Lady Penelope
master brummie
I used to take Surprise peas camping with us. They were really useful but could be a bit hard if you didn't cook them for long enough. A much lighter alternative to tins.
I can picture it now lady p, a cold cheerless 1940s day, the war is over but there you are shivering at the table, clutching the bottle of HP sauce, mum looking at the ration books to see if there is a spare coupon for the current week so that someone can borrow the family shoes and shuffle down to the nearest shop.....CUT & PRINT...next scene...an Oscar winner if ever I saw one. By the way you were lucky, we had to have Daddy's Sauce because it was cheaperI love salad cream mbenne. I try to use French dressing and low fat mayo but salad cream is still my favourite. When I was little I would have a large spring onion and a pot of salad cream. Using it like a sherbert dab, I would spend ages neglecting the rest of the salad.
HP sauce doesn't taste the same to me and I really miss the French translation on the side of the bottle. The thought of HP conjures up sunny Sunday mornings sitting at the table in the pre-fab.
My Dad was always telling them what to do as well when we went down there, so you just spoiled my fantasy of poor young waif Penelope waiting for her tea...back to the misery of the poor families at the top end of Court Lane (us) and waiting with our Daddies Sauce. How about 3 pennorth of chips in Newspaper from the Mermaid after you had been to Erdington Baths...aaaaah HeavenSorry to disappoint you Bob - we had standards! The picture you paint is so wrong, flashback to a sunny Sunday morning in the 1950's, the birds are singing and the footballers are just limbering up in the park ready for the match. We always had the table in front of the window so that we could see the park - other pre-fabs had hedges but Dad wouldn't plant one as he liked the view. Mom always cooked a full breakfast on Sundays (I can smell it now) and there was ALWAYS HP Sauce! Oh - and I always had my feet measured for Clarks shoes ......
Dad would watch the football from the touchline, telling them all what to do, and then it was off to the Greyhound for a pint or two, back for lunch and then a nap. Wake up for tea and....... Heinz Salad Cream.
I am talking 48/49 - 1848 no I am joking - I always thought it was threepenorth, but perhaps I was wrong, if your Dad was in the park 48 - 54, then me and my Dad would have probably stood near to him, talked to him as my Dad was a great conversationalist and I am the same although in this day and age it pays one to keep to oneself. I bet he would remember the old (well 50s) bloke with the very clean boots who was always available to play for any team a man short. Yes Lard and Marge best for pastry, yes Masons and Wrensons both kept blocks of Lard, cut it and wrapped it in greaseproof. What about real suet from the butchers for the mincemeat?I only remember fourpennorth not three so you must be MUCH older than me Bob!
mbenne, we had lard in blocks, half pound I think, from the Co-op but I do remember the loose stuff sitting on the counter. It was cut and weighed and them wrapped in greaseproof paper. They used to fold the top over and then tuck the ends underneath. Strangely, it never seemed to come undone. I don't use it now as we've been vegetarian for years but I do think half lard and half marg makes the best pastry.