Weekend Cooking - First World War Trench Cake

Back in the summer The Daily Telegraph newspaper here in the UK published an article about those at home sending Christmas cakes to the battle fields of World War One.

The official recipe was produced by the Government and is published here. The recipe contains no eggs and vinegar was used to react with the baking soda to assist the cake to rise.

Trench Cake

Ingredients

1/2lb flour

4 oz margarine
1 teaspoon vinegar
1/4 pint of milk
3 oz brown sugar
3 oz cleaned currants

Photo: Department for Culture, Media and Sport

2 teaspoons cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
nutmeg
ginger
grated lemon rind

Method

Grease a cake tin.
Rub margarine into the flour in a basin.
Add the dry ingredients.
Mix well.
Add the soda dissolved in vinegar and milk.
Beat well.
Turn into the tin.
Bake in a moderate oven for about two hours.

I have not made this, but might give it a go. Anyone want to join me?

Weekend Cooking is hosted by BethFishReads

Weekend Cooking - Coffee Swirls

As I said in last week's edition of Weekend Cooking, my Grandmother was a pretty good cook. About twenty years ago my Mum gave me my Grandmother's cookery books. They were nothing particularly special, but I am not surprised that Gran had them, she was a Women's Realm fan.

My Grandmother often cooked from memory, but this little book always happy memories for me; and in particular the recipe I am going to share with you today.

The little book is paperback, with 98 pages and quite rightly includes 101 cakes to bake. The last two pages has over the years become torn, not surprising when I recall where my Grandmother kept it. Several pages have had sellotape applied to the spine of the book. That sellotape becoming brittle over the years. The book dates from 1978 and cost the sum of 50p. Nowadays you can not even buy a pint of milk for 50p!

Over the years she made various recipes and I don't recall Mum ever making any of these, but she might have done. I certainly know that I have never baked any. Not even my favourite that I am sharing with you. My favourite was Coffee Swirls.

Coffee Swirls, Page 50 of Women's Realm  Book of 101 Cakes to Bake
Published 1978 by Susan King

A quick check of the cupboard for the ingredients and a spare half an hour or so and I made a batch of these, although I only made eleven. Here they are, without any swirls though! A lovely trip down memory lane!

Julie Goucher 5th May 2014

Weekend Cooking is a weekly meme hosted by Beth at BethFishReads

Weekend Cooking - Rock Cakes

A few days ago I came across a blog post with the recipe for Rock cakes. I have not had rock cakes for years, and in fact it has been years since I really did any cake baking. So, whilst Stuart has gone off fishing I had a sort through the cupboards to see if I had all the ingredients. I did, so cooking commenced.

My Grandmother was a pretty good cook. She cooked for memory mainly but she did own a few cookery books  and I now own the ones that she did. A favourite was rock cakes. Mum, whilst I was at school was in fact a dreadful cook. I have memories of taking sponges to school that had a dip in the middle. I don't know what happened, different recipe, different oven, but at some point the sponges stopped having dips.  I can't recall who made the rock cakes of my childhood, but as I got this batch under-way I was deep in thought of yesteryear.

Perhaps it was not enough concentration, because my batch are not an absolute success, but they are edible. I know as I have just had one! I think next time I will make a small amendment, a splash more milk, but only a splash!

Weekend Cooking is a weekly meme hosted by Beth at BethFishReads

The Land where Lemons Grow by Helene Attlee

I firmly believe that the way we can understand our genealogy is to read and become aware of the historical, and perhaps other aspects in the way of life relating to the historical community that we hail from.

By way of demonstration, I shall share with you a newly published book that explains what I mean. BBC Radio 4 here in the UK routinely has a "Book of the Week". This week the book is "The Land where Lemons Grow" by Helene Attlee.

Over the course of five days, the book has been abridged and shared with listeners across the radio airwaves. You can see the details, and perhaps listen to the segments of the book HERE. If you are outside of the United Kingdom I can not confirm if you can still hear the abridged version.

What I will say is that I have really enjoyed listening to the abridged version, so much that I have purchased a copy.

The book displays a degree of food, cookery and history of Italy and Sicily. Sicily is of course where my own genealogical interests lie.

You can read some further details and a review at The Times Literary Supplement.

Weekend Cooking ~ Burns Night

Across the globe, thousands of people with Scottish Heritage celebrate the birth of the Scottish Poet Rabbie Burns on 25 January. Traditionally there is a Burns Supper of Haggis, Neep and Tatties to celebrate the event.

Rabbie Burns 1759 - 1796

The formal supper starts with a welcome and announcements then the Selkirk Grace.

Selkirk is one of the oldest towns in the Borders of Scotland. The Grace itself is a prayer and said before a meal. Here is the prayer in both Scottish and English translation:

Some hae meat and canna eat,
And some wad eat that want it,
But we hae meat and we can eat,
Sae let the Lord be thankit.

Some have food and cannot eat,
And some would eat that lack it,
But we have food and we can eat,
So let God be thanked.

After the Grace everyone stands as the Haggis is carried into the room to the sound of bagpipes. The Haggis is laid at the hosts table and then there is the cutting of the Haggis and the famous poem "Address to a Haggis" is read.

Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o' the puddin-race!
Aboon them a' ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy o' a grace
As lang's my arm.

The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
Your pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o' need,
While thro' your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead.

His knife see rustic Labour dicht,
An' cut you up wi' ready slicht,
Trenching your gushing entrails bricht,
Like ony ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sicht,
Warm-reekin, rich!

Then, horn for horn, they stretch an' strive:
Deil tak the hindmaist! on they drive,
Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve,
Are bent like drums;
Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
"Bethankit" hums.

Is there that o're his French ragout
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad mak her spew
Wi' perfect scunner,
Looks down wi' sneering, scornfu' view
On sic a dinner?

Poor devil! see him ower his trash,
As feckless as a wither'd rash,
His spindle shank, a guid whip-lash,
His nieve a nit;
Thro' bloody flood or field to dash,
O how unfit!

But mark the Rustic, haggis fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread.
Clap in his wallie nieve a blade,
He'll mak it whistle;
An' legs an' arms, an' heads will sned,
Like taps o' thristle.

Ye Pow'rs wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o' fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinkin ware
That jaups in luggies;
But, if ye wish her gratefu' prayer,

Gie her a haggis!

At the end of the poem there is a whisky toast to the Haggis. Then the meal is consumed.

The meal itself is Haggis served with mashed potato known as tatties and mashed neep which are turnip if you are in Scotland or Suede if you are south of the border!

When the meal reaches the coffee stage there is a toast to the Monarch . After the meal an "Immortal Memory" takes place. This is usually a speech on the life and poetry works of Robert Burns and the evening concludes with the singing of Auld Lang Syne.

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind ?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne* ?

CHORUS: 

For auld lang syne, 

my jo, for auld lang syne, 

we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet, 

for auld lang syne.

And surely ye’ll be your pint-stowp !
and surely I’ll be mine !
And we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We twa hae run about the braes,
and pu’d the gowans fine ;
But we’ve wander’d mony a weary fit,
sin auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We twa hae paidl’d i' the burn,
frae morning sun till dine ;
But seas between us braid hae roar’d
sin auld lang syne.

CHORUS

And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere !
and gie's a hand o’ thine !
And we’ll tak a right gude-willy waught,
for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

Haggis can be found in most super markets here in the UK. They are usually found on the fresh meat counters and can be frozen. I routinely have at least two in the freezer. They do need defrosting before cooking.

Picture of ready cooked Haggis

Haggis can be cooked in a variety of ways

1. Haggis can be cooked on the hob, in a pan of boiled water. As soon as the water boils reduce the heat and add the Haggis, with the water simmering it takes around an hour. 
2. Haggis can also be cooked in the oven, remove from the plastic casing and wrap in tin foil. Place the Haggis into an oven proof dish with a little water and cook, usually for around an hour. 
3. Haggis can also be cooked via the microwave, I usually remove the outer plastic and skin, and don't forget the metal clips at the ends! Cut the Haggis into small segments and cook on full power. Length of time will vary depending on your microwave. 

Haggis Pie

Cook Suede and Potatoes
Haggis cooked for about 3 minutes in the microwave (mine is 900w)
Cut Haggis into sections and place in bottom of a dish, I use a Lasagna dish
Mash Suede and place on top of Haggis
Mash potato and place on top of Suede.
Place in Oven for (mine is fan assisted) so 20 minutes until nice and brown.

Wee Beestie!

Cook Haggis and break into bits with a fork.
Serve on a bed of mashed potato and mashed suede (neep)
cover with cheese sauce and a light dusting of black pepper to taste

Haggis is available in most supermarkets in the UK as either fresh or in some cases in tinned form. In the US it is available, certainly a few examples of companies that have a US outlets or ship to the US are  - http://www.scottishhaggis.com/index.aspx  

 - http://www.britishcornershop.co.uk/  

 - http://www.britishdelights.com/

(I have no financial gain from the companies mentioned.)

Taking part in Weekend Cooking hosted by BethFishReads

Weekend Cooking - Nigella Christmas

As promised, this is the final of four posts taken from this delightful book. This fourth recipe Eggnog Cream and take from the website.


Ingredients

350 ml double cream
125 ml advocaat

Method

1. Put the cream into a bowl and, using an electric whisk, start whipping to aerate and thicken.  While it's still floppy, whisk in the advocaat, and once the yolk-yellow, eggnog-flavoured liqueur is combined and the cream thick but still soft, stop and spatula into a generous bowl and serve with the pudding.

Sounds just the thing to add some zing to the Christmas pudding!

Weekend Cooking is hosted by BethFishReads

Weekend Cooking - Nigella Christmas - Yule Log

As promised, this is the third of four posts taken from this delightful book. This third recipe is for Yule Log and is taken from Nigella's fabulous website









For the cake
6 medium egg(s) (separated)
150 gram(s) caster sugar
50 gram(s) cocoa powder
1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
4 teaspoon(s) icing sugar (to decorate)

For the icing
175 gram(s) dark chocolate (chopped)
200 gram(s) icing sugar
225 gram(s) butter (soft)
1 tablespoon(s) vanilla extract

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4.
2. In a large, clean bowl whisk the egg whites until thick and peaking, then, still whisking, sprinkle in 50g of the caster sugar and continue whisking until the whites are holding their peaks but not dry.
3. In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks and the remaining caster sugar until the mixture is moussy, pale and thick. Add the vanilla extract, sieve the cocoa powder over, then fold both in.
4. Lighten the yolk mixture with a couple of dollops of the egg whites, folding them in robustly. Then add the remaining whites in thirds, folding them in carefully to avoid losing the air.
5. Line a Swiss roll tin with baking parchment, leaving a generous overhang at the ends and sides, and folding the parchment into the corners to help the paper stay anchored.
6. Pour in the cake mixture and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Let the cake cool a little before turning it out onto another piece of baking parchment. If you dust this piece of parchment with a little icing sugar it may help with preventing stickage, but don’t worry too much as any tears or dents will be covered by icing later. Cover loosely with a clean tea towel.
7. To make the icing, melt the chocolate – either in a heatproof bowl suspended over a pan of simmering water or, my preference, in a microwave following the manufacturer’s guidelines – and let it cool.
8. Put the icing sugar into a processor and blitz to remove lumps, add the butter and process until smooth. Add the cooled, melted chocolate and the tablespoon of vanilla extract and pulse again to make a smooth icing. You can do this by hand, but it does mean you will have to sieve the sugar before creaming it with the butter and stirring in the chocolate and vanilla.
9. Sit the flat chocolate cake on a large piece of baking parchment. Trim the edges of the Swiss roll. Spread some of the icing thinly over the sponge, going right out to the edges. Start rolling from the long side facing you, taking care to get a tight roll from the beginning, and roll up to the other side. Pressing against the parchment, rather than the tender cake, makes this easier.
10. Cut one or both ends slightly at a gentle angle, reserving the remnants, and place the Swiss roll on a board or long dish. The remnants, along with the trimmed-off bits earlier, are to make a branch or two; you get the effect by placing a piece of cake at an angle to look like a branch coming off the big log.
11. Spread the yule log with the remaining icing, covering the cut-off ends as well as any branches. Create a wood-like texture by marking along the length of the log with a skewer or somesuch, remembering to do wibbly circles, as in tree rings, on each end.
12. You don’t have to dust with icing sugar, but I love the freshly fallen snow effect, so push quite a bit through a small sieve, letting some settle in heaps on the plate or board on which the log sits.

Weekend Cooking is hosted by BethFishReads

Weekend Cooking - Nigella Christmas - Star -Topped Mince Pies

As promised, this is the second of four posts taken from this delightful book. The second recipe is Star-Topped Mince Pies and this recipe makes 36 of them! This comes from Nigella's fabulous website








For the pastry

240 gram(s) plain flour
60 gram(s) vegetable shortening
60 gram(s) butter (cold)
1 orange(s) (juice)
1 pinch of salt
350 gram(s) mincemeat
1 sprinkling of icing sugar (for dusting) 

For the cranberry studded mincemeat - makes about 600ml

75 gram(s) soft dark brown sugar
60 ml port
300 gram(s) cranberries
1 teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon(s) ground ginger
½ teaspoon(s) ground cloves
75 gram(s) currants
75 gram(s) raisins
30 gram(s) dried cranberries
1 clementine (zest and juice)
25 ml brandy
3 drop(s) almond extract
½ teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
2 tablespoon(s) honey

Method

1. Make the mincemeat in advance.  In a large pan, dissolve the sugar in the ruby port over a gentle heat.  Add the cranberries and stir.  Add the cinnamon, ginger and cloves, currants, raisins, dried cranberries and the zest and juice of the clementine.  Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 20 minutes, or until the fruit has broken down and has absorbed most of the liquid in the pan. (You may need to squish the cranberries a little with the back of a wooden spoon to incorporate them fully.)  Remove from the heat and allow to cool a little.  Add the brandy, almond extract, vanilla extract and honey and stir well with a wooden spoon to mash the mixture down into a paste.  Spoon the mincemeat into sterilised jars and, once cool, store in the fridge for up to two weeks.
2. Then once you are ready to make your mince pies, get out a tray of miniature tart tins, each indent 4.5cm in diameter, along with a 5.5cm fluted, round biscuit cutter and a 4cm star cutter.
3. Measure the flour into a shallow bowl or dish and, with a teaspoon, dollop little mounds of vegetable shortening into the bowl, add the butter, diced small, shake to cover it, then put in the freezer for 20 minutes. This is what will make the pastry so tender and flaky later.Mix together the orange juice and salt in a separate, small bowl, cover and leave in the fridge to chill. 
4. After the 20 minutes, empty the flour and fat into the bowl of your food processor and blitz until you’ve got a pale pile of porridge-like crumbs.  Pour the salted juice down the funnel, pulsing until it looks as if the dough is about to cohere; you want to stop just before it does (even if some orange juice is left). If all your juice is used up and you need more liquid, add some iced water.
5. If you prefer to use a freestanding mixer to make the pastry, cut the fats into the flour with the flat paddle, leaving the bowl in the fridge to chill down for the 20-minute flour-and-fat-freezer session.  Add liquid as above. I often find the pastry uses more liquid in the mixer than the processor.
6. Turn the mixture out of the processor or mixing bowl onto a pastry board or work surface and, using your hands, combine to a dough. Then form into 3 discs (you’ll need to make these in 3 batches, unless you’ve got enough tart tins to make all 36 pies at once).
7. Wrap each disc in clingfilm and put in the fridge to rest for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 220°C/gas mark 7.
8. Roll out the discs, one at a time, as thinly as you can without exaggerating; in other words, you want a light pastry case, but one sturdy enough to support the dense mincemeat. This is easy-going dough, so you don’t have to pander to it: just get rolling and patch up as you need.
9. Out of each rolled-out disc cut out circles a little wider than the indentations in the tart tins; I use a fluted cookie cutter for this.  Press these circles gently into the moulds and dollop in a scant teaspoon of mincemeat.
10. Then cut out your stars with your little star cutter – re-rolling the pastry as necessary – and place the tops lightly on the mincemeat.
11. Put in the oven and bake for 10–15 minutes: keep an eye on them as they really don’t take long and ovens do vary.
12. Remove from the oven, prising out the little pies straight away and letting the empty tin cool down before you start putting in the pastry for the next batch.  Carry on until they’re all done.
13. Dust over some icing sugar by pushing it through a tea strainer, and serve the pies with one of the butters from "Nigella Christmas".

Picture courtesy of Nigella's website

Weekend Cooking is hosted by BethFishReads

Weekend Cooking - Nigella Christmas - Seasonal Breeze

As promised, this is the first of four posts taken from this delightful book. The first is a refreshment called Seasonal Breeze (page 11) and does not contain any alcohol.

The recipe is simple.

1 part chilled cranberry juice
1 part chilled clear apple juice
1 part chilled and freshly squeezed orange juice
ice (optional)

To make one glass - the three ingredients should be in equal parts of 75 mls each. To make enough for 10 glasses each part should be in equal measures of 750 mls each.


Nigella's tip is that this can be made in advance and kept cool. Adding chunks of ice just before serving.

Chin, Chin!

Weekend Cooking is hosted by BethFishReads

Weekend Cooking - Nigella Christmas

I am cheating ever so slightly and writing this post in January! Just before last Christmas I caught on the television the end of Nigella Christmas the TV programme. I was inspired with one of her recipes and had to watch. Whilst watching, I reached for my iPad and located Nigella's website

A few weeks later I was in the library and wondered if they had the Nigella Christmas book in. They did and what a whopper as I carried it home.

I spent a few hours reading and enjoying the recipes and pictures. The text is quite like Nigella having a conversation with you, it is like welcoming an old friend. There is a degree of familiarity and I liked that.

Back to the book. The book is a delight. It oozes quality and it is simply one of those books that says pick me up and buy me!

Chapters in the book

• The more the merrier 
• Cocktails, canapes & manageable mass catering
• Seasonal Support
• Come on Over
• Stress free suppers
• The Main Event
• Joy to the world
• Christmas baking & sweet treats
• All wrapped up
• Edible presents & party preserves
• A Christmas brunch for 6-8
• A bevy of hot drinks
• Dr Lawson Prescribes......
• Stockists
• Acknowledgements
• Index

Over the coming weeks I am going to share a few recipes from this delightful book. You can create an account on Nigella's website and book mark some recipes.

Weekend Cooking is hosted by BethFishReads

Weekend Cooking - Cheese & Beer by Janet Fletcher

I had a real urge to eat a huge chuck of cheddar through this book.

It is a rather fascinating account of which beers to drink and whilst consuming various cheeses.

A huge focus on beers of the US, but there was mention to some European beers and ales. Lots of explaining and information on why some beers are heavier than others and then why particular cheeses work with those beers.

There was mention to the various regional and area beers of the US and those that had a basis on beers from other Countries for example the beers that had an Irish heritage.

I have to say that I love cheese and probably rather boring in my consumption of it. I like a very strong cheddar. In England we tend to classify them with 1 meaning very mild and 5 very strong. I usually by at least a 4, whilst hubby likes a mild cheese usually a 1 or 2. Every now and again I offer him and piece of cheese which he takes and then I watch the facial expressions as he realises he has been "had" again!

That said, I do eat various Italian cheese, Edam from The Netherlands and I always used to like Roule with strawberry. A lovely soft French cheese was perfect with Hovis biscuits. Sold in very few places, there was a cheese shop in my home town and Harrods amongst a few others. Sadly, the makers have stopped making it. I did email the company, but never received a response.

Turning to the beer aspect of the book. I am not a beer drinker really, although I do like a shandy on a hot summers day, but those are few and far between in the wet isles! Meanwhile, hubby is the occasional beer drinker, liking lagers, and ales.

Here is a picture of a tinned advertising feature. These are reproductions, well they were made in the late 1980s from 1930s originals. The picture is of Newcastle Brown Ale, which is always the ale that I put in the Christmas Puddings then hubby gets the left overs!

For me this book was a winner. It made me think and reflect on our eating and drinking habits. Shared conversation hubby as we chatted about the various beers and cheeses.  This is definitely a book that would be great on my cookbook shelf and there is potential for someone to write a similar book featuring the various beers and ales of the United Kingdom.

Overall the book was comprehensive, well written and researched.

Disclaimer - I was provided with a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

Taking part in Weekend Cooking hosted by BethFishReads

Cleveland's West Side Market: 100 Years & Still Cooking by Laura Taxel, Marilou Suszko, Barney Taxel and Michael Symon

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to review this delightful book. Sadly I had the e-book version as this would have been a delight to have read in the flesh.

The book has been thoroughly researched and explores the foundations from 1912 and growth of the market on Cleveland's west side.

It shares a combination of historical facts and memoirs from those who dedicated a whole lifetime to working within the confines of the market. It brought to life the "smell" of the market and how the internal organisation of such a market and how the business develops into becoming a local landscape and a professional business.

It provided information that some of the stalls within the market had started in those early days by immigrants and are now into a second or third generation ownership.

There is a good collection of old photographs and various comparisons with modern pictures.

This was a true delight to read and if I had ancestral connections to the area I would, without hesitation purchase the hardback book.

I was provided by a review copy of this book by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Taking part in Weekend Cooking hosted by BethfishReads

Weekend Cooking - Living Gluten Free for Dummies

 A few weeks ago I borrowed from the library this book, as we were not sure whether removing gluten from hubby's died would help the abdominal pains he was experiencing.

The blood test checking for the allergen markers were negative, but we decided to experiment with the diet in case there was any improvement.

In this case there was no improvement and hubby had his gallbladder removed last week.

This book was a really great, informative and yet easy to read book. Aimed at the UK market specifically, it discussed the amounts of items available to Coeliac patients on prescription and included details and recipes.

Having Coeliac disease is not just a condition or diet. It is a way of life that does take considerable getting use to and adjustment. Should hubby have been diagnosed with Coeliacs Disease I would have had no hesitation in buying this book.

Weekend Cooking is hosted by BethFishReads

Weekend Cooking - Jane Austen Style

Copyright - Biography.com

This last week saw the 200th anniversary of the publication of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Over the course of the last few weeks I have spent some time reading about the Austen's and the period of history in which Jane was alive and thinking of it in contrast to a branch of my own family.

During the course of the research I came across the blog of the Jane Austen museum in Hampshire. One of the treasures on display at the Museum is the Matha Lloyd's Household book.

Martha was a close friend of Jane's and Martha's sister married Jane's older brother James.  Contained within the household book is a series of recipes, household advise and formulas. Also included is this lovely recipe in verse.

Copyright - Jane Austen 's House Museum Blog
http://janeaustenshousemuseumblog.com

You can read a full transcription of the recipe HERE

Weekend Cooking is hosted by BethFishReads

Weekend Cooking - Burns Night (Part Two)

Having experienced the process of a Burns Supper yesterday. How do you actually go about cooking it?

Haggis can be found in most super markets here in the UK. They are usually found on the fresh meat counters and can be frozen. I routinely have at least two in the freezer. They do need defrosting before cooking.

Picture of ready cooked Haggis

Haggis can be cooked in a variety of ways

1. Haggis can be cooked on the hob, in a pan of boiled water. As soon as the water boils reduce the heat and add the Haggis, with the water simmering it takes around an hour. 
2. Haggis can also be cooked in the oven, remove from the plastic casing and wrap in tin foil. Place the Haggis into an oven proof dish with a little water and cook, usually for around an hour. 
3. Haggis can also be cooked via the microwave, I usually remove the outer plastic and skin, and don't forget the metal clips at the ends! Cut the Haggis into small segments and cook on full power. Length of time will vary depending on your microwave. 

Haggis Pie

Cook Suede and Potatoes
Haggis cooked for about 3 minutes in the microwave (mine is 900w)
Cut Haggis into sections and place in bottom of a dish, I use a Lasagna dish
Mash Suede and place on top of Haggis
Mash potato and place on top of Suede.
Place in Oven for (mine is fan assisted) so 20 minutes until nice and brown.

Wee Beestie!

Cook Haggis and break into bits with a fork.
Serve on a bed of mashed potato and mashed suede (neep)
cover with cheese sauce and a light dusting of black pepper to taste

Weekend Cooking is hosted by BethFishReads

Weekend Cooking - Burns Night (Part One)

Rabbie Burns 1759 - 1796

Across the world, thousands of people with Scottish Heritage celebrate the birth of the Scottish Poet Rabbie Burns on 25 January. Traditionally there is a Burns Supper of Haggis, Neep and Tatties to celebrate the event.

The formal supper starts with a welcome and announcements then the Selkirk Grace.

Selkirk is one of the oldest towns in the Borders of Scotland. The Grace itself is a prayer and said before a meal. Here is the prayer in both Scottish and English translation:

Some hae meat and canna eat,

And some wad eat that want it,

But we hae meat and we can eat,

Sae let the Lord be thankit.

Some have food and cannot eat,

And some would eat that lack it,

But we have food and we can eat,

So let God be thanked.

After the Grace everyone stands as the Haggis is carried into the room to the sound of bagpipes. The Haggis is laid at the hosts table and then there is the cutting of the Haggis and the famous poem "Address to a Haggis" is read.

Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,

Great chieftain o' the puddin-race!
Aboon them a' ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy o' a grace
As lang's my arm.

The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
Your pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o' need,
While thro' your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead.

His knife see rustic Labour dicht,
An' cut you up wi' ready slicht,
Trenching your gushing entrails bricht,
Like ony ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sicht,
Warm-reekin, rich!

Then, horn for horn, they stretch an' strive:
Deil tak the hindmaist! on they drive,
Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve,
Are bent like drums;
Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
"Bethankit" hums.

Is there that o're his French ragout
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad mak her spew
Wi' perfect scunner,
Looks down wi' sneering, scornfu' view
On sic a dinner?

Poor devil! see him ower his trash,
As feckless as a wither'd rash,
His spindle shank, a guid whip-lash,
His nieve a nit;
Thro' bloody flood or field to dash,
O how unfit!

But mark the Rustic, haggis fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread.
Clap in his wallie nieve a blade,
He'll mak it whistle;
An' legs an' arms, an' heads will sned,
Like taps o' thristle.

Ye Pow'rs wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o' fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinkin ware
That jaups in luggies;
But, if ye wish her gratefu' prayer,
Gie her a haggis!

At the end of the poem there is a whisky toast to the Haggis. Then the meal is consumed.

The meal itself is Haggis served with mashed potato known as tatties and mashed neep which are turnip if you are in Scotland or Suede if you are south of the border!

When the meal reaches the coffee stage there is a toast to the Monarch . After the meal an "Immortal Memory" takes place. This is usually a speech on the life and poetry works of Robert Burns and the evening concludes with the singing of Auld Lang Syne.

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind ?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne* ?

CHORUS:

For auld lang syne, my jo, for auld lang syne, we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet, for auld lang syne.

And surely ye’ll be your pint-stowp !
and surely I’ll be mine !
And we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We twa hae run about the braes,
and pu’d the gowans fine ;
But we’ve wander’d mony a weary fit,
sin auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We twa hae paidl’d i' the burn,
frae morning sun till dine ;
But seas between us braid hae roar’d
sin auld lang syne.

CHORUS

And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere !
and gie's a hand o’ thine !
And we’ll tak a right gude-willy waught,
for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

Haggis is available in most supermarkets in the UK as either fresh or in some cases in tinned form. In the US it is available, certainly a few examples of companies that have a US outlets or ship to the US are http://www.scottishhaggis.com/index.aspx or http://www.britishcornershop.co.uk/ or http://www.britishdelights.com/

I have no financial gain from the companies mentioned.

Weekend Cooking is hosted by BethFishReads