Every British expat living in Spain, France, Australia, New Zealand has a yearning for a culinary sticky treat they left behind in blighty. What’s yours? What memories of desserts in good old England make your mouth positively water? Well here’s the opinion out there:
1. Trifle. Tons of custard, cream, sponge, jelly and fruit. It’s been around, forever and conjures memories of Boxing Day with great Aunt Maud and Grandma Betty. Remember the Tommy Cooper gag? “A fella goes to the doctor, and he’s got jelly in one ear and custard in the other, and the doctor says, ‘What’s the matter with you?’ Fella says, ‘You’ll have to speak up doctor, I’m a trifle deaf.’”
2. Eton Mess. Horrible name in my opinion. Traditionally served at Eton College’s annual cricket match against Harrow it consists of strawberries, meringue and cream and is very messy.
3. Arctic Roll. Invented in Eastbourne (and Banoffi Pie was too!) in 1958 it became synonymous with the seventies and was probably eaten by Alison Steadman starring in Abigail’s Party! Simple freezer swiss roll. Is experiencing a revival.
4. Jam Roly Poly. Remembered fondly with oodles of custard as the traditional British school dinner pud.’ (Before schools started closing kitchens and kids started taking yogurt tubes for a healthy pud’.)
5. Parkin. Can’t say I’ve tried it but if you are from Yorkshire, where it originated you may have sampled this gingerbread-like sponge.
6. Banoffi Pie. Origin again is Eastbourne, different inventor who has a plaque on the wall of the original restaurant building where it was served. (The Hungry Monk at Jevington). There were experiments with other fruit – apples, peaches etc but bananas proved more popular.
7. Bread & Butter Pudding. Dating back to the 11th century this pud’ began life among the poor as a way of using up scraps of bread but as experienced a revival in recent years; served in top restaurants with a luxury twist.
8. Knickerbrocker Glory. Possibly came from the USA in the 1930s although we aren’t certain. This fruit and ice cream dessert in a tall glass reminds me of Macaris in Tonbridge and Eastbourne. There was always a plastic one on display in the windows of Macaris gathering dust over the years! But when Macaris finally closed and with it that whole wonderful fifties decor and cuisine I was very upset.
9. Sticky Toffee Pudding. Extremely fattening and sugary, generally served with custard this pud’ was brought in by Canadian soldiers stationed in England during the war.
10. Spotted Dick. Which always makes me laugh because it sounds like a make genital disease. Again this pud’ conjures up images of school days and steaming windows and heavy bellies as we stumbled back to class after lunch.
But my signature dish; the dessert my kids will remember me by is an American delight – the Key Lime Pie – a recent import into the UK in our family we’ve renamed it ‘Heart Attack Pie’!