The decision that the film making day should always begin at an unthinkably early hour is one with which I never fully came to terms. Not surprisingly, I was also deeply unhappy with the decision, which looked to me like the work of the same man, to end the day’s proceedings but a few short hours before we were due to be back at the coal face. Two of the principal advantages of mining this particular coal face are, aside from the Beckhamesque discrepancy in the differing levels of remuneration, the lack of physical labour and the catering. The provision of what is needed and required is a adequate definition of catering, but such a definition falls far short of that which is deemed to be needed and required by the legion of variously skilled and voracious specialists without whom a film cannot be made. Whilst the stars of the production might weigh and carefully assess the calorific content of each mouthful, secure in the knowledge that Photoshop will remove the unwanted or recreate the desired curves, the caterers know that they must produce a seemingly endless stream of comfort food for the throng of bored technicians. Watching a film on a big TV at home is a lot more fun than making one and, in truth, a lot more fun than going on the underground to a crowded cinema and paying a fortune to watch one there.
Breakfast on a film set, once you have managed to get there, is very good. I remember the story of a Jewish technician who could not resist the bacon sandwiches provided by the caterers and would happily justify this departure from the strictures of his religion by simply calling them smoked salmon sandwiches.
The film industry in my life is now a distant memory but, as I waited for the start of the England v Scotland rugby match, I was reminded of those delicious calorific breakfasts. Looking into the fridge for something that would do justice to those memories I noticed some Toulouse sausages that must have cunningly slipped themselves into my meat free shopping basket, probably disguised as smoked salmon. As there was absolutely no artificial bread available, I had to substitute some particularly good cereal bread….it’s a shame, but I can live with it. Heinz Tomato Sauce is still an essential in our store cupboard, a squirt of which completed a perfect sausage sandwich, which was only bettered by an excellent 20-0 victory over the old enemy. All in all, a good day at the coal face.
Food, Photography & France 
That’s what I calla good start to the day! A Jewish pal of mine calls bacon “pressed beef” 😉
Excellent…any excuse:)
As unhealthy as they are, I cannot resist smoked salmon. Maybe you can get me up to speed on this particular parlance, Roger. What is meant by “coal face”? Is it a meeting place? A pub, of sorts?
The “coal face” is common parlance for any work place, the main point being that it is ironic. Any work that most of us do has very little to do with the hardships of mining coal underground. Irony plays a big part in English humour.
Fantastic. A foil for all the over complicated food shots and fancy propping that populate food blogs – and just the kind of thing I like to eat.
Same here:)
I do so wish you wouldn’t post these Spectacular Images (of simple fare), Roger – lol.
I’m on a diet and had carrot & celery sticks, cucumber slices, tomato & red capsicum wedges and a nice plug of goat fetta for breakfast.
That sausage looks unbelievably tempting. I wish I could afford a plane flight to London to attend your food photography course to find out exactly how you do those mouthwatering images. I suppose I could stop following your blog, but I’ve become addicted to great food photography (even more than Nature & Street Photography).
Could you please photograph some healthy ‘bunny food’ for me? How do you make a green salad look moist & tempting? Is there a way to make sticks of raw carrot more delectable?
I’ll give it some thought, Victoria:)
Victoria, I believe that the sticks of raw carrot would look more delectable if you slice them very thin lengthways, and then arrange them either side of the sausage. Which one you eat is up to you.
A true designer sausage sandwich:)
Please do Roger.
I’m arranging my raw veg & hard boiled egg in the most tempting arrangement possible, but I still lust after your mouth-watering cooking. I think it was the Pear ? tart that really tickled my taste buds.
🙂
Loving the play on words!
🙂
Well, no sausage sandwiches for me today, but oddly I have just eaten comfort food in the form of chicken, sausage and white bean stew, a bit of a play on Cassoulet and very tasty too…..
Sounds good to me…not as heavy as cassoulet but with all the flavours.
Indeed!
🙂
I turned my back on bacon sarnies years ago but I can’t say the same for a good sausage. Even cold, they’re a treasure. But all things in moderation. Delicious photo, Roger.
That’s such a good phrase “All things in moderation” …including the truth:)
Ha ha – it’s not just the film breakfasts… there’s the cooked lunch, hearty tea and all the craft service biscuits and snacks between meals to contend with!
That’s a nice looking sausage sandwich but the ketchup is all yours 😉
Too true….film food is on an endless loop:)
You have to get the large breakfast in to give your stomach a head start on the rest of the day 😉
The trolleys of cakes and buns never stop rolling:)
I wish I still have a fast metabolism and a flat stomach 😉
Too right:)
Ha! We had a Jewish friend who would eat anything that doesn’t have ‘pork’ in the title. Like Special Fried Rice (with flecks of ham) and Cassoulet. 😀
Now I want sausage for breakfast…
Smart:)
Don’t know about Toulouse sausages – but those look suspiciously close to good old British bangers 😀
The only difference is that they have meat in them:)
I think I could work at that coal face too
It’s the eating at that coal face that does you in:)
I know just where to get one of those……. 🙂
…I have a bad feeling that there’s more to that comment than meets the eye:)
I bet breakfast is so good, none of the stars will eat it.
They’re happy in their Winnebagos with a few lines, a pack of Marlboro and a quart of Jim Beam:)
D’you know, I love your plays on words, and I missed this, earlier …. Toulouse Low trek would be appalled, I’m sure… 😉
Is that a boule aux céréales I see so gently framing the Toulouse Lautrec? Yum….
That is exactly what you see:)
Love the play on words, and the breakfast!
The breakfast was good, that’s for sure:)
Brilliant, as usual Roger! Very good sandwich, indeed 😉 And congrats for the victory too, I bet that made the food to taste even better
Absolutely…tasted much sweeter with a dusting of victory:)
Low-tech Lautrec. It took me some time. Delicious pun.
🙂
Shooting commercials is the same. Food every 20 minutes from 6 am until you’re done shooting some 12+ hours later. And buffet tables lined with every conceiveable assortment of candy, cookies and cake. Help!!
That’s what I used to do…..food commercials…the only inedible food in the studio was the stuff that we were shooting:)
It’s true! :). I worked on Kraft in one of my first jobs.
🙂
How can you celebrate such brutality towards Scot-kind?
These highly elaborate meals take too long to prepare. Easier to skip the bread.
I’m still mulling over Scot-kind! You’re right, I need to cut out the frills in these recipes…..it’s bread OR sausage:)
If one is going to be really elaborate, the sauce may be added!
We’re talking fine dining now:)
How cunning those sausages are–both to slip themselves into your “meat free shopping basket” and then to look so delicious on those slices of bread!
It’s just one of those mysteries:)
You have managed to make a very humble sandwich radiate with beauty. Lovely, lovely photos.
Very kind….cheers. Teresa:)
Nothing like a sausage to get the day off to a good start!! Oh, this wasn’t breakfast?? xx
I’m about to cook the rest to have with Puy lentils and creamy mashed potato this evening:)
Completely drool-worthy. 🙂
🙂
Ah delicious. And I’m thinking as much about the result as the sausage. What did you think of the Fr v Eng game? I would say started lazily, then brilliant, then threw it away. Fr were lucky…
Too right…I find it hard to think back on such a wasted chance. Let’s hope Wales beat France ( I’d normally support France in this fixture, but not as things stand) and hope we win at Twickenham on Saturday. It’s a good 6 nations this year…exciting:)
those sneaky Toulouse sausages! how cleverly they disguised themselves and made it to your basket. And how nice that they did because look what good came out of it.
Those pictures have made me hungry! 😀
That’s good….that was the plan:)