The Good Life
Looking Danewards
.Pamela VaAdyke Price.
Well-disposed tourists in Britain comment that they wish We wouldn't run ourselves down. But the one-eighth of me that is French cannot resist giving l'Albion perfide the occasional criticism, hopeless though one knows it to be. We decry 'those filthy foreigners '; yet as I write the streets of Kensington are more encrusted with pigeon droppings, dog excrement, papers and cans than I've ever noted in the backstreets of Palermo or Naples. We love animals: night after night a huge hound bays miserably from a nearby flat, people lug mini-dogs underfoot in shops, and I recently had to get out of the way of a car virtually propelled by five Labradors frollicking within — the woman at the wheel could control neither them nor it.
Latest diplomatic revelations are to the effect that the boring spy, Philby, was not merely a drunkard (therefore ungastronomic), but could scarcely utter because of some speech impediment. So of COURSE British SubIntelligence recruited him for confidential work in which it might have been assumed that the ability both to shut one's mouth on some occasions and at least pronounce the English language when, on others, one opened it, would have been basic requisites.
This week, hard upon (as historical novels and Horatio rather vulgarly say) the appointment of someone supposed to protect consumer interests — which, unless he can control winds, tides, rains. sunshine, the population and the wish of some persons to make money, would appear a Canutelike endeavour — comes information about a product so unnecessary that it qualifies for inclusion in my collection of Gems of Lig. The " laminated foil sachets " of this stuff contain " actual dried fruit juice and (it) has all the qualities of real fruit juice in appearance, taste, aroma and consistency. It is also enriched with vitamin C." If supposedly literate persons are silly enough to buy such things instead of a piece of fruit then surely they deserve penalising rather than protecting?
Our Viking ancestors, one feels — for a good thing about being multi-race British is that one has all sorts of forebears — might have treated such commodities and persons with a prolonged spear-prod. They are practical people and gastronomic as well. The open sandwich, good to look at and making mickle of little, is one of the gastronomic creations of this century. Danish food seems planned for people who haven't much space, who haven't any staff or, indeed, inclination to cook spasmodically throughout an evening's hospitality, and whose resources for entertaining are limited. Nor is there any problem about buying — at fair, but
not necessarily high prices the open sandwiches a working household hasn't time to prepare.
The Danish Food Centres, in London, Birmingham and Man chester have, during recent years, built up a faithful public, who find their take-home foods as practical in the household of a young married couple as they were when bought for eating in an office or on a park bench. Their food leaflets are as well designed as might be expected from people whose achievements in furniture and furnishings make any good Danish store an inspiration; if you want refreshment as regards table settings, you have only to see any of those on display at the Royal Copenhagen Porcelain Company, or any shop specialising in Danish wares — to me, they are as creative and exciting in table settings as the French are in fashions and the Italians in fabrics.
The latest publication from the Danish Centre is a 128 page paperback, Meal Ideas with Danish Bacon (30p but available for a limited time for 15p)..This is a topical book, because bacon is es sentially economical as there is virtually no wastage. The Danish Guide to Danish Party Foods (30p) is a reprint of a book already popular — the Danwich is an open sandwich. Instructions for making them are detailed but not complicated, although in Den. mark the qualified 'sandwich maid' must. undeque_ a five year training period. This book also gives recipes for the Danish Koldt Bord, which actually includes hot dishes (perhaps we got our nonsequitur temperaments from those Vikings?). The Danish Centres also have free leaflets,. All About Danablu, Danish blue cheese recipes, Cooking with Bacon, More Buttery Ways with Lurpak, Quick 'n' Easy Bacon Meals, At Home with the Dan-. wich and Good Taste in Danish Cheese, each of them pretty to the eye and helpful apropos the budget. The fact that most of the recipes are admirable for buffet parties, picnic food and can be prepared by those members of the family old enough to be entrusted with the use of a knife makes them even more useful at holiday time.
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