Middle England Recipes
Bakewell Pudding - A butter mixture, flavoured with ground almonds and baked in a light, flaky pastry case, is the basis of this traditional Derbyshire recipe, sometimes known as Bakewell tart, the origin of which is still secret.
Cheshire Potted Cheese - This is an excellent way to use up odd pieces of cheese. They can be grated up together.
Gooseberry Jam - superb recipe that captures all the flavour of the fresh fruit.
Gooseberry Yogurt Sorbet - A light and refreshing way to use gooseberries in which yogurt gives a pleasant sharpness to the smooth sorbet.
Hereford Beef Olives - Juicy rolls of succulent beef, wrapped round a herby filling and braised slowly in a well-seasoned stock.
Oxford Sausages - An Oxford butcher probably created this recipe in the days when every shop sold its own special home-made sausages.
Red Berry Fool - The word 'fool' was used to describe a light and airy blend of cream and fresh fruit puree. Depending on the season, choose from any of the soft, juicy fruits that flourish in the Vale of Evesham. Raspberries, strawberries, redcurrants or blackcurrants are all excellent.
Sage Derby Souffles - Souffles are an airy French dish lightened with whisked egg whites, which take their name from the specific flavouring used. Here the popular British cheese marbled with chopped sage adds flavour and colour.
Shrewsbury Biscuits - Light, lemony biscuits, which need to be stored in an airtight container to keep their crispness. In other traditional recipes for Shrewsbury biscuits, caraway seeds or currants were added to the basic mixture, to make pleasant variations.
Stilton Pears - Cheese and pears are a delightful combination, and dessert pears make a refreshing change from avocados in this starter. Cornice are a good choice, as they are mouthwateringly juicy when fully ripe. Make sure they are still firm, though, because, as with all pears, they have to be eaten at just the right moment.
Strawberry Yogurt Mould - A light mousse made in a ring mould always looks pretty filled with fresh fruit, and strawberries are probably the most decorative of all the soft summer berries. The delicately flavoured mould has a very light set, just firm enough to turn it out. Substitute buttermilk for the yogurt if you prefer.
