When I was a kid (some would say not so long ago), foodstuffs were a rarity, foodstuffs one liked didn't exist, and a breakfast like the one shown - unknown!Even so, I still hold one or two images in my head of things from the period!
As a kid, I was often required to accompany a whole "charabanc" of members of my father's church congregation to various religious meetings outside of our home towns.
Being the son of the preacher man, and not having things like nannies, they couldn't leave me at home on my own (although I would often have welcomed that) so they were obliged to club together and pay my fare as well as those of my parents.
OK - it was something out of the ordinary, and in the 50's there weren't many of them.
Only real problem was that food and drink did not appear in this day's outing, everybody brought something or other to eat in picnic form, and that was that.
I recall one occasion in Canterbury, when I had been given the princely sum of 1 shilling, and told politely to go and see what I could get with that.
I was apparently observed in one of those famous Canterbury tea houses, studying the "High Tea" menu, although I had long determined what I would have - the only thing within my purchasing power - a poached egg on toast and a cup of tea, all for tenpence, leaving me tuppence from my treasury of twelvepence ( otherwise known as a shilling-one has to explain these things nowadays!)
This tuppence (or two pence) were planned for a bag of chips further down the road, later on! Maybe this was the start of my gastronomical wizardy, various courses, all at different moments!
The observers found all this highly amusing, although (when I was told about it) I felt they could have come up with a couple of cream cakes for me, or a glass of something to drink, but there you are!
In any case, I thoroughly enjoyed my poached egg on toast, the tea - as far as I recall- was acceptable, although even then I would have preferred a light, well chilled Niersteiner Domtaler!
I don't recall the chips, but I must have had them, otherwise I would have been obliged to give back the tuppence, and I didn't do that!
However, the point to the story is that later on, on the way back in the "charrybank" (taken incidentally from the French "char a banc" - meaning a vehicle with banks) I was starving! One poached egg and two slices of toast and maybe a bag of chips wasn't a lot, really, and my attention was taken up by a couple sitting in front of me in the charabanc. Everybody had finally settled down after their religious fervour of singing hymns and other gospel stuff, and were getting down to the business of finishing off the remanants of their various picnics.
No point in taking them back home, THEY had other things to eat at home - lucky blighters!
Anyway - this couple were uncrinkling various sandwich types, and heartily biting into them.
After a few moments, which to me seemed to be hours, they were finished, and wrapped up what was left.
No dustbins were available, so one of them turned to me, and asked if I would care for a bite to eat!
Frankly, it didn't occur to me that I was the rubbish bin, I would have bitten into anything at that moment, but taking care not to show TOO much enthousiasm, I said that if they had finished, then yes I would be pleased to have a bite, and thank you very much!
The only sandwiches left were a mixture of egg and tomatoe - To this day they are still my favourite, and I still occasionally make a point of knocking up a few, just to swallow down, with a nice crispy white wine, or a cold Weissbier, in between the Foi gras and the Boeuf Wellington!
You see - out of poverty can come all sorts of things!
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