Farmhouse Breakfast Week!

It's Farmhouse Breakfast Week! Visit http://www.shakeupyourwakeup.com/ to find out more.

There are many variations on the history of the cooked British breakfast, which really began to evolve in the 19^th century. Mrs.Beeton cites anything from boiled eggs, potato bread, broiled mushrooms, to potted hare, broiled pheasant and partridge as dishes to be eaten at breakfast. And here is one of her recipes for fried ham and eggs:

'Cut the ham into slices, and take care that they are of the- same thickness in every part. Cut off the rind, and if the ham should be particularly hard and salt, it will be found an improvement to soak it for about 10 minutes in hot water, and then dry it in a cloth. Put it into a cold frying-pan, set it over the fire, and turn the slices 3 or 4 times whilst they are cooking. When done, place them on a dish, which should be kept hot in front of the fire during the time the eggs are being poached. Poach the eggs, slip them on to the slices of ham, and serve quickly. Time.— 7 or 8 minutes to broil the ham'.

According to the 1900 edition of British Popular Customs Present and Past, people from the Isle of Man (Manks) traditionally ate Sollaghyn for breakfast, which was a type of porridge.

Common-sense Papers on Cookery by A. G. Payne written in 1877 talks at length about the many variations of bacon and egg breakfasts and the benefits of adding sausages to the plate.

'The great advantage in making sausages at home

is, first and principally, that you know what is in

them; secondly, that you can flavour them to suit

your taste.'

To make your own sausages in the early 1900s you could have used one of these from the Museum of Kitchenalia

Post 1921 meat grinder

© Museum of Kitchenalia

You may well also have a cruet set like this on the table to season your breakfast.

Cruet Set circa 1890s

© Museum of Kitchenalia

And for the strong armed, one of these Marmalade Cutters would provide you with all the shredded citrus you need for your toast.

Follows & Bate, 'Rapid' Marmalade Cutter, circa 1920-1936

 

© Museum of Kitchenalia