Sticky Fig Cake
There is something about figs even in this day and age that causes people to titter. With their curvaceous exterior and fleshy pink...
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sjfbilton
- Jan 26, 2018
- 3 min
Educating Marmalade
Apparently, the British are the only Europeans to differentiate orange marmalade from other fruit jams. On the continent marmalade can be...
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sjfbilton
- Dec 15, 2017
- 4 min
The Mince Pie Antidote
The appearance of the first mince pies in our shops seems to get earlier every year. I spied a small display in my local supermarket in...
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sjfbilton
- Dec 4, 2017
- 2 min
Spiced Medlar Loaf
I made my annual batch of medlar mincemeat last week. As always I picked far too many medlars and as a consequence ended up with more...
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sjfbilton
- Nov 15, 2017
- 2 min
Carrot Pudding with Caramel Sauce and Buttermilk Ice Cream
Despite living in the intense heat the Victorians who had settled in India were still partial to a traditional British pudding after...
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sjfbilton
- Nov 13, 2017
- 3 min
Apician Prawns with Chickpea & Saffron Mash and Artolagana
The story behind this dish is as follows. Apicius, the renowned Roman gastronome to whom the most famous book on Roman food is...
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sjfbilton
- Oct 6, 2017
- 2 min
Tafferty Tarts with Earl Grey Ice Cream
The Accomplisht Cook by Robert May (1660/85) is rather like those ‘antique’ shops you find in towns like Lewes stuffed with a fascinating...
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sjfbilton
- Sep 22, 2017
- 3 min
Pumpkin, Apple & Hazelnut Crumble Tart
Robert May’s Pompion Pie (The Accomplisht Cook c.1660) Take a pound of pumpkin and slice it, a handful of thyme, a little rosemary, and...
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sjfbilton
- Sep 16, 2017
- 2 min
Spiced Ale Pancakes with Applemuse & Sherry Sauce
This recipe is adapted from the early 17th century recipe notebook kept by Elinor Fettiplace. Spiced Ale Pancakes Ingredients (makes...
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sjfbilton
- Sep 1, 2017
- 1 min
Spiced Courgette Marmalade
This recipe is based on one provided by Mrs Beeton for vegetable marrow jam. The only changes I have made to the original are the...
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sjfbilton
- Aug 26, 2017
- 3 min
All Courgettes Great and Small
It’s been a while since I last grew courgettes (or zucchini as our American and Italian cousins like to call them). Despite being a...
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sjfbilton
- Jun 9, 2017
- 2 min
Elderflower & Pistachio Cheesecake
Cheesecakes are something of a stalwart in the dessert stakes. In their various guises they have graced culinary manuals for centuries....
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sjfbilton
- Mar 24, 2017
- 2 min
Feeling Frumenty – Part 2
This version of the classic frumenty takes on a sweeter guise than my previous offering. Frumenty could be made with stock or almond...
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sjfbilton
- Mar 17, 2017
- 4 min
Feeling Frumenty – Part 1
Frumenty or fermity is an ancient form of wheat pottage (it appears in the Form of Cury from 1390 but probably has much earlier origins)....
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sjfbilton
- Feb 24, 2017
- 2 min
Pancakes of Sorts
Pancakes and fritters must surely be amongst the most ancient recipes going. Nor should they be restricted to Shrove Tuesday (neither are...
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sjfbilton
- Dec 19, 2016
- 3 min
Nesselrode Pudding (Chestnut Parfait)
Not everyone is a fan of Christmas pudding. Whilst tradition may dictate that the festive meal should conclude with a flaming cannon ball...
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sjfbilton
- Dec 12, 2016
- 2 min
Potage à la Saxe-Coburg
It’s been a while since my last post. I’ve been rather preoccupied with my supper club, Repast. But whilst my blogging may have been lax...
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sjfbilton
- Sep 23, 2016
- 5 min
Rice Bread
Bread has taken a battering in recent years. A host of ‘experts’ have been encouraging us to eschew the yeasty stuff in order to cleanse...
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sjfbilton
- May 21, 2016
- 2 min
Erbolate
Baked Parmesan Custard (Serves 1 or more if you multiply the ingredients) Take parsel, myntes, sauery, & sauge, tansey, veruayn, clarry,...
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sjfbilton
- May 14, 2016
- 3 min
Apple & Date Bread
Adapted from The Great War Cookbook (1918) by May Byron I made this bread as part of a food demonstration I gave at Arundel Museum for...
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