Rediscovering Tradtional Food

[GazCol]

Pie. Chips. Gravy.

[Mich the Tester]

WWI and WWII, extended rationing, lack of refrigeration and the fact that we're an island nation.
The post war cooking "celebs" weren't much help as they eschewed everything British in favour of Italian and French dishes.

good british food was lost to an entire generation and it's only recently that we're getting it back

Plus arguably the post war subsidies to produce enough food for everyone that led to quantity over quality in agricultural produce and rapid changes to lifestyle with more women working (wanting to carry on working after they'd worked in factories and earnt their own living in the war) and not having the time to spend hours cooking; that led to more convenience food.

[Gittins Gal]

I was talking about frequently visiting Guernsey in a parallel thread and I feel I should mention the legendary Bean Jar.

Literally a bean and vegetable stew cooked in a glass jar. The inneresting thing about it is that it originates from the days when many people didn't have ovens in their homes. So, they would pop the ingredients into a jar and take it to the local baker who would pop it into the bread oven while he was doing the daily bake.

And the tradition continues to this day. There's a great little café in St Peter Port that I used to visit on occasions for a bean jar.

[norrahe]

Butterscotch!

NL food is 'interesting' I used to work in Amsterdam a few days a week and the staff canteen had deep fried breadcrumbed 'surprise' everyday

Accompanied by fried eggs and bread of course.

I think 'interesting' is being kind.

[Mich the Tester]

Accompanied by fried eggs and bread of course.

I think 'interesting' is being kind.

And peanut butter!

[Mich the Tester]

Faggots, peas & onion gravy.

Mmmmmmm.

Yep, a regular on the menu at Tester Towers. I prefer beetroot to peas though. (I sink zis may be a Germanic ettribute end a srowbeck to ze days our family voz called 'von Tester'. Many of my Germanic traits vere reavakend by my relationship viz Lady Tester.)

[minestrone]

A good corn beef hash is a treat.

Corned

[Damon]

Corned

Is Minestrone increasing in popularity too?

[norrahe]

Yep, a regular on the menu at Tester Towers. I prefer beetroot to peas though. (I sink zis may be a Germanic ettribute end a srowbeck to ze days our family voz called 'von Tester'. Many of my Germanic traits vere reavakend by my relationship viz Lady Tester.)

Do you make them yourself?

I'm just wondering how to explain caul to my local butcher.

[norrahe]

And peanut butter!

or kip sate