Nostalgia for a thread
Along with the Spanish omelet, breaded steak was a staple of picnics and beach outings for generations. Nothing was as simple, or as delicious, as a humble beef steak coated in egg, breadcrumbs, garlic, and parsley. For a long time, it was the go-to meal for any hike or a long day at the beach.
And not only there. Readers of my generation will remember those endless summer trips to the coast or the mountains along roads that crossed every town and city on the route (we didn't even know about motorways back then).
Trips in small cars where every inch of space was used to fit all the luggage, three or four children, and even the housekeeper. Endless journeys that required at least one stop to refuel. A pause along the way to eat in any shady spot by the roadside. At that moment, from some unexpected corner of the vehicle, the mother would pull out a bag with those steaks that we devoured with relish.
They were also a lifeline for those of us returning home after a night out. The cold steaks kept in the kitchen, covered with a plate—back then there were no Tupperware containers or aluminum foil—warmed us up and eased the effects of alcohol, eaten alone or, even better, in a sandwich.
Now that people hardly cook at home, large families are almost a thing of the past, and trips are made on highways with barely a stop to refuel, those breaded cutlets are disappearing.
Restaurants have also been reduced to a few endearing eateries and almost always replaced by the inevitable hamburgers (since we're feeling nostalgic, back then we had "Russian steaks", another endangered species).
Or replaced by more pretentious versions such as that dish called cachopo, which some are determined to make the flagship of Asturian cuisine and which, as a colleague and good friend says, is more than a gastronomic product, it is the symbol of a low-cost tourism model.
It's probably too late now, but allow me to champion those breaded cutlets that brought so much joy to those of us who are getting on in years. Cold and in a sandwich. Authentic cuisine of memories.
