• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Snapchat
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

MsMarmiteLover

  • Food
    • Recipes
    • Vegetarian
    • Vegan
  • Travel
    • France
    • Italy
    • Spain
    • UK
  • Wine
  • Gardens
  • Supperclubs/Events
  • About
    • Published Articles
    • Books
  • Shop
    • Cart

On the road: Yorkshire food

February 7, 2013 10 Comments Filed Under: Food, Recipes, Uncategorized

The Hull Road
Hull docks in winter
Hull docks

I’m that rare thing: a Londoner from London, but I was bred here not born. Rather, I was born in Hull, when my father worked at the Hull Daily Mail for two years while training to be a journalist. He wrote the entire paper under various pseudonyms: the news, the features, the music column, the problem page, the obits and the births, the crimes. We lived above a haberdashery, a den of walls lined with dark wooden shelves, tight with coloured wool, and pegboards of appliqués, reels of ribbon. Bright sharp Northern women would visit and gossip, expertly appraising the goods. To this day I find haberdashery departments a source of comfort. 
At 15 years old I returned with my parents, to find I couldn’t understand a word. We ate mushy peas, fish and chips. My parents friend had a wife with harshly dyed black back-combed hair. I looked on in fascination as she spent an hour teasing every strand into a bouffant; you could see her white skull underneath the inky dye. Her make-up further dated her; sixties black winged eyeliner ruthlessly applied on wrinkled eyelids. Hull seemed behind the times, a relic. 
My daughter is now at York university, shivering through a Game of Thrones winter, for temperatures are often well below zero. We stopped for lunch in Hull on the drive up. You CANNOT get good fish and chips in London, whatever people say, anything recommended is, by comparison, flat, soggy and unfresh. The Golden Fry in Hull, where I ordered battered plaice (covered in crisp billowing batter), chips and mushy peas, doused with malt vinegar and chip shop salt, was marvellous. I wandered about the docks, plunging my cold fingers into the wet warmth of my food. 

Rural Yorkshire is mostly about meat, sheep farming although they do have cheese such as Wensleydale and those made by Shepherds purse. There is also the rhubarb triangle in Wakefield, a trip I hope to make one day. York and Harrogate are famous for Betty’s tea room, where waitresses in black and white uniform serve cakes and cheese on toast. I would also like to visit Pontefract where liquorice was first mixed with sugar and sold as confectionary. York is associated with chocolate from the Rowntree family: alongside quaint bars of ‘motoring chocolate’ you would also have ‘York chocolate’. The Yorkie bar, marketed as chunky chocolate suitable for men, (their large paws could not cope with the dainty snapping of thinner bars) was no doubt part of the same tradition.

In York I stayed on campus at my daughter’s university, a cheap option for the lone traveller at £53 a night with the most delicious creamy porridge for breakfast amongst other things. My only complaint was no marmite for my toast. The signature dish at The Courtyard, an on-campus pub, is ‘cheesy chips’. Mostly I ate in my daughter’s campus flat, and I had to do the cooking, even after a seven hour drive. I brought my organic vegetable box for her to eat. This led to an animated conversation “I’m not eating any of that!” She accepted the avocados and the lettuce and promptly froze them in the crowded fridge. 

York itself is pretty, timbered buildings and ghost walks. I visited the Jorvik viking museum (York derives from Jorvik) and York Minster. I’ve always been fascinated by Vikings, my surname Rodgers was originally Hrothgar meaning ‘famous spear’ where the expression ‘to be given a good Rogering’ comes from. (The Jolly Roger pirate flag is also related to my surname, seems appropriate considering the underground nature of what I do.)
York ghost tour
On this trip I again visited the Yorkshire dales, home of my friend Rachelle Blondel, a talented crafter and cook, co-author of Granny Chic. Her stylish house will soon be featured in Country Living. We went thrifting, or charity shop buying. Rachel has a vast knowledge and a superb eye for vintage kitchenware and runs an occasional secret tea room.
Rachelle Blondel, vintage wallpaper behind
Rachelle is doing sewing and craft workshops at her home. See details here. 
On the way to Clapham in the Yorkshire Dales, home of Alan Bennett
Rachelle collects so many interesting things: here Romanian flowery jugs.
Bark cloth
Thrifting with Rachelle. We visited charity shops in Morecombe, I found these things.
Rachelle’s knitting cabinet. Her hands are never idle.
A view of the Yorkshire dales
The North is also the home of some of the best Indian restaurants in the UK. I drove to Bradford to visit Prashad, a Gujurati vegetarian restaurant, where Kaushy Patel and her son Bobbie wrote Prashad, one of my favourite cookbooks of last year. Prashad has recently moved from Bradford, I soon discovered, to a village, Drighlington, on the road to Leeds. 
My meal was incredible: vibrant chaat, an Indian street food salad; a truncheon of masala dosa (with an authentic fermented taste) with creamy fresh coconut sauce; an unusual colocasia leaf roll, silky rich thick shrikand (a strained yoghurt dessert) and sweet carrot halwa. All the recipes are in the book. If you do go North, don’t miss this place.
Bobbie and his mum Kaushy signing my copy of their book.
The head chef is Bobbie’s wife, Mina Patel.
Chaat
Paneer fried balls with coriander dip
Prashad
137 Whitehall Road

Drighlington, BD11 1AT 

(King St / Bradford Rd crossroads)

SatNav: Just type ‘Drighlington’

Recent posts

midsummer supper club June 17th 2023 Msmarmitelover

My next supper club: midsummer June 17th

May 28, 2023

I organised a street party for the Coronation

May 10, 2023

The Seafood Shack in Ullapool, Scotland.

May 4, 2023

Previous Post: « Smoking recipes: semi-dried tomatoes and caramel
Next Post: Video: Marmite on toast for beginners »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Island Girl

    February 7, 2013 at 6:58 am

    Thank you for bringing Yorkshire into focus. I want to go – now!

    Reply
  2. Catherine Smith

    February 7, 2013 at 8:35 am

    Wonderful! I was born in Pontefract and now live in York (I too am studying here as a postgraduate). I'm incredibly proud of being from Yorkshire but sometimes it's hard to see the wood for the trees – reading about your trip made me hanker to be here all the more.

    I've been meaning to visit Prashad for aaages. I used to live in Bradford but never quite made it there before it moved further afield. Must go.

    Reply
  3. Kerstin Rodgers

    February 7, 2013 at 12:16 pm

    Island girl: the countryside is some of the most beautiful I've ever seen…you must go

    Catherine: thanks for your comment! Prashad is a must visit!

    Reply
  4. The Curious Cat

    February 7, 2013 at 2:02 pm

    Absolutely wonderful photos! Looks like a good trip! I do like York! My parent's went there for their honeymoon back in the day…x

    Reply
  5. theundergroundrestaurant

    February 7, 2013 at 2:04 pm

    Thank you CC. Were you conceived there? 🙂

    Reply
  6. Unknown

    February 7, 2013 at 3:11 pm

    I am a Devonian living in South Carolina USA for the past 8 years. I love your blog and this post reminded me of Prashad, which I saw on some Gorden Ramsey show a while ago (I always thought that they should have won!). I have managed to find a book and I cannot wait to try out some of the recipes.

    I really miss fish and chips…

    Reply
  7. MrsBoardwell

    February 7, 2013 at 3:50 pm

    Love your blog, always different, always interesting & great pics. What's not to like ^_^

    Reply
  8. Kerstin Rodgers

    February 8, 2013 at 9:32 am

    Unknown: I can feel your yearning in your comment!
    Prashad is wonderful, I'm going to try making some of their stuff this weekend
    Mrs boardwell: thanks

    Reply
  9. Hayley

    August 20, 2015 at 8:41 am

    Ooooh what a lovely read and fab photos! I miss Yorkshire very much – even the freezing, dreary winters have their charm. Also, really want fish and chips now, even though it's breakfast time.

    Reply
    • Kerstin Rodgers aka MsMarmiteLover

      August 20, 2015 at 9:17 am

      me too! Thanks Hayley x

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

MsMarmiteLover aka Kerstin Rodgers.

Chef, photographer, author, journalist, blogger. Pioneer of the supperclub movement.

This is my food and travel blog, with recipes, reviews and travel stories. I also stray into politics, feminism, gardening.

Subscribe to my mailing list

msmarmitelover

Kerstin Rodgers/MsMarmiteLover
My next supper club 17th June london tickets £50 My next supper club 17th June london tickets £50 BYO book here: https://msmarmitelover.com/product/midsummer-supper-club-tickets-june-17th #london #supperclub #msmarmitelover #midsummer
For tonight’s event I had to push the boundaries For tonight’s event I had to push the boundaries. Here is how to prepare goose neck barnacles or percebes which are a very expensive and rare delicacy, hunted down from cliffs. It’s quite dangerous to forage them. #canapes #eventcatering #satanicfood #percebes #grossfood #seafood #devilsfood
Midsummer supperclub 17th June book tickets here h Midsummer supperclub 17th June book tickets here https://msmarmitelover.com/product/midsummer-supper-club-tickets-june-17th at London’s pioneering supper club. Tickets £50 BYO. Scandinavian inspired summery food. #supperclub #msmarmitelover #midsummer #northwestlondon #londonevents #popups
Tina sweating through a gig at Brixton academy cir Tina sweating through a gig at Brixton academy circa 1987 pic: kerstin Rodgers #rip #tinaturner #rockphotographer #kerstinrodgers #teenagephotographer
Attended an incredible talk with @frenchpete_1 on Attended an incredible talk with @frenchpete_1 on war photography in the Ukraine . Go to the exhibition @thebppa @thebargehouse in SE1 last few days 
Had to stop filming cos I was told off. The photographers would be less forthcoming if they were filmed I was told. 
Anyway @frenchpete_1 should be followed by a camera crew cos he’s a star.
For yesterdays lunch I made a blue cheese puff pas For yesterdays lunch I made a blue cheese puff pastry quiche and a little one with less blue cheese & no salt for my 7 month old granddaughter. She absolutely loved it. I’m enjoying seeing her experience and explore new foods with baby led weaning. Avocado, strawberries, kiwi & buttered crumpets are a hit. Pasta less so. Who is this child? Are we even related? #babyledweaning #quiche #homemadepuffpastry
Nice to be featured as The Great Read in The natio Nice to be featured as The Great Read in The national newspaper again. These are the stories I love to do: I go off on an adventure, take my time, interview people (especially women), photograph them in their environment and create recipes on site. This story cost me a lot more than I made as I had an accident and lost my excess. My own damn fault though! Loved loved loved having a campervan. Thanks for lending me it @camperdays.international and sorry about the hole in the side.  https://www.thenational.scot/news/23505593.foraging-seaweed-western-isles/
My terrace on a sunny May morning. The builders @l My terrace on a sunny May morning. The builders @lk.general.building left yesterday. They’ve been working since January. I had the awning installed, the encaustic Minton tiles removed and put back with green grout. The terrace was causing damp so this had to be done. My calamondin plant is looking lovely. The benches which I repaired with hard wood & I repainted using a mix of 2 colours. The marble table I bought in Suffolk at a car boot. Everything is still dusty & I’m waiting for the window cleaner to arrive.
Last but very heartfelt thankyou to @cideriswine f Last but very heartfelt thankyou to @cideriswine for their contribution of these beautiful dry ciders for the coronation street lunch. Gorgeously illustrated labels. #stcuthbertsrd #kilburn #london #cider #artisanaldrinks
When it comes to vodka I much prefer potato vodka. When it comes to vodka I much prefer potato vodka. It’s smoother. Artisanal distillery @devoncovevodka contributed some bottles to my coronation lunch which gave everyone a feeling of being at a classy party. Thanks so much. And also @rawfoodanddrink for arranging. If you want to read my blog post about how and why I organised this event, copy and paste this link: https://t.co/GWNNW2XKba #coronationstreetparty #biglunch #community #kilburn #london #forthepeoplebythepeople
I’ve been a fan of @luscombedrinks for years now I’ve been a fan of @luscombedrinks for years now. They sent a selection: elderflower bubbly, st. Clements orange 🍊 Sicilian lemonade, @belvoirfarm_uk lemonade, which were all delicious and just the tickets for the fortuitous mini-heatwave that occurred on the Sunday coronation lunch. #thankyou #community #coronation #streetparty #biglunch
Our street party. Double page spread in The Sun! T Our street party. Double page spread in The Sun! Tiny bit in the guardian. Decent pic in the Mail and The Star credit @asproider #coronationlunch #kilburn #stcuthbertsrd #kingscroftrd #fordwychrd #templarhouse
My coronation quiche with Broad beans, tarragon, s My coronation quiche with Broad beans, tarragon, spinach, cheddar. I used crème fraiche and blind baked puff pastry shells. I was up at 11 last night making these for todays street party, which featured in the mail, telegraph, mirror, metro courtesy of photographer Gavin Rodgers @asproider
Seaweed foraging at Spring tides in the Outer Hebr Seaweed foraging at Spring tides in the Outer Hebrides with @outerhebrideanforager Fi bird. She’s cutting sea spaghetti. I drove my campervan @camperdays.international from london to the Hebrides- using my gas stove to cook foraged and local ingredients. A real food safari. With the sea spaghetti I made a sea spag vongole with giant parlourdes picked up from the sand at the same time. Great fun, beautiful weather and, the day of the full moon, a wonderfully low tide. This was on south Uist.
More flavours, the flavour thesaurus is a plant-ba More flavours, the flavour thesaurus is a plant-based version of the original. Beautifully constructed, designed and written by @nikisegnit it’s vegetarian rather than vegan but recommended for both. She widens the sensory vocabulary around plant flavours in this book- encouraging new delicious sounding combinations. Now she includes new categories such as flower & meadow, caramel roasted, zesty roost- just the words make me salivate. #foodbooks #bookstagram #newbooks
Yesterday I attended @marmaladeawards @dalemainman Yesterday I attended @marmaladeawards @dalemainmansion I found out so much about marmalade. I’m going to make it this winter. I found out the worlds best maker is Japanese, in fact I was most impressed by the Japanese marmalades in general. Everyone wore orange. I must have tasted 50 marmalades. I met Paddington’s sister, karen jankel who is michael bond’s daughter, born in the same year as Paddington. She gave a charming talk on Paddington, mentioning how the queen insisted on having real marmalade sandwiches in her @launerlondonofficial handbag during the shoot. The house itself is Tudor and Georgian. I stayed in my campervan from @camperdays.international in the car park, cosy in the rain. Another freewheeling adventure. #yorkshire #marmalade #travel #food #ontheroad #campervan
I had a piece in @thetimes on Sunday about being a I had a piece in @thetimes on Sunday about being a vegetarian rather than a vegan. How I still need butter. And how restaurants & plane meals are now vegan rather than vegetarian. But, there are still more the double amount of vegetarians as vegans in the UK. I’ve written a vegan cookbook V is for vegan (link in bio) and am a big fan of vegan foods. I’ve not eaten meat for over 40 years. This is a sustainable diet, in terms of longevity. Vegans that I knew from the early noughties have reverted to meat eating. #newpuritanism? #vegetarian #vegan #foodwriter
Scrambled croft eggs (bright yellow yolks) with a Scrambled croft eggs (bright yellow yolks) with a seaweed that tastes just like truffle. Just done a little kelp foraging at low tide with @thetempleharris’ Amanda Saurin. Isle of Harris. Turquoise sea, white sand, cloud hovering just above. @camperdays.international @roosterpr
I went to Wembley in north west london to talk to I went to Wembley in north west london to talk to Sophie of @tobia.teff she uses the iron-rich, gluten free teff grain from her homeland Ethiopia. She showed me how to make injera, the Ethiopian flatbread which is fermented. She also talked about the coffee ceremony, 3 cups, which they pair with toasted barley or, currently, popcorn! I’d love to visit Ethiopia and find out more about their ancient food culture, history, 3.5k year old monarchy and religions.
Doing a spring budget recipe cooking demo for @bre Doing a spring budget recipe cooking demo for @brentcouncil Willesden library. I’ve been doing this a few times a year for the last few years. Wouldn’t it be great if they had a kitchen set up permanently. Libraries are community centres and could be used to teach how to cook from scratch.
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Archives

Copyright © 2023 msmarmitelover