Local Flavours
Oxfordshire has a rich culinary heritage and many of the weird and wonderful concoctions that have been eaten and drunk here over the centuries took on the names of the towns and villages in which they originated. Sadly many are no longer produced, but here are some that have survived.
Oxford Sauce
This spicy alternative to Worcestershire sauce is delicious with cheese on toast, bacon and eggs and anything else that takes your fancy really!
Banbury Cake
The Banbury cake is a pastry with a wonderful and rather exotic history. Gervase Markham published the recipe for a version of the Banbury cake in 1615, but it is thought by many to date from the Crusades, when those few who survived the fighting returned with new culinary treasures, one of which was the forerunner of the Banbury cake.
It is made with puff pastry, and filled with a mince mixture known as Banbury meat containing orange and lemon peel, currants, sugar, cinnamon and allspice, and flavoured with rosewater, all in medieval times strange and fascinating items. These are mixed with butter to give a consistent filling.
The Banbury cake is one of the few remaining feast day cakes with which we are familiar. Every region would once have its own rich fruit and spice based cakes which were baked for religious festivals but over time the vast majority have been lost. We are lucky to have Nash`s Bakery that can still provide us with this special local cake.
Oxford Skate
The Oxford Skate is a C-shaped skinless pork and lamb or veal sausage that was first identified by John Nott in the early eighteenth century. Thus far we haven't been able to find any producers of the once famous Oxford Skate, but we are working with Eadles to resuscitate this wonderful traditional banger.