Eponymous Heroes: Places

by Marion Watson

One of the great joys of travelling around England is sampling local traditional dishes. In spite of attempts by large supermarket chains to standardise food throughout the length and breadth of the country it is good to think that these rarities are still going strong. Like the hero of a novel who has the book named after him these dishes are often called after the place where they originated.

Cheesey Places

Some recipes evolved to make use of special ingredients available in the area. Certain types of cheese were developed to use up surplus milk in the days before railways made it possible to transport fresh milk over long distances. The most famous of these was Cheddar cheese, although now it's made all over the world it originated in the lush pastures of Somerset. Similarly, other English cheeses were made, and for the most part still are, in good dairying country. One such is Wensleydale, which happily remains in production in Hawes, Yorkshire despite the threat of the factory's closure in 1992 - well worth a visit. Stilton is something of a misnomer because, whilst it originated in Leicestershire, it got its name because it was sold at the Bell Inn at Stilton, Cambridgeshire. Dorset Blue Vinney has, alas, all but disappeared, replaced by the more hygienically manufactured Dorset Blue. Still the perfect accompaniment for such a cheese is another hero, the Dorset Knob, a crisp little bread roll made at Morecombelake near Bridport. Wiltshire Lardy Cake

Plentiful Porkers

Areas that went in for pig-rearing in a big way developed lots of tasty dishes to use up every scrap of the animal. In early times the cottager killed his pig in the autumn and salted most of it away for the winter. The rest was made into dishes for immediate use, like pork pies, sausages and Wiltshire Faggots, which used up the liver and lights (offal - the innards) mixed with onions, breadcrumbs and herbs. It is said that the only part of the pig that was not used was his squeak! When factories like Harris of Calne took over from the cottager they continued to make the same dishes but on a larger scale. Wiltshire has always been a big producer of pigs, the name Swindon - the county capital - comes from "swine down". A Devizes Pie contained bacon and tongue mixed with veal, sweetbreads and hard-boiled eggs. Over the border in Somerset, Bath Chap was the name given to the conical-shaped cheek pieces of the pigs head, salted, smoked and coated with breadcrumbs after boiling. In bakery, rolling and folding bread dough with lard, sugar and dried fruit makes Wiltshire Lardy Cake  the lard and sugar forming a delicious layer of toffee underneath when baked. Cumberland Sausage

Back to pigs - at the other end of the country York gave its name to a special way of preparing large, long-cut hams. Legend has it that the first ones were smoked over oak sawdust left by the carpenters who helped build the Minster. Cumberland too has hams named after it. They are dry-salted and rubbed with brown sugar before being hung up to mature. Other pork products are used to make the famous Cumberland Sausages  which are usually displayed coiled like a long rope and which can, consequently, be bought by length as well as weight.

Pasties, Pies and Puddings

Some dishes evolved for very practical reasons. The Cornish Pasty  was designed to be eaten by tin miners. The pastry knob at either end could be held with dirty hands and then discarded. Fillings varied but it contained meat and vegetables and so was a well-balanced dish. Sometimes apple was put in one end, making a complete meal within its own edible packaging. The way it was crimped, over the top or round the side, is said to have been determined by whether it came from east or west of the Tamar. Something similar made for Lancashire miners was called the Lancashire Foot because of its shape. Other dishes show good economical use of local food where the wages were low, and they may even reflect the cooking methods available. Lancashire Hotpot  and Irish Stew, for example, both have the same basic ingredients but one is made in the oven, the other over heat. Canny Yorkshire folk serve their delicious Yorkshire Pudding  first, before the more expensive meat course is served, to take the edge off hungry appetites.

Other delicacies were produced to fulfil demands of special leisure pursuits. Melton Mowbray Pie and Melton Hunt Beef were made to satisfy hungry huntsmen. Kendal Mint Cake, which is not a cake but a candy, provides concentrated calories to climbers in the Lake District and has been taken on expeditions all over the world. Some Lake District specialities like Grasmere Gingerbread and Cumberland Rum Butter have now become tourist souvenirs. Rum is used in several traditional Cumberland dishes because it was imported along that coast. Cumberland Rum Nickies are similar to small mince pies and contain butter, rum, brown sugar, dried fruits, ginger and nutmeg, whilst Rum Dog consisted of rum-soaked raisins mixed into a suet dough and steamed.

Cakes and Bakes

Dr Oliver invented Bath Olivers, which were plain biscuits, for the invalids in Bath who were there to take the famous waters. Bath Buns are also notably associated with the city, as are Sally Lunn Cakes served split and buttered in her shop. Chelsea Buns were made at the Original Old Chelsea Bun House in Pimlico Road to feed the crowds of visitors who came there on Sunday afternoons. Cornish and Devon Clotted Cream, once a way of making the top of the milk keep longer, has now also become a tourist favourite either to send home or to eat with small plain buns known as Cornish Splits.

Sometimes similar dishes appear in widely different places. For instance these are all variations on pastry wrapped round dried fruit: Banbury Cakes (oval), Eccles Cakes (round), Chorley Cakes (round or rectangular), Coventry God Cakes (triangular) and Hawkshead Cakes (large plate-sized).

Some products acquired their name almost by accident, simply because that was where they were invented; Worcestershire Sauce, for example, although the nearby presence of vinegar and salt may have encouraged its particular manufacture. Some change almost beyond recognition once they leave their place of origin. The Bakewell Tarts displayed in that Derbyshire town are vaguely oval, made of flaky pastry and filled with a sort of egg custard mixture. Nothing like the shortcrust flan filled with almond-flavoured cake mixture you see elsewhere.

Finally, some traditional dishes got their name because they were associated with a celebration peculiar to that town. Helston has its special steamed pudding eaten in May on Floral or Furry Dance day. Biddenden Cakes are made and distributed on Easter Monday in Kent as part of a dole from land bequeathed to the village in the twelfth century. Whilst Bury Simnel Cake is baked to celebrate Mothering Sunday.

It is always surprising how much variety there is packed in one small country. This is true of its scenery, its architecture, its traditions and its food. Long may it continue.