Euro 2004 - Fast footie food
Swap cutlery and plates for skewers and paper cones and you'll score a winner with those hungry, packed-in Euro 2004 punters, says Richard Fox.
In 1608, the writer, Thomas Coryat, returned to England after travels in Europe, and began eating with a fork that he'd acquired in Venice. His use of an implement to transport food from plate to mouth was greeted with incredulity, and in true British style, the mick was well and truly taken. You see, we are, and have always been, a sports-loving nation; which means we spend a great deal of time standing up - particularly in the days before television when the mountain could not be brought to Mohammed. Clearly, under such circumstances, with pint in hand, an eating implement is a useless encumbrance.
It's worth remembering then, how the fork-bearing scribe was received when we consider our Euro 2004 menu. While I'm not advocating a return to the bone-gnawing days of medieval England, we can always substitute the fibula for the infinitely more delicate skewer, or cocktail stick. Chicken, lamb, pork and beef can all be cubed; gently marinated for extra flavour and then threaded onto sticks for cutleryfree eating. Furthering the "if God had intended us to use a fork, he wouldn't have given us fingers" school of thought, just think about the concept of making everything bite-size.
This is not only for convenience; penalty misses, goals and cynical two-footed tackles necessitate that anything which can't be swallowed in one involuntary gasp should be avoided just on the grounds of health and safety. Let's face it, performing the Heimlich manoeuvre in such a densely-populated environment could cause a riot as the freed projectile strikes the back of an unsuspecting punter's head. While the abolition of cutlery cuts down the number of things to be held, it doesn't solve the problem of the plate. What we need is a light, disposable container that holds no greater challenge than a crisp packet.
Bring on the paper cone. Having cut its teeth on the trendy London party circuit holding everything from breaded goujons of deep-fried sole and matchstick chips to a handful of Ferrero Rocher chocolates, this foodfriendly vessel is the answer to football gastro heaven. What's more, it costs no more than a sheet of A5 paper and a piece of greaseproof paper to act as a fat-repelling insert. If you've got a computer and printer on site you can even customise it to advertise anything from the menu itself to the name of your pub. Just because it's not served on a plate doesn't mean it can't be a gastronomic pleasure.
Let's face it, with some of the dodgy performances we've seen of late, we need to be taking every pleasure we can possibly get. The classic Moroccan Lamb Tagine has all the ingredients for a delicious marinade of lemon, turmeric, cinnamon, honey, and chilli. Simply coat cubes of lamb, marinate overnight and char-grill for service. Keeping on the hot theme, just blitz up a couple of handfuls of red chillies, some smoked paprika, a clove of garlic and some olive oil. Cut some chicken breast fillet into five or six strips, coat in the chilli mixture and thread onto skewers.
For service, just char-grill and serve. Apart from the quality of the food, the key to success is in the marketing. Make sure you advertise your footy-friendly menu with the same vigour with which you shout about your next screened game. And without wishing to sound like some bitter old pundit jaded by 35 years of international football mediocrity, any feel-good factor we can generate should be pounced on and consumed with the fervour of a long-awaited cup final victory.
What's cooking for Euro 2004?
Padley's offers promo prizes Padley's has launched a series of recipes based on its Chickwich breast burger to mark Euro 2004. The serving suggestions aim to create a Chickwich variant for each of the 16 nations competing in this summer's European Championships. Ideas include chicken breast in a wholemeal bun with Mediterranean salad leaves and piri-piri mayonnaise for the host nation Portugal. Padley's has also teamed up with PubChef to offer 15 readers the chance to win a Chickwich Euro 2004 promotional pack. The prize includes a giant St George's flag, bunting, posters and tent cards. To enter, simply call Padley's Chickenology hotline on freephone 0800 085 2749.
Croft pitches port Forget drinking pints of lager, die-hard England fans should toast their team's success with a glass of port, according to a new drinking guide by Croft, the Portuguese port producer. It will launch a campaign to encourage pub goers to immerse themselves in the tournament in Portugal by sampling the nation's most famous drink during matches. Croft is also advising England's travelling supporters to take time out from the tournament to visit the company's site in Vila Nova de Gaia.
Becks stars on Pepsi bottleDavid Beckham, England's controversial captain, fronts a new Pepsi Euro 2004 specialedition bottle. The revamped 300ml package features photos of five different gladiator-styled Pepsi players including Beckham's Real Madrid team-mates Raul and Roberto Carlos. Britvic Soft Drinks launched the bottle this month.
Tackle Turkish 'delights' England's group-topping qualification for Euro 2004 means the only Turkish footballers seen during the competition will be the edible crispy-crumbed "players" produced by Bernard Matthews. The company is promoting the frozen sports-themed snacks to caterers as part of a children's menu for Euro 2004. The Bernard Matthews' Turkey "snack team" contains three players - a goalkeeper and two strikers.
Nestlé rolls out hot dogs Pubs can score huge profits during Euro 2004 with the humble hot dog, according to food giant, Nestlé. The company is promoting Herta hot dogs as a simple revenue-boosting snack for pubs coping with the demands of hungry fans during the competition. Nestlé will also distribute Euro 2004 promotion packs containing poster kits and beer mats to pubs.
Keel's really cool idea A new state-of-the-art beer cooler has been launched to keep drinks cool as temperatures rise on and off the pitch during this summer's football event. The Keel Kool drinks cooler is manufactured from Neoprene, the same material that is used to make wet suits. Complete with St George's flag, the high-tech sleeve keeps the customer's hands warm whilst their drink remains cold. Visit www.keepcool.co.uk
