Delicious British Delicacies

[Adam Balic]

You're all delicious British delicacies to me.

[balex]

Samphire

Horrible, trendy, and thoroughly indigestible; not fit for human consumption.

Is samphire the same as the Italian vegetable 'agretti' a.k.a. 'barba di San Giuseppe'?

[Adam Balic]

Samphire

Horrible, trendy, and thoroughly indigestible; not fit for human consumption.

Is samphire the same as the Italian vegetable 'agretti' a.k.a. 'barba di San Giuseppe'?

Yes, but 'agretti' tends to be cultivated varieties of the species and Samphire is collected wild. I think that it is good when steamed and covered in melted butter, but a bother to eat. I guess it serves the purpose of giving people the impression of 'wild' food.

[The Artful Dodger]

Large Doner kebab with chilli sauce, consumed while horrendously pissed. Score yourself extra culinary kudos if you inadvertantly consume the wrapper without noticing. A true British classic.

[KNorthrup]

Not exactly a delicacy, but the summer I spent tromping around as part of the backpack/hostel/rail pass crowd, everyone was hooked on HobNobs. All the hostels sold them and it was like we each went through a pack a day apiece. It was several years later before I found them back here and that was a very very happy day. Plain chocolate.

[JasonCampbell]

And Wimpy hamburger restaurants, a bender in a bun. Yes please!

The much missed Pirate's Platter from the Golden Egg was a great fave.

The Golden Egg, a venue that always held me in anticipation. There was the cowboy one, with beans. The Pirate one with fish fingers, and another one which I forget. We used to go there for special occasions, the one in Newport South Wales.

Happy Days...

[Carlovski]

I would vote for the humble Eccles cake, and it's lesser known cousin the Chorley cake.

And while we are on the subject, both go very well with a nice piece of lancashire.

BTW Anyone else ever been to Bury Market? As well as the famous Balck pudding stalls (Only one or two left now, and only one which ONLY sells black pudding) the cheese stall with it's fantastic choice (Do you want crumbly or creamy lancashire?). The odd one is the choice of 'Tasty' lancashire. Is there any other kind?

[thom]

Carlovski,

Bury market is indeed a wonderful place. Bolton market is also excellent, housed in a beautiful Victorian building with a fantastic fish market.

I second the votes for British cheeses, eccles cakes and biscuits (especially biccies which go with a good cuppa).

Cheers

Thom

[browniebaker]

Gooseberry pie with cream ladled extravagantly on top. The dining hall of Somerville College made delectable gooseberry pie when I was up at Oxford. in fact, all their desserts were terrific, for there was always a big pot of heavy cream for you to ladle onto whatever the evening's pudding was. The British know how to ladle on the cream (and know, unlike Americans, that you don't need to whip it).

[Carlovski]

And you can still get a tub of black peas at Bolton Market. Not that you would want to.

Bury fish market is quite good to, rather odd space age style new building though. I did get some particularly dodgy mussels there once though.

Back to the British delicacies, I must mention potted shrimps (Carrying on the Lancashire theme), decent sausages, mustard (I mock the pitiful french mustard, give me proper sinus clearing English!), clotted cream and Chicken Tikka Masala!

I did knock up a rather heretical take on Shepherds Pie last week, confronted by my friends rather bare fridge and cupboard, and a request to use up what was left.

I spiced up the lamb a little bit (Cumin, coriander, cinnamon,touch of chilli), added a tin of chickpeas to bulk it out a little, and topped it with a combination of sweet potato and normal potato, with added nutmeg and a bit of mustard. For a 'Throw everything together' recipe it was surprisingly tasty!

[Stephen A]

BTW Anyone else ever been to Bury Market? As well as the famous Balck pudding stalls (Only one or two left now, and only one which ONLY sells black pudding) the cheese stall with it's fantastic choice (Do you want crumbly or creamy lancashire?). The odd one is the choice of 'Tasty' lancashire. Is there any other kind?

Carlovski and Thom

Many happy childhood memories of both Bury and Bolton markets. Unfortunately an early introduction to black pudding on Bury market has forever made me a little suspicious. But the Lancashire cheese is outstanding and is difficult to find in London in its crumbliest form.

BTW do you remember the soft drink stall on Bolton market that sold dandelion and burdock and sasparilla?

[Carlovski]

We used to always have to get a black pudding for my dad when we went to Bury. Even he wasn't keen on the 'Fatty' ones though, always asked for lean. Although I think Fatty was a bit of a euphemism, more like huge chunks of gristle.

I am never that keen on eating them straight from the market - I don't mind a bit of Black pudding occasionally, but I prefer it fried or grilled a bit until it crisps up.

You can actually get Bury black puddings at the Deli near me in Winchester (Well at least you used to, not been in for a while), and Kirkhams Lancashire.

Anyone else got a decent local market? I haven't really been to any towns with a permanent market like Bury or Bolton outside the North West. In cities, yes, but not towns. My local market just sells cheap knickers and mobile phone covers, apart from one very confused looking greek chap with a lovely stall selling olives and marinated feta. He is totally out of place!

[A Scottish Chef]

And, of course, Britains national dish: Chicken Tikka Masala.

[Basildog]

We use Bury Black Puddings "imported" by our butcher across the street,Stormin' Norman Brooks, who comes from Bolton,and used to judge Black Pudding Competions.We use them as a warm salad with smoked bacon and a poached Hens or Duck egg.

[Adam Balic]

Mmmmm Stornaway black pudding.

[The Artful Dodger]

....pork scratchings....

[thom]

I don't remember the soft drinks stall, but it may have been related to Bailey's tea shop in nearby Ramsbottom.

This place acts as a bar/cafe, and looks like a local shop for local people. It is the last remaining temperence bar in the UK, and serves all those drinks you dimly remember from your childhood like Dandelion and Burdock and Sarsaprilla (how do you spell that?).

They even do a type of liquorice water, but I may have wistful memories of this from Just William books rather than my own childhood.

It really is a one-off, and some of the drinks are potently medicinal. Does anyone else drink this stuff or was it another Great British invention?

Cheers

Thom

[jackal10]

Chocolate Digestives (dark, not milk)

Bath Olivers

Oatcakes (even Duchy Originals)

Jaffa cakes

Ryvita

Weetabix

Edited July 1, 2003 by jackal10 (log)

[JasonCampbell]

Anyone else got a decent local market?

If you like pig and fish then Cardiff indoor market is worth a look. If you like offal then Newport market is definitely worth a look, they also have a stall selling sausages with 'minimum 70% meat'. But they lie, most of them are far too meaty, only in Wales can you find a trader that sells down his food. I bought a pigs head to tease my young son with last time I was there, he didn't get the joke, he was expecting a Buzz Light-year'(?)

[fatmat]

Hot buttered crumpets,

Faggots and peas

Oggies

Kedgeree

Clotted cream teas

Rice pudding

Brown sauce

Cheese on toast

Smoked Salmon

Pea and ham soup

I'm getting hungry

[daw]

Oggies ???

Excuse my ignorance

David

[bainesy]

Oggies ???

Excuse my ignorance

David

←

Pasties of course

[jamiemaw]

Fowl in a sheperds pie - heresay!

←

Andy, no use crying fowl, because I know what you did last summer. You are so busted--and this isn't mere hearsay: We watched you polish off that confited duck shepherd's pie in record time at Feenie's last July. Remember how you revulsed us locals by asking for "a splash of HP Sauce, please" from the Condiments Sommelier? And when you threw that hissy fit when they brought you Mrs. H. S. Balls Extra Hot Chutney in lieu? How were you to know that HP Sauce is a controlled substance here, and only available by presription to men over 60 who wear bengal-striped shirts?

I'm pretty sure you remember because it was the same night that you lost your shoes in the Skybar VIP Lounge and were forced to walk back to the hotel in your stocking feet.

But perhaps you could resolve a couple of British butchery questions that--despite my frequent appearances in your neck of the woods--continue to bedevil me:

1. What cut exactly is the "chump" of lamb that I see so often on restaurant menus? Is it what we call the baseball sirloin here?

2. When one buys a "Best End of Beef", what cut is that? And further, what do they call the remaining bits? The "Other End?" "The Bitter End?" "The "Not-Quite-So-Good-End?" The "West End?"

Perhaps we should agree on some neutral ground re the whole fowl-in-shepherd's pie controversy. Gamekeeper's Pie? Or is that something else yet again?

Yours etc.,

Perplexed in Vancouver.

Edited October 25, 2004 by jamiemaw (log)

[Andy Lynes]

Jamie, you'll recall that although I loved Feenies duck dish, I did point out that it might be better called "quackers and mash" as a Shepherd's Pie really demands to be made with lamb.

As to the butchery questions:

Chump of lamb as far as I can tell is what you would call the sirloin, although I am not familiar with the term "baseball" in this context. You would generally only ever see it for sale in UK butchers as "chump chops" sold on the bone, whereas the chump, also commonly referred to as menus as rump, is supplied to restaurant kitchens off the bone in single portion sizes, around 6-8oz. They are usually roasted but, even though its a lean meat, it braises wonderfully well.

Its late and I maybe confused, but I believe "best end" is only applied to lamb and is a loin joint from the back of the animal near to the neck end.

[intraining]

pie and mash with liqour?

stewed eels?

sausage rolls?

cornish pasties?

cheese n onion pies?

scotch eggs?

pork chops with kidney in?

shoulder bacon?

pork and leek sausage?

fish and chips especially rock and chips(i know it been said, but mmmmmmm - none of those in central london any good except one on berwick street in the market) - i'm talking around oxford street

jam donuts

cockels, mussels, whelks, little brown shrimp, jellied eels, winkles mmmmm a nice winkle and vinegar sandwich for sunday tea, prawns (the only time i've had anything close to the prawns were in good world on orchard street in ny - swedish food)

shoulder of lamb, toad in the whole, yorkshire puddings with golden syrup

hot cross buns

cod in parsley sauce (mmmmmmmm)

it's all mmmmmmmm yummy

how i hate it when people slag of british food

and don't forget all the sweet stuff too - malt loaf - jelly roll - christmas pudding - christmas cake - dundee cake

cup of bovril soup for breakfast when it's cold and rainy or any combination of

barley soup -

saveloys sausage (not sure of the origin but can not find anywhere else i've been)

nice sour green gooseberries, blackberries, strawberries, apples, and don't forget decent scrumpy - how i miss being able to bring home a nice gallon of scrumpy - and perries too (pear cider) omg superb

try some stilton broiled over black pudding for a hearty appetizer

wheatabix spread with butter and jam

porridge with a splash of cold milk and some sugar and salt

lamb's hearts (delicious) liver and bacon,

and lastly, to not make it too long, how about the abundance of decent cream !!

clotted cream? jersey cream?

Edited October 26, 2004 by intraining (log)