The long but much maligned tradition of English cookery- which , to most people, including the Anglo Saxons themselves, consist mainly of steak and kidney pie, roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, fish and chips, lamb and mint sauce, tripe and onions and suet pudding - has been largely ignored or at best dismissed as too bland. This book is a triumphant vindication of seven centuries of English cooking.
A twelfth century recipe example:
Displaye that crane: Take a crane and unfolde his legges and cut of his wynges and his legges and sauce him with poudres of gynger, mustard, vynegre and salte
Somewhat on the simple side. How about this for a meal? This is what was offered to the King (Henry VII) at Horsley in Surrey in the summer of 1533.
The first course consisted of salades of damsons, artichokes, cabbage leaves, puslane and cucumbers, with which were served cold dishes of stewed sparrows, carp, capons in lemon, larded pheasants, duch, gull, brews, forced rabbit, pasty of venison from fallow deer and pear pastry. This was followed by a hot course of stork, gannet, heron, pullets, quail, partridge, fresh sturgeon, pastry of venison from red deer, chickens baked in caudle and fritters.Once these dishes were removed the third and last course was served, consisting of jelly, blacmange, apples with pistachios, pears with carraway, filberts, scraped cheese with sugar, clotted cream with sugar, quince pie, marchpane and rounded off with the customary wafers and hioppocra, the cordial of spiced wine which was the Tudor equivalent of a glass of port.
One of my own favourite puddings is Dorset Apple Cake. As a West Country man, I love this dish.
1/4 Lb of Butter or Lard
1/2 Lb flour
3 oz Sugar
1 tsp baking powder
3 hard cooking apples, finely chopped
1 Egg beaten
A little milk, scrumpy, brandy , calvados or applejack.
I little caster sugar
Rub the fat into the flour, add the other ingredients and then the apples and egg. Care must be taken to put in only just enough milk to blend the paste, because as the apples bake they will release a good deal opf the moisture in them. In Dorset, a small amount of scrumpy brandy is used (alas , illegal to make now) but Calvados or applejack will do as well. Grease a shallow baking tin, put in the mixture and bake for half an hour in a moderate oven. Turn out of the tin and dredge well with caster sugar and serve cold.
Here is a simple recipe for trifle, the Queen of English puddings.
A dessert made with cake soaked in custard with layers of peaches and slivered almonds
Ingredients:
3 pints custard
2 oblong sponge cakes (7x11 inches)
3/4 cup sherry
1 tin strawberry jam
1 large tin sliced peaches
1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
1/2 pint cream, whipped
1/4 cup strawberries
Method:
Make 3 pints custard according to the directions on the packet.
Cut sponge cake into thin slices, then put half into 1 large or 2 smaller seving bowls.
Sprinkle with half the sherry, then spread with half the jam.
Place half the drained peach slices on top and sprinkle with half the toasted almonds.
Pour half the custard over.
Repeat layers, cover and chill.
Just before serving, top with whipped cream and strawberries.
Serves 20
The English have nothing to be ashamed about. It is true that a great deal of home cooking these days owes more to food technologists than to the garden but I remember well the reaction of my French friend when he came to live with us and ate his first English meal. 'But this is excellent!' he said in amazement. My Mother could really cook well. Her roast rabbit was always a great success except for one occasion when a guest broke a tooth on a piece of lead shot. I got quite good at skinning and gutting them.
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