Going back is the new future!

Going back appears to be the new future in Britain!

This past year would be fairly difficult to summarize in just a few words, although I would probably start with "Traumatic" and most certainly add a "roller coaster" in there somewhere.

At Christmas we often like a little escapism trying to forget the challenges that have been thrown at us throughout the year such as staff shortages, skills shortages, haulage problems, Brexit, Covid, lock downs, business closures, climate change, fuel increases and many many more, so what better time to travel back in time, when life appeared so much simpler!.

A time of year when we look through the rose tinted glasses and marvel at the delightful bygone ages where Tudor, Elizabethan, Edwardian and most certainly Victorian periods play a hand in defining both our romantic visions of Christmas`s past and present.

But maybe the past few traumatic years and no doubt several more that lie in wait caused by Brexit and Covid are all part of the “big” plan in terms of "going back to be able to move forward" ?!, and making Britain once again self-sufficient as it once was in those bygone eras !? although romanticism aside, I feel that there is a need to look into the less than romantic aspects of life back in the 17th and 18th centuries as that is where the UK appears to be heading!.

From the 1500`s to more recent times, we had “regional cuisine”, owing to the fact that transportation was poor, forcing people to eat what was seasonal and what was grown around them, pretty much what many chefs and many people are now trying to re-establish today!, so once again, large similarities to that of history.

Transportation that once aided the cross pollination of recipe`s and ingredients as well as the importation of what would have been “luxury goods” such as sugar and spices landed on British shores, each and every item having a social importance and defining the British gastronomy .

Alas once again a move back in time, as we are now experiencing imported goods becoming expensive and no doubt soon to be perceived and classed as “luxury goods ” once more! .

Pie crusts were created to store meat just like our modern day plastic containers ( of which are now on the environmental hit list !) where the meat would be removed from the crust and eaten whilst the crust was then thrown away!.

Melton Mowbray eventually came into its own boasting festive favourites such as Pork Pie and where the pastry was actually edible.

Whilst transportation a few hundred years ago aided the success of “Stilton” to become one of Britain’s flagship cheeses owing to it being carted off by travellers from the midlands via horse and carte to be exposed to wealthy Londoners.

Frustratingly it may now only be as far as London that our food producers may trade as export opportunities diminish through issues caused by Brexit, restricting many British food producers and their potential livelihoods.

Looking back and going backwards appears to be the new future, like it or not!.

In the meantime despite the re-emergence of scrooge, the plague, floods and pestilence (al be it all re-named), dig out those rose tinted glasses and gather virtually around an image of a crackling log fire !.

There are clouds on the horizon Britain, and the storms are gathering !.

I will look forward to seeing you on the other side of 2022 with armour at the ready for whatever next maybe thrown at the UK!.

Have a safe Christmas everyone and try to enjoy.