Lardy Cake. Just the name alone will cause some people to faint in horror as lard still has a bad reputation with many health-conscious eaters. But denizens of Great Britain might also smile a little, too, for Lardy Cakes are a traditional tea time treat and many Brits I know have a soft spot for this sweet, doughy, crunchy treat. And perhaps it will come back into good graces as we are rediscovering lard as a healthier fat.
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Q: I'm hoping The Kitchn's talented readership can help me! My boss is British, born and raised, and although she's been in the States for more than half her life she understandably misses many of the things she grew up with that don't exist here.
Her birthday is coming up and I would love to make her favorite dessert, date and walnut cake. I had never heard of it before meeting her and I have no idea where to begin with recipes. I searched google.co.uk but there are predictably thousands and I would prefer one that can come personally recommended. Can you help a poor Yank out?
Sent by Jessica More
The second series of "Downton Abbey" premieres this weekend on PBS and if you're as obsessed as we are, you might be planning your very own viewing party complete with period-appropriate food and drink. Here's an Edwardian-era cake that we highly recommend. It includes several ingredients you probably have in your winter larder ... and don't worry, it's much better than Mrs. Patmore's salty pudding! More
Ever heard of a cranachan? Neither had I before coming across a recipe for one in the new River Cottage Every Day cookbook. But now I can't get this layered dessert of toasted oats, fresh summer fruit, and boozy whipped cream out of my head. More
I think we can all agree that marmite and vegemite can be considered an acquired taste. Personally, I love a thin smear of marmite on a piece of buttered toast, so pungent that it makes my tongue tingle. But love it or hate it, there are still plenty of ways to use this sticky paste in the kitchen. More
Drinkers in the UK looking for a beverage without a lot of alcohol know what to order at the pub: a shandy! This mix of beer and sparkling lemonade is lightly alcoholic and very refreshing. More
I don't buy too many cookbooks (and when I do, there's a one in/one out policy), but a couple of times a year I log on to Amazon.co.uk and indulge in the pleasure of ordering new British cookbooks. Why on earth would one want cookbooks from the land of supposedly bland, unimaginative food? Because they're anything but! Lately it seems that some of the most colorful, flavorful, and inspiring cookbooks are coming out of the multicultural UK. Here are three that I've made room for in my collection… More
Homemade English muffins are one of those things we whip out whenever we want something extra special in the morning - a birthday brunch, in-laws are in town, you name it! One guest recently asked about the difference between crumpets and English muffins, and we were honestly stumped...with good reason, it turns out! More
Recent posts highlighting the pleasures of the ploughman's lunch and the hotly-debated mayonnaise led to our intense craving for a British-style cheese and onion (and mayo) sandwich. To the uninitiated, this combination might sound odd or, at the very least, like a breath killer. Well, we can't promise you won't want to brush your teeth afterward, but we do urge you to give this humble yet satisfying sarnie a try. More
