Growing up I always saw scotch eggs as primary a party food, something that all the grown ups ate. How the tables have turned, now I’m the grown up and I love scotch eggs and they are not just a boring party food. They can be delicate and petite if you use quail eggs, or […]…
Tag: British
Lolly Cake – Recipe — The Sweet Explorer
Growing up my Mum always made a variety of Christmas sweets and one of my favourites was Lolly Cake. It has now become one of our family treats at Christmas and one of the things I make to put in a treat box as gifts. It’s a super easy recipe that the kids can help […]…
Full English Breakfast — chillijoncarnecooks
There are some dishes that are synonymously associated with british culture and cuisine, the roast dinner, Yorkshire puddings, fish and chips, sausage and mash. And of course the full english breakfast. No other country can replicate the english breakfast, the sausages and bacon just aren’t the same. It’s not a hard thing to cook, its […]…
Celebrate Leap Day with Toad in the Hole & British Onion Gravy
Serves 4-6 It’s believed that Toad in the Hole, a traditional English dish consisting of plump, juicy sausages nestled and baked in Yorkshire pudding batter, actually goes back to Roman times. However, the origin of the name “Toad-in-the-Hole” is often disputed. Some suggest that the dish’s name comes from its resemblance to a toad sticking…
Happy Accidents: The Origin of Teabags & How to Brew a Perfect Cup of British Tea
Thomas Sullivan, an American tea merchant, with his love of labor-saving devices, was the first to develop the teabag. In around 1908, Sullivan, a New York tea merchant, started to send samples of tea to his customers in small silken bags. Some assumed that these were supposed to be used in the same way as…
The British Afternoon Tea; Where It All Began & What is Served; Cucumber Finger Sandwiches
There is no more quintessential British ritual than the ceremony and serving of Afternoon tea. It is believed that credit for the custom goes to Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford in the early 19th century. The usual habit of serving dinner between 8 and 9 pm left the Duchess hungry and with a ‘sinking…
Hello, Sir Would You Like a Cup of Tea? The First Teabag was a Faux Pas & How to Brew a Perfect Cup of British Tea
Thomas Sullivan, an American tea merchant, with his love of labor-saving devices, was the first to develop the teabag. In around 1908, Sullivan, a New York tea merchant, started to send samples of tea to his customers in small silken bags. Some assumed that these were supposed to be used in the same way as…
“TV Chefs Then and Now” a Short Overview (Who Knew??) by Ken Bayliss Co-Author of the “Once Upon a Spice” Cookbook
Watching TV chefs can be like being in awe of a clever neighbor with whom we have become attached. We almost long for their views, ideas and even find their mannerisms appealing. They give us secrets, advice and chastize us when we cook slightly wrong. Then, without realizing it, they change our eating habits for…
Scones, Biscuits & Crumpets: For the Love of Muffins
Blueberry, corn, cranberry, or oatmeal raisin, just to name a few. We fill our much-loved, portable breakfast indulgences with sweet fruits, grains and creams. Often times making them healthy, often times not. Yet, our satisfying breakfast delicacies possess an origin and a past… The word muffin comes from the French word moufflet which is often…
The British Afternoon Tea; Where Did it All Begin & What is Served?
There is no more quintessential British ritual than the ceremony and serving of Afternoon tea. It is believed that credit for the custom goes to Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford in the early 19th century. The usual habit of serving dinner between 8 and 9 pm left the Duchess hungry and with a ‘sinking…
Once Upon a Spice 