Many hands make light work

  Because rain stopped play for the early part of yesterday, I had a lot off time to start prepping supper. I had a bit of a grande finale planned and having a little extra time meant I could really go to town with all sorts of details. The meal was to be a beef stew with cauliflower cheese, mange tout, baked potatoes, salad and a dessert of apple crumble.

  Oh yes, if that and all the rest of the food I've mentioned sounds scrummy, it occurred to me that I should let you know that if you want your own chef on holiday with you, rustling up similar things, then get in touch to find out my rates and availability and I'll be happy to make your dream come true.

Well fed, packed and ready for the ride home.

  The most important part was the stew, which I wanted to simmer for ages. The early start meant I browned the meat and set it aside, threw in onions, leeks, garlic, carrots and mushrooms all followed by the return of the beef accompanied by a bottle of red and a load of chicken stock before we had cleared breakfast away. It bubbled away for the whole day until supper, except while we nipped out for an eighty mile round trip for some chips and a pint of milk.

  Even though I made made a ridiculous amount of food, the starving bikers did me proud, polishing off a lot more than any of us expected. Talk around the campfire was that the spread was pretty irresistible. The downside was that the apple crumble only got half eaten, a real wasted opportunity. But I'm not writing this to tell you about how tasty everything was, that's a given. The big realisation I wanted to share was that I had plenty of time and am well practiced so I was able to get everything done but you may not have time and expertise in abundance. So what do you do?

  Slavery is out so a little coercion may be necessary. But before you find yourself at the sharp end of a revolt, let me remind me that the idea of a solitary figure sweating away alone in the kitchen is a new phenomenon. We used to have to cook together because we didn't have easy access to frozen peas, blocks of butter, bags of ready washed baby spinach leaves, jars of jam etc. As well as helping in the kitchen, the helpers were learning how to cook and eventually teaching others. This tradition needs to be resurrected and pronto because the impending catastrophe caused by its death is unthinkable. In short, stop cooking alone. Enlist the help of everyone who is expecting to eat, even if it's just to lay the table. If they don't feel that learning to feed themselves is enough incentive then beat them with a rolling pin to help them understand. (Don't beat anyone with a rolling pin! -Ed.)

Kirk out

Chefsebastian.com