Talk of the Town: Bubble & Squeak, Bangers & Mash, it’s British by jove!

I am very fond of British cuisine. I spent nearly 14 years in London and learned to appreciate some of their finer fare. The myth of bland British food is a tiresome and a lazy cliche, so says I!

Actually, British fare ranks with the best cuisines in the world. British cooking, however, is not just traditional roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. It reflects and incorporates something from all the cultures and countries Britain has had contact with throughout her long history.

Some of my favorite food is found right in the cozy British village pub.

I recently met with Angela Ewing, a delightful British woman living in the United States, making her home part of the year in Green Valley.

Angela began to write a cookbook in 1994 with recipes from her family in England. Since then she gathered many fabulous recipes from historic hotels, inns and restaurants from the British Isles.

What she came up with was her cookbook, “Angela Ewing’s Pub Grub & Posh British Fare,” containing recipes from chefs and owners of ancient coaching inns, elegant manor houses and pub from all over Britain.

As Angela writes, “Not all English meals are tasteless and overcooked.”

“In fact,” she adds, “British pub grub has become somewhat of an institution, perhaps because it is normally accompanied by conviviality, a glass of sherry, shandy or a pint of bitter.”

She writes about pub meals she remembers and includes in her book, some recipes which have been passed down from generation to generation and are linked with an old-fashioned way of life.

Angela says the elegant country houses and old coaching inns offer more elaborate menus than public houses. She includes a little history of each of these wonderful establishments.

“I had to make a few adaptations since some ingredients are not available in this country,” Angela adds. “I do believe that I’ve succeeded in keeping the majority of the recipes authentic and the measurement conversions accurate.”

Angela’s book gives a brief history of British public houses (pubs, taverns) which are usually identified by the very distinctive signs outside the buildings.

“In the country, pubs use signs like ‘The Old Bull” or ‘The Plough,’” Angela says. “In a city pub you are more likely to find signs that suggests allegiance to royalty.”

The signs also depict whether or not the inn, tavern or hostelry is owned by a brewery or by an independent innkeeper.

“A ‘free house’ means that the innkeeper is the sole owner of the establishment and can sell any beer he chooses,” Angela writes. “If the sign has a name underneath such as ‘Courage’ or ‘Whitbread’ the pub is owned by that brewery and managed by the innkeeper who cannot sell beer from another brewery.”

“Pub Grub & Posh British Fare” also gives the reader a guide to ordering beer in the United Kingdom.

Angela is clever. She includes in her book two pages dedicated to explaining the difference in American and British terms she calls “kitchen English.”

As Winston Churchill once remarked, “We are two peoples separated by a common language!”

Some examples of American to British terms:

Cookies are biscuits

Biscuits are scones

Potato chips are crisps

Corn is maize

Desserts are sweets

Cupcakes are fairy cakes

Sausages are bangers (as in bangers and mash)

English muffin: “There is no such thing in Britain,” she says.

Angela includes in her book the description of an English breakfast:

“Unlike the Continental breakfast with rolls and coffee or tea, traditional British breakfasts are hearty with two or three courses. Grapefruit or prunes are usually served first, followed by a fish course, such as Finnan Haddie (smoked haddock) with eggs, or kippers (smoked herrings) with brown bread and butter.

Alternatively, eggs are prepared in a variety of ways with an accompaniment of grilled tomatoes, sausage, bacon, mushrooms and ‘black pudding*’ are served. Breakfast is always rounded off with toast and orange marmalade.

* Note: Black pudding is made from pig’s blood and fat, and even though it sounds terrible, Angela says, it is quite delicious.

OK, folks. That was the one dish, aside from jellied eel, that I just could not bring myself to try when I lived in England. Even after numerous pints of Guinness, those two dishes would never appeal to my palate.

Angela’s book introduces the reader to many of England’s country hotels with black and white photos, It includes addresses and phone numbers of the destinations as well.

She describes English lunches and dinners, as well as traditional recipes from each. Angela also points out the evolution of the English fare to include many ethnic dishes adapted to suit the ever-changing society and to reflect new habits and population growth. Angela lists the recipes in her cookbook according to breakfast, lunch and dinner and those from specific country inns and other posh establishments, crediting the various chefs for sharing their recipes.

Angela also includes a variety of informative passages in her book, like “English tea” and “how to make a ‘proper’ cup of tea.”

Below is a very traditional English recipe included in Angela’s book known as Bubble and Squeak:

If you have leftover vegetables and cooked plain potatoes (without milk, cream or butter added), this is a wonderful way to make another dish which is really tasty and is traditionally served with cold leftover turkey, chicken or the Sunday roast pork, beef or lamb. (I personally adored this dish immensely and I would eat it as a meal all by itself on a chilly London evening.)

Bubble and Squeak

Note: The name is derived from the bubbling and squeaking the potatoes and vegetables make when they are cooking in the pan.

4 cups cooked mashed potatoes, plain

4 cups cooked cabbage or brussels sprouts chopped up small

salt & fresh pepper

4 tablespoons olive oil

Mix the potatoes and vegetables. Heat oil in a large frying pan and add the cooked vegetables and potatoes.

Press and turn frequently to brown all over. Serve on hot plates with cold cuts of meat and chutney. (Chutney is similar in consistency to jelly, salsa or relish, and is used as a sweet and sour condiment. Usually made fresh, chutney contains fruit and sugar to give it a sweet taste, and almost all chutney contains vinegar and perhaps onions to give it a corresponding sour flavor.)

Angela was born in Leicester, England. At 22 she moved to the United States. She is a published writer and has traveled extensively, including annual trips back to England where she explores country manor houses, historic coaching inns and restaurants.

“Angela Ewing’s Pub Grub & Posh British Fare” reflects her passion for sharing England’s history, food and special places with family and friends. With more than 100 recipes and British fun facts, the book is available by calling Angela Ewing at 541-261-0008 or e-mail her at: angelaewing1@aol.com.

There are so many things I liked very much about British cuisine. So much so, I gained many, many pounds over there, although they weigh themselves in “stones.” That’s another column.

rford@gvnews.com | 54-9740