So, what is you favourite out of the old fashioned dishes? I am a sucker for a good lasagne, but not Italian version, the utterly butchered english version. Little pasta, tons of meat, lashings of cheese. Oh yeah.

Nathan. X

My mum used to make what she called Meat & Potatoe Pie on Plates - this involved filling a pie plate with the beef chunks that she had boiled in water and adding thinly sliced raw pototoes and onions- pastry on top. Baked slowly in oven adding foil if pastry got too brown. Served on its own in big slices with the beef tea gravy poured over. Simple but absolutely delicious.

I'd put my mums Steak and kidney pudding and proper bread pudding against anything. As kids we couldn't stand suet so her butcher suggested summer county as a substitute for the pastry. The beef HAS to be shin which gives the delicious flavour and thickening; with pigs kidney and chopped onion all tossed lightly in seasoned flour. No herbs or mushrooms, nor any oysters to be added to this one. This mixture then has to be crammed into the lined white masons pudding bason, topped with a good beef stock and lidded with the remaining pastry. A piece of clean sheeting or cotton tea towel then secures the whole lot tied down with string (not baking parchment or tin foil) and the basin is stood on the bottom of the largest saucepan surrounded by gently bubbling water. You must remember to keep topping up the water and leave to cook for at least 5 hours. I have left a pudding for 12 hours waiting for my husband to come home from work and it was mouthwateringly tender. Do please try it.

Hi St. George. It certainly sounds tasty, but what is 'summer county', or am I missing something here?

Eves -

Summer County was a brand of Margarine way back in the 50's or 60's. I don't think it is available now.

I'm a great lover of cooking good wholesome food also eg.
Tater hash and dumplings/Tater pie
Lancashire hotpot/Bacon hotpot
Steak and kidney pie
Rag puddings
Toad in the hole
Stews and casseroles
The list is endless,but it's made me hungry now!!

Hello everybody,
until recently I was in the grocery trade. Summer County is indeed a brand of margarine, and yes it is still available, but I believe it is the soft type like Flora. Summer County used to make a 250g hard block margarine, like the Stork one also still available. Our friend St.George will have to verify which one it is meant to be. I would suggest it is probably the hard block one, so Stork would do.

I'm new to this cookery game, about a year now, but took a back seat when I was confirmed as diabetic. But I'm managing fine at the moment, I intend doing Christmas Dinner next week, as I did last year, wish me luck!

Have any of you been watching the Victorian Kitchen series? I find it absolutely fascinating and inspiring.

Before I leave, excuse me for being ignorant, what is Rag Pudding? ( Do you use dishcloths for this)!

Thank you, Francesco.

I think using marge instead of suet would give a sponge result more than pastry. But a nice alternative if you dont like suet crust. I love Victorian Kitchen. Have never heard of rag pudding either. Good luck and Merry Christmas.

I think using marge instead of suet would give a sponge result more than pastry. But a nice alternative if you dont like suet crust. I love Victorian Kitchen. Have never heard of rag pudding either. Good luck and Merry Christmas.

A rag pudding is oblong in shape,made of suet pastry,filled with skirt steak and onions or minced beef and onions.It is then wrapped in any cloth you have eg.cut up pillowcases and tied,then boiled for minimum of 2hrs.
Delish!!

Summer County was indeed a margarine. One also used for the table if butter couldn't be afforded. I now use hard stork for all dumplings whether they are sweet or savoury. The result is not sponge like but much much lighter than suet and has the benefit of not sticking to the top of the mouth. Plus I wouldn't use suet for my pastry! I would make spotted dick (dog to be pc) and wrap it in cotton sheeting, so I suppose this would be a rag pud?