It’s the news that has rocked the food world. Jamie Oliver is shaking in his jubbly booties. Heston’s sporty wrap glasses are fogging up. Over at Masterchef headquarters, Matt Preston is tightening his cravat nervously. Because of one man.
A man who opened a chip sandwich shop.
That’s right. Simply Crisps is a shop in Ireland that takes the humble white bread roll, adds the option of 35 flavours of chips, and combines the two. Roll and chip are back together again.
“Oh, who would WANT such a thing?” You ask, as you nibble daintily on your quinoa and goats cheese salad. WHO would be so vulgar as to stuff their face with the salty crunch of rippled chip as it sits in a thickly buttered carbohydrate hug?”
EVERYONE. Because the shop has sold out. Again and again and again. People are lining up around the corner for a taste of childhood and here at MM HQ, certain people are starting to question their gluten-free diets.
What’s your favourite food memory?
Remember this moment, won’t you? REMEMBER THIS.
Because right now, this moment is being hailed (in these offices, by this very writer, to anyone within earshot ) as a VICTORY for the people.
It’s a VICTORY for common sense.
It is a victory for plain food, unpopular food, average, normal food that the people have forgotten.
BEGONE, softshell crab burgers with cucumber ketchup and charcoal brioche served with a aubergine cider in a woman’s glass shoe. Farewell, Heston and your scented dry ice and your ballotine of mackerel that demands to be eaten while listening to the sound of the horn of a ship.
Because a $5.50 chip sandwich has beat the pants off everyone.
Yesterday when a big pizza chain announced a vegemite and cheese crust on a pizza, it confirmed what we’ve suspected.
The culinary winds are changing.
Five years ago the Meat and Livestock Association surveyed Australian’s favourite dinner dishes. Top of the list? Steak and veg. Then roast chicken and veg. Then spag bol. Then casserole, darl.
Those five years since have seen an abundance of superfoods creep into our psyche. Kale. Keenwah. Freekah. Masterchefs made eggs from snow, mountains from macarons, piles of profiteroles and suddenly, custard and stewed apple seemed so plain.
Because food is love. Plain and simple.
But, just like Normcore, where wearing average, normal clothes such a sneakers and tracksuit pants are now fasssshion, there is a similar whiff in the kitchen air. A move back to average, normal, comfortable food. Normfood, if you will.
Let’s not stop this momentum now. Let’s open this can of worms tinned spaghetti, and eat it proudly. Baked beans. Toast with soldiers. Mac and cheese? Yes please.
Here’s NINE other childhood favourites that deserve their own shop too.
Top Comments
You know what? I would LOVE to eat all these SUPERFOODS.Except I do not have an unlimited budget to feed my family of 4. It is excessively expensive,because it is a fad. And crazy people will pay that price.So for now I will take a $2 bag of rice over a $15 bag on Quinoa!
This my people, is Irish comfort food at its best. I was raised on this and it is DELISH. My only problem is I have no access to TAYTO Cheese and Onion crisps so it will never live up to my own expectations. *sigh*
And what I wouldn't do for a cheese and onion pastie right now...............
My local woollies stocks some Tayto crisps in the 'UK foods' section, with the mushy peas, tins of treacle, fry's chockies. Excuse my drool :) Tayto C&O are awesome chips, best C&O flavour out there.
I have a tear in my eye thinking of Fry's Chocolate. Unfortunately my nearest shop is Coles at Old Bar or Woolies at Taree. The delicious section you speak of may take a while to make it to these parts. *insert sad face*.