Hotel breakfasts in the UK

bluethrunthru

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In 40 years of working I had a load of overnighters and I have to say the changes were not for the better.

In the old days even in chains you placed your order and it was cooked so that was ok. Not a massive choice available but always decent with fresh toast.

Later we "progressed " to the buffet breakfast. A bit hit and miss really. The "continental" whilst good could always be bad - later in the morning you had ham that was turning a funny colour same with the cheese ( and no indication of the type of ham or cheese most often ) - then there is the cereal - branded boxes ok but milk which is seldom identified as skimmed - semi or full cream. Tea and coffee can be ok but cheap fruit juices served in thimbles is not. Then the cooked brekker - all kept warm under lights which gives you rubbery bacon sausage and eggs ( be they fried or scrambled ) weird mushrooms and cheap beans........oh and that toaster - put the bread through once for warm bread do it a second time for burnt bread.

I once ordered porridge in a Premier Inn in dipperpool - it was just microwaved slice so hot it had boiled over the bowl - did they wipe it up and clean the dish and the plate it came on? Did they fuckers like - it arrived looking like a crime scene.

Best - stayed in Morecambe - one day I ordered kippers - I go fresh kippers grilled to order with a knob of butter on and a slice of brown bread and a pot of tea. Another time in Newbury I ordered smoked haddock with poached egg - it came with a proper bit of smoked haddock - not violently yellow - with a fresh poached egg on top. Probably 20 years ago now but I still dream of that brekker - proper stuff.



What
 
Worked a 3 month contract near Portsmouth, stayed long in a b&b on Hayling Island run by a husband and wife. Went down early one morning to find him doing his version scrambled eggs which was to microwave the beaten eggs into solid lump then force the lump through a sieve with a spoon. Still waiting for him to appear on Masterchef.
 
In 40 years of working I had a load of overnighters and I have to say the changes were not for the better.

In the old days even in chains you placed your order and it was cooked so that was ok. Not a massive choice available but always decent with fresh toast.

Later we "progressed " to the buffet breakfast. A bit hit and miss really. The "continental" whilst good could always be bad - later in the morning you had ham that was turning a funny colour same with the cheese ( and no indication of the type of ham or cheese most often ) - then there is the cereal - branded boxes ok but milk which is seldom identified as skimmed - semi or full cream. Tea and coffee can be ok but cheap fruit juices served in thimbles is not. Then the cooked brekker - all kept warm under lights which gives you rubbery bacon sausage and eggs ( be they fried or scrambled ) weird mushrooms and cheap beans........oh and that toaster - put the bread through once for warm bread do it a second time for burnt bread.

I once ordered porridge in a Premier Inn in dipperpool - it was just microwaved slice so hot it had boiled over the bowl - did they wipe it up and clean the dish and the plate it came on? Did they fuckers like - it arrived looking like a crime scene.

Best - stayed in Morecambe - one day I ordered kippers - I go fresh kippers grilled to order with a knob of butter on and a slice of brown bread and a pot of tea. Another time in Newbury I ordered smoked haddock with poached egg - it came with a proper bit of smoked haddock - not violently yellow - with a fresh poached egg on top. Probably 20 years ago now but I still dream of that brekker - proper stuff.



What
Ha ha. I often stayed over in London for work and used to be able to get a good rate at the Strand Palace Hotel. Enjoyed their buffet breakfast and would often mix and match English and continental. Fried bread was sometimes an added bonus.
After I'd finished I would often stuff my jacket pockets with a couple of sausages and hash browns or black puddings.
In fact I had travelled up for an internal interview once. One of the interviewers asked me if I could note a couple of things down as part of a question. "Have you got a pen Gregge?" "No problem I said", reached inside my jacket and pulled out a ......sausage.
I didn't get the job dear reader.
 
W. Somerset Maugham is quoted as saying that is you want to eat well in England you need to have breakfast 3 times per day........ I have to say whilst that probably applied in Edwardian Britain the point I was making is that we are so so so far from that
 

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