The UK's iconic regional food - put to the test
Here at Shots HQ our journos have had the hard job of stuffing their faces with some of the UK's finest foods. That's because we've been celebrating - and eating - our areas best grub!
Category
🦄
CreativityTranscript
00:00 Here at Show Us HQ our journals have had the hard job of stuffing their faces with some of the UK's finest foods.
00:07 That's because we've been celebrating and eating our area's best grub.
00:11 From the Yorkshire Pudding Challenge to the Wigan Kebab, we've got all you need and more to get your mouth watering.
00:17 It's fair to say that the crooked billets just outside of Saxton and nestled between the Lotherton Estate and Tadcaster Golf Club
00:26 really does appreciate Yorkshire puddings in a giant way.
00:30 If you're feeling particularly peckish, you can tuck into Yorkshire's as a starter, a main and even a dessert.
00:37 Looking into the history of the pub, I found that they used to do these giant Yorkshire puddings which were made in old fashioned loaf tins.
00:46 So I did a bit of research and thought it would be a good unique selling point to bring the Yorkshire puddings back to the crooked billet.
00:55 So we reinvented them, changed the recipe slightly and changed the shape by doing them in square baking trays
01:03 and trying to get the height as high as possible for the Yorkshire pudding and put all the filling inside.
01:10 We go through 100 eggs a day, 4, 8 litres of milk, a couple of kilos of plain flour a day
01:22 and it's fun to make them, yeah.
01:26 We do sell loads of Yorkshire puddings as you can imagine.
01:30 Never ending job.
01:31 Never ending job and Sundays are our busiest day when we're doing between 300 to 400 Yorkshire puddings in 6 hours.
01:40 So you can imagine how busy we are.
01:41 The Yorkshire pudding challenge is really popular and it's really enjoyable as well.
01:45 A lot of people complete it.
01:47 Once they've completed it they earn their space on what we call our Wall of Fame which is the social media wall of fame.
01:53 So it's a three course challenge.
01:55 Your first course is a Yorkshire pudding filled with our homemade meaty gravy.
02:01 When that comes to the table people get the confidence.
02:04 They think oh this is nothing, you know we can definitely do the challenge.
02:08 And then we like to shock them with the main course, the main event which is one of Scott's giant Yorkshire puddings
02:15 and he fills it with home roasted meat, mashed potato, roast potato, gravy and as much gravy as you want.
02:23 And then you've of course got a side of veg as well to go with that.
02:26 So that kind of always takes everybody by surprise.
02:30 And then the dessert, if they manage to eat that, we've then got the dessert which is a Yorkshire pudding
02:36 filled with vanilla ice cream, homemade butterscotch sauce and squirty cream on the top.
02:42 So that always kind of looks like everybody has a look of defeat when they see that.
02:50 And ask if they can take a break. Can we have a break between the main and the dessert please?
02:54 Back in the olden days they used to have Yorkshire puddings with jam in as the dessert so it's just followed on from there really.
03:01 It's been brought up with them, Yorkshire puddings.
03:03 My mum used to make them with nan.
03:05 We used to have a starter as a Sunday roast as a Yorkshire pudding then one with your main.
03:09 So it's just normal for Yorkshire people really to carry on this tradition.
03:13 Yeah, as many Yorkshire puddings as you can manage.
03:17 You can never have enough Yorkshire pudding I don't think on your Sunday dinner.
03:22 Livelong being a stiple of the region's food culture, offered alongside hearty points in local taverns,
03:29 the Humble Pork Scratching is deeply rooted in the West Midlands industrial past,
03:34 dating back to the 1800s.
03:36 As the region industrialised, workers sought out affordable, calorie-dense food to sustain themselves.
03:42 Families would get their pig skin, often from pigs raised at home,
03:46 boil it to remove the hair, cut it up and deep fry it in a pot of fat.
03:50 The result was a crunchy snack that was cost-effective while offering plenty of flavour.
03:56 Their association with tradition and identity also plays a role in their popularity.
04:01 Intrinsic to our heritage, linking current generations with their forebears who worked in the area's factories and mines.
04:08 The emergence of pubs during the period further ingrained pork scratchings in local food culture.
04:13 Publicans offered them at the bar, complimenting the aisles and stouts they served.
04:18 The salty flavour proved to be the perfect accompaniment to a good point,
04:23 leading local people to develop a fondness for them.
04:26 While they wouldn't traditionally be considered a health food,
04:29 the recent wave of interest in protein-rich, low-carb diets has contributed to a resurgence in their popularity elsewhere.
04:37 Today, they're sometimes even marketed as a guilt-free alternative to crisps and other carb-heavy snacks.
04:44 Admittedly, you couldn't be blind for thinking a mix of pig skin and lard would be a somewhat acquired taste
04:51 in an age where more elegant and exotic food is so readily available.
04:55 Do people here in the heart of England still hold much regard for this iconic regional snack?
05:01 We've never tried pork scratchings and we don't want to either.
05:05 Would you be willing to?
05:06 No, no, we're vegetarian.
05:07 Have you ever tried pork scratchings?
05:09 I haven't.
05:10 You haven't tried them? Would you like to?
05:11 Yes, please.
05:12 A bit tough.
05:18 They're alright to be fair. Quite nice.
05:23 Do you think you'd try them again?
05:25 Don't think so.
05:26 For better or worse, pork scratchings possess a strong history here,
05:30 tied closely to the region's economic and cultural development.
05:34 Arising from habits of frugality and resourcefulness,
05:37 since becoming a beloved part of the region's culinary identity,
05:41 in many ways it could be said their enduring popularity pays testament to the resilience,
05:46 adaptability and character of people here in the West Midlands.
05:51 This is a pie barn, or well known to the North West as the Wigan Kebab.
05:56 Wigan is famous for its love of pies and is the home of the World Pie Eating Championship,
06:01 where competitors and spectators from across the globe gather to witness who can scoff down a pie the quickest.
06:08 The annual tradition has been ongoing since 1992,
06:11 and it's no surprise the reigning champion is from the very town the competition originated from.
06:17 The Greater Manchester Borough's enthusiasm for pie eating has inspired the Wigan Kebab,
06:22 a meat pie sandwiched between two buttered halves of a bread roll.
06:26 This means the meat-filled pastry can be eaten on the go,
06:29 as the bread soaks up any sauce and protects hands from getting burnt.
06:33 This local delicacy can be found around Wigan in chain and independent bakeries,
06:38 and we decided to grab a couple to try for ourselves.
06:42 We ordered from Wigan chain Galloways, an independent local site, the Rolling Pin Bakery in Newtown.
06:48 So we're here today to try the famous Wigan Kebab, also known as the pie barn.
06:53 I went to two places today. I went to Galloways, which is a chain bakery in Wigan,
06:59 and I also went to the Rolling Pin Bakery, which was an independent bakery.
07:04 So I thought I'd pick up two to try. I've never tried them before,
07:07 so this is going to be a very unique experience. And then, yeah, let's dig in.
07:11 So we're just going to cut them in half. Now, both of these, I believe, are meat and potato pies,
07:17 which is the traditional way of making a Wigan Kebab.
07:22 So if we just cut this one up and look inside. Oh, there you go.
07:28 So that's what we're seeing inside of the Galloways Wigan Kebab. It smells amazing, actually.
07:35 OK, so this is the taste test. I'm going to try the Galloways one first.
07:40 You know what? I was unsure what to think of this because I was thinking it was a lot of just bread and pastry.
07:46 I thought it was really quite dry. But actually, it's not that dry at all.
07:51 I'm really quite shocked with this. Let's move on to the Rolling Pin Bakery Wigan Kebab.
07:56 So like I said, this one looks like it's got a lot more potato in it.
08:03 I was expecting them to taste more similar, but they actually do taste completely different.
08:09 This one's really tasty. The pie crust is really, really crunchy, whereas this one's a little bit softer from Galloways.
08:17 Well, that was the first ever time that I tried the Wigan Kebab, and I can say it's completely exceeded my expectations.
08:23 I definitely thought it was going to be really dry, and then not.
08:26 Obviously, they're a hugely iconic food item in the Northwest. And yeah, it was really cool to try them out.
08:33 After sampling the two Wigan Kebabs, I think it's fair to say I'm pleasantly surprised by how easy they are to eat.
08:40 I'm not sure I'll get used to the idea of pastry sandwich between two halves of bread, but both pie barms were full of flavour.
08:47 The Wigan Kebab certainly is a Northwest delicacy.
08:51 And if it's piqued your interest, there are plenty available to pick up from bakeries all around the borough.
08:57 I have randomly selected three top rated Liverpool restaurants and ordered curry for delivery.
09:03 Now let's put them to the taste test.
09:05 Everyone has their favourite Indian local takeaway. I have several.
09:12 Today, we have ordered from Sultan's Palace, and I've got a classic.
09:17 I've got the Butter Chicken Curry. First of all, smells great.
09:24 Now for the taste test. I did order a side of rice, but I'm going to go in straight in.
09:31 Try the sauce on its own first.
09:36 A lovely, mild, tomatoey, creamy dish, as you'd expect it to be.
09:43 Pretty decent, tender chicken breast.
09:47 Of course, curry comes in all shapes and sizes. And I've chosen to order something now for my lunch from Bundabust for their completely meat free menu.
09:59 I've gone for a paneer curry, which is actually a personal favourite of mine.
10:03 This is the paneer kadai, and it is a paneer cheese simmered in rich mixed pepper and tomato sauce with onions.
10:10 Going in with the sauce, can I say as well, you can see a lot of fresh coriander on the top of this.
10:15 Smells delicious.
10:19 You can really taste the peppers in there. It's not incredibly spicy at all, but it has got some nice flavours.
10:27 So here in front of me, I have the slow cooked beef Thai green curry from Roses, and it does smell really delicious.
10:39 And I can already see there's loads of vegetables in there. So it does say it comes with aubergine, bamboo shoots and sweet basil.
10:49 I've just got a spoon. I did get some jasmine rice on the side, but I'm going to go in just to try the curry itself, just the sauce.
10:57 First of all, give that the taste test.
11:01 First up, it's really creamy and then it turns into quite a heat.
11:10 I'm going to go in now for some of that slow cooked beef.
11:14 Wow, that absolutely melts in your mouth.
11:16 I've taken some time to really digest not only the food, but think about the scores.
11:25 And although I really enjoyed them all, I will have to say my favourite might just have to be just by a smidgen.
11:34 The Thai green curry from Roses, I think it really packed a punch, not just in terms of heat, but also the spices that were in there.
11:46 Saying that honestly, I really did enjoy them.
11:49 [no sound]