If There Is A Dark Hard Brexit The First Group Of Writers To Suffer Will Be Those Most People Wouldn't Care About

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Regular readers of this blog will know that occasionally my brain will work from the most oddest of tangents and random thoughts just enter my head. Well you may remember that a few posts back I chatted about how Britain was in such a state of nervous breakdown now that if the government was stockpiling food in the event of a dark hard Brexit then I could seriously consider doing the same without being treated as alarmist. Also that in the event of a dark hard Brexit the most important writer would become Jack Monroe, as people would have to learn to cook with less choice available and probably at higher prices.

Now, as I said in that post, I don't belive a long dark hard Brexit of the soul will happen (not saying things are going to be better than staying in the EU mind) if only because of the electoral disaster that would await the Conservatives should it occur. But given that it's unquestionably a possibility and not that far away from a probability it's not unreasonable to think of the consequences of food shortages across Britain.

It occurred to me that in the event of a dark hard Brexit the first group of writers who will suffer would be.....restaurant critics.

Stands to reason really. After all in the event of food shortages restaurants would be affected. A lot would close down and probably none would open. After all most people would be unable to afford the rising prices and those that could would probably be too scared of being targeted by the hungry masses to go.

In that scenario how can you judge a restaurant without an adequate and regular supply of ingredients? It would be like watching Julius Ceaser without Brutus and Mark Anthony. The shell would be there but important ingredients would be missing.

Thing is of course most people wouldn't care. Partly because they would be too busy trying to survive themselves. But also because restaurant critics have the reputation of being London centric and elitist. I've no idea whether it's true or not but that's not the point. It's the perception.

I've reviewed in this blog an e book by the Observer Restaurant Critic Jay Rayner and liked it. But the above point didn't occur to me until now. I think the problem restaurant critics have is that unlike a movie or even a play the chances of most people being able to experience a particular place in London where you need a payday loan just for the starter would be extremely slim.

Possibly the best answer is that should there be no Brexit or at the very least a much softer one then papers and websites should consider a second critic, possibly in rotation. Perhaps people who would live in a town which for a Londoner would require a Satnav and a pack of huskies to visit. Who would chat about the local Italian or curry house. Who would look at the price and not necessarily the most expensive item on the menu. Who is not interested in the wine and would rather have cola without ice (why would I want diluted cola?).Who would wonder whether [insert food item here] goes with chips.

The number one critic goes for the headline establishments but this second group could go to places ordinary people could relate to.

Perhaps.

But restaurants and restaurant critics will have to survive Brexit first.

Until the next time.

Britain 2018: Where You Can Seriously Ask The Question Whether You Should Stock Up On Food And Whether The Jack Monroe Doctrine Is To Be Followed

Hello there.. Hope you're feeling well today.

Well it's Britain 2018. Come March 2019 it leaves the EU and slowly, in drip by drip form the Dark Brexit scenario comes into play as it's predictors have explained.

Now as I've said before I don't belive a Dark Hard Brexit will come. If only because the consequences for the governing Conservative party would be disasterous (doesn't mean life will be better than when were in the EU mind. That I don't believe.).Still when reports come in of a shortage of fuel, factory closures and Amazon suggesting that in a worst case scenario there could be civil unrest then you need to sit up and take notice.

But of all the consequences of a hard Brexit that has made the news recently it's the idea of food shortages that has really made the headlines. The idea that shop shelves will be bare come April next year. Indeed the UK government are building up a stockpile of food in preparedness for a hard Brexit.

This action by the government begs the question. If they can stockpile food. Then why can't I?

I've even worked on the plan. From this month I'd buy five items a week to hoard. For the moment it would be just canned items but as March moves closer other things will be included. That way if Dark Hard Brexit does come then at least for a few weeks myself and the family would be covered.

Also if there is a Dark Hard Brexit then I'd give one fifth of the hoarded stockpile to a foodbank. Because the consequences to the poorest in our society will be disastrous. And if we're talking about civil unrest that's where it will start. Because a hungry people will be an angry people.

(And if the Brexit is soft by the way I'd give all the stockpile to the foodbank)

Now I haven't done this yet. But the fact that I can seriously consider it to the point of planning without being considered a madman tells you all you need to know about Britain today under the Conservatives.

Which leads us to talk about cookery writer Jack Monroe. Whose struggles looking after a young son lead her make imaginative recipes with basic ingredients on the most smallest of budgets. Her first cookery book was called A Girl Called Jack, which I bought and like most of the cookery books I have was promptly put to one side as I succumbed to the seductive charms of ready meals and the microwave.

But the thing is this. Initially Ms Monroe's books appealed to those on low incomes. If however there is a Dark Hard Brexit then she will find a whole new audience in people who might be just about managing but are struggling to find ingredients even if the prices were reasonable.

So there is a good chance that post Brexit Ms Monroe will find herself the go to cookery writer of the moment (after all in a Dark Hard Brexit world few of us could go Nigella). Which then led me to think that perhaps the best thing to do would be to practice.

What I'm going to do is to go through all her recipes and see whether I can get the ingredients in either Penarth or Barry Town (I live between both) and what happens when I cook them. If you expect an ingredient list or a blow by blow account of the recipe then you'll be disappointed as that's her copyrighted work. But what I want to see is in a Dark Hard Brexit world whether the family can adapt to this most different kind of cookbook. Because in that scenario it has to until goodness knows when.

In a Dark Hard Brexit Ms Monroe has the potential of being, not just the most important cookery writer but the most important writer of the moment.

That's why the Jack Monroe doctrine is important.

Until the next time.