The Famous Dishes of Eastern England
Eastern England is well known for it’s traditional gourmet food that is made of fresh produce and interesting meats, fowl and fish.
Eastern England is well known for the thick delicious stalks of Asparagus grown every year. In the summer Asparagus is served as a smooth cream soup that is chilled and served with asparagus and fresh cream. In the winter the same soup is served warm in a blend that includes celery and onions. Asparagus is also rolled with Norfolk grown turkey breast to create a delicious main entrée.
The area is known for it’s fresh’s garden vegetables. One beautiful but simple dish often served in the area, but especially in the Village of Ely in Cambridgeshire is Celery baked in Cream. It is made with both white and green baked celery and served hot.
A very unusual dish combines apples, bacons, onions and potatoes in a piecrust. This is known as Huntingdon Fidget Pie and was invented hundreds of years ago to feed hungry workers.
Another savory apple dish is the classic Parsnip and Apple soup. This is a creamy soup that is combines the two flavors to make a warming winter soup.
The East of England used to be a center for oyster farming and a traditional dish is Oyster loaves. These are brioches or cottage rolls into which oyster liquor and sour cream is baked into bread. A raw oyster is then served with lemon and parsley, inside the loaf. The dish is also served with a melted butter sauce and a green salad.
Rabbit is also quite common in the area. There is Rabbit Casserole with dumplings and a pie called Paocher’s pie that is made of vegetables and rabbit.
Fish dishes are also very traditional. Many Eastern England hostesses serve home-made smoked trout pate as an appetizer. Fresh trout is blended with lemon juice, butter and cream to make a rich and nutritious pate that is served on bread or crackers.
Another special item of produce in the area is the Greengage Plum. This is made from a special type of plum grown in the area that is only green. These sweet, oval and green plums are used to make a Greengage Tart. This is a creamy tart made with a wholemeal crust that has a filling of plums and toasted hazlenuts. The taste is a unique combination of tart and sour that goes very well with English Tea.