| Are
Faggot and Peas the 'original' take away? |
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| BBC
WM presenter Carl Chinn eats his faggots and peas in Oldhill |
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What
are you having to eat today? Some warming soup and a sandwich? Or
a burger and fries? Perfect comfort food in this cold weather. |
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Did you
know there is one form of Take Away that's been on sale in the Black
Country for more than a century? In fact some say it's the "original"
take away food.
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| Uncooked
faggots go into the oven |
Faggots
were developed as a way of using up all the bits of pig that would
otherwise be discarded.
The word faggot means a bundle and just as a collection of sticks
are tied up with string so the contents of a faggot is wrapped in
a piece of caul which is a see-through lacy, fatty membrane which
surrounds the pig's stomach. This keeps the ingredients together and
the fat prevents it from drying out.
Everything goes into the mincer with some onion and sage. The result
is a meatball which is wrapped in the pig's caul. It is then roasted
and served with gravy and mushy peas or 'payse'.
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| Here's
some I cooked earlier! |
Faggots
can be eaten hot or cold and when served hot are traditionally accompanied
by peas.
The only bit of pig you cannot use is its squeal!
What do you think of the faggot? Email your comments to the BBC
Black Country website here.
Click
here to get a Faggots with Onion Gravy recipe from Antony
Worrall Thompson.
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I
spent the better part of a month in Wales last year and I
can tell you, the faggots and peas are tasty! The marrowfat
peas take some getting used to for an American. I'd actually
have preferred fresh garden peas but I digress. From a culinary
standpoint, I found that most of the horror stories I'd heard
about "cuisine" across the pond were grossly exaggerated.
I enjoyed the faggots and peas, Cornish pastys, bacon butties
(y'all have the market cornered on bacon!), yummies from the
"chippy" and a delicious concoction that I had at a LIL CHEF
restaurant, called a hot beef clangor! YUM! Can't wait to
return to the UK for more delicious food!
MEMPHIS
MIKE
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I have lived in Canada for 35 years and cannot find Faggots
but i was born and raised in the Black country, Oldbury and
Gornal, and still remember the great taste, my wife who is
Canadian also likes them, whenever we visit we make a point
of eating Faggots and mushy pays.
Foy
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When they are prepared right, 'marvellous.'- Brummie Boy.
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Recipe for faggots could only have been devised by someone
south of Watford -
Diane Hodgetts, Dudley
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Find
out more on what activities are available for a fun-filled family day out
in the Black Country area.
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BBC
Black Country Website
The Mailbox
Birmingham
West Midlands
B1 1RF
Tel: 0121 567 6000
blackcountry@bbc.co.uk |
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