Eating in 1973 - my memories of food aged 14/15. This thread is prompted by discussion yesterday & today on the subject in which It was said I had selective recall & was guilty of inverted snobbery. I fully accept the apology I received & accept invitation to expand my thoughts!

My mother was a good cook. She married in 1944. The first person she entertained was RA Butler, local MP. It was wartime- she managed to get a rabbit and made a rabbit pie. This love of rabbit and cheap cuts were instilled in me. Our home was always full of guests who needed food

My main memories of homecooked food in 1973 are of excellent Sunday roasts - and we have continued that habit throughout our 36yr marriage. Roast in Sunday. Left overs in Monday. Rissoles on Tuesday. All good stuff but fairly simple. Sometimes there’d be caseroles

With homemade dumplings. Chops sometimes. Toad in the hole. Of course if entertaining there might be a starter - melon with ground ginger, grapefruit with glacé cherry - occasionally grilled or orange juice or pate.

My mother would have certain specialities. In 1973 - daffodil cream - no daffodils but some sort of pineapple and cream confection. In late 70s pavlova was discovered - “ah Connie’s pavlova”. This led to some embarrassment when we took her to @TrinityLondon in her late 80s

@TrinityLondon is michelin starred local restaurant- we took her there for Mothering Sunday (note not Mother’s Day). Pavlova was on menu. My heart sank when she ordered it - it came deconstructed- “do you think I should go and show them how to make pavlova”.

We also went to @TrinityLondon for our silver wedding for big family dinner - we splashed out for the chef’s table eliciting her loud comment “such a shame they put you right by the kitchen”. Anyway back to 1973

People have criticised my tweet last night and have correctly pointed out there were good recipe books etc. Sure but I was giving my memories and I didn’t see you in my house. I was v familiar with vesta meals and a form of ready meal that was a roast on a plate.

My familiarity was due to fact these early ready meals were left for me to cook or heat up. Not complaining BTW. I have come to conclusion that 1973 forms a bit of a culinary watershed for those households which had yet to discover cordon bleu courses, David or Grigson.

In 1974 Homepride cook in sauces appeared. Here was opportunity to smother a pork chop in an exotic sounding sauce. Here was an intro to foreign food. We’d had chicken supreme thanks to left over roast and a can if mushroom soup but this was a simple way to added variety

1976 saw the St Michael Cookbook followed by a number of M&S cookbooks some of which I still have - Cooking for Two. The latter enabled me to attempt to impress a then girlfriend. I was off to uni in 1977 where i was hugely grateful to my mother for her frugal approach.

Not many other students went to the butchers for shin of beef - cook it for a ling time - or rabbit though No local MP to entertain. By now we did have proper pasta but not in 1973. Of course you could get it but we didnt have it until about 1976.

As for restaurants i dare say there were many excellent ones but birthday or anniversaries meant a Berni Inn. In fairness in 1973 after youth club I’d go to chinese takeaway but nothing more exotic than a spring roll or egg foo yong (omelette!). Even fish &chips was a rare treat

Although we always had fish & chips on Good Friday - again a family tradition we’ve continued. I do remember a Lyons cafe in East Grinstead we went to in 1960s. I do not recall any “foreign” restaurants in 1973.

As for coffee it was Maxwell House although later upgraded to Gold Blend. On Sundays or with guests the coffee perculator would come out with a dramatic flourish and gurgling noises.

Sunday was food heaven. Roast. Jelly (my father loved jelly). Sunday tea. Then after my father got back from evening service supper with pork pie, ham, tomatoes, pickle.

My parents were not exactly tea total it’s just we didn’t have alcohol. By the time I went to uni I had enjoyed beer, cider and martini rosso but i think it was @LindaWoolterton at Hull uni who got me in to wine - thanks Linda

So apologies for ridiculously long thread but these are my memories. I don’t mean to sneer at food of the 1970s but the variety we have now in what we cook and where we eat thanks in part to increased diversity and wealth is so much better now. Thanks