I’ve always had a soft spot for the Aunt Bessie’s ads but the latest one for home style roast potatoes not only made me chuckle, it also lit a bulb in my head that helped solve a family problem with relative ease.
Ever since they first graced our screens, nosy neighbors Margaret and Mabel have always reminded me of my mother and mother in-law. They’re both very traditional and love spending long hours in the kitchen preparing meals for the family and neither of them believe in shortcuts.
When my eldest started school, I decided to get back into work. My hubby was all for it, but I faced disapproval from both sets of mums! ‘How will you find the time for family?’ they asked ‘Who will make dinner?’ I explained that most mums work these days and juggling a busy life is all part of the fun – but they remained skeptical that I could pull off my two jobs successfully.
I’ve always been a fan of Aunt Bessie’s and my entire brood loves their roast potatoes. When I saw the latest ad featuring Mabel and Margaret, as Mabel declared that the roast potatoes she was tasting were better than Margaret’s, I came up with a fabulous plan to show my mum and mum in-law that these days it is possible to prepare delicious, freshly cooked meals for the family any day of the week. And all without having to spend hours on end in the kitchen!
Imagine their surprise when I invited both sets of parents to dinner – on a Thursday. ‘On a Thursday!’ my mum said, ‘How will you have time to cook a meal?’
That night, I came in from work, stuck the oven on and set about preparing a delicious meal. I cooked honey roast parsnips, sprouts with butter, stuffing balls and apple crumble – and all without going near a peeler, chopping knife or saucepan. I even added an extra special touch with Aunt Bessie’s roast potatoes basted in duck fat.
When I dished up the meal, the table fell silent. The mums looked at each other disbelievingly and as soon as they bit into that first roast potato, my dad turned to my mum and said ‘They’re better than yours!’
Well, thanks to Aunt Bessie’s, Thursday roasts are now a family tradition that both mum and mum in-law adore, proving that the modern mum doesn’t have to sacrifice anything when juggling a full time job with the task of raising a family.
