Over the top or professional?

[G_B_]

England insist on Ashes cookbook The leaking of England's minutely detailed dining requirements highlights their attention to details. The days of pies, pizza and pints are long gone

Australia still idly likes to imagine England as a depressing culinary backwater of fish and chips and bacon butties, but if they serve that up for the England cricket team in the forthcoming Test series it could create the greatest Ashes stand-off since Bodyline. The Bodyline controversy in the 1930s was all about potential damage to the body because of deliberate short-pitched bowling, but Bodyline II is more obsessed with the attainment of physical perfection as England have issued detailed instructions about the health foods they expect to receive during the Ashes series. England's culinary requirements, which have been leaked to the Sydney Morning Herald, are outlined in a glossy 82-page cookbook and include exact instructions for preparing nearly 200 different types of meals and drinks. Beware, Australia, if your muffins are not wholewheat or if your cranberries are not poached until soft. Superfoods such as kale, agave nectar and yogurt (probiotic, naturally) are present in abundance and, as for the main courses, expect heavy demand for the mungbean and spinach curry. Most international sides issue dietary requirements - Australia among them - but it is a safe bet that there has never been anything as detailed as this. If you are reading this while reheating last night's pizza, you may wish to feel ashamed. England's methodology is based upon micro-planning every aspect of their performance - even down to organising a pre-tour dinner for the team director, Andy Flower, with the players' wives and girlfriends to advise about their responsibilities (no menus are available, sadly) - and this will only strengthen their reputation for unashamed professionalism. Chris Rosimus, the ECB's performance nutritionist, has backed up the cookbook with a further 12-page file titled, Test Catering Requirements. Rosimus used to work as a nutritionist for Manchester United Soccer Schools in Abu Dhabi before he joined the ECB more than two years ago. He provides guidance to England players, men and women, at all levels and is tasked with identifying potential problem players. Gary Ballance, who some feel carries a little extra poundage, could find Rosimus on his shoulder at any moment. Rosimus' secret? Well, England guard such information closely, but after intense research, we can reveal this mantra: "At the end of play, have a good meal that provides one-third carbohydrate, one-third lean protein and one-third vegetables or salad. This will help your body recovery to do it all again the next day." It is all a world away from England's three-month tour of India in 1993 when the tour manager, Bob Bennett, kept spirits up by occasionally running what became known as Bob's Kitchen, with birthday cakes for the players a speciality. By the end of the century, England's physiotherapist, Wayne Morton, part of a backroom staff that was tiny by comparison with today, would insist on checking the hygiene of hotel kitchens and was not averse to brandishing bottles of anti-bacterial liquid and suggesting that the staff attended to their cleaning rota. What Ben Stokes, one of the least experienced members of England's Ashes tour party, makes of it, heaven knows. When Durham won a decisive late-season Championship match against their closest challengers, Yorkshire, at Scarborough, Stokes gleefully tweeted a picture of the boys tucking in with a celebratory Chinese takeaway. Now, as he wonders if he will make his Test debut in the Ashes series, he must learn to love butternut squash and falafel coronation. Be warned, Australia: it must only be made with low-calorie mayonnaise. Even now, Nancy, the much-loved Middlesex cook during their glory years, who claimed to prepare for a day's work at 8am with "a cup of tea and a ***", must be looking askance from whatever celestial cloud she has alighted upon. It was Nancy, whose lunchtime apple crumble could famously slow a bowler's approach in the post-lunch session, who once responded to the gentle concern of the former Middlesex and England captain Mike Brearley (and you can insert your own swear words, because there were plenty) by raging: "You take care of the cricket, Michael, and I'll take care of the cooking." Times have changed, but when England have a captain, Alastair Cook, who goes by the nickname of Chef, what did you expect? Cook even took part in a fund-raiser for the Chance to Shine cricket charity in September, judged by the TV chef Ainsley Harriott. His own delicacy, a chocolate brownie recipe which he borrowed from his wife, would presumably be on England's banned list. David Hopps is the UK editor of ESPNcricinfo RSS Feeds: David Hopps © ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/the-ashes-2013-14/content/story/686599.html?CMP=chrome

[Scarves]

It's fine but god damn funny.

[G_B_]

I assume the aussie media is having a field day

[G_B_]

what is this gluten free thing? I heard Novak was into it

[Forever Indian]

Gluten is a type of protein which is not easily assimilated by the body. It is mainly found in wheat, corn, oats, etc... The human body is genetically not used to digest this type of protein, it is only after we started cooking that man has been having wheat and other gluten diet. So for some it can lead to digestion and other nutrients absorption issues. Though many are also fine with a gluten diet. G_B_ - In UK you may have seen many food items writtern may not be gluten free, etc. Some follow a strict gluten free diet but it will be diffcicult to follow in the western world as it means to avoid most type of breads. In North India it means to avoid Chappathis.

[G_B_]

hmm i guess it means avoid carbs... or anything with large % of wheat

[Forever Indian]

hmm i guess it means avoid carbs... or anything with large % of wheat

Rice though high in carbs is gluten free, so basically avoiding wheat, corn, oats and other gluten diet

[Clarke]

They shouldn't be acting like beauty queens and divas. A two page menu should be fine, not an 80 page pdf with the recipes. Botham & Gower must wonder whatever went wrong with sandwiches and coffee.

[bulbul]

:hatsoff:

[avicric]

And our players eat paratha and biryani.

[msb1991]

I don't think it is over the top at all. What does over the top even mean? Surely you are going to take every measure to improve performance and win The Ashes. At an extreme level, players nourished on chocolates are not going to perform well. This is just an application of the same thinking. The right foods will improve the performances of everyone.

[GrandMasterSaxy]

Our players are quite fit even after eating parathas and biryanis, apart from Ashwin (lil chubby). At the end what matters the most is winning the game/series.

And our players eat paratha and biryani.

[Cricketics]

To each his own. I remember watching a 5th set thriller tennis game between Giles Simon and Gael Monfils, to entertaining french players. When the 5th set started, even with influx of gatorades around, Monfils ask the chair umpire and ball boys/girls for coco cola. They were stumped and confused to where to get it from. Eventually it was arranged. And then funny thing happend. His opponent who was eating banana's through out the game, asked for chocolate of any kind. It resulted in more delay in the game. Monfils later said that it gives him energy whenever he drinks coke.

[Cricketics]

I found it here [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxWvX-M9ttY]Gilles Simon Gets Hungry Australian Open 2013 - YouTube[/ame] [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPED4-ND44Y]Monfils drink Coca Cola (Australian Open 2013) - YouTube[/ame]

[GrandMasterSaxy]

Nice way to promote Coke

To each his own. I remember watching a 5th set thriller tennis game between Giles Simon and Gael Monfils, to entertaining french players. When the 5th set started, even with influx of gatorades around, Monfils ask the chair umpire and ball boys/girls for coco cola. They were stumped and confused to where to get it from. Eventually it was arranged. And then funny thing happend. His opponent who was eating banana's through out the game, asked for chocolate of any kind. It resulted in more delay in the game. Monfils later said that it gives him energy whenever he drinks coke.

[Precambrian]

have read somewhere that all that sachin had prior to his 98vs Pakistan in 2003 we was a tub of icecream

[ganeshran]

what is this gluten free thing? I heard Novak was into it

It is a new found diet fad which is largely useless for most people, unless you happen to be suffering from Coeliac disease in which even small amounts of gluten can completely throw the digestive system out of gear. Though there are varying amounts of gluten intolerance found in people with milder symptoms, it is useless to go on a gluten free diet for people who don't actually exhibit gluten intolerance symptoms

[msb1991]

It is a new found diet fad which is largely useless for most people, unless you happen to be suffering from Coeliac disease in which even small amounts of gluten can completely throw the digestive system out of gear. Though there are varying amounts of gluten intolerance found in people with milder symptoms, it is useless to go on a gluten free diet for people who don't actually exhibit gluten intolerance symptoms

This seems to be the medical fact and yet a lot of people swear that it works for everyone. A very strange disconnect in public opinion versus medical fact.

[Scarves]

To each his own. I remember watching a 5th set thriller tennis game between Giles Simon and Gael Monfils, to entertaining french players. When the 5th set started, even with influx of gatorades around, Monfils ask the chair umpire and ball boys/girls for coco cola. They were stumped and confused to where to get it from. Eventually it was arranged. And then funny thing happend. His opponent who was eating banana's through out the game, asked for chocolate of any kind. It resulted in more delay in the game. Monfils later said that it gives him energy whenever he drinks coke.

BEST MATCH EVER :hysterical: That was a great match though love watching Simon play. It is like minimalism Tennis.

[Cricketics]

BEST MATCH EVER :hysterical: That was a great match though love watching Simon play. It is like minimalism Tennis.

Yes, Simon is one of my fav.