Panning Lake District

Lake District in northwest England is not only known for its breathtaking scenery
but also its traditional cuisine, writes Nivedita Choudhuri


A view of Derwent Water Thinkstockphotos/ Getty Images

THE Lake District has continuously grown in popularity and attracts new waves of visitors each year. It is a place of superlatives – the highest mountains in England, the deepest and longest lakes, the smallest church, the highest passes, the steepest roads and some of the finest places of outstanding natural beauty in Europe. This part of England also produces cuisine that is second to none.

Until recently, communications between the various parts of Lakeland were not good. The hardness of the winters and the height of the mountains precluded journeys that were unnecessary and dishes tended to be localised, even within the district itself. The fish of Morecambe Bay and the Cumberland coastal villages is very good indeed. Apart from cod, halibut and whiting, etc, there are flukes – flat fish with long tails.

The shrimps from Morecambe Bay are exported all over the world. They are potted in tiny factories along the coast. Fine salmon and sea trout are caught in the estuaries of the Leven and Kent, and the fish from the lakes is also very good. Pike have a fresher, ‘less muddy’ flavour than most; there are many delicious eel recipes and whole books have been written about char.

Salmon can be potted, poached or made into pies and puddings. Potted char, another delicacy, is made by cleaning and washing char and then putting the fish into a steamer over water containing a good splash of vinegar. The fish is steamed and the mixture is blended well and packed into pots to be served when cool with thin wholemeal bread and butter.

As for meat, the gastronome is spoilt for choice. After lamb, there is ham, still cured in Carlisle and on a few Cumberland farms. It is always served with Cumberland sauce, made from red currants, oranges and elderberry wine.

The area is also famous for its venison. Thousands of acres of Lakeland are covered with forest, and here roam red roe and fallow deer. Lastly, there is poultry and game. Each small part of the countryside seems to specialise in the production of one particular species: turkeys from Moota, ducks from Derwent Water, pigeons from Crosthwaite, pheasants from Underbarrow, mallard from the Duddon and hares from Greystoke.

Popular lamb dishes are the Westmorland ‘tatie pot’, sweet-meat pie, braised lamb, tripe and onions, roast haunch of venison, wood pigeon pie, grey squirrel stew, apple and duckling casserole and boiled chicken with parsley sauce.

Where dessert is concerned, some of the puddings do not look particularly inspiring, but they taste very good indeed and are reminiscent of the days when life in this part of the country was extremely hard. Often life was a battle against the weather, and, as in any farming community, ‘food’ was what one grew. Cereals, butter, eggs, honey, etc were used in varying combinations to make warming, satisfying meals for large and hungry families. The cereal would be flour or oatmeal, the latter being homegrown and used for pie-crusts as well as biscuits and cakes, with the addition of the local fruit speciality – Lyth Valley damsons.

Fruit is not abundant in Lakeland with the exception of damsons, and these are magnificent, large, black and so sweet and juicy that they can be eaten raw like grapes and go very well with Lancashire cheese. The finest damsons of all grow in Lyth Valley and are made into many dishes and preserved by freezing or bottling or as chutney, jam or wine for the winter.

In this mountainous area, little is grown in the way of fruits and vegetables, so it is important to preserve anything, which comes to hand to nourish and sustain the hungry through the winter months. Cumbrians search the hedgerows for their preserves, picking bilberries, rose hips, elderberries, wild raspberries and rowanberries. All these are used to make wine and jelly as a source of vitamins for the winter.

Teas in the north of England are a gargantuan affair. An average farmhouse tea may include six or seven sorts of bread, scones, cakes and biscuits, with damson jam, rum butter, cream – all this after ham or Cumberland sausage and eggs and a great deal of hot, strong tea. Lakeland grub, like the breathtaking scenery in the Lake District, is truly astounding.

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