obviously not taken very seriously by the marketing gurus. Another bottle of aftershave, socks or balls for the golfers is the usual choice. American comedian, Bill Cosby, put it well. “Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope.” Another piece of sound advice for fathers to remember at any time of year is “Never raise your hand to your kids. It leaves your groin unprotected.”
Tesco made an effort to get away from the usual range of gifts with their Father's Day ad on radio last week. It’s big promotion for the occasion was a dinner for two, including a bottle of wine, a main course and dessert, for €11.50. For Mother's Day there were also sorts of special menus in the hotels and restaurants, but all we get is a microwaved dinner from Tesco and a bottle of plonk.
With no Tesco in Kilkenny it was hardly worth driving to Carlow or Waterford to collect that offer, which values us at €5.75 per head. That would probably just about buy you a pint and a packet of dry roasted peanuts. I think I'd settle for the pint and peanuts option.
Meanwhile over at Facebook
I've been keeping away from Facebook since the end of the Rhythm and Roots festival, but every now and again I have a look to see what the big issues of the day are. Nothing much has changed, just the usual musings like this one from a friend in Dublin:
“Saw a flock of homing pigeons flying in unison around and around on the way home from the train and thought it was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen.”
I just had to reply to that:
“Pigeons on the way home from the train, could they not fly?”
The reply back was:
“JC! Good to see those grinds you took during the Cat Laughs didn't go to waste!”
I did send out a message myself on Facebook, informing everyone that the wonderful Sunday World newspaper had sent their Pub Spy to visit four pubs on Parliament Street, Cleeres, O'Riadas, The Pumphouse and Phelans. They passed the Pub Spy test with flying colours, with all four receiving four coveted pint symbols out of five. I think I'll head down with my €5.75 to celebrate.
