There has been a steady decline in the making and consuming of old recipes in England (traditional English Food), making them likely to be 'lost'.... so this man started collecting them. He placed them on this website along with many other recipes of different cultures.
quote:
British home-cooking 'is becoming extinct'
Traditional British dishes such as toad in the hole and spotted dick could disappear from dining tables by 2021 as households increasingly turn to foreign cuisine, it has been claimed.
Disappointing but not surprising. We were just discussing this on the weather thread the other day: Here
From your first link: The survey by Tesco found that only five per cent of 18-40-year-olds had cooked a spotted dick, compared to 14 per cent of 41-55-year-olds.
I have to admit I have never made spotted dick from scratch. I always buy it fresh or in a can. I much prefer treacle pudding actually.
Interesting that your second link is to Tesco. I do believe they are planning an expansion into the US market. First we gave you our language, and now you'll all have the opportunity to enjoy good British food. DG, I dare you NOT to comment.
Toad in the hole is difficult to make now, what with the principal ingredient being protected ( no shortage of holes, thank goodness). It's the same with frogs' legs in restaurants in France. There aren't any much, because it's illegal to catch the frogs.
Originally posted by FredPuli: Toad in the hole is difficult to make now, what with the principal ingredient being protected
Is there the same problem with spotted dick?
Not really.Young people today provide the ingredients and have some of the techniques; rolling without bruising, steaming without scalding; inserting currants without eye watering seems beyond them. (They should use more self- raising first, but there you go)
Originally posted by Sherasi: What if you raised frogs.. like cattle... do you think it would still be illegal?
Now you're asking! I'd need to find and research the relevant Code and the orders made thereunder, for the precise language. But French lawyers and draftsmen like absolutes. They are not loophole lovers and would probably say that possessing one of the species, any part of it,or its spawn is a crime of strict liability (i.e. ignorance of, say, what species it is, or lack of intent is no defence). They'd only exempt registered government research establishments and the like.Their thinking would be that, otherwise, people would be taking frogs or spawn in the wild and then claiming that the resulting stock and its descendants were farmed or that any frog found in their possesion had come from a farm.It is therefore better to make the prohibition absolute. It saves a lot of time and trouble in prosecution.
As it is, the French still eat frogs' legs but the legs are imported from Thailand.
Originally posted by Sherasi: well, frog legs don't seem too appetizing to me anyway. I can't imagine that there would be much meat to obtain.
It's one of those mysterious 'delicacies' (bird's nest soup is another)which promises much but delivers little It tastes somewhat like chicken (no surprise there).It was not a 'delicacy' to the French. It is not something like truffle, something which is a great trouble to find, but which is worthwhile because of its unique flavour.
And, no, there's not much meat on the true 'edible frog' of Europe.That's why you get (or got) a plateful It's a naturally occurring hybrid, from the chance mating of a marsh frog and a common pond frog but hardly much bigger or (I assume) more tasty than either would be. The Thai version is a bigger frog.
Originally posted by Sherasi: well, frog legs don't seem too appetizing to me anyway.
I don't think I'd have as much of a problem with frog legs, Sher, as I would with that other French food, horsemeat. Is it still commonly sold in supermarkets, Fred? It's available in Quebec here. Just seems wrong to me, eating horses.
I don't think I'd have as much of a problem with frog legs, Sher, as I would with that other French food, horsemeat. Is it still commonly sold in supermarkets, Fred?
Certainly is sold, although I've not noticed it in supermarkets I expect it's in the biggest ones. Une (boucherie) chevaline is to be found in most towns. There's one in Antibes.Much of the meat is imported on the hoof from Britain.However, the trade is in decline. The younger generations associate horsemeat with poverty.It's something of an acquired taste, after beef. It has quite a sweet flavour.Back in the 1960s it was much commoner than now. Many a foreign student in France ordered steak in a brasserie or cheap restaurant and got horsemeat, without realising this fact
It's something of a delicacy in Switzerland, but they are very clear that their horsemeat is from what I have taken to mean young animals (one waiter translated the Swiss term as 'pony', which is possibly the case. He may have meant 'foal' of course )