I just finished reading Rose Tremain's
award-winning
The Road Home
and enjoyed it very much.
It tells the story
of a middle aged
Ukrainian widower named Lev
who leaves his homeland
seeking a new life in the UK.
Lev lands in London
where he works his way up
from dishwasher
to chef.
The whole book was wonderful.
At one point, Lev is working
with the aid of a young assistant,
cooking for a group
in an old folks home.
He's using great ingredients
and recipes he's come across
while working in other restaurants.
Having created the new menu,
Lev hands it over to Simone,
his young "native speaking" assistant
so she can write it out and have it printed up for the residents.
Here's what they came up with:
YOUR MENU FOR WEDNESDAY
Wickedly lovely free-range chicken breasts
stuffed with mushrooms, shallots, and herbs,
served with a totally brilliant jus
or
Chef's fantastic fish gratin with
zero bones and non-crap crumb
and
Choice of non-frozen broccoli or beans,
or both if you want
Creme brulee jacked by Chef from a
recipe at GK Ashe
or
Watermelon sorbet with no black
seeds or rubbish in it
The "extreme language" of the menu
was a smash hit with the residents.
In the weeks that followed they enjoyed
"the bloody delicious vegetarian sausages with the non-packet-shit mash"
and
"the totally non-bull-shitting Guiness-marinated Irish stew".
In
The Road Home,
Rose Tremain
clearly serves up
a tender and savory
feast of delights
(and non-crap).
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