Yorkshire Party Food

Anthony Wirral Tonka Asked: "I want to arrange a dinner party with a north of England theme. Can you suggest some ideas for good food with a northern flavour."

Tony my dear old chap, our Northern cuisine is second to none. So I expect you would like me to put together a suitable menu for the evening. Taken straight from Edna's cook book. As the meal is to be themed northern, you might want to dress to fit the part. A flat cheese cutter or a pork pie hat would make for a suitable start to your attire. With a linen shirt, tweed coat, cravat and moleskin trousers. A pair of leather topped clogs. Pants held in place by an industrial strength, leather belt.

The Drinks:

So first thing, pop down to Tesco and help yourself to the following items. For the men it should be a full strength beer such as Theakston "Old Peculiar" at 5.6 ABV. Old Peculiar is possibly one of the country’s most well-known and loved ales. This unique, beautiful brew is often imitated but has never ever been matched. The beer that made Masham brewery famous. Rich, dark and smooth tasting, with a character all of its own. Brewed using the traditional Fuggle hop, Old Peculiar is the best known Northern beer and has a large and enthusiastic following all over Britain and around the world.

For the namby pamby weaklings amongst your male guests, Theakston "Coopers Butt" at 4.3 ABV would be a good choice. Coopers Butt was brewed to commemorate the 'Trussing In' ceremony that is performed upon an apprentice cooper when he becomes a tradesman. An amber red, full bodied bitter in the classic style. Robust in flavour, late and dry hopped with Golding and Fuggle hops to give a pronounced citrus taste and aroma.

For the ladies, I suggest a bottle of dry sherry.

The Starter Course:

There is no finer starter than a good helping of black pudding. Black pudding, blood pudding or blood sausage is a type of sausage made by cooking blood or dried blood with a filler until it is thick enough to congeal when cooled. The dish exists in various cultures from Asia to Europe and the Americas. Up north, black pudding is considered a delicacy in Yorkshire. The delicacy has also migrated over the Pennines into parts of Lancashire, in particular the towns of Bury and Ramsbottom. In the World Black Pudding Throwing Championships, the chucked pudding is then boiled and served with malt vinegar. On Stornoway, (situated on the Isle of Lewis) Black pudding is renowned and considered by some to be the second finest black pudding (Behind Yorkshire) in the world. Black puddings are usually served sliced and fried or grilled. The Black pudding is also served battered at chip shops in England and Scotland as an alternative to the traditional fish and chips.

For the ladies, I suggest a prawn cocktail.

The Main Course:

There is nothing in the world tastes half as good as a plate of chitterlings and cow heel. Chitterlings is a word for the small intestines of pigs, especially as they are fried or steamed for food. However, the term chitterlings could be applied to any intestine, not just those of pigs. 

2 lb cows heels cleaned and scraped.

2lb of cleaned chitterlings.

1/2 lb shin beef.
1 large onion.
salt and pepper.

for the pastry

1/2lb plain flour.
1/4lb butter.
1/4lb lard.
4 tbsp water.

Add the chitterlings and cows heels. Then the beef chopped with onion to a pan of water bring to the boil and simmer for at least 3 hours. Cover with the pastry and bake for 45 mins at 180 C.

For the ladies I suggest tripe with lashings of salt and vinegar.

The Sweet Course:

Yorkshire Bread Pudding. requires two large stale bread loaves. Half a pund of mixed dried fruit. You can use brown or white bread. It's lovely served hot but also excellent when served cold. 

Pre-heat the oven to 170 Centigrade. Tear the bread into small pieces and soak in cold water for one hour. Strain the bread and squeeze out as much as possible. Place the bread into a bowl and mash with a fork. Add the fruit, sugar, and mixed spice and mix together well. Add the egg and as much milk as necessary to make the mixture sticky but not too wet. It should drop easily from a spoon. Pour the mixture into a well greased baking tray, spread out and sprinkle the surface with more brown sugar. Bake in the oven for one hour. Check after one hour by pushing a table knife into the middle. The knife should come our clean. If necessary cook for a further 15 minutes. If it's getting too brown on top - cover loosely with some silver foil to stop any fruit on the surface from burning. Serve hot with custard or allow to cool and enjoy cold.

For the ladies - ice cream.

Regards.

Uncle Mort.