The author is extremely indebted to Mary Ruth Schaumberg who dutifully tested more than 40 of the 60 recipes in this book. Her tests were remarkably thorough and her comments and suggestions were exceptionally helpful. Her detailed reports gave rise to a number of improvements and corrections to the original text. It is fair to say that this cookbook would be much the worse if it were not for Mrs. Schaumberg’s advice and counsel. And I would be remiss if I did not also acknowledge her husband, Buzz, and their two children, Elizabeth and Ned, who consumed the output of her labors without so much as a whimper. In fact they even said some nice things about a number of the recipes. The last certainly casts some doubt on their sanity.

Liane Beights tested a goodly number of the recipes as well. She, together with her husband, Dave, also made a large number of constructive suggestions. They contributed much to the final version of this cookbook. Oh, yes, they also had some nice things to say. Makes one wonder, doesn’t it?

The author is grateful to both of these families for their willingness to test recipes. While errors of both omission and commission no doubt still exist in the cookbook, there are many fewer because of their efforts.

ANNOTATED TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

BREADS
    Our Sally Lunn Bread
    Milk and egg bread
    Ships Biscuits
    Flour-and-water flat dinner biscuits
    Soda Bread
    Buttermilk bread made with baking soda
    Crumpets
    English muffin-type biscuits

DESSERTS
    Apple Charlotte: Apple pieces flavored with brown sugar and cinnamon placed on buttered brown bread and baked
    Brown Rum Balls: Small balls of pastry, cocoa powder, and pecans held together with rum and covered with confectioners’ sugar
    Cream Filled Oranges: Hollowed out fresh oranges filled with a sauce of egg, cream, and sherry then topped with candied orange peel
    Duke of York’s Custard: Brandied cherries covered with an egg custard
    Lemon Syllabub: Chilled and whipped heavy cream flavored with lemon and sherry
    Red Rhubarb Flummery: Stewed rhubarb in gelatin and flavored with orange liqueur then topped with whipped cream
    Trinity College Cream: Egg yolks and cream whipped together and baked then topped with caramelized sugar
    Trifle: Slices of Madeira cake covered with raspberry jam and soaked in brandy and sherry then covered with an egg custard and topped with whipped cream, strawberries, and citron pieces

MAIN COURSES FISH
    Anglo-Indian Kedgeree: Boiled cod, rice, and hard-boiled egg all flavored with curry powder
    Hazelnut Salmon with Asparagus: Broiled salmon steaks marinated in wine, olive oil, dill, and lemon juice then covered with hazelnuts and chives; served with steamed asparagus tips
    Fillet of Trout Fried in Cornmeal: Fillet of trout covered with cornmeal and fried then topped with a mustard sauce
    Coffin for Two Soles: Fillet of sole in a sauce of shrimp and mushrooms and encased in the skin of a baked potato

MEAT
    Boiled Ham with Parsley Sauce: Ham boiled in water then encased in breadcrumbs; served with a sauce of parsley, onions, and butter
    Chicken Stovies: Casserole of alternating layers of chicken breast pieces and potatoes, all in chicken broth
    Sussex Hot Pot: Casserole with repeated layers of beef; peas and carrots; and potatoes
    Poor Lamb Stew in Ale: Casserole of ground lamb, parsley, and onion soaked in British ale and covered with mustard and slices of bread
    Toad in the Hole: Link sausages encased in a flour dough and baked
    Vicar’s Visage: Slice of ham flavored with brown sugar and mustard then covered with heavy cream and baked
    Beef Guinness with Roast Potatoes: Steak and onions covered with Guinness beer and brown sugar then baked; served with roasted potatoes
    Empty Cottage Pie: Ground beef, onions and carrots covered with mashed potatoes then baked
    Irish Eyes Pie: Ground lamb with a layer of mashed potatoes both above and below
    Shepherd’s Pie: Ground beef seasoned with garlic and shallots then ombined with peas and covered with mashed potatoes; topped with shredded Parmesan and cheddar cheese

PASTRIES
    Agatha’s Peach Crumble: Peach slices flavored with lemon and cinnamon, covered with brown sugar and custard then baked
    Bath Buns: Golden raisins together with candied orange peel in a yeast dough, baked and topped with crushed ugar cubes and caraway seeds
    Dancing Gingerbread Men: Traditional gingerbread men in the shape of a deerstalker cap and a Calabash pipe
    Fat Raisin Rascals: Biscuits made with brown sugar and raisins and topped with granulated sugar
    Hot Cross Buns: Dried fruit and/or raisins in a sugar glazed bun that is flavored with cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg
    Italian Biscuits: Sweet circular biscuits glazed with egg white and confectioners’ sugar
    Madeira Cake: Flat sweet cake made from flour, eggs, sugar, and lemon peel and topped with citron pieces
    Shortbread Biscuits: Flat rich cake made from butter, milk, and egg yolks; topped with sugar
    Spotted Dog Pudding: Boiled pastry made from breadcrumbs, flour, and both black and golden raisins then smothered in an egg custard
    This Takes the Cake: Almond and walnut (or raisin) sweet cakes flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, and sherry
    Tunbridge Wells Cakes: Semi-hard, sweet biscuits flavored with plenty of caraway seeds
    Twelfth Night Cake: Flat, sweet cake with raisins and candied orange peel and a lemon flavored frosting
    Rolled Raspberry Jam Pudding: Pastry covered with raspberry jam and rolled into a log then boiled and smothered under an egg custard

SALADS
    Michaelmas Salad: Salad made from boiled red beets, boiled potatoes, and raw carrots all in a vinaigrette dressing

SIDE DISHES
    Creamy Asparagus in a French Roll: Asparagus tips in a creamy sauce and encased in a hollowed-out, toasted French roll
    Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts: Boiled chestnuts and Brussels sprouts; served very hot
    Ox-Eyes: Baked egg and sour cream in circular cut outs made in thick slices of French bread
    Sussex Fritters: Deep fried balls of ham and mashed potatoes
    Bubble and Squeak with Beef Sauce: Pancakes made from cabbage and mashed potatoes topped with a sauce of beef broth, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce
    Kentish Cheese Pasties: Cheddar cheese and cayenne pepper enveloped in a flaky pastry dough and served very hot

SOUPS
    Brown Soup a la Madeira: Rich beef-based soup with onions, spices, and Madeira wine; served hot
    Cock-a-Leekie Soup: Chicken soup made with leeks and rice
    Cream of Mussel Soup: Steamed mussels in a cream based onion soup; served hot
    Orange Carrot Soup: Puréed carrots and orange juice based soup; served cold
    Pease Porridge: Puréed lettuce, peas, fresh mint, and onion in a creamy chicken broth; served hot or cold
    Potato and Leek Soup: Soup made from puréed potatoes and leeks; served hot
    Queen Victoria’s Soup: Chicken soup with breadcrumbs, heavy cream, and minced egg yolk; served hot
    Saxe-Coburg Square Soup: Chicken broth with Brussels sprouts, ham, potatoes, and onion then seasoned with sherry; served hot

STARTERS
    Norwood Rabbit: Toasted, thickly-sliced white bread soaked in red wine and topped with melted cheddar cheese, butter, and mustard then broiled
    Potted Shrimp on Toast: Baby shrimp preserved in clarified butter; served on toast
    Rashers Fraize with Eggs: Bacon bits cooked in a pancake sprinkled with confectioners’ sugar, served with scrambled eggs
    Regent Street Baked Pears and Cheese: Fresh pear slices topped with Stilton cheese and baked
    Smoked Herring Pâté on Toast: Pureed smoked herring flavored with lemon and mace; served on toast
    Angels on Horseback: Oysters wrapped in bacon and broiled

APPENDIX A
    Recipe for Brandied Cherries
    How to make your own brandied cherries

APPENDIX B
    Sources for Ingredients
    Internet and mail order sources for brandied cherries, fresh and dried chestnuts, candied orange peel, and citron

APPENDIX C
    Sources for Equipment
    Internet and mail order sources for special cooking equipment

APPENDIX
    Selected British Recipe Books

With INDEX

Other Books and E-Books by the same author