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The food of the North West
The countryside, coastline and industrial towns of the north west of England offer a remarkable variety of mouth-watering food and drink. The resurgence of artisan producers has ensured that this region continues to play a key role in shaping England's culinary heritage.

An ancient farming tradition ensures succulent lamb, mutton, beef and pork. Cheaper cuts of meat also have their uses in tasty stews - Lancashire hot pot and scouse. Try some regional recipes:
Chargrilled Lamb Chops with Thyme
Ploughman's Lunch with Own-Made Chutney
Treacle Tart

Scouse started out as a standby dish on ships. It's likely this stew was brought to Liverpool by Scandinavian sailors who called the dish labskaus or lapskojs. 'Blind' scouse, made without meat, is the vegetarian version.

Offal is a long time favourite and includes tripe, (the stomach lining of a cow); chitterlings (boiled pigs' intestines); elder (pressed cow's udder), lamb's fry (testicles) and pigs' trotters. Spicy black puddings are very popular, and those from Bury are particularly renowned - there's even a reduced fat version for weight watchers.

Locally made cheese has a loyal fan following, and Cheshire, Lancashire and Wensleydale cheese are just three well-known classics.

Cheshire cheese is believed to be England's oldest cheese, and was made before the Roman conquest. Lancashire cheese is made by the unusual method of mixing one day's curd with the previous day's curd and ripening the cheese for at least two months. Moist and crumbly Wensleydale has a mild sweet flavour and is usually eaten when young.

Fish from coastal areas is enjoyed, usually as the perennial favourite - fish and chips. Southport and Morecambe continue to maintain their long tradition of potting freshly caught shrimps. The tiny shellfish are boiled, peeled, mixed with butter and a hint of mace and nutmeg, before being packed into tubs or pots.

Home baking
Northerners have a sweet tooth and love their home baking. Many recipes were developed during the Industrial Revolution when the families of mill workers and miners depended on satisfying nourishing dishes such as pies and puddings.

It was a matter of pride for women to set aside a weekly 'baking day' to make cakes, pies and bread to last the week. Once humble treats, they have become sought after specialities today. Treacle tarts, (always decorated with a pastry lattice); variations on gingerbread; Eccles cakes, (once associated with the fairs or 'wakes' in the area), are all classics, even today.

Rum butter, made with dark rum imported into Cumberland ports in the eighteenth century, was initially given to pregnant women and new mothers to speed their recovery. These days it's usually dolloped onto steamed Christmas pudding and mince pies.

For the love of sweets
The northern love of sweet foods has led to a splendid variety of confectionery. Everton toffee (Everton Football team are known as 'the toffees') from the Everton district of Liverpool; bright pink sticks of Blackpool rock and energy-giving Kendal Mint Cake are just a few of the region's delectable sweets..

Kendal Mint Cake is made to a secret recipe, but its basic ingredients are sugar, glucose, water or milk and peppermint oil. The high glucose content makes it an excellent instant source of energy.

Treacle treats
Many northern recipes use black treacle (a by-product of sugar refining) sugar and spices, which arrived in busy ports such as Liverpool and Whitehaven. By the late 18th century treacle had replaced honey in gingerbread, as it was cheaper and so was also incorporated into recipes for pies, puddings and cakes. The strongly flavoured thick black syrup adds flavour, colour and moisture to gingerbreads, fruit cakes and toffees.

Carol Wilson