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British dishes facing extinction

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ProfilePosted byOptionsPost Date

AnninGlos

AnninGlos Report 18 Feb 2025 10:15

Probably due to people eating take aways, not knowing how to cook, ingredients too expensive.
I can't believe that shepherds (cottage0 pie is amongst them. such an easy not too expensive family dish.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-14405515/British-dishes-risk-EXTINCTION.html

nameslessone

nameslessone Report 18 Feb 2025 10:38

I hadn’t heard of some of them, but shepherds pie :-0

AnninGlos

AnninGlos Report 18 Feb 2025 10:40

No I had not heard of some, but Welsh lamb? I guess that is part vegetarians not eating any meat and maybe the rest of us not affording to buy lamb

Gwyn in Kent

Gwyn in Kent Report 18 Feb 2025 11:40

When out with friends last week in a local pub, I had cottage pie with side dish of fresh vegetables and very good it was too and reasonable. There were several 'traditional' choices on the menu.
Daughter made a tasty cottage pie yesterday evening, which had a cheesy mash topping. We had it with chantenay carrots.

We probably all learned basic cooking skills from our mothers or school cookery lessons.
Daughter encouraged her son to help in the kitchen, so he in turn can cook good wholesome meals from scratch.

If the skills are not handed down, traditional meals won't be such popular choices.

**Ann**

**Ann** Report 18 Feb 2025 11:51

Hangs head in shame :-D :-D :-D

Island

Island Report 18 Feb 2025 12:14

Daily Wail won't let me in :-0

I didn't learn to cook from mother (she was too neurotic) or school - cookery was for the less academic. Therefore I have never cooked traditional English food and mothers cooking didn't inspire me to try. Cauli cheese was the first dish I worked out how to make. I've always preferred more adventurous food. Must be my fault then LOL

I don't see how these dishes will be extinct as the ingredients are available just cook it if you like it.
I'd say change in taste and culture are the reason.
Plus..... those 'traditional' dishes are boring to some!

Gwyn in Kent

Gwyn in Kent Report 18 Feb 2025 12:40

Interesting how different schools had differing lessons.
We all had to learn cooking skills at our school( all girls grammar) after we had mastered the sewing machine to make our school shoe bag, an art overall and our cookery cap and apron.
The cookery room was split into 5 kitchens, 2 with gas cookers, 2 with electric and 1 Rayburn, so I guess they were preparing us to be dutiful housewives, whatever the circumstances?
Changing lifestyles and more influence from overseas holidays or visiting restuarants with chefs from other countries have all played their part.

I really like many dishes which my parents would never have heard of and I like to try some of the specialities when visiting another country.
Our neighbours are Muslim and frequently share with us delicious homecooked Bengali foods. No idea what some of them are, but they all taste good ;-) :-D

AnninGlos

AnninGlos Report 18 Feb 2025 13:15

If you can't get into DM, the dishes in danger are.Glamorgan sausage (which is a sort of veg meal)
Vegan roast dinner
Pan Haggerty (Northumbrian dish of potatoes onions and cheese)
Shepherds pie (minced lamb and potatoes)
Nut roast
Vegan pie
Welsh lamb
Cheese and onion pie
Panackety (beef or lamb casserole.

Cheese and onion pie was the first thing I learnt to cook at school. We had domestic Science for the first three years at High school alternate weeks needlework and cookery if I remeber correctly. And girls only, when boys I think had wood work (1951-1956).

shepherd's pie (Or more likely cottage pie with minced beef) is probably the only thing off this list that I cook. And I usually put cheese on top of the potatoes and if I am in low carb mode the topping with be half potatoe and half mashed swede.

Island

Island Report 18 Feb 2025 13:57

How did vegan roast dinner and vegan pie - whatever they are :-S - and Nut roast get on the list? Hardly traditional :-0

I've tried some vegan products and did not like them at all - they taste like something dredged up from a sea inlet which doesn't get a good flow of water. If I wanted to eat something that tasted of rotting fish I'd buy rotting fish - perhaps not :-0

Pan Haggerty :-S and Cheese and onion pie also sound to be meat free so how can vegetarians be the cause of a decline in 'traditional' dishes?

Girls really were trained to be housewives back then weren't they! Even those who were academically bright were made to leave work to become housewives when they married. What a sad state of affairs.

I point the finger at these dishes being too boring for modern tastes.

Island

Island Report 18 Feb 2025 14:12

Another point...... as already stated, I didn't have cookery lessons at school and never taught by the mother. Yet I have managed to produce many good meals and have never been malnourished. So why have girls been made to learn how to cook very simple 'dishes' at school ? - what a waste of a lesson. When you are hungry you will soon 'learn' how to cook. It's all about demeaning and conditioning.
Opps... have I gone off topic ? :-0 :-D

AnninGlos

AnninGlos Report 18 Feb 2025 14:35

not off topic, you mentioned food and cookery :-D

I do think it is a weird list. I love lamb welsh or not but it is much more expensive than other meat.
It is actually only shepherd's (cottage) pie which surprises me as it is (to me) really tasty, It can be spiced up if needed and other things added to the meat. (carrots baked beans), whatever. so I don't think it is boring. And it is so easy to cook.

AnninGlos

AnninGlos Report 18 Feb 2025 15:25

The strange thing is that the Shepherds pie my Mum used to make was a stand by for Mondays (washing day) and the meat was home minced left over lamb from the Sunday joint. To bulk out the lamd a slice of bread would also be put through the mincer last, it helped remove the fat left on the machine from the lamb as well as bulking out the meat filling. I always loved that meal. Talking 40s/50s now

Island

Island Report 18 Feb 2025 15:27

Ann, it must have been my mothers cooking which made me think it would be be boring. It was all fresh veg but basically boiled to within an inch of it's life and any spices or herbs regarded as the devils own food :-0 She did make a good quiche though - tres continental and a good lemon meringue pie.
I've remembered, although I wasn't allowed to cook I was taught and often made a tray bake cake - sponge with icing and decorated with 'decimated' coconut and glace cherry bits.
I also made some butterscotch which got browner and browner :-0 little brother decided it was treacle toffee and ate the lot LOL
Does jelly count as cooking? That was always a bit runny as us youngest two really liked the melting cubes :-D :-D

I haven't baked a cake since I left the parental home at 18 and the only pud I ever make is bananas and custard which my two none christmas guests enjoyed :-D :-D :-D Which has reminded me, I thought I had but possibly not. did I tell you of my pre christmas near disaster? :-0

Island

Island Report 18 Feb 2025 15:35

I often make my own invention, 'shepherds pie without the shepherd'. I make a batch of three singles, one to eat and two for freezer a) because it would be wasteful to make just one and b) I've only got three pie bowls of the same size.

AnninGlos

AnninGlos Report 18 Feb 2025 16:11

Island no you didn’t.

Shepherd’s pie without the shepherd. Care to elaborate???

Island

Island Report 18 Feb 2025 17:07

Ann, base is red lentils, soaked and boiled, seasoned with salt and garlic with a dollop of marge (or butter if preferred. I add chopped mushrooms, garden peas or broad beans and black eyed beans. Half fill pie dish/es with the mixture then top up with mashed potatoes and add a layer of grated cheese.
It's basic so any choice 'extras' can be added to lentils.

I don't really do strict temps and times but tend to cook everything at reg 6 for 20 minutes - a bit 'suck it and see' as my brother puts it LOL

Mid December, I fell the full length of the stairs and round the corner at the bottom in the early pitch dark hours. Five days in hospital with 2 cracked ribs, a very swollen and 'colourful' cheek bone. scratches and bruises. I have no idea how it happened but am sure it was lost footing rather than a dizzy 'turn'. Very scary but could have been a lot worse. Haven't been the same since :-0
Luckily, I could still 'project to the back of the stalls' :-0 :-D

AnninGlos

AnninGlos Report 18 Feb 2025 17:42

Goodness that was horrific. Have your ribs healed? Do you have a safety light on the landing ie. I have one plugged into a socket which comes on with motion. It is always a worry at night in the dark, especially when you are on your own .

Island

Island Report 18 Feb 2025 18:26

I still can't quite believe it Ann, I had no say in the matter :-0 Ribs healed, well at least I have no pain but still have a dent over my cheekbone and that still hurts on occasion.
I did a risk assessment when I got back home and a friend has put in grab rails for me which are a great help. I've been leaving the stairs and landing lights on since, I've bought a large rechargeable torch and lantern for overnight use but haven't braved using them as mains lights replacement yet.
Oh btw..... I was asking for trouble by not switching a light on as I'm not a night time prowler ;-) :-D

To stay on topic, I can say that I nearly had my chips :-0 :-D

Gwyn in Kent

Gwyn in Kent Report 18 Feb 2025 19:23

That was awful, Island :-0
It must have been so painful.

Maybe those motion sensitive lights would be the way to go, as they would 'know' when you were up and about.

Island

Island Report 18 Feb 2025 19:43

Gwyn I didn't feel any pain until I was in A&E where I felt safe as I'd got by on shock.

They cut my jim jams off :-0 :-0
Next shock - I didn't have any pants on :-0 but they would likely have cut them off anyway :-0