Fred's newsletter 25.5.21
Good morning everyone,
I will start with a couple of important messages: this week we will take orders as normal for the at home menu, but the last order will be taken 12 noon on Wednesday; and we are now opening for table service at l’escargot bleu on Thursdays. We look forward to welcoming you.
I hope you are all keeping well and that the easing of lockdown has helped with meeting your loved ones, friends and family. There are definitely a few more people around and I know some of you have enjoyed a kind of ‘back to normality’ quality time with others.
Last weekend was full of emotions at l’escargot. It is pretty normal in a restaurant to make people happy, and whilst we could see lots of happiness, we could also feel the weight that people had to carry. We got a good sense of how much people have suffered for many months.
We saw emotions, sentiments, sensations, passions and excitements of all sorts as we watched people being reunited and enjoying a bit of a social life again. We saw tears on a few occasions (Betty’s included); tears of joy, tears of tiredness as well as tears of release and relaxation. It was moving. None of us were able to hold it in, and none of us were left unaffected. I cannot express what it felt like; even in the kitchen at the end of the stove I could feel something fairly heavy was tickling me. I am finding it so hard today to explain what it was, or how to share it with you.
It was a busy weekend; we were full on Friday evening and on Saturday at lunch and dinner. We have always taken pride in serving our customers, but this time feels different, like we were giving even more than usual. The desire to interact with our customers is greater than ever, and we need to emphasize this in many ways, by so much more than just by bringing food to the table.
It makes me feel even more strongly that I need to defend healthy, well-sourced food. We should all move toward this and make sure our food is of high quality to look after our health during this tough time. I cannot see it any other way. I don’t want to bore you with the same message on every newsletter, but I am finding it hard not to mention it. Food is at the root of our health: we are what we eat and we should look at what we eat as a nation, as well as individually.
I started smoking again few weeks back. God knows why. I must have convinced myself that it was a good thing and that smoking would help me with the stress of long hours, help me to concentrate when making a decision, and keep me awake when tired. It does bugger all! It does not help with any of the above. All smoking has managed to do is suck some hard-earned cash out of my pocket and make me feel run down.
I believe that is exactly what supermarkets are doing to us by sucking the nutrients and flavour out of food. I am tempted to say that processed, mass-produced, mass-farmed supermarket food is probably as dangerous to our health as tobacco, and I weigh my words carefully. It is my belief that supermarkets and tobacco companies are as bad as each other.
Think of it this way. Why do they spend millions, and I mean MILLIONS, on advertising and lobbying to convince global populations that their products are healthy and nutritious? Word of mouth would have done the job, surely. If the asparagus or chickens from the other side of the world are so good, why do we need to be convinced?
The general brainwashing surrounding all of this makes me tired and angry. The more I fight it, the more I want to do. The more I am looking what is entering my kitchen, the more I read the small print on everything I buy, and the more angry I get! We need to change our food system and our food habits. It is now a matter of urgency to understand what goes into our bodies. Give me three weeks and I will be done with smoking.
There is lovely menu for our take-away this week. Hebridean mutton from Jack and Morna Cuthbert, organic Aberdeen angus beef from Sasha Grierson, Bleu Blanc Coeur label farmed rabbit, freshly-made black pudding (as I am making some for the restaurant as well), fresh crab mayo as nibble or starter, Jersey Royals as a potato treat, tarte au chocolat, a pistachio petit pot, and many more dishes. The Scottish asparagus has been delayed again due to a cold bite up north.
This week’s little story comes from Dorothy, a long-time friend and supporter of l'escargot, who spends a lot of time at her house in rural France. She tells us a bit about her adventure here. Thank you Dorothy, I hope we will catch up very soon on either side of La Manche.
Thank you all for reading, for your messages, and for your ongoing custom.
À bientôt,
Fred