I remember that brown dish, Mum got it off my Nan when setting up home in the 50s! And the red cabbage too, it is still going - my son, who now lives in Germany, takes a jar home when he visits; Germany is the home of Sauerkraut, which is actually pickled cabbage, but he prefers our version! Ian But in my youth in Lancashire, the raw ingredients were put into a deep > brown dish, with a pastry crust and cooked very slowly in the oven > adjacent to the fire. > > There were people who added a piece of liver. But not normally. It > was often eaten with pickled red cabbage, and always with gusto.

My mum also used to make "'Tater pie", Alan, so you aren't on yer own! "Scrag end" I think is what she used to call the meat; my Missus produces roughly the same effect with a tin of corned beef but it isn't as good as the lamb used to be - or maybe that is selective memory! It is basically a case of shove what you fancy - or what you've got - in a pan and stew it for a while, then put it in a casserole and stick a crust on! I've seen allsorts in there, carrots, swede, barley etc. Army cooks had the same sort of idea, which they called "All In Stew", but the 'Tater Pie you mean is definitely a Lancashire idea. I think blokes used to take small versions in a cloth to work for "snap", and the big one could be cooked in the oven alongside the fireplace, in the old black iron grates - my Nan had one - and be hot for when the family got home. My mum also used to make apple pie for afters, but I normally went for two helpings of potato pie instead! Ian Winterbottom >I wonder if this will stir any memories? > > Many, many years ago (when I was nobut a lad!), I can remember my mother > making what she called "Potato Pie" or, sometimes, "Meat & Potato Pie".

I wonder if this will stir any memories? Many, many years ago (when I was nobut a lad!), I can remember my mother making what she called "Potato Pie" or, sometimes, "Meat & Potato Pie". Now, the thing I'm talking about is nothing like your modern meat pies but, rather, I suppose you'd call it a "deep dish" pie made in a deep casserole dish and with a thick pastry crust on top. Inside there would be (stewed) meat and a lot of vegetables, particularly potatoes and carrots. Me Mum always reckoned that neck of lamb was the best meat to use (and was cheap!) and I think she'd stew everything together first in a pan before putting it into the casserole. The really wonderful taste came, mainly I think, from the rich gravy soaking into the bottom of the pie crust while the top was still hard and firm. There never seemed to be enough crust for our ravenous appetites! Talking with other people, after I moved away from Manchester, it seemed that this particular style of pie was unique to Lancashire. So, here are the final questions: Does anyone have a definitive recipe for this pie? And does anyone know if it's local to Lancs? With best wishes Alan

Hi Margaret, My dad used to end it with - If ta'll do owt fur nowt, tha'll steal!! Pauline

That saying has been used in the USA for over 100 years! Did someone bring it across the pond with them? Interesting! On Sep 9, 2005, at 9:26 PM, Miles Ellis wrote: > I don't know if it's only a Lancashire saying, but I have certainly > heard it > being said for most of my life in Lancashire. > > Miles > > ------------ > On 9/9/05 10:13 pm Suzanne said: > >> My mother used to say "cut off his nose to spite his face", is this a >> Lancashire saying? I have not heard it for a long time. > > > > ==== LANCSLIFE Mailing List ==== > Lancashire OnLine: http://www.lancashire-online.co.uk/ > Virtual Encyclopedia of Manchester: > http://www.manchester2002-uk.com/index2.html > Dialect: http://www.nyt.co.uk/lancashire.htm > > ============================== > Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the > areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. > Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx >

Begin forwarded message: > From: Brian Hope <bthopeone@waitrose.com> > Date: 6 September 2005 08:37:56 BST > To: Hope-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: Fwd: Background history to Blackrod circa.1830 and beyond. > > > > Begin forwarded message: > >> From: Brian Hope <bthopeone@waitrose.com> >> Date: 6 September 2005 08:11:36 BST >> To: LANCSGEN-L-request@rootsweb.com >> Subject: Background history to Blackrod circa.1830 and beyond. >> >> Although it hasn't been relevant to my own searches, I have been >> struck by the range of knowledge displayed by listers on the subject >> of Bury. In my research on the Hope family I have been struck by the >> fact that there were lots of Hopes after that approximate date in the >> Blackrod area, but few, if any, before that date. I tried the chap >> on Mining history but never heard back from him, perhaps he >> specialised in a different area, but something happened at Blackrod >> about then that drew the Hopes from Leigh and Atherton areas. Can >> anyone enlighten us on that subject? >> >> Brian Hope >>

Anyone know this old Lancashire saying which my grandmother used to use (in the 1930's) "Hear all say nowt; tak' all gie nowt, and if tha does owt for nowt, do it for thysen" Margaret in Canada

Alan In my experience 'potato pie' was always made with beef, potatoes and onions. Sometimes stewed previously as you suggest. But in my youth in Lancashire, the raw ingredients were put into a deep brown dish, with a pastry crust and cooked very slowly in the oven adjacent to the fire. There were people who added a piece of liver. But not normally. It was often eaten with pickled red cabbage, and always with gusto. My wife, also a Lancastrian, makes it several times a year still. It goes down very well with our non-Lancastrian guests. And I am sure it was Lancashire in origin. Best wishes Bill W Jones North Suffolk UK

yes, we had the old black ranges at Granpa's and always something in that oven cooking slowly, and a huge black cast iron pan with pea soup on the go for Mondays. Eileen (St Helens, Lancashire)

a tin of Casserole steak makes a wonderful meat and tater pie in an emergency. Eileen (St Helens, Lancashire)

A good one Mothers standby when it was bally-ann day was a couple of tins of Fray Bentos Scotch Broth put in a large brown stoneware dish in the oven and topped with dumplings. Filled many a hole in the stomach, but my sons love it now. Eileen

Ohhhh Eileen, that sounds good. I will try that one day next week. We used to do liver, bacon and potatoes. Fry the bacon and the liver, put them into a dish with potatoes sliced over the top, brush potatoes with lard (oil these days) and put in the oven untill the potatoes are cooked, Pauline

My grandpa and grandma came from Wigan to St Helens around 1901 so have something in common. there are large differences in around the various areas in St Helens. My other grandmama was posh she came from Chester and her cooking was totally different. I developed my own way of doing things using both of their recipes but changing them to suit my budget or whatever affected my choice on a particular day. We used to do potato, bacon, onions in layers with a cheese topping (if we had any that is) I was a child through WW2 and we had to invent recipes then as well. Eileen.

Hi Eileen, My dad came from Wigan and he taught us to make Hotpot with Lamb, usually neck chops. Mum died when we were very small and dad brought us up. I also have a Lancashire cook book and Hotpot is made with lamb in that, but hey, does it matter as long as it is enjoyed. As you say, different areas had different ideas. We had stew, which was anything and everything cooked all together. (We had some wonderful concoctions!!) Anyone have Wet Nellies or Grace Rigbys or John Bulls ? Pauline in Darwen

if you asked for a drink, grandpa used to say "Thy can get thensel a cup of Corporation Pop." meaning water from the tap. Eileen (St Helens, Lancashire)

A few more sayings: Put wood i'oil (close the door) What's fur tay? Scotch Mist or catch can.(What you can catch you can have) Up the dancers - go to bed Strange how they escape you when trying to put them down! I knew loads earlier. I will try and remember them again. Pauline in Darwen

Depends on the area you come from what Hotpot consists of - may variations, it was simply made up from what a family had in the cupboard. Never in all my life have I had hotpot done in layers nor with Lamb. Eileen (St Helens, Lancashire)

Hi everyone, Good to see the list active again! First of all, HOTPOT has no crust and is made with lamb chops, layered with onions and potatoes finished with a layer of potatoes. Pop in the oven and let cook slowly. The top layer of potatoes will go all brown and crispy. Potatoe pie was usually made with the left over meant from whatever joint was had on Sunday, when I was a little girl. (An awful long time ago) My lot are watching football on television tomorrow afternoon at my daughters house. If it is fine, they will have a barby after but if not, she is making potatoe pie. This is made now, by putting casserole steak, cut up, rolled in flour and quick fried with a pile of onions. This is then put into a tall brown eartherware dish with potatoes, carrots and stock, put into the oven with a lid on. Don't forget to season to taste. Just leave it to cook slowly, at least 4 hours. Make your shortcrust pastry and leave in the fridge. About 3/4 hour before needed, roll out the pastry, cut a couple of slits in the top to allow the steam to leave, brush with milk or egg and put back in the oven to cook the pastry. We always serve with mushy peas, home made pickled onions and gravy. To make the picked onions, slice white onions up thinly, put into a dish and cover with vinegar. (Doesn't matter whether white or brown) Leave to stand while pie is cooking. (You can put sliced cucumber in if you like) Enjoy, Pauline in Darwen

here's a good one - eeh look here' s "iffyfal-lol" she fergets we knew here when she had nowt. Eileen (St Helen)

we call the meat and potatoes and onions cooked in the brown dish with a crust on Hotpot, but you can cook the same ingredients in a pan and make a double crust pie in a baking tin. staple food for Lancastrians usually to make a small amount of the most expensive ingredient go further by adding the vegetables. Eileen (St Helens, Lancashire)