Great food debates
We all know food is personal. It’s all down to taste, so what one person likes, another person can detest. It’s interesting listening to our clients, and we have some great conversations when choosing menus with our customers and deciding upon new recipes to add to our offering.
But there are always certain dishes that spark a debate. Which way to serve something or which way to eat it. Here are a few of our favourites.
Jam and cream, cream and jam
There’s more to this debate than how you pronounce the item itself! The really big question is whether it’s jam first or cream. So, let’s break it down. The Devonian method is to split the scone, cover each half with clotted cream, then add the jam on top. The Cornish split their scones (generally warm in this method), spread the jam, then finish with a dollop of cream. And to be really awkward, a couple of us here really like to hot up the debate by buttering our scones first, which apparently is a real no-no. Add to that the fact some argue it has to be strawberry jam, and there’s a lot to deliberate. We serve scones with our cream tea buffets, and as we tend to serve them as a whole scone, depending on which way you eat them, we think we cover both approaches. Some may call it cheating, we call it keeping everyone happy!
Which comes first, the filling or the cheese?
Jacket potatoes are an easy lunch or a simple side. They can be served with a wide variety of fillings, hot and cold, and are popular throughout the year. There are probably many debates to be had about the humble spud, but for us, the big one is whether the cheese should go on first. Some would say it’s a must – the cheese must melt and you need the heat of the potato to do this. For others, the contrast of the hot potato with the cold filling is the whole point of this versatile dish. In the end, we’re big fans of our homemade chilli served with cheese, so either way our cheese is melting!
Bacon, with or without syrup
We get asked quite a lot for breakfast and brunch catering, and French toast and pancakes are a popular choice. Along with serving these with fresh fruit, we do get asked for bacon with maple syrup, a combination that has made it’s way over here from our friends across the pond. Some would say it’s a big no-no, whilst others would argue it’s a combination that was just meant to be together. Joints of bacon are often baked with a sweet glaze, so is eating a slice of bacon smothered with syrup that different? Some would whine at the suggestion though, and automatically reach for the ketchup. Either way, this somewhat polarising combination is here to stay, and looks like a popular menu choice for many a brunch to come.
To pickle or not to pickle
The burger. A BBQ staple and a ‘fast’ food favourite. But, as McDonalds® are more than aware, many question whether the humble hamburger should be served with or without a pickle. If you were to order a burger in the United States, it would be very unusual for it to come without a pickle. The argument for the pickle there is to add a crunchy contrast to the softer meat and bread combination, which adds a taste texture that makes the tastebuds tingle. Over here, some say the addition of the pickle is unnecessary. We’re happy to be led by our customers when we serve up burger (some love them, some hate them), but if truth be known, we have nothing but praise for the pickle.
There you have it. Some food for thought over some of the more popular food combinations that can turn one on or off depending on how, or with what they are served. We’re split here at Parties to Go, as we’re sure you will be too. And as we’re always happy to accommodate any changes and amendments to our menus to suit tastes and preferences, the jury is out for us as to which is the right or wrong way to do some things. So, with that in mind, we’ll leave you with the question Cadbury Creme Egg® asks every year. How do you eat yours?
