My dear mother-in-law was not only a school cook, but she became the chief cook… not exactly sure what her title was, but I have inherited the recipe book issued by Surrey County Council Education Committee.
It is quite impressive the care that the cooks are instructed to give to the food they are cooking, and the variety of recipes included. there was obviously a real desire to give variety as well as decent wholesome meals, and some of the meals are not at all what you might expect. As well as all you would expect, roly-polys, hot-pots, puddings and pies, there are plenty of salads (Vichy, golden and winter for example) and hot dishes such as Provençal fish pie, Spanish meatballs, pear condé and veal and ham galantine, goulash and Wiltshire porkies… Wiltshire porkies? Sausage meat coated in batter and deep fired – I bet they were popular! There are twenty-two different biscuit recipes, flans and tarts, ‘home-made’ ketchup and mayonnaise.
I do not have a very sweet tooth, but one thing I really love is flapjack! here is the school dinner recipe for flapjack (scaled down!)
- 1 lb rolled oats
- 1 lb butter or margarine
- 5 oz Demerara sugar
- 5 oz golden syrup
- a pinch of salt
- melt the fat and add the syrup and heat together for a few minutes
- add the other ingredients and mix well
- press into a greased tin (I usually line my tins with grease-proof paper or baking parchment)
- bake at 375º F, 180ºC, gas mark 4 for 30-35 minutes until firm
- cut into squares or slices and turn out of tin while still a little warm
Lois Elsden 
Wiltshire porkies sound great. Sorta like pigs in a blanket.Yummy yum yum!
LikeLiked by 1 person
They do sound good… especially if the sausage meat was really nice and peppery! With tomato sauce do you think – like ketchup I mean?
LikeLike
When the carnival comes to town once a year they sell corn dogs. They are a big hot dog on a stick covered in cornmeal batter and deep fried. I love them, no ketchup tho. My friend said the best way to attract somebody to there food stand was to fry some onions as well. I think he had a point because I can’t resist that smell myself.How about you?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve heard of corn dogs but didn’t know what they were until you explained! I think they sound pretty delicious, but I’d have mustard not ketchup.
At fairs and carnivals and such they often have stalls or vans selling burgers – which smell disgusting, and hot dogs which smell so irresistible! They also have onions, and I’ve never managed to fry onions at home like they do for the hot dogs… I’m sure the meat they use is rubbish, and I’m sure the hygiene isn’t great, but I can’t not have one! Loads of onions and mustard!
LikeLike
The fried onions draw you in and the MSG gets you addicted. Slippery dudes those carny folks.Always wanted to run off with the carnival when I was a kid. Probably would have ended up rich or doing life without parole.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah, fairs and carnivals… magic… and yet these days there is something sinister about them, somehow…
LikeLike