These recipes have been collected from a variety of sources but most are family recipes passed down by demonstration and word-of-mouth, and of course my Dad's "Little Black Book" of handwritten recipes and ancient yellowing cuttings. They are, without exception, delicious.

I have grouped them into regions - England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland - for convenience, as well as including some special festive recipes.

Yorkshire Pudding
Everyone has heard of Yorkshire Pudding, but not everyone can make it successfully! Traditionally, Yorkshire Pudding was served, with gravy, before the main course (probably to fill up those with smaller appetites and leave more meat for the menfolk!) but nowadays it is usually served as the traditional roast dinner of "Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pud."

2 eggs
4 oz plain flour (self-raising flour will not work!)
pinch of salt
half-a-pint (300 ml) of milk
some beef dripping to cook the batter in.

Method:
Before you start, turn the oven heat up to 220*C (425*F)- if the meat is still in the oven take it out unless you want it to burn! Beat the egg and flour together then add the milk and beat into a batter - do NOT overwork it, it is better to have few lumps than to beat the batter too much. Put the batter to one side and put the pudding tin(s) in to heat, with a small amount of beef dripping in each one. When the fat is sizzling hot, pour the batter in the tin(s) and return to the oven straight away. Small puddings (4" - 5" tins) will take around 20 minutes to cook, larger puddings a little longer.
If made properly, Yorkshire Puddings of any size should rise to 3 or 4 times the depth of the tin and be a rich golden brown in colour. They are delicious served with a roast dinner and thick gravy, but are also very tasty served as a sweet with melted jam or golden syrup!

Yorkshire Parkin
8 oz wholemeal or plain flour
1/2 level teaspoon salt
1-2 level teaspoons ground ginger
1 level teaspoon ground mace
1 level teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 oz medium oatmeal
1 oz. soft dark brown sugar
4 oz. black treacle
4 oz. golden syrup
2 oz. margarine 2 level teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
8 fl oz warm milk
1 egg lightly beaten

Method:
Pre set the oven at 325° F. Sift the flour, salt and spices together into a mixing bowl. Stir in the oatmeal and sugar. Gently melt the treacle, golden syrup and margarine over a low heat. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and pour in the melted ingredients. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in warmed milk and add to the mixture with the lightly beaten egg. Mix to a soft batter and pour into a greased tin about 8 X 10 inches, lined with greased greaseproof paper (Parkin mixture is VERY sticky!)
Bake in a pre-heated oven for 40 minutes. When cooked, Parkin should be an even brown colour and have shrunk away slightly from the sides of the tin. Leave to cool on a wire rack. If possible keep Parkin in an airtight tin for at least a week before serving. (Originally it would have been put in special wooden Parkin boxes.)

English Muffins bear no resemblance to American muffins!
In "What Katy Did Next," Susan Coolidge describes Katy’s reactions to "rounds cut out of an old flannel blanket." They must have been stale – when freshly made and served hot, English Muffins are quite delicious.

1 lb (450 g) strong plain flour
1 tsp salt
1 oz fresh yeast or 4 tsp dried yeast
quarter pint (150 ml) lukewarm milk
6 tbsp (90 ml) lukewarm water
1 beaten egg
1 oz (25 g) melted butter
flour or semolina to dust
butter to serve

Method: Mix fresh yeast with a little milk until smooth and creamy then blend in remaining milk and water. (If using dried yeast, dissolve 1tsp sugar in the milk and water then sprinkle the yeast on top.) Leave until frothy.
Sift flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Pour the yeast mixture in along with the egg and melted butter and knead until it makes a fairly soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface and knead until it is no longer sticky. Cover with a damp cloth and leave until the dough has doubled in size. Knead lightly again and roll out to a half-inch (1cm) thickness. Cut into approximately 3 inch rounds using a biscuit cutter and dust with flour or semolina – leave to double in size again.
Either bake on a floured baking sheet at 450*F (230*C) Gas Mark 8 for 5 minutes each side or in a frying pan for 7 minutes each side until golden brown. Cool slightly then split in half and serve hot, well buttered.

Fish and Chips
Very few people in mainland Britain live more than a few miles from a fish-and-chip shop, therefore very few actually cook this most traditional of British foods! But, for the sake of "tradition," I include instructions here.

1 large or 2 medium potatoes per person, peeled and cut into half-inch thick fingers ("chips")
white fish fillets** - 1 piece per person
4 oz plain flour
pinch of salt
1 egg
quarter pint (150 ml) mixed milk and water
small amount of flour to coat fish
oil or fat to deep-fry

Method
When the chips are first cut, place in cold water to firm up; heat the fat or oil and, whilst it is heating, drain the chips and dry them as much as possible with a clean tea-towel or kitchen paper. When the fat is hot, lower the chips in CAREFULLY, preferably in a chip basket, and cook until they are just beginning to turn golden. Remove from the pan and drain. Meanwhile, prepare the batter for the fish**: beat together the flour, salt, eggs, milk and water (substituting some of the water with beer makes an excellent batter.)
Coat the fish with flour and shake of any excess; hold the fish by the very end and dip into the batter, making sure it is coated entirely. Lower it gently into the hot fat and fry for 5 - 7 minutes, the exact time will depend on the type and thickness of the fish; it will float to the surface of the fat when cooked. Lift out and drain; meanwhile, reheat the fat/oil and cook the chips for a second time - they will not take long and will also float when cooked.
Drain and serve the fish and chips - the traditional accompaniment depends on the part of the British Isles you are in: salt and malt vinegar is most usual, but you can also have tomato ketchup, tartare sauce or, in Yorkshire at least, mint sauce!

**The actual variety of fish served depends on what is caught locally. No part of the British Isles is more than 60 miles from tidal waters, so fresh fish is readily available. Most usual is cod or haddock, but also tasty and popular (and cheap) is the species sold variously as Ling, Huss or Rock Salmon.

Lancashire Hot-Pot
1 and a half lb (700g) best end of neck of lamb or stewing lamb
2 lamb's kidneys
1 lb (400g) potatoes, thinly sliced
8 oz (200g) onions, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
quarter pint (150ml) stock or water
1 oz (25g) melted butter

Method:
Trim any surplus fat from the lamb and skin, core and slice the kidneys. Put half the potatoes in a layer in the bottom of a greased ovenproof casserole dish, then the lamb, the kidneys and the onions, and finally the rest of the potatoes - arrange the top layer of potatoes in overlapping circles. Pour in the stock or water. Brush with the butter and cover with a lid or foil.
Bake at 180*C (350*F) Gas Mark 4 for an hour and a quarter; uncover and cook for a further 30 minutes or until the top potatoes are golden brown.

A true traditional Lancashire hotpot is supposed to contain oysters too!! If you want to go all the way with this recipe, add 8 or 10 shelled oysters along with the meat.

Bubble and Squeak
This is usually made from left-overs but if you don't have any vegetables left over, simply cook some fresh!

equal amounts of mashed potato and cooked white cabbage
fried onion (optional) - well drained
salt and pepper
1 egg per person
fat or oil for frying

Method:
Mix together the drained cabbage and the mashed potato and onion (if used) and season to taste; heat some oil or fat in a frying pan and tip around the pan to make sure the base and sides are completely coated - pour off any excess. When the fat is just beginning to give off a haze, tip in the vegetable mixture and spread evenly in the pan.
As it cooks, a crisp coating will form on the bottom and you will be able to free it from the pan by shaking it. Slide onto a warmed plate; re-coat the pan with fat and tip the vegetables back in to cook the other side. Fry the eggs in a separate pan and serve with the bubble-and-squeak.

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Welsh Rarebit
for the topping:
1 oz (25 g) softened butter
1 tsp mustard
pinch salt & cayenne pepper
quarter tsp. Worcestershire sauce
6 oz grated cheese (eg. Cheddar)
2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh milk.

Method: Toast thick slices of bread on one side only.
Blend all the topping ingredients well and spread onto the untoasted side of the bread.
Brown under a hot grill – be careful not to burn the cheese.

Bara Brith
1 tsp sugar
quarter pint (150 ml) lukewarm milk
1 tbsp dried yeast
14 oz (400g) strong plain flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp mixed spice
3 oz (75 g) Demerara sugar
3 oz (75 g) butter
1 lb (450 g) mixed dried fruit
1 beaten egg
clear honey to glaze

Method:
Dissolve the sugar in the milk, sprinkle the yeast on and leave for 10 minutes in a warm place or until frothy.
Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl, rub in the butter, stir in the sugar and dried fruit. Pour the yeast mixture and egg in and mix until the dough leaves the sides of the bowl clean. Knead on a floured surface for about ten minutes until smooth and elastic; put back in the bowl, cover with a damp teacloth and leave until it has doubled in size.
Knead for another 2 minutes then shape to fit a greased 2lb(900g) loaf tin. Cover again and leave to rise until it is above the top of the tin. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350*F (180*C) Gas Mark 4 for an hour and a quarter. Turn onto a wire cooling rack and glaze with honey whilst still warm; when cooled, slice and serve buttered.

Cawl (my mother-in-law’s own special recipe)
1 lb (450 g) of stewing lamb, cubed
6 large potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 medium sized swede, peeled and cubed
4 large carrots, scrubbed and sliced
2 – 3 onions, peeled and quartered
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 tsp. dried mixed herbs – thyme, sage, rosemary, parsley, bay leaves etc. or equivalent amount of fresh herbs as available.

Method:
Briefly fry the lamb to seal in the juices, then pour off any surplus fat and place the meat in a large ovenproof stewpot. Add all the prepared vegetables and sufficient water or vegetable stock to cover. Put on the top of the hob and bring to the boil – skim if necessary, and top up with liquid as the broth evaporates. Cook on the hob whilst the oven heats to 150*C (300*F). Stir well and season to taste, and add the herbs. Cover with a well-fitting lid – seal with foil or greaseproof paper under the lid if necessary. Place in the oven and cook for at least an hour and a half or until the meat is tender – stir halfway through the cooking time and adjust seasoning, add liquid etc. if needed.

At the end of the cooking period, the vegetables will be very soft and may well have thickened the broth sufficiently (this is not a thick stew) you can thicken with flour or cornflour if liked, but this is not strictly authentic. Serve with suet dumplings or crusty bread.

Welsh Cakes
Makes 12-15

8 oz (225g) Self raising flour
Salt
4 oz (110g) Butter
3 oz (75g) Sugar
2 oz (50g) Currants or sultanas
1 Egg
Milk if required
Sugar and butter to serve

Method:
Sift together the flour and salt and rub in the butter. Stir in the sugar and the fruit. Whisk the egg and add to the mixture. Then knead it to a firm dough, using a little milk if necessary. Roll out to 5 mm (¼ inch) thickness and cut in 7.5 cm (3 inch) circles. Slip onto a hot griddle or put in a preheated heavy frying pan and cook on each side, turning once, until golden brown. Sprinkle each cake with sugar and put a dab of butter on each. Serve on a hot dish.

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Colcannon
1 lb (450g) shredded white cabbage
1 lb (450g)potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 leeks, finely chopped
quarter pint (150 ml) milk
salt, pepper and a pinch of mace or ground nutmeg
1 oz (25g) melted butter

Method:
Boil the cabbage in water until cooked; drain and keep warm.
Place the potatoes and leeks together in the milk, bring to the boil then cover and simmer until cooked - about 20 minutes (test with a fork.)
Mash the potatoes, leeks and milk together and season; add the cabbage and mix well. Spoon into a serving dish and make a hollow in the centre with the back of a spoon; pour the melted butter into the hollow and serve immediately.

Soda Bread
12 oz (350g) wholemeal flour
4 oz (100g) white flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. bicarbonate of soda
2 oz (50g) butter
8 fl.oz (225ml) milk
5oz (150g) natural yoghurt (plain)
flour to dust
butter to serve

Method
Mix together the flours, salt and bicarbonate of soda. Rub in the butter until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the milk and the yoghurt and knead to a soft dough.
Shape into a round and place on a greased baking sheet. Score the top with a deep cross and dust with flour. Bake at 220*C (425*F) Gas Mark 7 for 45 - 50 minutes. When cool, slice and serve buttered - soda bread is best eaten on the day it is made as it goes stale quicker than yeast-based breads.

Irish Stew

1½ lb (700g) Middle neck of lamb, cut into cutlets and trimmed
2 medium Onions,
1 lb (450g) sliced Potatoes
1 tbsp. chopped Parsley plus extra to garnish
1 tbsp Thyme
½ pint (300ml) Water

Method
Pre-heat oven to 170 °C / 325 °F / Gas 3. Make layers of meat, vegetables and herbs in a deep casserole, ending with a top layer of potato to make a neat ‘lid’. Pour in the water and cover with greaseproof paper or foil and then the casserole lid. Bake for 2 hours or until everything is tender. Serve hot garnished with chopped parsley.

Potato Cakes
Makes about 12

1 lb (450g) Floury potatoes (e.g. Pentland Squire or Maris Piper)
1 tspSalt
1 oz (25g) Butter
approx. 4 oz (100g)Plain flour

Method
Cook the potatoes in boiling water for about 20 minutes until tender. Drain and mash until smooth. Add the salt and butter while the potatoes are still hot, then work in enough flour to make a stiff dough. Turn onto a floured surface, knead lightly and roll out until 0.5 cm (¼ inch) thick. Cut into 6.5 cm (2½ inch) rounds or triangles. Cook on a greased griddle or heavy-based frying pan for 4-5 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Serve hot with butter.


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Hot Cross Buns
1 lb (450g) strong plain flour
2 oz (50g) caster sugar
1 oz (25g) fresh yeast or 4 tsp. dried yeast
quarter pint(150 ml) lukewarm milk
4 tbsp (60 ml) lukewarm water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp mixed spice
half tsp ground cinnamon
4 oz (100g) currants
2 oz (50g) chopped mixed peel
2 oz butter, melted and cooled
1 beaten egg
2 oz (50g) granulated sugar
3 tbsp (45ml) fresh milk

Method
Blend the fresh yeast with the lukewarm milk and water and leave until it goes frothy (if using dried yeast, dissolve 1 tsp of sugar in the milk and water, sprinkle the yeast on top and leave.
Sift 4 oz (100g) of the flour and 1 tsp of the caster sugar together and add the yeast mixture. Mix well and put aside for 20 - 30 minutes the mixture should go frothy again.
Now put the remaining flour, salt and spices into another bowl. Add the remaining caster sugar, currants and candied peel and toss together.
Add this to the yeast mixture with the melted butter and the beaten egg, and mix it all together until it forms a soft dough which leaves the sides of the bowl cleanly. Turn it onto a floured surface and knead until it becomes a smooth dough which is no longer sticky.
Cover with a damp cloth and leave in a warm (not hot) place to rise until it has doubled in size.

Knead the dough once more, then divide it into 12 pieces and shape each into a round bun. Stand them well apart on a greased and floured baking sheet. Cover and leave to rise again for about 30 minutes, when the dough will feel springy when pressed.
Score a cross into the top of each bun with a SHARP knife, and bake in a pre-heated oven at 220*C (425*F) Gas mark 7 for 20 - 25 minutes until the buns are deep golden brown on top.

Make a glaze by dissolving the granulated sugar in 3 tbsp of milk and brush over the top of the buns. Allow this coating to set as the buns begin to cool, then glaze a second time.
Serve either as they are or split and buttered.

Simnel Cake
Traditionally decorated and served as an Easter cake, Simnel cake was also made by girls "in service" as a gift to take home on Mothering Sunday.

12 oz (350 g) sultanas
12 oz (350 g) raisins
12 oz (350 g) currants
4 oz (110 g) glace cherries, washed and chopped
4 oz (110 g) candied peel
2 oz (55 g) whole blanched almonds
2 oz (55 g) ground almonds
zest of 1 lemon
zest of 1 orange
8 oz (225 g) butter
8 oz (225 g) soft brown sugar
6 eggs, beaten
10 oz (285 g) flour
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1 large or 2 small Bramleys (cooking apples), grated

For the Almond Paste:
1 lb (450 g) ground almonds
1 lb (450 g) caster sugar
2 eggs
Almond essence

Method:
First prepare the cake tin - line the base and sides of an 8 or 9 inch round cake tin with 2 layers of greaseproof paper.
Mix the dried fruit, nuts, ground almonds and orange and lemon zest and put to one side.
Next make the almond paste: Mix the caster sugar and ground almonds thoroughly. Beat the eggs, add a drop of almond essence, and gradually add to the other ingredientsuntil it makes a stiff paste - depending on how big they are, you may not need to all the egg.
Sprinkle the work top with icing sugar, turn out the almond paste and knead lightly until smooth. Cover and put to one side.
Cream the butter until very soft, add the brown sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs bit by bit, beating well between each addition so that the mixture doesn't curdle.
Mix the spice with the flour and gently fold into the butter/sugar/egg mix. Combine the grated apple and the fruit and stir gently but thoroughly into the cake mixture - don't beat it or the cake will go hard. Put half of the cake mixture into the prepared tin.
Divide the almond paste into 3 portions; roll one third out into a circle the same size as the cake tin and place this on top of the cake mixture in the tin, then cover it with the remaining cake mixture. Make a slight hollow in the centre - the cake will rise in the centre as it cooks and this way you should get the top reasonably flat.
Bake in a preheated oven at 160*C (325*F) Gas Mark 3 for one hour, then reduce the heat to 150*C (300*F) Gas Mark 2 and bake for a further two hours or until the cake is cooked - a skewer inserted in the centre should come out perfectly clean. Leave to cool in the tin - overnight if necessary.
When completely cold, remove the cake from the tin. Do not remove the lining paper but wrap in some extra greaseproof paper and foil to protect the sides of the cake.

When you are ready to ice the cake, roll two-thirds of the remaining almond paste into a round the same size as the top of the cake. Brush the cake with a little lightly beaten egg white and stick the paste on. Form the last portion of the almond paste into eleven balls - one for each of the disciples (Judas is not on the cake as he betrayed Jesus.) Score the top of the cake into squares and brush with beaten egg or egg yolk. Stick the apostles around the outer edge of the top and brush them with some beaten egg too. Toast under a grill until the paste, particuarly the "apostles," begins to turn a pale golden brown, then dust with a little sieved icing sugar. You can add an Easter chick or similar decoration to the centre of the cake if you like.