Gran knew how to cook

[Mike F]

I've always liked trying different foods, condiments, spices, pickles, flavors etc but I have never really found anything that has come close to my grandmother's cooking. Indeed anything she made or cooked was truly delicious and nobody has come near to her flavours and how she cooked.
I was reminiscing recently the about how I miss the chutneys she used to make, as I found one the other day called Mrs Balls jalapeno chutney which is delicious and made me think of hers.
Has anyone else found that grans cooking was way better than what people make now?

[jack]

Mine was a great cook but some stuff she cooked was horrible as well, sheep's brains, pigs trotters, tripe, something called neck end. No idea what animal that was from.

[davyr]

something called neck end. No idea what animal that was from.

Probably lamb - also known as 'best end of neck' and usually slow-simmered for stews. You had to chew it carefully, as it often contained sharp splinters of bone.

[davyr]

Confusingly, 'best end of neck' now seems to mean an expensive and tender cut from the first 8 ribs of a lamb - not at all what I remember, which was this:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/lamb_neck

[Andytheammer]

Confusingly, 'best end of neck' now seems to mean an expensive and tender cut from the first 8 ribs of a lamb - not at all what I remember, which was this:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/lamb_neck

“Scrag end” ?

[davyr]

Confusingly, 'best end of neck' now seems to mean an expensive and tender cut from the first 8 ribs of a lamb - not at all what I remember, which was this:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/lamb_neck

“Scrag end” ?

That does sound more like it - maybe my Mum was trying to make it seem posher than it was!

[Mike F]

They certainly knew how to use every single bit of food and leftovers. Not like today's throwaway society. My gran would have a fit over the amount of waste now. They were a different generation brought up on a waste nothing attitude. Amazing what she conjured up with next to nothing. Onion suet was another favourite.

[Andrew]

I've always liked trying different foods, condiments, spices, pickles, flavors etc but I have never really found anything that has come close to my grandmother's cooking. Indeed anything she made or cooked was truly delicious and nobody has come near to her flavours and how she cooked.
I was reminiscing recently the about how I miss the chutneys she used to make, as I found one the other day called Mrs Balls jalapeno chutney which is delicious and made me think of hers.
Has anyone else found that grans cooking was way better than what people make now?

My gran passed away when I was very young. I only have one vague memory. walking in to her house, she was sat on her seat next to the horse bridal hung on the wall and the huge sliding wall to the dining area. Anyway, my mum makes a killer soup full of veggies, tatties, lentils and a whole ham hock in a massive soup pot that was handed down from gran . Was my gran who taught my mum to make it and is just the best thing ever. Mum only knows how to proportion it and make it in the big hand me down soup pot so we end up with tons of soup in the freezer that we'll be eating for weeks.

We'd be gathered round for the cutting of the ham to get a few bits before it all went back in the pot just like my mum did when my gran was around.

Screenshot_20220529-140419_Gallery.jpg

[Mike F]

I've always liked trying different foods, condiments, spices, pickles, flavors etc but I have never really found anything that has come close to my grandmother's cooking. Indeed anything she made or cooked was truly delicious and nobody has come near to her flavours and how she cooked.
I was reminiscing recently the about how I miss the chutneys she used to make, as I found one the other day called Mrs Balls jalapeno chutney which is delicious and made me think of hers.
Has anyone else found that grans cooking was way better than what people make now?

My gran passed away when I was very young. I only have one vague memory. walking in to her house, she was sat on her seat next to the horse bridal hung on the wall and the huge sliding wall to the dining area. Anyway, my mum makes a killer soup full of veggies, tatties, lentils and a whole ham hock in a massive soup pot that was handed down from gran . Was my gran who taught my mum to make it and is just the best thing ever. Mum only knows how to proportion it and make it in the big hand me down soup pot so we end up with tons of soup in the freezer that we'll be eating for weeks.

We'd be gathered round for the cutting of the ham to get a few bits before it all went back in the pot just like my mum did when my gran was around.

Screenshot_20220529-140419_Gallery.jpg

You cant beat it can you! Good memories!

[jack]

Damn right Mikef. I've just remembered her 'broth' can't remember if it had meat in it but it was full of pearl barley, carrot,onions and goodness knows what else. It tasted great.

[jack]

Chicken! It was Chicken broth.

[Mike F]

Chicken! It was Chicken broth.

[Mike J]

Never had much of my grans food but I do remember her toffee brittle that she made with top off the milk.
My mum had no sense of taste, she couldn't smell gas and her food was always guesswork, perhaps why she made so few dishes (she even put baked beans in a curry) anything decent and my Father would cook it. Mind you her sloe wine was outstanding and won her lots of prizes.

Croftus, that is a proper pot your gran left your mum. To buy something like that these days would cost you the best part of £100.

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[Andrew]

Never had much of my grans food but I do remember her toffee brittle that she made with top off the milk.
My mum had no sense of taste, she couldn't smell gas and her food was always guesswork, perhaps why she made so few dishes (she even put baked beans in a curry) anything decent and my Father would cook it. Mind you her sloe wine was outstanding and won her lots of prizes.

Croftus, that is a proper pot your gran left your mum. To buy something like that these days would cost you the best part of £100.

.

.

Just looking at it the other day, could actually be doing with the second handle being repaired. I can never remember it having one before. Used to have a handle on the lid though. Would be an absolute travesty if this was thrown away. Definitely older than me.

[Monts]

Confusingly, 'best end of neck' now seems to mean an expensive and tender cut from the first 8 ribs of a lamb - not at all what I remember, which was this:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/lamb_neck

“Scrag end” ?

Scrag end for sure, my Mrs uses them for a winter Saturday soup. Big pot, in they go with Pumpkin, Yam, Dumplings, Celery, Carrots etc and Pig Tail. The b******s.