In the UK, I wouldn't have gone anywhere near the pre-prepared dishes that are sold on the delicatessan counters in supermarkets. They are full of additives and taste nothing like as good as their homemade versions. Now, I appreciate that it may be because I'm not an expert on Czech food and have certainly not had homemade Czech cooking, or at least not since my Czech father died twenty five years ago, only these dishes as served in restaurants, but I'm becoming quite a fan of these supermarket meals. While I've still got an in-built reluctance to buy them a) not only do I like cooking but b) I do have the time to cook, now that I'm not working; but I have been buying the cooked halusky and un-cooked but ready prepared gulas from Tesco in Novy Smichov. Not only do they taste pretty good but they are pretty cheap - particularly the gulas when you take into account the pork, peppers, onions and time taken to prepare it. Have my culinary standards dropped or do others have similar recommendations I can try?
I have no experience of the foods which you mention but I am also extremely reluctant to buy ready-prepared meals from a supermarket. I can't but notice the coincidental rise in obesity and all manner of food allergies in the west with the simultaneous increasing availability of prepackaged food - combined with the decrease in home-made food from basic ingredients. Or am I imagining things? One thing is certain - although the gulas may taste acceptable, it is certainly the result of a quick splash of a few chemical additives which may even be totally harmless rather than the result of long careful simmering. If gulas is the same or similar to Hungarian goulash, it should take at least 8 hours to make. I would guess that the cuisine chefs at Tesco's food preparation kitchens do not indulge so much time - and just imagine how many "reddimeels" they produce in a day! Surely you realise it can have nothing to do with traditional food preparation in any way whatsoever. I noticed how Tesco, Mark&Sparks and several other companies dashed in to Central Europe as soon as they had the chance to stifle any possible local competition. For that reason alone, I would have nothing to do with them.
Very noble of you and I admire your principles but as someone who has spent thirty years cooking for my family, I have now moved to the beautiful city of Prague and I have better things to do than spend all my time in the kitchen! As I don't think me buying the odd portion of prepared food is going to cause my family's or the native Czech economy's early demise, I was actually looking for some other suggestions to save me time cooking, rather than a lecture!
You might try a little menu planning along with taking a bit of time on a weekend day to pre-prepare some of your meals (assemble ingredients, pre-cut vegetables and/or fruit, portion and cut meat, etc.) and store them. Then, during the week when time is short, you just need to throw the stuff together and heat. This really does save time. If they are available there, you may want to check out organic pre-prepared meals, too. They usually cost more, but don't have all the additives (if that sort of thing bothers you). Good luck.
Thanks, Glenn. Now I know from your previous postings, which are invariably courteous, thoughtful and helpful, that your heart's in the right place and that you are a great friend of the Czech Republic and all of us who are living here. But menu planning and meal prep is also something I've been doing for a fair while and again, the novelty has worn off a bit. As has the clearing up/washing up after the meal prep, whenever you do it! While I do cook from scratch most of the time, the beauty of Tesco's halusky is that you buy it in a microwaveable container, heat it up and put it out on the plate. QED as far as I'm concerned! However good a cook your wife is, ask her whether, hand on heart, she wouldn't fancy the odd day off!
Polednik, I'm not sure what your asking because it seems to me that others have given you recommendations or commented on whether or not your standards may have dropped but you didn't appear welcoming of their responses.
Your standards probably haven't dropped - I have found that, especially since the advent of microwaved meals, the general quality of pre-prepared meals has risen. Some are actually very good (Stouffer's comes to mind) and there is a much greater diversity of choices. While I do prefer to prepare my meals from scratch, I have found that a great many pre-prepared meals are great time and work savers. Bottom line is - whatever blows your skirt up - if you like the meals and they aren't too full of too many evil things, eat 'em and enjoy. BTW, thanks for the nice words - I am very, very fond of the ČR and its people - looking forward to being back there again soon.
