Anyone who has fond memories of scoffing a Findus Crispy Pancake with potato smiley faces while watching ThunderCats after school will know that nothing tastes as good as nostalgia. Because, honestly, what is a Crispy Pancake? Probably best not to investigate too deeply.
They’ve been discussing the ways in which you can’t improve on the dishes of your youth on the AskUK subreddit after user Tariq_khalaf posed this question:
‘What’s a ‘posh’ food you’ll never love as much as the cheap version from your childhood?
‘I’ve had fancy, artisanal fish fingers. They’re fine. But they’ll never hit the same as a box of Captain Birds Eye ones, shaped like rectangles, with a side of baked beans. It’s a core memory on a plate.
‘What’s your ultimate comfort food that the posh version can’t beat?
And it unlocked some deeply sentimental culinary recollections, like these…
1.
‘A fry up. The one from the greasy spoon will always outdo the posh brunch restaurant.
‘No, I do NOT want the beans in a tiny pot.’
–walnutwithteeth
2.
‘The real big mistake you get with the posher breakfasts is when they make their own beans. A vague tomatoey butter bean thing does not fit the same needs as a Heinz/Branston bean!’
–SarcasticDevil
3.
‘Any form of garlic bread which isn’t a sliced baguette. Stuff your fancy focaccia, I want cheap white baguette with a lot of garlic.’
-QuarrieMcQuarrie
4.
‘Sausage rolls. Several people have tried to convince me that I’m wrong for loving the ones from Greggs, but there’s nothing anyone can do about it!’
–vpetmad
5.
‘This is controversial, but Chinese takeaway, up to a point.
‘The spots with the migraine-inducing halogen lighting, ‘Cash Only’ sign written in biro, peeling faded menu with curled up corners sellotaped to the counter, couple of dusty lucky cats scattered about and random kids sat in the corner doing homework…
‘Always seems to be the absolute stodgy, sticky, greasy, inauthentic goodness I’m looking for, with massive portions so I can wake up the next day and remember I’ve got round two locked and loaded.’
–ghosty_b0i
6.
‘Not a food but Barr’s cheap cherryade is the stuff of dreams when you’re not feeling great.’
–Fantastic_Fig_8559
7.
‘It’s custard. No crème anglaise will ever reach the heights of Bird’s custard powder.’
–DoitMcGoit
8.
‘The cheap, brilliant white artificial cream bakers used to put in finger donuts with a line of red jam! I have not even seen them for years.’
–Foundation_Wrong
9.
‘Trifle. I don’t want the fingers soaked in sherry and tinned fruit is better in it than fresh in my view.’
–MegaMolehill
10.
‘Chocolate mousse. I cannot stand the posh version you get in some restaurants, with actual quality chocolate and real egg. Give me a cheap, mostly air, plastic pot from the supermarket, preferably own-brand, and a teaspoon.’
–mrsbergstrom
11.
‘Bread. Don’t get me wrong, I like a fancy seeded sourdough and I know it’s better for me, but I have such fond memories of thick sliced Mighty White toasted with lashing of butter and Bovril.’
–tiptreetimes
12.
‘Sausages. Can’t stand the ones that are so meaty that it’s more like eating a steak, with a bunch of fancy flavours added in.
