Hindle Wakes and Fat Rascals!

[Serenity]

Hi all,
I've just read a really interesting book - "The Land That Thyme Forgot" by William Black. Its based on a tour around the country searching for regional culinary specialities which have almost dissapeared.

Are there any regional specialities in the county or country where you live?
My favourite is the Fat Rascal - a cross between a scone and a rock cake - best served at the great Yorkshire institution that is Betty's! :D

[franbee]

Well where do I start for Lancashire? Hot pot of course, and black puddings. BTW there's a popular sausage now called a Lancashire sausage which is normal pork with a stripe of black pudding in the middle. Lancashire cheese, creamy or tasty, Eccles cakes and Chorley cakes, Manchester tart and Salford tart (bet you don't know those). Fran.

[Serenity]

I know Manchester tart but whats Salford tart?
Pontefract cakes, Yorkshire pud (of course!) and Wensleydale cheese are a few from my neck of the woods.

[franbee]

I think the difference between Manchester and Salford tart may be quite subtle, and I don't know which is which. We used to have them at school. Both have a pastry base and a baked custard filling. There's a layer of jam beneath the custard, and either coconut or grated chocolate sprinkled on top.
Bakewell tart and pudding are from nearby Derbyshire, do we have anyone from there?

[Oola]

Bedfordshire is famous for its Brussel Sprouts and Bedfordshire Clanger. The Clanger is basically a long pastry with meat in one end and some fruit in the other, used by labourers as an all-in-one hardy lunch and pudding. Can't say I've tried it myself, being a veggie. Sprouts don't really do it for me either...

[Redstart]

Yorkshire curd tart (which I can't make properly out here - I'm an ex-pat Yorkshire woman) and oven bottom cake. Not forgetting Yorkshire teacakes. And Yorkshire parkin.

[eleanor2]

oatcakes like pancakes.you heat them up and have them with cheese or bacon cheese and mushrooms etc. lobby. like stew only no thickener.you have a massive saucepan on the hob.you lob in any straggles of meat.lob in any vegies including celery.then a couple of oxos.cook on low a couple of hours. when ready you have lovely soft bread to dip in. i add worcester sauce.

[sunflower]

Dorset Apple cake. Very yummy and made one last week.......I think I'll make another one tomorrow. This subject is making my mouth water!

[SummerSkye]

As I child in B'ham I remember going to the local Pub with my sisters carrying a couple of large bowls. They were then filled with 'Faggots and Peas' a sort of meat rissole covered in mushy peas. We enjoyed them at the time, not so sure if I would now!

[Katelb]

Cumberland sausage,usually made in one length,Rum Butter,also called' Babi Butter 'since it was trditionally used at christenings,Cumberland cake which is lots of currants encased in pastry. I can't think of more but I'm sure there may be some.

Serenity,you have described a 'Fat Rascal'--sounds good,but what are Hindle Wakes? they sound intriguing.

[Serenity]

Hi Kate,
Apparently Hindle Wakes is a very old Lancastrian dish made from chicken steamed with prunes and lemon and then wrapped in bacon and roasted. It was introduced to the area by Flemish weavers working in the woollen mills and was a dish served during celebrations. It is thought that the name comes from 'hen de la wake'.

If anyone wants the recipie let me know although I haven't tried it myself!

[Katelb]

Thanks for the explanation Serenity,I can imagine it would be quite tasty.If you feel like publishing the recipe,I would love to try it,we eat a fair amount of chicken.

[Crocus]

Hi, at this very moment I'm watching "Sweet Baby James" (James Martin) and he made Parkin which, as I'm sure you girls know, a traditional to eat at Bonfire night. I'm quite interested in what it is? Thanks!

[franbee]

Hi Crocus, parkin is a sticky cake made with syrup, oatmeal and ginger, traditional in Yorkshire. I'm not keen on it myself, but if you need a recipe I'm sure one of us can oblige.

[Crocus]

Hi, I've got a recipe that contains more or less the same ingredients - oats, syrup eggs, flour, etc. You also cut it in squares after it's been baked. It's called Oats Cookies. It's quite sticky and dense in texture, but quite nice. I had a look in my mom's very old recipe book (hand written) and I discovered this:

Parkins: (Is this the recipe as you know it)?
1 lb flour
1 lb oats
half lb syrup
3 quarter lb sugar
3 quarter lb butter
3 teaspoons bicarb
2 eggs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons brandy
1 easpoon ground ginger
half teaspon ground cloves.



The Oats Cookies:
1 and half cup sugar
4 cups oats
2 cups flour
2 cups coconut
6 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon milk
2 tablespoon syrup
2 eggs.
2 teaspoons bicarb.

Melt butter and syrup. Add sugar and then coconut. Add bicarb (combined with little milk). Add oats and flour. Mix well. Press down in baking tin (oblong or whichever you choose) and bake at 160 C (325 F) until light brown.

[CountryLady]

A good old Whitby stottie!

[Crocus]

Hi Countrylady, this Whitby stottie - is this the Parkin? I got the recipe for Parkin (above) in my mom's recipe book. The recipe itself my aunt gave to my mom and it says "Lena's Parkins" . Lena is my aunt's name.

[CountryLady]

Hi Crocus, No it's a sandwich in a large,flat, round breadcake. The name refers to the breadcake itself.

btw, I've not forgotten about the cottage. Looking out the details for you.

[Crocus]

Oh I see, thanks CountryLady. Sorry that I didn't react earlier, was out the whole of yesterday, and today worked like a mad thing (sister's due for a visit!).