Mud pancakes

Poor people in Haiti are eating pancakes made of mud. I heard this shocking piece of news on Radio Four. A woman, interviewed by the reporter, even tries to make a living selling them. The reporter took a bite. ‘They’re not bad,’ she said in a less than convincing voice. Apparently, they leave you very thirsty.

Poverty is relative. Western-style poverty means getting by with less, but not having to resort to mud. So, what should we be eating? My advice is to eschew processed bake-in-a-carton, boil-in-a-bag, nuke-in-a-microwave denatured food that looks good depicted on the package but is expensive and not really a positive eating experience. Remember we need the vitamins present in the food because we can’t afford to buy them by the bottle.

Stick to fresh produce: vegetables and fruit can cost pennies. Meat and fish are expensive; limit them to once or twice a week. You won’t suffer. Keep a supply of basics – pasta, rice, couscous and whatever floats your boat. For me, that’s got to be potatoes: filling, cheap and versatile. Tins of tomatoes, tinned tuna, canned beans are great stand-bys. Among my culinary priorities are a decent virgin olive oil and a chunk of Parmesan (don’t restrict it to pasta dishes). For a touch of luxury, you might include olives or capers, or for colour and goodness, a sprinkle of flat-leaf parsley. I reckon I can make a fabulous vegie meal for about £1.20 per person. (Pictures to follow.)

And, it’s official. Fresh produce bought at a market-stall is significantly cheaper than the same food temptingly displayed in our shiny supermarkets. So says a recent survey, so it must be true.