MAMA'S PORK CHOPS

Mama’s Sunday Lunch

My mother in-law came to the UK from Eastern Europe a long time ago.

She cooked this meal for us many times. I never quite achieve the same memorable taste of those formal Sunday afternoon lunches.

Horse racing on the TV. Table groaning with food. Handed a glass and a bottle of vodka. Sit! Drink! Eat!

We had a mutual respect. She never really forgave me for marrying her daughter.

Forty six years later! Maybe her opinion has changed.

Food was always important to her.  When your early years involve railway trucks and camps. Constant fear and hunger. Breadcrumbs are precious.

She had a lump hammer.

Pounding meat tenderizes it. I have a small meat hammer.

A vegetable cube would be crushed and mixed with flour. Dusted in this mixture the pork chop would then be dipped in beaten egg covered in breadcrumbs and very slowly fried.

This was always served with mashed potatoes. Cream and butter added and when available chopped dill. 

Sliced cucumber was salted and mixed with tinned cream. A little vinegar added to sour the taste. Today I buy fresh sour cream from the supermarket.

Pickled cucumbers were always on the table. The bucket full of them kept under the bed. Non’t ask.

Today we substitute white wine for vodka and add a salad.

Watercress, spinach and sorrel from the AP. Boiled eggs and anchovies.

Olive oil and whole grain mustard salad dressing.

A whole new generation!

Whisper it softly.

Mama’s pork chops were the best!