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: England
Christmas! Eat, Drink & Be Merry! Holiday Fare & Drink of Film & Song “Traditional Wassail”
“Love and joy come to you, and to you your wassail too…” Wassail (Old Norse “ves heil”, Old English was hál, literally ‘be you healthy’) is a beverage of hot mulled cider, traditionally drunk as an integral part of wassailing, a Medieval southern English drinking ritual intended to ensure a good cider apple harvest the following year….
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…
By Royal Command: A Traditional Serving at Buckingham Palace
“By Royal Command” by Ken Bayliss Co-Author of the “Once Upon a Spice” and “A Time for Food” Cookbooks What does a chef do in Buckingham Palace? Well, it ain’t Downton, that’s for sure. Though unlike commercial establishments, it does have predictability, as they say in a recent advert for a sous chef. Of course…
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…
Scones; Fit for Royalty & Not Just a Plain Old Biscuit
Ahhhh, Lovely Scones! Biscuits, as we American’s know them, but sweet and light with a crisp exterior and soft, flaky interior—quite enjoyable. These buttery, mouth-watering delicacies can be eaten alone or, more traditionally, served with tea, jam and clotted cream, just as the British. Scones have gone through centuries of ovens, the first declaration in…
Once Upon a Spice 