Traditional English Food

Traditional English Food

From Around the Counties and Shires

Edited and Compiled by David Chamberlain

Copyright © Shiralee Publishing 2019

Contents

Introduction

Foreword

About

Legal Stuff

Disclaimer

Book 1: The Eastern Counties

Bedfordshire

Apple Florentine Pie

Baked Onion Butter

Bedfordshire Clangers

Bedfordshire Pudding

Bedfordshire Tea Bread

Breakfast Pancakes

Kattern Cakes

Spare Ribs

Warden Pie

Buckinghamshire

Aylesbury Duck with Orange Sauce

Bacon Badger

Bacon Dumplings

Buckinghamshire Dumplings

Buckinghamshire Rabbit Pie

Cherry Bumpers

Cherry Turnovers

Old Bucks Custom for Baking a Joint of Beef

Stokenchurch Pie

Cambridgeshire

Cambridge Burnt Cream

Cambridge Sauce

College Pudding

Duke of Cambridge Pudding

Frumenty

Fillet of Pork with Dumplings

Stilton Pears

East Anglia

Angels on Horseback

Bloater Paste

Chocolate Crunch

Double Chocolate Chip Biscuits

East Anglian Apple Dumplings

East Anglian Casserole with Dumplings

East Anglian Christmas Cake

God’s Kitchels

Gooseberry Custard

Gooseberry Custard Cream

Smoked Haddock Kedgeree Fishcakes

Summer Pudding

Traditional East Anglian Chestnut  Stuffing

Traditional East Anglian Mincemeat

Vinegar Cake

Essex

Asparagus Pudding

Audley End Sauce

Barley Cream Soup

Chelmsford Pudding

Colchester Pudding

Colne Valley Chicken

Cranham Honey Cake

Cressing Biscuits

Debden Tomato and Apple Chutney

Devilled Whitebait

Epping Sausages

Essex Apple Slices

Essex Cockle Soup

Essex Hotpot

Essex Huffers

Essex Meat Layer Pudding

Essex Pea Soup

Essex Pudding Pies

Essex Pumpkin Pie

Essex Scrap Cakes

Essex Seagull Pudding

Essex Shortcakes

Essex Spice Cakes

Kitchels

Maldon Boiled Beef

Pork Lugga

Saffron Cake

Samphire Pickle

Shoeburyness Pudding

Smoked Oyster Parcels

Southend Fruit Shells

Tipsy D’Arcy Spiced Apples

Ugley Duckling

Hertfordshire

Hasty Batter

Herts Guard’s Sauce

Oven Scones

Pope Lady Cakes

Stilton Rarebit Steaks with Chunky Chips

Veal and Kidney Pie

Winkwell Watercress Soup

Huntingdonshire

Fidget Pie

Huntingdon Pudding

Norfolk

Baked Cromer Crab

Beef Pudding Cooked in Paper

Biffins

Brancaster Salad

Gogg’s Lemon Pudding

Lemon Cheesecake

Lent Pies

Nelson’s Slice

Norfolk Fool

Norfolk Lamb Parcel

Norfolk Milk Punch

Norfolk Pudding

Norfolk Scone Slices

Norfolk Swimmers

Norfolk Treacle Tart

Norfolk Turkey Breast with Asparagus

Plough Pudding

Pork Cheese

Potted Cromer Crab

Roman Rabbit

Royal Pudding

Soused Mackerel

Treacle Tart

Suffolk

Almond Pudding

Apple Meringue Pie

Bloater Savoury

Brotherly Love

Christmas Pudding

Ginger Cream Cake

Gooseberry and Date Chutney

Greengage Tart

Green Tomato Chutney

Ickworth’s Suffolk Apple Cake

Ipswich Almond Pudding

Leek and Ham Bake

Leeks Braised with Thyme

Leek Fritters

Leek, Potato, Mushroom and Stilton Bake

Mango Chutney

Marrow and Apple Chutney

Mincemeat Cake

Needham Market Turkey Stuffing

Oxtail Brawn

Poached Salmon with Celery Sauce

Raisin Roly-Poly

Suffolk Buns

Suffolk Cakes

Suffolk Cheese Straws

Stone Cream

Suffolk Dumplings

Suffolk Fish Pie

Suffolk Hard Dumplings

Suffolk Harvest Cake

Suffolk Honey Cake

Suffolk Mincemeat

Suffolk Onion Pudding

Suffolk Perch

Suffolk Red Cabbage

Suffolk Rusks

Suffolk Syllabub

Suffolk Trifle

Victorian Christmas Cake

Book 2: The Midlands

Derbyshire

Ashbourne Gingerbread

Ashover Moorland Tart

Bakewell Pudding

Bakewell Tart

Bride’s Pie

Chaddesdon Barley Water

Derby Savoury Pudding

Derbyshire Fruit Loaf

Derbyshire Medley Pie

Derbyshire Oat Cakes

Oatmeal Dumplings

Sage Derby Parsnips

Steamed Batter Pudding

Thor Cake

Herefordshire

Apple and King Offa Pie

Apple and Orange Dumplings

Apple and Saffron Soup

Brandy Snaps

Hereford Apple Dumplings

Hereford Beef Olives

Hereford Chicken Casserole

Jugged Steak with Horseradish Dumplings

Little Hereford and Pear Tart

Love in Disguise

Market Day Savoury

Mortimer Cider Cake

Leicestershire

Apple Snow Trifle

Bosworth Jumbels

Frumenty

Hunting Pudding

Leicestershire Curd Tarts

Melton Mowbray Pork Pie

Lincolnshire

Apple Pudding

Grantham Gingerbread

Gratin of Potatoes with Lincolnshire Poacher

Lincoln Ginger Biscuits

Lincolnshire Plum Bread

Lincolnshire Poacher Cheese Scones

Lincolnshire Sausages

Lincolnshire Stuffed Chine

Mock Goose

Northamptonshire

Canons Ashby Minced Pyes

Cheese Cakes

Curd Cheesecakes

Earl Barton Leek Pie

Earl Spencer Stewed Tench

Extra-Clotted Cream

Fig Pudding

Hock and Dough

Long Buckby Feast Pudding

Northamptonshire Pudding

Seed Cake

Treacle Beer

Venison Pasty

Nottinghamshire

Cowslip Vinegar

Gotham Pudding

Nottingham Batter Pudding

Nottinghamshire Pork Pie

Roast Michaelmas Goose with Apples and Prunes

Rudby Swan Pie

Rutland

Plum Shuttles

Savoury Cheese Custard

Shropshire

Apple Cobs

Braised Duck

Fidget Pie

Fried Cakes

Grayling in Ale

Hare Pie

Lambing Cake

Loin of Pork with Cabbage Cake

Pea Soup

Shrewsbury Biscuits

Shrewsbury Cakes

Shrewsbury Sauce

Shropshire Pie

Shropshire Pork in Cream

Soul Cakes

Strawberry Batter

Staffordshire

Apple Charlotte

Buttery Potato Cake

Sautéed Staffordshire Beer in Beer

Staffordshire Beef Steaks

Staffordshire Fruit Cake

Staffordshire Oatcakes

Suety Jack

Whip Syllabub

Wychnor Pudding

Yeomanry Pudding

Warwickshire

Coventry Gingerbread

Coventry God Cakes

Crayfish and Bacon Savoury

Easter-ledge

Warwickshire Pheasant Casserole

Warwickshire Rarebit

Warwickshire Scones

Warwickshire Stew

Worcestershire

Baked Apple Pudding

Black Country Beef Stew

Cauliflower Cake

Lemon Cream

Malvern Pudding

Ragout of Sweetbreads

Stewed Pears in Spices

Tardebigge Turkey

Worcester Pudding

Book 3: The South East

Berkshire

Bacon Pudding

Berkshire Hog

Berkshire Pigeon

Brown Windsor Soup

Eton Mess

Jugged Steak

Poor Knights of Windsor

Spiced Beef

Hampshire

Avon Scones

Brown Sauce

Friar’s Omelette

Hampshire Drops

Haslet

Meat LKoaf

Mother’s Day Wafers

Roast Venison

Six-Cup Pudding

Venison Stew

Isle of Wight

Isle of Wight Doughnuts

Kidney in the Onion

Vectis Pudding

Kent

Apple and Cheese Pie

Apple Meringue Tart

Cherry and Almond Pie

Chicken and Mushroom Pudding

Hedgerow Beer

Huffkins

Kentish Apple Pie

Kentish Cheese and Potato Layer

Kentish Cheese Pasties

Kentish Chicken Pudding

Kentish Farmhouse Chicken

Kentish Pancakes

Kentish Pigeons-in-a-Pot with Plums

Kentish Pudding Pie

Kentish Well Pudding

Kent Lent Tart

Maidstone Biscuits

Oast Cakes

Oyster Loaves

Pippin Pie

Rochester Pudding

Swanley Harvest Custard

Tonbridge Biscuits

Treacle Tart

Twice Laid

London

Bangers and Mash

Boiled Beef and Carrots

Boodle’s Orange Fool

Brentford Rolls

Bubble and Squeak

Buck’s Fizz

Chelsea Buns

Deep Fried Fish and Chips

Jellied Eels

Johnny Cakes

London Broil

London Particular

London Pie

London Syllabub

Mixed Grill

Omelette Arnold Bennett

Pie, Mash and Parsley Liquor

Porter Cake

Simpson’s Treacle Pudding

Spotted Dick

Steak and Kidney Pie

Steak and Kidney Pudding

Stewed Eels

Tottenham Cake

Water Souchet

Whitebait

Oxfordshire

Aunt’s Pudding

Banbury Apple Pie

Banbury Cake

Brasenose Ale

Carrot Pudding

Cotswolds Dumplings

Oxford Pudding

Oxford Sauce

Oxford Sausages

Peterhouse Pudding

Trinity College Pudding

Surrey

Broad Bean Pudding

Crystal Palace Pudding

Deptford Pudding

Guildford Manchets

Herb Pie

Lardie Cakes

Maid of Honour Cakes

Potato and Onion Soup

Richmond Eel Pie

Summer Strawberries

Surrey Lamb Pie

Surrey Roast Chicken

Sutton Pie

Tea Cream

Wandle Baked Stuffed Trout

Water Biscuits

Watercress Soup

Wimbledon Cake

Sussex

Arundel Mullets

Brighton Buttons

Chiddingly Hotpot

Hunting Pudding

Ifield Vicarage Hog’s Pudding

Lardy Johns

Potato Pudding

Ripe Tart

Rotherfield Sweet-Tooth

Sussex Bailiff’s Bliss

Sussex Beef in Beer

Sussex Blanket Pudding

Sussex Heavies

Sussex Plum Duffs

Sussex Pond Pudding

Sussex Sausage Rolls

Sussex Well Pudding

Book 4: The North West

County Durham

A Durham Breakfast

Bacon Floddies

Buckwheat Cakes

Carlings

Fat Rascals

North East Canal Floddies

North East Pease Pudding

Pikelets

Stanhope Firelighters

Yule Bread

Northumberland

Alnwick Stew

Celery Cheese

Courting Cake

Felton Spice Loaf

Flittin’ Dumplings

Newcastle Potted Salmon

Newcastle Pudding

Northumberland Mussels in Cream

Northumberland Stovies

Northumberland Twists

Northumbrian Biscuits

Northumbrian Cockle Soup

Northumbrian Girdle Cakes

Pan Haggerty

Pickled Salmon

Singin’ Hinnies

Snails

Threshing Day Barley Bread

Whitley ‘Goose’

Yorkshire

Apple and Oat Betty

Bacon and Mixed Bean Hotpot

Baked Cheesecake

Beery Beef with Crusty Topping

Blackcurrant Pies

Bonfire Toffee

Brandy Snaps

Chicken Parmo

Doncaster Butterscotch

Double Crust Pie

Fish Cobbler

Jugged Hare

Kilnsey Terrine

Lamb Chops with Redcurrant Sauce

Leek and Carrot Soup

Northallerton Sweet Baked Batter

Oat Cakes

Parkin

Pately Fritters

Pea Soup

Rhubarb and Orange Crumble

Ripon Cakes

Ripon Spice Cake

Saucer Pancakes

Savoury Ducks

Secret Cake

Sly Cakes

Solomon Grundy

Sowerby Soup

Thor Cake

Toad in the Hole

Treacle Toffee

Vegetable Plum Pudding

Wensleydale Tarts

West Riding Pudding

Whitby Crispy Crab Cakes

York Chocolate Pudding

York Ham with Raisin Sauce

Yorkshire Buck

Yorkshire Cheese Pudding

Yorkshire Curd Tart

Yorkshire Moggie

Yorkshire Oat Flan

Yorkshire Old Wives' Sod

Yorkshire Pork Pie

Yorkshire Pudding

Yorkshire Slab Cake

Yorkshire Summer Batter

Yorkshire Tea Cakes

Book 5: The North West

Cheshire

Cheshire Apple Shortbread

Cheshire Cheese Soup

Cheshire Cheese and Asparagus Charlotte

Cheshire Fidget Pie

Cheshire Lamb Crumble

Cheshire Parkin

Cheshire Pie

Cheshire Pork and Apple Pie

Cheshire Pork Pie

Cheshire Pork Pie (2)

Cheshire Potted Pigeon

Cheshire Rabbit Brawn

Cheshire Savoury Cheese Cake

Cheshire Soup

Cheshire Stew

Chester Buns

Chester Cake

Chester Pudding

Egg Dropped in Cheese

Flummery

Leek and Potato Pie

Manchester Pudding

Potato Cheese

Potted Cheshire Cheese

Souling Cake

Swede and Cheshire Cheese Bake

Toasted Cheshire Cheese

Vegetarian Brunch Pie

Cumberland

Apple and Bacon Pudding

Baked Black Pudding

Barnsley Chops with Cumberland Sauce

Beef Bake

Beef with Cumberland Sauce

Beef, Leek & Swede Cumberland Pie

Christmas Standing Pie

Clipping-Time Pudding

Creamed Kidneys

Crispy Topped Cumberland Pie

Crumble Top Beef Pie

Cumberland Cake

Cumberland Chicken

Cumberland Glazed Baked Gammon

Cumberland-Glazed Roast Lamb Shoulder

Cumberland Herb Pudding

Cumberland Herrings

Cumberland Pie

Cumberland Rum Butter

Cumberland Rum Nicky

Cumberland Sand Cake

Cumberland Sauce

Cumberland Sausage

Cumberland Sausage Cassoulet with Thyme

Cumberland Sausage with Red Cabbage and Chestnuts

Cumberland Sausage Slippers

Cumberland Spare Rib Pie

Cumberland Stuffed Herrings with Mustard Sauce

Cumberland Sweet Lamb Pie

Cumberland Tatie Pot

Cumberland Whirls

Damson and Apple Tansy

Double Decker Pudding

Duke of Cumberland Pudding

Farmyard Cakes

Forfar Bridies with Cumberland Sausage

Grasmere Gingerbread

Hackin Pudding

Kendal Mint Cake

Lamb Castles

Mutton Fillets

Shepherds Cottage Pie

Shepherd's Pie

Stuffed Loin of Pork

Stuffed Meat Rolls

Vanilla Jelly

Vegetarian Cumberland Pie

Lancashire

Apple Tansy

Brawn

Butter Pie

Chorley Cakes

Courting Cake

Eccles Cakes

Everton Toffee

Faggots

Golden Vegetable Soup

Hindle Wakes

Lancashire Cheese Savoury

Lancashire Hotpot

Manchester Pudding

Pan Haggerty

Parkin

Potted Shrimps

Rag Pudding

Sad Cake

Scouse

Simnel Cake

Souling Cake

Steak Pan Pie

Treacle Toffee

Tripe and Onions

Tripe Pie

Westmorland

Westmorland 3 Deckers

Westmorland Lamb Hotpot

Westmorland Parkin

Westmorland Pepper Cake

Westmorland Sweet Pie

Book 6: The South West

Cornwall

Baked Apple Dumplings

Barley Bread

Bread

Cornish Buttered Lobster

Cornish Caudle Chicken Pie

Cornish Crab Soup

Cornish Currany ‘Obbin

Cornish Pasty

Cornish Pie

Cornish Pig's Head Pudding

Cornish Scones

Cornish Splits

Cornish Under Roast

Crab Salad

Eel Pie

Fairings

Grey Mullet in Lemon and Red Wine

Heavy Cake

Helston Pudding

Leeky Pie

Mullet Pie

New Potato Salad

Penzance Grey Mullet

Raw Fry

Saffron Cakes

Stargazy Pie

Devon

Barnstaple Fayre Pears

Bisque

Chudleighs

Clotted Cream

Damask Cream

Devon Apple Cake

Devon Cutrounds

Devon Flats

Devon Scones

Devon Splits

Devonshire Apple Dappy

Devonshire Apple Drugget

Devonshire Apple Scones

Devonshire Cream

Devonshire Likky Pie

Devonshire Potato Cake

Devonshire Pork Pie

Exeter Pudding

Exeter Stew with Parsley Dumplings

Sally Lunns

Spiced Ale and Gingerbread

Squab Pie

Teign Valley Toffee Apples

Dorset

Baked Mackerel with Gooseberry Sauce

Dorset Apple Cake

Dorset Apple Traybake

Dorset Dough Cake

Dorset Jugged Steak

Dorset Sausage Pasties

Dorset Wigg

Fresh Green Pea and Cucumber Soup

Lamb’s Tail Pie

Lardy Cake

Lettuce Soup

Matrimony Cake

Rabbit Custard

Roast Cygnets

Tea Bread

Gloucestershire

Badminton Eggs

Cheese and Ale

Cotswold Dumplings

Fowl Pie

Gingerbread Husbands

Gloucester Elvers

Gloucester White Pot

Gloucestershire Sausages

Gloucestershire Pie

Gloucestershire Tarts

Pork Loin Pot Roast

Sirloin Steaks with Tewkesbury Mustard

Speech House Pudding

Squab Pie

Somerset

Bath Buns

Bath Orange Creams

Cheddar Meringue Pie

Cheddar Mousse

Damask Cream

Fish Casserole

Glastonbury Pudding

Minted Egg Pie

Orange Mousse

Plovers Eggs

Sally Lunns

Somerset Apple Cake

Somerset Chicken

Somerset Cider Cake

Somerset Gooseberry Tansy

Somerset Hamlets

Somerset Honeyed Pork Stew

Somerset Liver Roll

Somerset Rabbit

Taunton Toast

Wassail Bowl

Wiltshire

Cheese and Walnut Loaf

Devizes Pie

Lardy Cakes

Wiltshire Cake

Wiltshire Pork Pie

Wiltshire Stir-in Pudding

Index Info

Blackberry Sauce

Bread Dough

Choux Pastry

Crab Apple Jelly

Cumberland Sauce

Everlasting Syllabub

Flaky Pastry

Flan Case

Hot Water Crust Pastry

Mint Sauce

Mushy Peas

Onion Sauce

Puff Pastry

Redcurrant Jelly

Redcurrant Sauce

Rough Puff Pastry

Rum Sauce

Short-Crust Pastry

Suet Pastry

Sweet Shortcrust Pastry

Yorkshire Pudding

Conversion Table

Introduction

Hello, and welcome to my eBook of Traditional English Food

I have spent many years collecting recipes from around the Counties and Shires of England.

There are no modern recipes in this eBook. Instead, I have concentrated on those recipes that were concocted long before the 1970's and which originated from one of the 41 Counties that existed up until the Boundary Changes of 1974.

In total there are 650 recipes within these pages, many of which are several hundred years old. However, over the intervening years, those really old ones have been brought up to modern day language.

Enjoy

David Chamberlain

Foreword

THIS EBOOK, EDITED and compiled by my father, David Chamberlain, contains over 650 recipes from the 6 Regions of England that existed before 1974

Hi, my name is Teresa Hibberd, and I have been entrusted with the task of writing a Foreword for this eBook

Dad is now 77 years of age and has been collecting recipes from all over England since about 1980. There are, within the pages of this eBook, over 650 recipes, all of which have been found in the 6 Regions of England

I too am a great foodie and have about 200 recipe books at home. I also have a large collection of recipe cuttings, that I have been collecting since childhood. So, I believe I am well qualified to review this book and, to my mind at least, I think it is quite unique. I know of no other book, or books, that so extensively cover the Regions and Counties of England

All in all, I consider this eBook to be great value for money and I highly recommend it to you

Teresa Hibberd

About

The 6 Regions of England , prior to 1974, were:

The Eastern Counties, The Midlands, The South East, The North East, The North West and The South West

In total these Regions contained a total of 41 Counties between them. However, within The Eastern Counties, you will find East Anglia which, although not a County as such, did exist as an area of England and contains recipes from Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex. I have therefore included it as a 'County'.

In total you will find over 650 recipes, plus a further 21 in the Index folder, which is located at the bottom of the List of Contents. This folder contains recipes that form part of the Ingredients of other recipes. For example, should you come across a recipe with, say, Cumberland Sauce (See Index), in the list of Ingredients, you will find it in this folder

All of the recipes within this eBook are English in origin. Therefore, should you come across a recipe which uses 'cup' measurements, this should NOT be taken to mean that the recipe is American. Instead you should perhaps use an ordinary teacup or purchase a set of 5 measuring cups. These come in ¼, 1/3, ½, ¾ and 1 cup. I have seen these on sale in Asda for £6.00 at the time of writing.

Please also note, that some recipes appear in more than one County, but they do have minor differences.

Legal Stuff

At the bottom of every page in this eBook, you will see a Copyright Notice. This is telling you that this eBook is the Intellectual Property of Shiralee Publishing. You may not therefore, distribute, sell or give it away, in any way, shape or form, including the CD upon which you received it

Disclaimer

All the recipes contained in this eBook, are freely available in old recipe books and on the Internet. Where possible, so as to avoid litigation, I have added an accreditation, pointing to the originator of some of these recipes.

Should any of these recipes not come up to your expectations, Shiralee Publishing cannot be held accountable.

Best Regards

David Chamberlain

Book 1: The Eastern Counties

Comprising the Counties of

Bedfordshire

Buckinghamshire

Cambridgeshire

East Anglia

Essex

Hertfordshire

Huntingdonshire

Norfolk

Suffolk

Bedfordshire

County Flag

County Town: Bedford

County Flower: Bee Orchid

BEDFORDSHIRE IS A CEREMONIAL county of historic origin in the East of England. It borders the non-metropolitan counties of Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west, and Hertfordshire to the south-east.

The highest elevation point is 797ft on Dunstable Downs in the Chilterns.

As part of a 2002 marketing campaign, the plant conservation charity Plantlife chose the Bee Orchid as the county flower.

The traditional nickname for people from Bedfordshire is Bedfordshire Bulldogs or Clangers the latter deriving from a local dish comprising a suet crust pastry filled with meat in one end and jam in the other. You’ll find it further on in these pages.

It is the 14th most densely populated county of England, with over half the population of the county living in the two largest built up areas of Bedford and Luton.

Apple Florentine Pie

AChristmas dish from the 18th-century and old fashioned harvest dessert

Ingredients: 

1 pint (600ml) of hot, spiced ale

4 good cooking apples

Grated lemon peel

Short crust pastry (See Index)

2 tbsp sugar 

For the hot spiced ale:

1 pint (600ml) ale

1 tbsp sugar

Nutmeg

Cinnamon

1 clove

To make the spiced ale:

Mix ingredients in a pan and bring to a simmer before pie is cooked.       

Add to pie as instructed.

Method:

Wash and core the apples and lay in a deep pie dish.

Sprinkle the apples with sugar and lemon peel.

Cover with short crust pastry.

Bake for 30 minutes in a moderate oven.

Gently lift off the pastry and pour the spiced ale over the apples.

Replace the pastry and serve hot

Baked Onion Butter

Ingredients:

1 medium sized onion

4oz (110gm) butter.

Method:

Take all the juice from the onion and stir into the butter in a saucepan.

Brown the butter and serve hot.

Bedfordshire Clangers

(Dates back to at least the 19th century)

This farm workers meal is similar to the famous Cornish pasty, except that it uses a suet pastry instead of short crust. As with the Cornish pasty I would strongly recommend all fresh ingredients. When eaten hot, gravy should accompany the savoury end and custard the sweet end. A common nickname for people of Bedfordshire is Clanger.

Ingredients:

Serves: 4

1 lb (450gm) stewing steak, diced

1 lb (450gm) suet pastry

4 oz (110gm) ox kidney, cleaned, skinned, cored & diced

2 oz (60gm) raisins

1 oz (30gm) butter

1 onion, finely chopped

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 large cooking apples, peeled, cored and diced

2 tbsp sugar

Method:

Gently brown the onion, steak and kidney in the butter and season with salt and pepper

After rolling out the suet crust into a rectangle, cut off a thin strip from the short side and use it to divide the pastry into two halves

Spread the meat mixture on one side and the sweet mixture on the other

Roll the whole thing up in the shape of a Swiss Roll and seal the ends

Wrap the roll in greased tin foil, but not too tightly

Place in a large saucepan and cover with boiling water

Simmer for about 1½ hours ensuring water does not run dry

Serve as suggested

Bedfordshire Pudding

Possibly a religious festival cake or pudding, having all the ingredients that go with such recipes

Ingredients:

Short crust pastry (See Index)

¼ pint (7ml) milk

1 tbsp raisins

1 tbsp currants

½ tbsp candied peel

1 egg, beaten

1 dsrtsp sugar

A little grated nutmeg 

Method:

Set your oven to 375F/190C/Gas Mark5

Roll out the pastry and use to line a rectangular, ovenproof dish

Mix together the sugar, nutmeg and beaten egg

Heat the milk and mix well into the egg mix

Add the dried fruit and pour into the dish

Bake for 50 minutes

Bedfordshire Tea Bread

Also known as Sticky Bread this fat-free tea bread is very easy to make and improves with age

Ingredients:

1 lb (450gm) mixed dried fruit

1 mug of cold tea

1 mug of dark soft brown sugar

1 large egg

2 mugs of self-raising flour

Method:

Set your oven to 325F/170C/Gas Mark 3

Cover the dried fruit with cold tea and leave overnight

Beat the egg and flour together and add to the fruit, mixing well

Pour the mixture into a greased 2 lb (900gm) loaf tin

Bake for 90 minutes  

Serve sliced with butter

Breakfast Pancakes

(Possibly American in origin)

Pancakes are normally reserved for Shrove Tuesday here in the U.K. But why wait? Being easy to prepare they’re ideal for a quick breakfast snack.

Ingredients:

Serves: 4

4 oz (110gm) back bacon, grilled and chopped

1 oz (30gm) plain flour

1 oz (30gm) medium oatmeal

9 fl oz (280ml) milk

4 eggs, beaten

Butter, for frying

2 tomatoes, sliced and grilled

Method:

Mix together in a bowl the flour, oatmeal and a tablespoon of the beaten egg

Add ¼ pt (7ml) of milk making a smooth batter

Heat a small amount of butter in a small frying pan and cover the base with 3 tablespoons of batter

When cooked turn the pancake over to brown the other side

Make light and fluffy scrambled eggs with the remaining eggs and milk

Add a spoonful of scrambled eggs, along with bacon and sliced tomatoes to each pancake

Fold in half and serve

Kattern Cakes

So-called after Catherine of Aragon; one of the six wives of King Henry VIII; who once lived at Ampthill Castle. Ampthill was a favourite lace-making district and Catherine was very interested in the craft. Catherine Cakes were specially made for November 25th, St. Catherines Day.

Ingredients:

2 lb (900gm) bread dough

2 oz (60gm) sugar

2 oz (60gm) butter

1 egg

A few caraway seeds

Method:

Make a bread dough in the usual way

Mix in the butter, sugar, egg and seeds and knead well

Allow to rise for about 2 hours in a warm place

Bake in a floured baking tin, in a moderate oven, for 2 to 3 hours

Spare Ribs

Avery tasty alternative to the modern day Chinese variety.

Ingredients:

2½ lb (1.125Kg) meaty pork spare ribs

1 finely chopped onion

Garlic to taste

Juice of a lemon

1 tsp ginger

4 tbsp vinegar

2 rounded tbsps brown sugar

6 tbsp tomato ketchup

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 dsrtsp French mustard

1 pinch of celery salt

Salt and pepper

4 tbsp water

Method:

Preheat oven to medium heat and roast off and discard the excess fat from the ribs

Soften the onion and combine with the other ingredients

Add the other ingredients with the ribs and cook for 2 hours at 350F/180C/Gas Mark 4 turning occasionally

Serve with jacket potatoes

Warden Pie

(Possibly from Warden Abbey, founded in 1135)

Ingredients:

8-10 Little Warden pears (If unavailable, 4 small-ish pears)

Short crust pastry (See Index)

½ tsp cinnamon

1 lge pinch of ground cloves

½ to 1 cup of sugar to taste

¼ tsp ginger

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 350F/180C/Gas Mark 4

Roll out the pastry and use to line a suitably sized dish, setting aside enough for a crust

Peel and core the pears and parboil long enough to soften them a little

Leave to cool then set into the dish.

(If using larger pears than Warden, slice in half lengthwise and set them alternatively round and flat sides up)