Non Stinky Food

Bargain_Rzl

Just got the following email circulated by somebody extremely senior :

"Microwave ovens have been provided in the kitchenettes on each floor so that staff may heat up drinks and lunch food. Under no circumstances are any items that may have a strong odour when heated, such as fish, garlic or tomatoes, pasta sauces etc to be placed in the microwaves as the resulting smell cannot be removed from the surrounding offices.

As you know, we are receiving clients and visitors all the time and the smell of food does not create the right impression."

Speaking as somebody who up until now has been getting away with murder as regards smelly lunches (the scents of which make my colleagues very jealous!) I now need to be a lot more careful about what I cook! Need to make up a big batch of something tomorrow so please HELP!!? I tend to go for pasta dishes or casserole with rice, which I divide into one-litre portions for bringing into work. All my favourites are now off the menu:

Fish pie
Penne with pesto and butterbeans
Sausage and bacon pasta bake
Pasta with pork in peanut sauce
Mushroom risotto
Curry (various) with rice
Soup (various)

etc.

My famous sausage casserole is probably just about acceptable as it's quite an un-tomatoey version. But I do prefer it with quite a lot of garlic

What am I going to do that is not bland but does not stink (please don't say sandwiches, as they never make me feel full, and I could take soup in a thermos flask but prefer something solid most of the time)? The most pressing issue is what am I going to do for next week's lunches. Freezer currently contains 3 packs of sausages, 6 chicken thighs, 4 pieces of cod, and a piece of rolled lamb. Storecupboard contains all the usual staples. I can delay my veggie shopping from tonight to tomorrow a.m. so I've got time for some answers!

iwanttosave_2

how about precooking the chicken and slicing, just heat them in the microwave and add some salad and a tortia (sp, but you know that i mean) or pitta bread and some dressing, and have a hot chicken salad. Will have a think about the rest.

Skintmama

A strange dilemma (I reckon this senior person eats out!)!

Hot sandwiches spring to mind: meat or cheese in French bread or Italian bread. Don't go too soft when microwaved briefly. Maybe the veggies could then be in the soup (along with the garlic ha ha!). I still have some very wide flasks that can take stews and other chunky food. Don't know if these are still available anywhere.

Macaroni cheese may not smell too much but honestly, I think most things do smell strong when microwaved.

Skintmama

Another thought, a slice of Spanish tortilla omelette and a fresh or bought salsa.
Could use other tortilla wraps too. I suspect also that very brief heating times may be less smelly.

thriftlady_2

Good grief! what on earth is wrong with the smell of food???
Sorry cannot think of any food that doesn't smell of something-baked spud +cheese(not Gruyere obviously)?

Nile

Could the smells be due to

(a) People taking their cooked food from the microwave, out of the kitchenette and eating it at their desk?

Or

(b) Is all food eaten in the kitchenette but..... you don't have a window open or an extractor fan and leave the door open into the office area?

If the answer is due to (a), would the company provide a table and chairs in the kitchenette so that the food can be eaten there? If this is a possibility, it would keep all the food smells in one room and stop the problem whiffs spreading across the building.

If the answer is due to (b), you'll need to keep the door closed and improve the ventilation in the kitchenette.

SnowyOwl_2

That very senior busybody is a bit of a tyrant! Bet s/he has got his/her own office.

The problem you've outlined sounds like it's going to affect lots of people. Is there a staff committee that could be approached about this to find a better solution than simply ordering staff to consume non-smelly food? I really think that this should go back to the management to sort out, after all the problem is the circulation of air - you've been breathing stale recirculated air all day every day...yuk!. Your tyrant has highlighted this with his/her missive. They need either extractor fans, an enclosed room for a lunch microwave (sounds like you're having to sit at your desk to eat) or windows that open, then everyone will be happy.

In the shorter term, sorry I don't know what to suggest really, other than salad or sandwiches. Or you could invest in air fresheners?

iwanttosave_2

or how about a slice of lemon in the microwave after use

skylight

We had this rule at an old work place of mine.

The MD introduced it.

The MD refused to bide by the rules EVERY SINGLE DAY!

The MD would bawl you out if you bought something smelly in.

The MD and I didn't get on for lots of reasons.........

SallyinWales

The trick is to do flavours that smell 'fresh', so what about lemon chicken, or risotto with lemon and basil (incidentally basil is used in feng shui to encourage business- a good eason to use it in an office if ever I saw one), or carrot and coriander soup made extra thick with some diced chicken, or hot minted potato salad, or anything pork based with slices of orange on top, you can eat them or not as you see fit but they flavour the food and scent the air. Curries based on coconut and ground almonds smell sweet rather than 'curried', and jewelled rice (rice cooked in stock with whole spices, peas, diced meat or fish etc) is also very fragrant not stinky especially if you use cinnamon. Thick rice pudding with honey and nutmeg is a great cheap filler on cold days, syrup puddings (lunch doesnt have to be savoury!)

Does any of that help?

thriftlady_2

Gosh SallyinWales your ideas sound yummy.

You could try putting a bowl with bicarb of soda in the microwave when its not in use,it absorbs smells.