Victoria Sandwich Flavoring ingredients (choose one): Lemon—6 drops lemon extract and grated peel of 1 lemon Chocolate—3 tbsp. cocoa mixed with enough water or milk to make a stiff paste Coffee—1 heaping tbsp. instant coffee mixed with 1 tbsp. boiling water Cake ingredients: 2 eggs ¥ c. (1 stick) margarine or butter ¥ c. superfine sugar 1 c. plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour sifted together with 2 tsp. baking powder 1. Mix flavoring of your choice in a cup and set aside. 2. In a medium bowl, beat eggs with an electric mixer until frothy. In a large bowl, beat margarine or butter and sugar until light and frothy. 3. Add a little egg to margarine/sugar mixture and beat well. Add a little of the flour and baking powder mixture and beat. Repeat alternate additions of egg and flour, beating constantly until all is well blended. 4. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Meanwhile, add flavoring to batter and beat well. Grease and lightly flour the sides and bottom of two 7-inch cake pans about 1¥ inches deep. 5. Spoon equal amounts of cake mixture into each pan and spread evenly with a spatula. Make the center a little lower than the sides because the center always rises more. 6. Bake cakes in the middle to upper part of the oven for 20 minutes, or until their edges come away from the pans. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pans. Then tip cakes onto wire racks to cool completely. 50
Frosting ingredients: 1¥ c. powdered sugar 4 tbsp. (¥ stick) margarine flavoring (choose one from list below) Flavoring ingredients for frosting (choose one): Lemon—6 drops lemon extract mixed with a little lemon juice and grated peel of half a lemon Chocolate—1¥ tbsp. cocoa sifted together with the powdered sugar and mixed with a little water Coffee—1 tsp. instant coffee mixed with a little hot water 1. Beat sugar and margarine together with an electric mixer until completely smooth. 2. Mix flavoring of your choice and add sugar/margerine mixture. (For chocolate frosting, you will already have mixed the sugar into the flavoring. Now beat flavoring and margarine together.) 3. To assemble cake, place one cake bottom-side-up on a serving plate and spread the top with half the frosting. 4. Place other cake right-side-up on top and press gently. Then spread the top with remaining frosting. Preparation time: cake—25 minutes, (plus 10 minutes to cool) frosting—10 minutes Baking time: 20 minutes Serves 10 51
Supper In England, supper can be any meal eaten from 6:00 P.M. to late at night. Only a very formal meal eaten rather late would be called dinner. If supper is eaten before 6:00 P.M., it might be called high tea. This would include a combination of tea and supper dishes. But most people eat supper between 6:00 and 7:00 P.M. Supper usually consists of a main dish and a dessert. After dessert, people sometimes have cheese and crackers. Coffee is served after dessert, either at the table with the cheese and crackers or by itself in the living room. Vegetarian shepherd’s pie satisfies the appetites of people who don’t eat meat but who enjoy traditional English foods.The tofu and walnuts provide protein. (Recipe on pages 56–57.) 53
Shepherd’s Pie 3 large potatoes, peeled and halved 2 tbsp. margarine or butter salt and pepper to taste ø c. milk 1 tbsp. vegetable oil 1 large onion, chopped 1 lb. lean ground beef 1 large carrot, grated ¥ tsp. thyme 1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley ¥ clove garlic, finely chopped, or pinch of garlic powder salt and pepper to taste 1 tbsp. soy sauce 1. Cook potatoes in 2 quarts boiling salted water until soft (about 15 to 20 minutes). 2. Drain off water and add margarine or butter, salt, and pepper. Mash potatoes, adding enough milk to make a smooth mixture. Set aside. 3. Heat oil in a large skillet and sauté onion until soft. Stir in ground beef and then add carrot, thyme, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper. (Don’t use too much salt because soy sauce is salty.) Cook for another 5 minutes. Add soy sauce and stir well. 4. Preheat the oven to 375°F. 5. Spread meat mixture in a deep pie dish. Spread mashed potatoes evenly over meat mixture and swirl with a fork to create an attractive pattern. 6. Bake the pie on the middle rack of the oven for 30 minutes, or until top is lightly browned. Serve immediately. Preparation time: 50 minutes Baking time: 30 minutes Serves 4 54
56 2 tbsp. vegetable oil 1 large onion, chopped ø tsp. thyme ¥ tsp. ground coriander pinch of black pepper ¥ c. walnuts, toasted and chopped 1 cake tofu, frozen, thawed, and shredded* juice of half a lemon (about 1 tbsp.) 1–2 tbsp. soy sauce 4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed 3 tbsp. margarine or butter ¥ c. milk salt to taste 1. Heat the oil in a medium-sized frying pan. Sauté the chopped onion in the oil with the thyme, coriander, and pepper until the onions are clear and soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in the chopped walnuts and shredded tofu. When heated through, stir in lemon juice and soy sauce. Remove from heat. 2. To make the layer of mashed potatoes, place the cubed potatoes in a saucepan and cover with lightly salted water. Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes are soft (about 8 minutes). Drain, saving the hot potato water to use in the mushroom gravy. 3. Place the potatoes in a large bowl and mash. Add the margerine or butter, milk, and salt. Stir well. Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie To toast the walnuts, spread them on a cookie sheet or in a metal pie pan. Bake at 350°F for five minutes, or until golden brown. Tofu layer: Mashed potato layer: *The texture of tofu becomes meatlike when frozen and thawed.To freeze, place the tofu cake in the freezer, uncovered or lightly covered with plastic wrap.Thaw the tofu in the refrigerator for 24 hours or at room temperature for 7 to 8 hours. Gently squeeze the water out of it, then grate it.
Mushroom gravy: 2 tbsp. vegetable oil ¥ lb. mushrooms, sliced 3 tbsp. soy sauce pinch of pepper 1¥ c. hot potato water 2 tbsp. cornstarch dissolved in ¥ c. water 4. For the gravy, heat the vegetable oil in a skillet. Stir in the mushrooms, soy sauce, and pepper. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender. Add hot potato water and bring to a boil. Slowly stir in the cornstarch mixture and cook at a low boil, continuing to stir, until the gravy is clear and thick. 5. Preheat the oven to 400°F. 6. Oil a 9-inch-square casserole dish. Spread the tofu mixture across the bottom of the dish, followed by the mushroom gravy and the mashed potatoes. Dot the top with butter or margarine. Bake at 400°F for 15 to 20 minutes until the top becomes golden. Preparation time: 50 minutes Baking time: 20 minutes Serves 4 57
58 2 tbsp. margarine or butter 1¥ lb. halibut, haddock, or cod* salt and pepper 1 c. milk 2 tsp. cornstarch 2 tbsp. milk 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley 1 tsp. lemon juice 1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. 2. Smear margarine or butter on the bottom and sides of a deep baking dish and lay fish in the bottom. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and pour milk over all. 3. Cover dish with foil and bake on the middle oven rack for 40 minutes. If you are not making the sauce, fish is now ready to serve. 1. When fish is cooked, remove the pan from the oven. With a spoon or baster, draw off all the liquid into a small saucepan. (Turn down the oven to 200°F and return fish to oven to keep warm.) 2. Bring liquid in the saucepan to a boil over moderate heat. 3. In a cup, mix cornstarch and milk together to make a smooth, thin paste. Gradually pour cornstarch paste into boiling liquid, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Add parsley and lemon juice. Pour sauce over fish and serve immediately. Poached Fish as they hold their shape during Sauce ingredients: Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 45–50 minutes Serves 4 *Fish steaks work better than fillets, the cooking process.
Holiday and Festival Food Holidays and festivals in England are a time for families and friends to get together and enjoy a break from work or school. In many towns and villages, people take part in customs that have been around for centuries, whether it’s the colorful flash and lively beat of morris dancing or the bonfire on Guy Fawkes Night. Food often takes center stage during holiday celebrations. Perhaps the most famous holiday fare is Christmas pudding, a steamed dessert filled with dried fruits, such as plums and currants, and topped with a sweet sauce. At Easter, English cooks bake many types of sweets, such as hot cross buns or Easter biscuits. In Cornwall, an Easter specialty is bright yellow saffron buns, made with a spice that comes from the crocus flower. The following recipes have special connections to holidays or seasons. After you taste them, you’ll agree that they’re too good to save for just once a year. Wassail punch is a favorite beverage during the Christmas holidays. (Recipe on page 69.) 61
Carlings Carlings are dried peas, a traditional meal for Lent in Yorkshire. It’s said that whoever gets the last pea in the pot will be the first to get married. 8 oz. dried green peas 3 c. cold water 2 to 3 tbsp. fresh bread crumbs 1 medium onion, finely chopped ø tsp. thyme ø tsp. rosemary salt and black pepper to taste 1 tbsp. melted butter flour 1 tbsp. butter for frying 1. Soak peas overnight in cold water. 2. The next morning, drain peas and rinse well. Place peas in a large saucepan and cover with 3 c. cold water. 3. Bring water to boil and cook peas for 1¥ to 2 hours, stirring regularly and adding extra water if necessary, until the peas are tender. 4. Drain and allow peas to cool. Then, in a large bowl, mix the peas with the bread crumbs, onion, herbs, salt and pepper, and melted butter to form a stiff mixture. 5. Shape mixture into cakes and dust lightly with flour. Melt 1 tbsp. of butter in a frying pan and fry the carlings until golden brown, turning once. Serve immediately. Preparation time: 10 minutes (plus soaking overnight) Cooking time: 2¥ to 3 hours Serves 4 62
65 Easter Biscuits ¥ c. (1 stick) butter ¥ c. superfine sugar 1 egg, separated 1 c. flour ø tsp. ground allspice ø tsp. ground cloves ø c. currants 2 tsp. grated orange peel* 1 tsp. grated lemon peel* 2 tbsp. milk sugar for sprinkling 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. 2. Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk (save the egg white for step 4). Sift in the flour and spices and mix well. Add the currants and orange and lemon peel and enough milk to form a soft dough. 3. Turn dough onto a floured surface (such as a board or tabletop) and knead gently. Roll out to about ¥- inch thickness. Cut into 2-inch circles (use a cookie cutter or the rim of a small drinking glass). Prick the tops with a fork. 4. Put biscuits onto two greased baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Brush with lightly beaten egg white, sprinkle with sugar, and return to oven. Bake for about 5 minutes longer, until the tops are golden brown. Transfer to wire racks to cool. Store in an airtight container. Makes 30 biscuits These spicy fruited biscuits, which Americans call cookies, were originally baked for Easter in the West Country. Preparation time: 20 minutes Baking time: 15 minutes *Use a grater, a potato peeler, or a zester to gently remove peel in small pieces from the lemon and orange.Try to avoid getting the white pith, which has a bitter taste. You can chop or mince the peel with a knife for even smaller pieces.
66 4 tbsp. margarine or butter 2 medium onions, sliced 4 medium carrots, sliced 2 parsnips, cut into chunks 1 small cauliflower, cut into florets 4 zucchini, sliced 6 tomatoes, skinned and coarsely chopped* ø c. flour 1ø c. milk 1ø c. vegetable stock ¥ tsp. thyme ¥ tsp. oregano 1 tsp. salt ¥ tsp. black pepper 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. 2. Melt 4 tbsp. margarine or butter in a large saucepan. Add the onions, carrots, and parsnips and sauté lightly for 5 minutes. Transfer to a large casserole dish. Add the remaining vegetables. 3. Blend the flour with the milk and add to the vegetables with the vegetable stock, herbs, and salt and pepper. Mix well. Bake on the center rack of the oven for 40 minutes. 4. Meanwhile, make the scones. Place the whole wheat flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in 2 tbsp. butter or margarine to flour until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Stir in half the cheese, the dry mustard, and enough milk to make a soft dough. 5. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll to æ-inch thickness. Cut into 2-inch circles (use a cookie cutter or the rim of a small drinking glass). small paring knife to peel off the skin. Hearty Autumn Hot Pot Use this dish to celebrate the fall harvest season. Stew ingredients: *To peel a tomato, place it in a small saucepan of boiling water for about 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and cool until the tomato is warm but no longer hot. Use a It will come off easily.
67 6. Remove the casserole from oven and place scones on top of the vegetables. Brush tops of scones with milk and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. 7. Return to oven for 20 minutes until scones are golden brown and vegetables are cooked. µ c. whole wheat flour 1 tsp. baking powder ¥ tsp. salt 2 tbsp. butter or margarine ¥ c. grated Cheddar cheese 1 tsp. dry mustard about ¥ c. milk* Preparation time: 30 minutes Baking time: 1 hour Serves 6 Scone ingredients: *You can reduce the fat in this recipe by using skim milk, reduced-fat cheese, and margarine instead of butter.
Gingerbread Gingerbread is traditionally eaten around the bonfire on Guy Fawkes Night, but it’s delicious throughout the winter months. shortening or margarine 1µ c. flour 1 tbsp. ground ginger 1 tbsp. ground allspice ¥ tsp. salt 2 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. baking soda ¥ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter ¥ c. packed dark brown sugar 3 eggs µ c. molasses 1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease the bottom and sides of an 8-inchsquare cake pan. Follow this with a light dusting of flour, shaking out any excess. Set aside. 2. Sift the flour, ginger, allspice, salt, baking powder, and baking soda into a bowl. 3. In another bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until very soft. Beat in the eggs one by one, then mix in the molasses. Gently fold in the dry ingredients. 4. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the top springs back when pressed lightly with your fingertips. 5. Cool in the pan, then remove and store in an airtight container. Preparation time: 20 minutes Baking time: 50 to 60 minutes Makes 8–12 pieces 68
69 a frosty winter night. 5 qts. apple cider 7 tbsp. brown sugar 3 sliced oranges 4 whole cloves ø tsp. nutmeg ø tsp. cinnamon 2 bananas, thinly sliced 1. In a large kettle, heat the cider slowly with the sugar, sliced oranges, and spices until it is almost boiling. 2. Pour into a punch bowl, add the bananas, and serve at once.* Wassail Punch This nonalcoholic version of wassail punch is very tasty. It’s a perfect way to keep out the cold on Preparation time: 25 minutes Serves 10 to 12 *Tall glass mugs or glass cups show off the colorful brew.
Index bank holidays, 13 Boxing Day, 14–15 breakfast recipes, 31–35 browned roast potatoes, 36–37, 39 carlings, 62–63 cattle, 9, 11 cheese, 12, 16, 37, 53 Christmas, 13, 14, 61 clotted cream, 13 cod, 12 cooking terms, 21–22 cooking tips (healthy and low-fat foods), 24 cooking utensils, 21 Cornwall, 10, 14, 61 dairy products, 12–13 Derbyshire oatcakes, 34–35 double cream, 13 Dover, 9 East End, 12 Easter, 15, 61 Easter biscuits, 64–65 England: climate of, 9; foods of, 7–8, 10–13; holidays and festivals of, 13–17; land and people of, 9; map, 8 English Channel, 8–9 English cooking, 7–8; ingredients for, 22–23; menu, 28–29; special ingredients, 22–23; table setting, 27 Epiphany, 15 farming, 9 farmland, 9 fish, 7, 12, 58 Floral Day, 14 fried bread, 32 Furry Dance, 13–14 Garden of England, 9 gingerbread, 17, 18–19, 68 Gloucestershire, 16 Guy Fawkes Night (Bonfire Night), 16–17, 61, 68 Hallaton, 15–16 healthy cooking, 8, 24 hearty autumn hot pot, 6, 66–67 Helston, 14 Hereford, 11 holiday and festival food recipes, 61–69 holidays and festivals, 13–17, 61 Kent, 9 Lake District, 10 Lancashire, 10 70
low-fat cooking, 24 shortbread, 47 Shrove Tuesday, 15 May Day, 16 summer pudding, 42–43 metric conversions, 25 Sunday lunch recipes, 37–43 Michaelmas, 16 supper recipes, 53–59 Midlands, 34 morris men, 16 tea, 27, 28, 45, 46 mushrooms on toast, 30–31, 33 teatime, 27, 45 Trafalgar Square, 14 North Atlantic Ocean, 8–9 Northern Ireland, 8–9 vegetarian shepherd’s pie, 52–53, Nottingham Goose Fair, 16 56–57 Notting Hill Carnival, 16 Victoria sandwich, 44–45, 50–51 orchards, 9, 15 Wales, 8–9 Oyster Festival, 16 wassail, 15, 60, 69 wassail punch, 60–61, 69 Pancake Day, 15 West Country, 10, 15, 65 pasties, 8, 10 White Cliffs, 9 ploughman’s lunch, 37 poached fish, 58–59 Yorkshire pudding, 10, 11, 40–41 pubs, 27, 37 roast beef, 36–37, 38 safety rules, 20 scones, 48–49 Scotland, 8–9 Severn River, 16 sheep, 10–11 shepherd’s pie, 54–55 71
About the Author Barbara W. Hill was born in London and grew up in Rugby, England. She went to schools in Rugby and Oxford before attending art college. She and her husband spent two years in Sweden and then moved to Northfield, Minnesota. Hill is a professional artist who specializes in printmaking and painting. Hill first learned to cook from her mother. She often delights her friends with English meals and takes great pleasure in both the preparation and presentation of the meals. Photo Acknowledgments (printed version) The photographs used in this book are reproduced courtesy of: © Patrick Ward/CORBIS, pp. 2–3; © Walter and Louiseann Pietrowicz/September 8th Stock, pp. 4 (left and right), 5 (left and right), 6, 18, 30, 35, 36, 40, 43, 44, 49, 52, 55, 59, 60, 63, 64; © Bob Krist/CORBIS, pp. 9, 14; © Adam Woolfitt/CORBIS, p. 10; © Reuters NewMedia, Inc./CORBIS, p. 11; © Jacqui Hurst/CORBIS, p. 12; © Eye Ubiquitous/CORBIS, p. 17; © Lee Foster/Bruce Coleman, p. 26. Cover photos: © Walter and Louiseann Pietrowicz/September 8th Stock (front top, bottom left); Robert L. and Diane Wolfe (spine, back). The illustrations on pages 7, 19, 27, 28, 31, 32, 33, 34, 37, 38, 39, 41, 42, 45, 46, 48, 53, 57, 58, 61, 67 and the map on page 8 are by Tim Seeley. 72