Eating cheaply in England

When you are visiting England, there are a lot of expenses, just as there would be on a vacation in any country. You need to pay for your accommodations, your transportation and of course you need to eat. Eating can be expensive, but there are always ways to stick to your budget and still manage to eat well.  It is not all that hard to eat cheaply in England if you are creative.

Picnic

One way to dine on a budget is to pick up the makings of a picnic. It is always less expensive to make your own meal than to buy a meal already made in a restaurant. Depending on the time of year, this may be a picnic in your hotel room or one that you enjoy in the great outdoors. The makings for your picnic can be purchased at a farmer’s market or at the local Tesco or Sainsbury. They have prepared foods such as roasted chicken or chicken curry. You can get fresh salads, fruits, sandwiches and a whole lot more. If you want to make a traditional picnic a loaf of French bread, some cheese such as Brie or cheddar, apples or pears and a bottle of wine or sparkling water will be inexpensive and delicious.

Sandwiches

Sandwiches were invented by the Earl of Sandwich so it is not surprising that you can get a good sandwich almost anywhere in England. You can, of course, go to a local tea room or restaurant for your sandwich but you can also go to most grocery stores and even to gas stations that have a store. Even though you are thinking, sandwiches at a gas station can’t be any good, I must tell you that you are wrong. You will find an excellent selection on a wide variety of bread and rolls with very delicious fillings. Add a bag of Walker crisps and a drink and you have a very inexpensive lunch or dinner. If you want to try something you won’t find at home, try the coronation chicken.

Pasty

Pasties are available at pasty shops, bakeries, grocery stores and well just about everywhere. They are a turnover filled with a variety of delicious meats and vegetables and even fruit. Traditionally it is beef, potatoes and a root vegetable with gravy. It can also be lamb or chicken and may or may not have curry as a flavor. Newer versions may also include cheese.  My favorite is lamb and apricot.

Pubs

With the advent of the gastro-pub, dining has been taken to a whole new level at many pubs. The downside is that prices have also risen. One of the best deals in town, however, is the Sunday carvery at many pubs. This can be a buffet or it can be a sit-down meal but it will include among other things roast beef, Yorkshire pudding and all the fixings at very reasonable prices. Keep in mind that having a brew in a pub is often much more economical than a soft drink and also larger. 

Museums

Many museums have a cafe where they serve anything from just snacks to full meals. Most of them are extremely reasonable. Check the prices before you order however since not all museum cafes are created equal.

Bed and breakfast

One way to guarantee that you will have a full stomach as you begin your day is to choose to stay at a bed and breakfast. You will begin your day with the traditional English breakfast in many cases and the fried eggs, bacon, mushrooms, fried bread and tomatoes served with toast will hold you in many cases until dinner. Some hotels also include breakfast in the rate which is very budget friendly.

When you are looking for a reasonably priced meal, don’t be afraid to ask the locals where the inexpensive restaurants are located. Often they are not where tourists usually go and you might not find them on your own. To eat cheaply in England and stick to a budget may take a little work but it will be a tasty job.

My Take on Hamburger Steak

Yesterday, I thawed out two hamburger patties. I don't have any burger rolls so I decided to try to come up with another option. I always have Simply Mashed Potatoes in the fridge so I decided to make something with a beefy type gravy. 

I started by slicing up a large Vidalia onion and sauteing it in olive oil. I sprinkled on a little steak seasoning while it was softening up. Now, how to create the gravy? I added one Knorr beef stock pod and about 1/4 cup of water. I added a tablespoon of gravy master and half a bag of dry onion soup mix. I added an additional half cup of water at this point. I let this simmer on low while I warmed up the mashed potatoes and cooked the hamburgers. 

I would have preferred to have beefy onion soup mix but unfortunately, I did not have any. I was quite pleased with the way this came out. The gravy was a little salty so I will need to work on that but otherwise, it was quite good. Here is another way to use thawed hamburger. 

Dining at the Red Lion in Stockbridge, Mass.

Staying at the Red Lion is wonderful, but you don't have to stay there to enjoy dining there. While we were eating our anniversary dinner, we saw many people enter through the front door and either come to the dining room or head to the pub and outdoor dining. 

I was afraid when I booked at the Red Lion that the dining room would be formal, I need not have worried, While there are white tablecloths and candles, the dress code is casual, perhaps a little more business casual but you certainly can be dressed with your regular clothes.  

We had two meals at the Red Lion, dinner and breakfast. I had checked the menu ahead of time and knew that I wanted to eat in the dining room to take advantage of the roasts. They offer prime rib and turkey. The perfect combination for Al and me. We had reservations for 6 p.m. and arrived at the correct time. We were given a table along the wall and had our water and bread quickly. We ordered the meals and within 15 minutes our full plates were in front of us. I have never seen an entree served that quickly. It might be that we didn't order appetizers that resulted in the quick service but it was still impressive. 

Al's prime rib was cooked perfectly and served with mashed potatoes, a pop over the size of his head and green beans. My turkey was Thanksgiving on a plate. The food was excellent, well prepared and delicious. Honestly, we were almost too full for dessert but it was our 50th-anniversary rehearsal dinner so we decided to be brave and go for dessert. 

I ordered a coconut pannacotta and a cappuccino and Al got the apple pie. I can say with confidence that neither of us was disappointed. 

We came down to breakfast after 9 a.m and were given a table by the window. It was actually very nice to be able to enjoy the outdoor view. 

 We started with coffee and it was delicious, so smooth. It is roasted in Great Barrington so a local brand. 

I had two fried eggs over medium, this was the only disappointment I had with the dining experience here. As you can see in the picture, one of my eggs had a hard yoke. I always find it disappointing when a chef sends this out to a customer, did they expect I wouldn't notice? Well,  I did notice!! The homefries are unique and quite delicious and I loved my toast. 

Al's omelet was quite perfect. 

Our waitress was new, you could tell but she was very friendly and gave us good service. 

Spanish stuffed peppers

Stop and Shop had peppers on sale for $1 each, all the colors. I decided to buy two yellow ones with the correct shape to make stuffed peppers. I like to make stuffed peppers cutting the peppers from top to bottom so they lay flat not standing up. This was the first time I tried Spanish stuffed peppers.

I bought some quick-cooking rice but on the night I decided to make the stuffed peppers I remembered that I had a package of Spanish rice that was at its expiration date. I decided to mix the package into my pound of hamburger. Thus Spanish stuffed peppers.


What you need:


Peppers

1/4 pound of ground meat per half pepper (you can use the meat of your choice)

1 large can tomato puree

Garlic Garni spice (from Gilroy Garlic Festival)

13 by 9 pan

Turn the oven on to 375 degrees




Cut the peppers and clean. Put the ground meat into a bowl and pour the entire package into the bowl with the meal. I used Knorr. I like to use my hands for this part, I knead it with my hands until it is all incorporated. Scoop up a handful and place it in the pepper. Continue until the meat mixture has all been used.

Open the can of puree and pour it over the peppers. Sprinkle with the spice. Spoon more sauce over the peppers. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and cook for one hour.

I was surprised at how easy and delicious Spanish stiffed peppers were. It was also a very good bargain. You can certainly feed a family quite inexpensively with this recipe.

Latitude 43 Gloucester, MA.

Located on Rogers Street, directly on the waterfront in Gloucester, Latitude 43 is a popular local restaurant that offers a variety of dining options. Coming highly recommended by the docent at the Sargent House, dinner here was a greatly anticipated event.

Parking on Rogers Street can be difficult. On Thursday night a bank parking lot became the obvious choice but having to dine with the possibility that one’s car may be towed is less than perfect. Latitude 43 has its own parking lot, small but with an early reservation a spot was available. That took a lot of stress out of what should be a relaxed dining experience. 

Three dining options are offered here, the pub, the sushi pit, and the restaurant. This writer was in the restaurant. An outdoor deck is available but thundershowers were predicted and did occur during the meal so the indoor option was a good choice. The entire wall is glass however so boats and glimpses of water are offered. At one point, the entire sky was filled with seagulls, it was quite impressive.

The choices are extensive here and not all of them are seafood, steak, chicken, pork, and pasta are also offered. While there were no specials, there is the Baked Local Day Boat Fish and on this day it was haddock with crumbs and beurre blanc, boiled red potatoes, and seasonal vegetables.

The starters are eclectic and offer some excellent choices. This couple tried the fried oysters which are served with Creole aioli and the watermelon salad which includes marinated feta and baby arugula in addition to the watermelon. Both were satisfying choices. The oysters were succulent, cover in a light breading and so juicy they literally burst in your mouth. The watermelon salad was very refreshing with the salty feta and the peppery arugula lightly dressed with an orange chili dressing.

#latitude43gloucester

Service was excellent from the minute the restaurant was entered. Drinks were received quickly, orders were taken in a timely fashion; the waiter was well informed about all the menu items. It was a lovely experience.

For entrees, the salmon with pineapple salsa, sweet potato and spinach and the day boat fish were ordered. The fish was excellent on both plates, the salsa has quite spicy and added a nice flavor. The vegetables except for the spinach were a little undercooked. Keeping the color is one thing, but in a potato, hard is hard and not all that appealing. It was a small flaw in an otherwise excellent meal.

One bite of the key lime pie and strawberry shortcake and all was forgiven. The key lime is killer, so tart and sprinkled with coconut and the strawberry shortcake, made with fresh strawberries and real whipped cream was perfect, there is just is not another word for it.

It was a very fine meal with great service in a restaurant that knows how to provide a good time. Latitude 43 would be a perfect restaurant for a first date or a special occasion. There was soft music playing, the tables are far enough apart for quiet conversation and there are plenty of drinks and food choices. 

The patrons run the gamut from families with children to seniors, young adults, and girlfriends. Some people were dressed to the nines and others were in short and tanks, the important thing was, no one felt out of place. It is all good here. Casual yet sophisticated, comfortable but with that special something. It is a place you will want to return to again and again.

Cal's Place Belleview Florida

If you are looking for a fancy place for breakfast or lunch, keep on looking but if you are looking for good food, lots of locals and great service, then come on down to Cal's Place. We ate lunch here on a warm March day and now we understand why the locals have made this such a popular place. 

I ordered a patty melt, it is one of my favorite things to order on a first visit, it is hard to screw up I always figure. I didn't have to worry here, the patty melt was everything it should have been,  nice juicy burger on rye bread with cheese and grilled onions. Al got a tuna melt.  When he doesn't know what he is in the mood for that is what he gets. He was completely satisfied. French fries are pedestrian just the typical frozen ones.

My brother and sister in law both got the Reuben, it is their favorite lunch here and this is where they come when they are in the mood for one.  

I really liked their coleslaw and I am not easy to please. I had a half and half tea with my meal and including tip, all four of us ate our fill for about $45 including a generous tip. 

How to boil pasta

Italian cuisine is one of the most popular in the world. Many Italian dishes call for pasta. It is a relatively simple thing to do, boil pasta. And yet, there is an art to making it perfectly every time. Many recipes call for al dente pasta. It is all too easy to end up with a sticky, soggy mess. Here are a few tips to help you have perfect pasta every time. It isn't so hard to learn how to boil pasta.

Many types of pasta are available.  You can choose macaroni, spaghetti, lasagna, tortellini and many, many more. Boiling all of these types of pasta is different. Some cook very quickly and others take longer. It is very important to read the package directions for suggestions about the length of boiling time. The time may not be exact but it gives you a place to start.

If you are cooking a pound of pasta, you need at least a five or six-quart pan to hold the water. You will need four to five quarts of water to cook a pound of pasta. Especially if you are cooking long pasta like spaghetti or linguini you need to make sure they will be covered by the water without having to break them.

Add your water to the pan and bring it to a rolling boil. Do this with the temperature at high. You will want to add 1-2 tablespoons of Kosher salt to the water once it has begun to boil. This will not make your pasta salty so don't worry, it will, however, enhance the flavor.

Add the pasta all at once. You want it all to reach the correct texture at the same time. Use a wooden spoon or tongs to give the pasta a quick stir as you place it in the pot. Give it an occasional stir for the first few minutes. This will keep the pasta from sticking to the pan and to the other pieces of pasta.

Read the package directions but only use them as a guide. You need to test a piece two or three minutes before the package says they will be done. If it is still too hard try again in another minute. As soon as it feels right, take the pot off the heat and add a quart of cold water to stop the boiling process. Pour the water and pasta into a colander to drain.

Place the pasta back into the pan off of the heat as soon as possible to retain some of the warmth. Add the sauce of your choice and toss. You are now ready to serve the perfect pasta dish to your family and /or friends. Learning how to boil pasta correctly will serve you well, you can make so many delicious meals once you have this skill mastered.