h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

But being on a diet means that it is quite boring at the moment. If I was more proactive I would get up and make pack lunches which are infinitely preferable (and cheaper) then buying lunch from shops.

Non diet - I love cheese on toast.
Diet - it is normally a sandwich at the moment though I am looking for recipes for pasta salads and couscous. But spicy is good!

At the weekend, there is nothing better then a really yummy brunch. My favourite is definitely French Toast with bacon, banana and maple syrup and a steaming hot mug of tea. Bliss.

I love Sunday lunches that happen more by accident than design, particuarly in the Summer.

You wake up to a sunny day, nip down to the supermarket for some meat for the bbq, large mushrooms and goats cheese for the veggie, lemonade for the Pimms, Old Speckled Hen for the sons, etc.

With any luck it is still fine by lunchtime so that you can all eat in the garden and spend the rest of the afternoon lazing around and chatting under the cherry tree.

Last time we ended up having philosophical discussion with the sons whilst getting gently mellow. Wonderful and treasured moments as they will be leaving home in the near future.

I love lunchtime. Working in an EU institution means the canteen is cheap, and does a wide range of foods since they're catering to people from all over Europe. I usually go for the salad bar which has great delicacies like stuffed vine leaves, asparagus, and my favourite tomato mozarella and basil salad. There's also always green and black olives, picked onions and gherkins. The desserts are fabulous. As you'd expect so near Belgium, the choclate ones are to die for, but there's always a good choice of fruit - fresh strawberries, grapes, watermelon, pineapple. Plus a delicious cold baked apple in caramel sauce.

I try to get a quick walk in the fresh air after lunch, to blow away the cobwebs.

I adore lunch. Abi, for a nice spicy pasta salad, why not try mixing mayonnaise with some curry powder (not too much or the flavour of raw curry powder becomes unpleasant, but a moderate amount is very nice indeed), and then mixing cold cooked pasta with that? Add cooked sweetcorn kernels and cooked chicken shreds as well for a bit of bulk, variety and some all-important nutrients. Lovely!

Anyway, lunch rocks...

Curry paste avoids the uncooked flavour of curry powder and a dollop of mango chutney adds a bit of sweeteness.

This is beginning to sound like the H2G2 Dinner Club

Hmm, interesting. I have to add that I never find the taste of the curry powder unpleasant - one just has to be subtle.

I wonder if it would work with chilli...

Hi Abi

Thanks very much for joining in the discussion. As the talking point says the BBC are making a big series about food at the moment - The Nation's Favourite Food - and as part of that I'm researching a programme on lunch. It would be good to have a quick chat with you if you had time - your weekend brunch sounds fantastic. If you like you could call me on either of my numbers - [Details removed by Moderator](office) or [Personal details removed by Moderator](mobile - any time) that would be great and of course I'll call you back. Or - if you prefer you could email me your number - I'm at [email protected].

Either way have a good weekend (and hopefully sunny) -

Best wishes

Emma
Emma Parkins
BBC Factual and Learning

Hello -

Thanks very much for joining in the discussion. As the talking point says the BBC are making a big series about food at the moment - The Nation's Favourite Food - and as part of that I'm researching a programme on lunch. It would be good to have a quick chat with you if you had time - we are looking for people who are into pasta. If you like you could call me on either of my work numbers - [Details removed by Moderator](office) or [Personal details removed by Moderator](mobile) - of course I'll call you back. Or - if you prefer you could email me - I'm at [email protected].

Either way have a good weekend -

Best wishes

Emma
Emma Parkins
BBC Factual and Learning

* blinks *

What was the second one for?

Abi - if you want a good recipie for couscous salad I posted one in the Salads topic last week. You should still be able to see the link from my homepage

Just bookmarking...

Oh yes, the other thing essential for a good lunch from time to time - the bacon sandwich.

Does anyone else agree that bacon sandwiches have to be one of the most fantastic things in the entire world? Nice, crispy grilled bacon in fresh granary bread... livened up if you like with tomato ketchup, brown sauce or my personal favourite - chilli sauce.

Or have bacon with brie or camembert, and let the cheese melt a bit before eating. Putting this in a warmed baguette works excellently. Serve with salad. Lots and lots of salad.

I took the liberty of adding the Salads page to the Library in the H2G2 Dinner Club.

A538779

Reply to Posting 9

Maw I think if you re-read the first one you will find it was addressed to me!

The first one was, yes... but the second one had bits missing! Oh well...

Lunch, for me, is THE meal of the day.
Breackfast, (if it occurs), is quick, and coffee and toast.
Evening meals, are often a drag, often the last thing you want to do, turn around and cook a meal, and frequently therefore end up being take-away, or junk food from freezer (burgers/pizza/frozen pies/chips etc).

Lunch, on the other hand is all.

And, yes, Bacon sandwiches are heaven
*whistfully drifts off into a daydream of That* bacon sandwich, the one bacon sandwich that was truely perfect but in the past,

The soft cheese with bacon is good: french bread/crispy rolls(long)), cook bacon, till crisp, put in french bread, (no butter/marg on french bread needed), add lumps/chunks of soft cheese (chedder just about works actually), put in micro and zap till cheese melted

*drifts off again...

Soup, at lunch is good.
omelettes,
Fried egg and bacon sandwiches.
boiled eggs.
Scrambled egg.
pasta salid...
sandwiches, cheese, spring onion, mayo lettice...

*can't stand any more; rushes off for lunch!

Oh, omelettes!! Omelettes!!!

* is caught up in rhapsody of delight *

wooo: that was ONE long* lunch break *erects sign saying
"gone to lunch"

Yes, just about time for the next one I think...


Maybe there should be a sandwich smiley.

*back fromlunch