Malmesbury King named Best British Banger

The British magazine Country Life has just held a nationwide competition to find the UK's best sausage and the banger that emerged victorious was the magnificently-named Malmesbury King from Wiltshire.

The speciality of butcher Michael Thomas, the sausage is said to contain coarse pork shoulder flavoured with rosemary, thyme, parsley and ginger.

Sounds gorgeous. The winning sausage will now appear on the menu in Bar Boulud in the Mandarin Oriental hotel in London (in a sandwich, I hope!).

This, the only coarse-cut sausage to make the shortlist, is made to Mr Thomas's own recipe, using a shoulder-cut of pork (specially sourced from pigs with good conformation), minced just once and hand-mixed with rosemary, thyme, parsley and a sprinkling of ginger, before being piped into natural hog casings. The judges deemed the Malmesbury King to have the most pleasing, rustic, herby appearance and a satisfying, piquant taste. Mr Thomas now has the honour of the Malmesbury King being served in Bar Boulud.

Link: Country Life

Greggs (nationwide)

Photo: avtost

This is an interesting one. Greggs the Bakers are present on just about every high street in Britain. Compared to the chains I've previously reviewed, Greggs is much more widespread and prevalent but it is perceived by many as being of inferior quality to say, Pret a Manger or Eat.

This is unfair I think. Their products may be made on a large scale but that is not to say they are bad and in fact studying the Greggs' nutritional information shows that for a number of items Pret a Manger's equivalents are actually less healthy and higher in calories and fat (see the two companies' egg or tuna sandwiches).

Back in February Greggs officially launched a new breakfast range but it was only recently that I noticed the new menu and was able to try their sausage breakfast roll



What a pleasant surprise. In most small cafes, sausages are cooked, allowed to cool, stored in a chilled cabinet and then reheated when served. This results in sausages with a compressed, airless, paste-like texture and a tremendous amount of taste and subtlety is lost.

In contrast, the Greggs sausages must have been cooked fresh that morning. They were wonderfully moist inside, with a springy, satisfying, tasty filling. I wouldn't say they were gourmet sausages and the salt content is perhaps on the high side (3.8 grams for the entire roll), but for what is in effect a mass produced sandwich (on a par with a McDonalds hamburger) the quality and flavour are impressive.

The bread roll is, as you would expect from a bakery, fresh and pleasant to eat. The only condiment choices are tomato or brown sauce but they are genuine Heinz ketchup and HP - another plus point.

All in all, this is a great ambassador for the sausage and bread combo. Importantly, we are talking here about a good quality sausage and bread roll that can be bought on just about every high street in the UK. That's something I've been hoping for since I started this blog, all those years ago!

5 out of 5. A very good sandwich with top marks for availability.

British Barbeque Festival 2009

If you're looking for something to do next Sunday, why not check out the British Barbeque Festival which is taking place at Laverstoke Park Farm‎ in Overton, Hampshire.

Plenty of country fair activities will be taking place including buffalo & hog roasts, live jazz, farm tours, bungee run and coconut shies and chefs Ashley Palmer-Watts (The Fat Duck), Eric Chavot (Captial) and Antony Worrall Thompson will be making an appearance.

The event of most interest to readers, though, is probably the British BBQ Championship: a three level (Pro, National and Novice) cook-off competition that promises to be a real treat for BBQ lovers - and no doubt some decent sausages will be available too.

Check out the official website here.

Support British Pig Farmers

I just wanted to post something about this campaign after seeing an ad for it on the Tube this morning.

Top quality pork is without doubt the vital ingredient of a great British sausage so it's not nice to think that British pig farmers are facing a future so uncertain that they need a campaign like this.

Here's part of the open letter drawn up for the campaign:

"...Feed – mostly wheat – is about half the cost of rearing a pig. But wheat prices have rocketed worldwide: as a result, pig farmers’ businesses – which get no subsidies – are under serious threat.

Due to price pressure from supermarkets, farmers are now being paid around £1.10 per kg for a pig that now costs them £1.44 per kg to produce. For every pig a farmer rears and sells, he is likely to lose over £20.

This can't go on. Today, we're launching our campaign to press the supermarkets to ensure that pig farmers are paid a fair and sustainable price. Continual pressure on the price of pork, bacon and ham will squeeze the life out of pig farming.
We need the supermarkets to pay an extra 34p per kg to help preserve British pig farming.

If this price rise were passed on to shoppers, it would only mean between 7p and 17p on the pack price of typical pork products.

We think it is a small price worth paying and we’re asking British consumers to back us.

Sounds fair to me. Cheap, low quality sausages are depressingly all too common (as some of the reviews on this blog demonstrate) and the situation will only get worse if the supply of meat diminishes or becomes a 'niche market'. 

Why aren't good quality, fresh pork bangers the staple of every British cafe, rather than the revolting, mechanically reclaimed rubbish you so often find? I'd be happy to pay a little extra and I'm sure you would too.

Find out more about the campaign on the official website: http://www.pigsareworthit.co.uk/

EAT. (various locations)

Eat is a chain of sandwich shops that can be found across London and in a number of locations around the UK. They specialize in freshly made, packaged sandwiches and lunches similar to the ubiquitous Pret a Manger.

I didn't realize until recently that they also have a hot breakfast menu which includes a toasted sausage muffin.



I was quite surprised at how good this was. The muffin is toasted quickly in a panini grill, which squashes it almost flat. The muffin only contains (I'm guessing) one small, sliced sausage but it's good quality, nice and herby and quite aromatic when combined with the crispy, grilled muffin. With the addition of brown sauce this was actually a very good sausage sandwich and puts many cafes I've reviewed to shame. It's a flavoursome and fresh-tasting sausage sandwich.

My only criticism is that the sandwich is quite small - snack size, you could say - but if you need a fix of sausage and bread and you're watching your waistline, that might not be a bad thing at all.

4 out of 5.

Wish you a Sausage-y Christmas

... and a Happy New Year.

The decorations above are from the Paperchase store on Tottenham Court Road. Sadly no real hot dogs were available.

See you next year for more sausage and bread bloggery. In the meantime, here's a nice little recipe for an American style gumbo that uses smoked sausage and leftover turkey!

Merry Christmas!

Condiment Corner: Wilkin and Sons Brown Sauce

In 2006, despite an internet campaign and even street protests, the production of HP sauce - the dark, vinegary condiment that's been an essential part of British breakfast tables since the early 1900s - moved from Birmingham to Holland, so ending a century of tradition.

Taking production out of the UK probably won't affect the taste of HP sauce, but it does diminish its homegrown appeal and you could say that the title of 'Great British Brown Sauce' is up for grabs.

Joining the brands that might lay claim to the title (e.g. Daddies, Branston), we now have a new player: Wilkin and Sons.




Wilkin and Sons are more known for their jams and marmalades (I have to admit I'm a big fan of their strawberry jam). Their brown sauce comes in a traditional looking glass bottle with the trademark, minimalist label. There is also a tag on every bottle with the name of the worker who (presumeably) screwed the top on and sent the bottle on its way. Appearance-wise, you can't fault it.



The sauce itself in very different to HP. It's lucky the bottle has a wide neck because you will have quite a job pouring the sauce and you will probably have to use a knife to encourage it out. The sauce has got a slightly gelatinous texture - almost like a very runny marmalade. EDIT: After the first use, the sauce became runnier and easier to pour.

Taste-wise it's much less vinegary, more fruity and sweeter than HP and it might remind you of a relish.

Overall I liked it. It's a good sauce that would go great with a spicier, flavoured sausage or a very peppery cumberland, or any barbecued meats. It's nothing like HP but I don't think it's trying to be. If you don't mind your sauce having a sweetness to it, give it a try.

Related: brownsauce.org

Homemade: Wickham Manor Farm sausages

I was wandering through Balham in South London when I saw a small farmer's market selling organic produce. One of the stalls was for Wickham Manor Farm and was selling - you guessed it - sausages.

It was too good an opportunity to miss so I bagged one pack of pork sausages and one pack of cumberland. The friendly stallholder gave strict instructions not to rush the cooking of these sausages (allow 20 mins) and when I examined the label back home, I discovered that the farm is a supporter of the 'slow food movement' - a campaign to get people away from our current microwave-burger-bar-scoff-it-down culture and instead actually take some time over food - and thereby appreciate it more.



In other words, these sausages are made with the intention of being savoured. First up, the plain pork sausages:






The first thing you notice is how lean the sausages are. Very little fat comes out when you grill them. Solidly packed in a thin casing, meaty and delicately seasoned, these went great with mustard and tomatoes (grilled along with the sausages) in a fresh baguette. I did like the texture and flavour of these very much.


The following weekend I tried the cumberland variety:





Again, a very good sausage, although I thought it could have done with a bit more seasoning. The texture was good but I felt it lacked a little fat this time. This could have been purely down to me grilling the sausage for too long, but either way I think a bit more fat would have enhanced the flavour overall. The relative leanness of the sausage might be why I missed that peppery, herby taste I associate with a cumberland. You can't deny the quality of the meat, though, and I'd be happy to get a sausage like this in a sandwich bought in town.

Both sausages were really good but the plain pork was especially good, in my opinion. If you'd like to order or buy Wickham Manor Farm sausages, their contact details are:

Wickham Manor Farm
Panel Lane
Winchelsea
East Sussex
TN36 4AG

tel: 01797 225 575 (grant.culwick@btconnect.com)

Or you might be able to catch them at the farmer's market in Balham High Street at the weekend. Enjoy!

Health concerns raised over cheap sausages

A new study claims that a common food dye often found in cheap sausages may pose a cancer risk.

Worrying news.

The additive in question is E128. I recommend you avoid any sausage (or indeed any food) containing this E number, which is already banned in some countries.

As some of my reviews have shown, it's a sad fact that cheap (and - we may as well say it - nasty) sausages are all too common in British greasy spoon caffs. Now, not only is there a serious taste warning attached to cheap bangers, but also a serious health warning.

Now more than ever, I think, is the time to highlight good sausages and where they can be eaten. We need to start raising the bar when it comes to quality of sausages served and sold in the UK.

WORLD EXCLUSIVE: The first ever review of the hot dogs in the new Wembley Stadium!

I think I can claim something of a first here. England's famous Wembley Stadium has been rebuilt and was finally opened to the public for the first time last weekend. Several thousand people were invited to test out the facilities and get a first look at England's national stadium.

It was great making the walk from Wembley Park station up the wide avenue leading to the stadium, with the huge metal arch dominating the view. We also saw the first ever goal to be scored at the new Wembley, during a celebrity exhibition match.

But of course the undoubted highlight for me was when I went to the drinks and snack kiosk and realised that they sold hot dogs! Wembley may be a world class venue but could it deliver world class hot dogs?

Well, not world class no, but probably a decent enough hot dog to keep fans satisfied on match day. The sesame seed bun was soft and fresh (well, you would hope so since we were the first people ever to eat there). The frankfurter was moist and not too nitrate-y. It was a processed Herta-type variety which isn't always a bad thing. Tomato sauce and mustard were on offer from giant squeezy bottles. Both were good (actually better than in many of the cafes I've previously reviewed). The sausage:bread ratio was spot on, too, I thought.

All in all this is a decent hot dog considering the mass catering environment. If they can keep the standard up on a full match day, fans won't be disappointed. I imagine a top American stadium would have absolutely amazing hot dogs - something to actually take pride in. The Wembley hot dog doesn't quite reach those heights but is a good hot dog nonetheless.

4 out of 5. An easy tap in from the edge of the box.

Heston Blumenthal's perfect sausages (and mash)

Famed chef Heston Blumenthal, whose 3 Michelin-starred restaurant is frequently placed amongst the top 2 in the entire world, recently came up with a set of recipes for his 'perfect' versions of traditional British foods (e.g. fish and chips etc.)

Here's his take on the classic British dish Bangers and Mash.


Interesting ideas, like the use of golden syrup and the importance of smokiness in the flavour. His condiment choice of Guinness mustard sounds interesting too.

But Heston, you really missed a trick there! The sausage and bread combo is much more rewarding and subtle than sausage and boring old mash. Ah well.

I have to hand it to Mr. Blumenthal, though. His version of this dish, complete with star anise flavoured onion gravy and gelled butter for the mash, sounds top notch.

Britain's Best Sausage Sarnie Announced!

You may remember there was a national contest recently to find Britain's Best Sausage Sandwich.

Well, Carol Thatcher and her team of judges have chomped their way around the country and the official winner has been declared...

After a thorough, countrywide search, the national winner of British Sausage Week’s hunt for the Supreme Sausage Sarnie has been unveiled as New College Nottingham student Chris Slocombe.

Chris’s sarnie of pork and cider sausages with apple, pear and sage chutney on toasted Brioche triumphed in the Nottinghamshire regional final, following a hard fought cook-off at ncn’s Adams Restaurant.

Full report here.

The apple and sage chutney sounds like a delicious combination. All I want to know is, where can I get one???

It's BRITISH SAUSAGE WEEK!

It doesn't seem that long ago that we had British Food Fortnight but right now it's British Sausage Week and, can you believe it, part of the event is an official search for Britain's Best Sausage Sarnie!

If anyone knows how I can sneakily take Carol Thatcher's place on the judging panel and get to sample untold numbers of sausage sandwiches, please do get in touch!

Get the full lowdown on British Sausage Week here.

It's British Food Fortnight!

The next couple of weeks are 'British Food Fortnight' - a celebration of the best food and produce from the British Isles. It's in its fifth year now and as you might expect, sausages are playing a big part! The official event homepage is here but to save you looking, here's a run down of some of the main sausage-related events that are coming up:

Sausage Saturday and Sunday at La Hogue Farm Shop at Chippenham
30th Sep 2006 to 1st Oct 2006
La Hogue’s butchers, F.L. Edge & Son  will be offering free tastings of their award winning homemade sausages, including the launch of two exciting new varieties. Contact: info@lahogue.co.uk Extra Info: www.lahogue.co.uk

Sizzling Sausage Fest at Jimmy's Farm!
30th Sep 2006
There will be a sausage festival at jimmy's farm to coincide with British Food Fortnight, with around 12 sausage producers all selling and promoting their sausage to celebrate the range and diversity of British sausage!  Various competitions include Sausage Eating Competition, Guess the Weight of The Giant Round Sausage Competition and Sausage Tasting Competition... aswell as sausage making demonstrations, British beer, wine and cider, musicians, mad morris men and a magician to jolly things up!
Contact: telephone- 0870 950 0210 or fax- 01473 601 752
Location: Pannington Hall Farm, Wherstead, Suffolk, IP9 2AR

New Sausage Launch - Heath Farm Meats
23rd Sep 2006-8th Oct 2006
Heath Farm Meats will be launching a new sausage at a Bangers and Beans event. For further information, please contact:
Clair Gittens, Heath Food Meats, Bagginswood, nr. Kidderminster
Worcestershire
DY14 8NB
Tel: 01746 718 732
Contact: clair@heathfarmmeats.plus.com
Location: Kidderminster, Worcestershire

Share!

If you have a favourite hot dog, condiment or want to comment on anything related to sausage and bread I'd love to hear from you. Drop me a line at "steve london 88" (remove the spaces) at hotmail.com

Origin Story...

The date is Thursday August 31st 2006 and I am sitting in a house in a town called Swakopmund, which is in Namibia (which is just north of South Africa if you didn't know).

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie stayed just down the road when they had their baby earlier this year and Wesley Snipes is about to start shooting a movie here. I'm also out here working on a movie as it happens but I normally live in London.

Maybe it's just because I feel homesick, maybe it's boredom creeping up on me but for some reason I thought I would start this blog - a celebration of one of my favourite foods.

The basic recipe for this dish - if you can even call it a recipe - is simple and yet it seems to produce an infinite number of variations in countries and cultures all over the world.

This is simple, unfussy, everyday food yet it can inspire a passion in people you wouldn't believe.

Yep, this is a fansite dedicated to the magical combination of sausage and bread. Welcome!

Next time... I hope to be able to round up the sausage and bread options that greet the hungry traveller in Swakopmund, Namibia (you might be surprised) and hopefully a first look at the Great American Hot Dog.