I’ve run a series of posts about food, in response to which Jean at Delightful Repast sent me links to recipes, all for several things that have either I or someone leaving a comment mentioned. I thought I’d pass them on for the benefit of anyone out there who cooks. Or who knows someone who can be bribed or strongarmed into cooking.
Clotted cream. A number of people asked what it is, so here you go–make your own.
Scones. Because what’s clotted cream without a scone and jam?
English muffins, which Jean swears are just called muffins in England, although I’d swear I saw them sold as English muffins once at the Co-op.
Crumpets, which I can’t think of anything to say about. Except that I’m ending that sentence with a preposition and, yeah, it’s okay: The English language likes to end sentences with prepositions. (I tried to maneuver “with” to the end of that sentence, but I can’t do it.)
Teacakes, a.k.a. toasted teacakes, but you have to toast them before you can calll them that.
And finally, a brandy-soaked British fruitcake. This works for Christmas and for weddings, although not if you’re in the U.S., where wedding cakes are cut from sponge rubber and then iced elaborately.
I have to do this – teacake in parts of this northern world is just a bap, bun, barm/barmcake or whatever you like to call a bread roll – if quite flat. But a toasted teacake always has fruit – currants esp – in it… Happy Solstice (nearly) to you.
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I stand (or sit) corrected: It’s a not-yet-toasted toasted teacake. And a happy solstice (we’re nearly there) to you.
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And black bun?
https://foodanddrink.scotsman.com/food/a-history-of-the-black-bun-including-a-recipe-for-making-your-own/
And before anyone moans that this is for Hogmanay, when I was a child Christmas Day was not a public holiday in Scotland…..
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I never heard of it but it does look good. Thanks.
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In Mexico they don’t have Mexican rice. Or do I have been told by a waiter in a Mexican restaurant.
“About which I can’t think of anything to say.”
Glad you stuck with the
Can’t think of anything to say about.
English grammar rules were made up by someone with too much time on their hands. Should not stand in the way of sensible writing or speaking.
Ave a good holiday season.
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They just have rice.
‘Ave a good holiday season.
Forgot the apostrophe.
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As a friend of mine says when someone suggests eating Mexican food, “We just call it food.”
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The thing about English grammar is that I can argue both sides of it, passionately. The rules were made up to exclude people. Basically, the y function as a secret handshake. If you know them, you’re in the club. If you don’t, you’re out.
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That is something up with which I will not put.
Winston Churchill
(alleged)
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Yup. I’ve read various versions of the quote, but all attributed to him. Which doesn’t mean he actually said it. You know the Yogi Berra quote, “I never said half the things I said”?
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Yes. I bought a little paperback book, about twenty pages, of his quotes with his explations and discussions of how they occurred and why he said them. He was smart, and very funny. But did not have a lot of formal education. My favorite player when I was growing up in the fifties. I was a real Yankee fan, growing up in North Georgia.
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I have a terrible sports allergy, but I do love his quotes. I grew up hearing “I shoulda stood in bed” and spent a ridiculous amount of time trying to figure out why people said that. I’m not sure how old I was before I realized the oddity of it was the point.
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The book was 127 pages. I just checked. It is a lot bigger than you think it is. (My attempt at a Yogi speed)
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Yogi speak. I meant to say.
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He was lucky enough to live before predictive text. Who knows what it would’ve done to him.
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“…about which I have nothing to say.”
-courtesy of a grammarian’s daughter
Thank you for the recipes, and please thank your contributor. All have been dutifully pinned.
Lucia
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I’m telling you, the English language likes to end sentences with prepositions. That rule about not doing it? It was one of the prescriptive bits of silliness imposed in (I think) the nineteenth century by people who thought Latin was the purest of all languages and didn’t stop to noitce that English worked differently. That’s where the whole thing about not splitting infinitives came from. In Latin, you can’t because the infinitive is a single word. In English, it isn’t and so we can. And do.
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I like grammar, I could mangle it all day. It reminds me both of ‘unwritten constitutions’ and the order of jam and cream on a scone, which are both also often pontificated about but no one can point to where anything says your way is definitively the only correct one.
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There’s a particularly Jewish way of arguing that starts a sentence with “Where is it written..?” and then goes on to name whatever the speaker wants to defend. So where is it written that we shouldn’t end a sentence with a preposition? Actually, lots of places, but I’d still argue that all of them are wrong. Which is arrogant as hell, I’m sure, but hey, I’m still right on this one.
Now jam and cream on a scone, I’m not brave enough to take on that one.
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Very wise on that last point, the jam/cream order war won’t be solved by anyone asking where it is written either.
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You’re right, but I could thoroughly baffle some people by asking it. It comes so completely out of (to switch to another American phrase) left field.
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I miss these things, but not for too much longer.
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What’s coming up?
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Me!
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lmao…sponge and rubber hahaha… so true…! Thanks for the recipes…not sure which I’ll try first…
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Just to make your life more difficult, there’s an additional link to be found in the comments.
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Did you see Ruth Goodman make clotted cream in the Edwardian Farm series? It made me very glad that I can (occasionally) buy Rhodda’s in Sainsbury’s. I’ve had to put crumpets on my shopping list because of this post.
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You could’ve done far worse than crumpets. I made them exaactly once and am grateful to be able to buy them.
I missed the clotted cream episode. I gather it’s harder than crumpets.
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There seemed to be a lot skimming involved. A ‘crust’ would form and have to be skimmed off. I think the idea was to end up with layers of ‘crusts’. It’s probably one of those things where you get your knitting out so you’ve got something to do while you’re keeping an eye on what’s going on in the pan.
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If I tried that, I just know I’d end up dripping knitting into cream at some point. I don’t think this is a recipe I’m destined to try.
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No, I don’t think I’m every going to make it either.
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I haven’t seen that (perhaps I can find it on youtube?), but I’m here to tell you there’s nothing complicated or difficult about making clotted cream. Forget what you saw on the telly and go with my method!
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While I no longer cook/bake, I enjoyed reading these recipes – seeing ho they are made and what ingredients are ! Wonderful !
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I can understand that. I read a lot more recipes that I try. Food porn!
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Well, I was quite interested in clotted cream but she look so long getting round to receipe I lost the will to live. I will continue to buy it from the shops (who was I kidding, anyway?)
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I’m sure a homemade version’s completely ecstatic but I can’t imagine making it when it’s so easy to buy the stuff–and who should be eating it anyway?
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I love that! Can’t wait to use that line myself: “She took so long getting round to recipe, I lost the will to live.” :D
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Thank you, Jean. I was just being rude. I’d never say that to her face, of course!!!
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Crumpets are best to have butter with. Merry Christmas!
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I couldn’t agree more.
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Your page, your grammar. That’s what it’s all about!
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Ouch. That so goes against my training. But I did say (somewhere, multiple times) that I can argue both sides of the formal grammar wars.
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So you’re grambidextrous – I couldn’t resist.
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Well, now that you mention it.
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Oh, my. I’d like to know where your less than flattering description of American wedding cakes arises from. Someone hasn’t had a good wedding cake up.
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I admit, I haven’t tasted them all.
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Ellen, I was simply stunned to come back and find this post! Thank you so much!
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You’re welcome. It seems to have generated a good bit of interest.
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Looking forward to making some clotted cream. I haven’t tasted that since I was a child.
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I’m glad to hear it. Most people who left a comment about it sounded terrified of trying. It’s wonderful stuff. We’re lucky enough here to be able to get it at pretty much any store that sells food.
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