Lancashire Sad Cakes, Nettle Veg, and Witches’ Brew

Cooking used to be my passion, but I very rarely cook much these days – it’s odd how something that one of your prime interests suddenly fades. I am, however, still very interested in recipes and their history. I lived in Lancashire for many years, a large and varied county and we’d often go exploring different areas and places. A favourite was Clitheroe, a wonderful town, and Pendle (made famous because eleven poor women – literally poor, were accused of witchcraft and brutally murdered by judicial hanging) Maybe I bought the little cookery book I’m looking at, in Clitheroe – written by Joyce Douglas, it’s entitled ‘Old Pendle Recipes‘ and there’s an amazing selection of folk and country dishes, and was first published in 1976.

The page I’m looking at has three recipes, Lancashire Sad Cakes, Nettle Veg, and Witches’ Brew – which does give a good idea of the sort of treats within. The Sad Cakes were called Desolate Cakes by children – apparently (or maybe it was just the author, Joyce Douglas, when she and her friends were little!)

Lancashire Sad Cakes

1. roll out pastry about an inch thick
2. put a handful of currants, some sugar and a lump of butter in the middle
3. moisten the edges of the pastry and bring the edges together like an envelope
4. turn over so the joins are on the underneath
5. roll out to desired thickness, bake in a hot oven (400–450 °F, 204-232º C, gas mark 7 ) for twenty minutes

Nettle Veg

“It doesn’t matter where you go in Lancashire, nettle recipes abound… this time for nettles boiled like cabbage and eaten as a vegetable. Like unto spinach, but better!“

1. pick nettle tops when young and fill pan with them packed down tightly
2. add ½ cup water, salt and pepper
3. cook for ½ an hour
4. strain and mash with a nob of butter

Witches Brew

Witches are supposed to have had cauldrons in which they brewed all manner of noxious and obnoxious receipts. This one for Nettle Beer, is one that can be recommended.

• 2 gallons well-washed young nettles
• 2 gallons water
• ½ oz bruised root of ginger
• 4 lbs of malt
• 4 ounces of sarsaparilla
• 2 ounces of hops
• 1½ lbs caster sugar
• one ounce of creamed yeast

1. boil the nettles with the water for 20 minutes
2. strain into the sugar, stirring until the sugar is gone
3. add the creamed yeast
4. when the beer begins to work, empty into bottles or a cask
5. cork or bung securely
6. Spells a’poppin’!

I think this recipe would need an experienced brew-maker because the instructions are somewhat sparse!

In fact I didn’t buy this little book, it was a gift to me “To Auntie Lois, Christmas 1988”, not from any nephews or nieces, but from the children of a dear friend.

My featured image is of some nettle soup I made which was so delicious, despite the rather drab colour.