Tuesday 22 January 2013

Strange Habits

Me: 'If you don't mind me asking, why do you eat your dinner like that?'
G: 'Like what?'
Me: 'You know, veg first, chips next, steak last.'
G: 'I like to save the best 'til last; I do it with all my meals.'


I thought, my then colleague, G was a bit of a weirdo. The thing is the steak would be ruined by the time he tucked into it. Being a forthright little so-and-so I let him know, in no uncertain terms, that his best 'til last strategy was a load of bollocks (although, for some reason, I didn't chastise him for the far more heinous crime of ordering his steak well done). Looking back I feel bad at having had a pop at G, as who doesn't have a food habit that others think contrary, odd or rude? I know I do. I probably have several. But there's one habit that friends of mine think is proper weird.

The sausage 'breakwater' as devised by Alan Partridge 
I love a full English breakfast, but I have certain ground rules when it comes to how it's served. I won't bore you with a list, as I'm not that intolerant when it comes to the humble fry-up. That said, it really gets on my tits when the baked beans come into contact with the fried egg. I hate it when this happens, and nothing makes me happier than when the beans are served in a separate container. Failing that, the egg should be at the opposite end of the plate to the beans. At worst, the sausage should act as a breakwater to stop the beans touching the egg (I have the legendary Alan Partridge to thank for that last tip).

Reaction to my behaviour ranges from agreement (one person) through mild bemusement (most people) to those that think I'm a right diva (a significant minority). Yes, I know it's weird, as bean-egg touchage doesn't even really affect the taste of the overall fry-up. But what about you guys? Any of you want to fess up to strange dining habits?

13 comments:

  1. Beans with sausages - yes all manner of wrong anyway (given that I try to eat free range meat and won't eat in Nando's for this very reason) but I always leave the sausages until last because that's the best bit.
    I also get annoyed by my colleagues committing tea crime - not leaving the bag in for 2 minutes and then putting the milk in with the bag!

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  2. I agree with you. The baked beans are wet and pls don't let them come into contact with either my Hash/Rosti and definitely not the Eggs. :S

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  3. No eggs and beans together. Are you crazee ? That's the best bit when the yolk splits and mixes in with the unxious tomato sauce creating a little bit of brekkie heaven. Yes you do have some issues here Don Noodles.
    I don't understand leaving things to the end, as all you are going to get is a constant taste of that particular taste, I'm more in favour of a well blended meal.
    I probably eat too fast for my own good, or other people eat too slowly which really annoys me.... I am also a known stealer off other peoples plates, but food is best shared in my view, well other peoples food that is...

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  4. If any kind of tomato product comes in contact with my eggs MY DAY IS RUINED.

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  5. *pulls up a chair* Let me tell you about my history of food freakishness...

    Have to admit, I've always been a "save the best till last" person. I've chilled out a bit as I've got older, but till the age of about 24, I would always go veg-potatoes-meat/fish. And I would get a bit freaked out if stuff got "mixed up" on other people's plates.

    I also used to eat anything requiring a spoon with a teaspoon rather than a dessert spoon until I left home.

    And, with circular food, I would eat around and around the edge until I got to the middle, like with pizza. I still kind of do this now. Best bit's in the middle.

    This is why I'm the slowest eater in the world. It can take me an hour to eat a pizza.

    Funny thing is, none of this is born out of some anxiety about food. It's all pure greed.

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  6. Becs - my photo of sausage and beans must've horrified you!

    HK Epicurus - yikes! the hash brown's off limits, too!

    Mzungu - was it also you that preferred crusty to soft bread when it comes to a bacon sarnie? You're just a breakfast hooligan.

    Lizzie - I'm deducting some Chineser points. Tomato and egg is a classic combo that every good Chineser should adore.

    Sharmila - blimey, you could do a whole spin-off blog on this topic.

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  7. Lizzie, what about Shakshuka?

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  8. Agree on the eggs/beans fiasco - they should not be in contact. Egg is to be eaten partially on toast, perhaps some yolk smeared onto the sausage, never with the bacon.

    I eat a decent couple of bitefuls of everything individually. Then i start combining.. eg on the steak theme.. ooh steak with a bit of that mushroom, chips with a bit of steak, mushroom with chips etc Importantly, like your friend, I need to finish with the best thing on the plate. So in the case of steak, the fattiest, rarest slice of meat will be the last thing i eat.

    Salads - need to eat the tomatoes first. I love tomatoes, but i don't really like them combined with other things, unless in a sauce.

    The list goes on... Whacko

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  9. haha my brother eats everything on his plate separately. like, in the context of an asian meal, he eats the rice/ meat/ veg dishes separately. my friend is worse, she picks out the veg in fried noodles to eat separately form the noodles. weirdos.

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  10. Noodles, I see where you are coming from. The runny yolk of a fried egg is arguably the highlight of a fry-up, so I would't really want it diluted by bean juice. Best to keep the two liquids separate. Sausage barrier in an interesting concept.

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  11. Anon - good to hear your habits although the tomato salad thing is a funny one imho.

    Shu Han - picking out the veg from noodles is a weird habit.

    Jerry - so pleased to have your seal of approval on what I believe is just simple common sense!

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  12. Hi Mr. N - sorry to be a bit crude and do this on a comment - but my Mum makes a really nice hot pepper jelly - and we'd like to send you some (free of charge OC) and if you WANT to tweet/write about them we'd be thrilled. Anyway - here is her site http://www.hotpepperjelly.co.uk/products.php

    - and if you want to let me know which flavours/products you'd be interested in getting your hands on - and an address to send them to - I'll get it sorted.

    Many thanks

    Frank

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