click photo to enlargeI've lost track of what's good for me and what isn't! When I was a child I knew that it was dairy products and lots of red meat. I also knew to "Drink a pinta milk a day" to be healthy, because the Milk Marketing Board told me so. And the Egg Marketing Board urged me to "Go to work on an egg". So, if I had a full "English breakfast" of eggs, bacon, and sausages, with cheese sandwiches for lunch, followed by Ye Roast Beef of Olde England with roast potatoes, Yorkshire Pudding and all the trimmings in the evening, I knew I wasn't going far wrong. If that was my diet today my doctor would have me plugged into a heart monitor before I could say "muesli"!
As the UK became more sophisticated we were introduced to the delights of healthier foods. Like rye crispbread - a type of gastronomic chipboard. This epicurean delight broke with a crack, showering anyone within 5 feet with sharp shards, and when you ate it you lacerated the inside of your mouth - but it was good for us! As was bran. Thousands of pet rabbits and guinea pigs must have gone hungry when bran and muesli invaded the English dining table - I can't think where else it all came from. And as the years have rolled on other wonder foods, promised to make us live long and healthy lives, have been brought to the market - like macrobiotic yoghurt, a sort of sweetened wallpaper paste. Moreover, foods that were once frowned upon have been rehabilitated. Dark chocolate - ugh, all that harmful sugar - is suddenly good for your heart because of its action on "platelets". And coffee. I was never a fan of coffee, always preferring a cup of tea. But now, I find I have a taste for it, and I don't know whether it's in favour or out. I think it was at one point, but now? Can anyone tell me? Please!!!
My increased liking for coffee pre-dates my acquisition of the cafetiere, a gift from my youngest son, in today's photograph. I'm particularly fond of this jug, and not just for the family association - it's a good design. Moreover, in black and white it featured in the first blog post I ever made, also showing my face in its polished lid. On a dull and rainy day I thought I'd re-work that shot, and see what I could achieve in colour. This time I played down the portrait, positioning myself away from the light. I used a 70mm (35mm equivalent) macro lens opened up to f16 and a background of black vinyl.
From what I've written above you might worry about my diet. Have no fear. I eat enough vegetables and fruit to make a chimpanzee jealous, I'm not a big fan of meat, and I'm guided by my wife who knows all the latest recommendations on healthy eating. Cheers!
photograph & text (c) T. Boughen
