Laura Brown on 20 Jul 2003  •  Link

People who think of traditional British cooking as bland will be surprised to learn that anchovies have been a staple of the British diet for hundreds of years. In the past they were most often used in garnishes and sauces, or in forcemeats (stuffing) for birds and beef olives. They were also an ingredient in the traditional salmagundy (salad).

Florence White's book 'Good Things in England,' a compilation of traditional English recipes from the 15th century up until the 1930s, contains scores of recipes including anchovies or 'essence of anchovy.' This book was recently reprinted by Persephone Books and is well worth getting for anyone interested in historic British cuisine. Some recipes provide evidence that not *all* English palates were adventurous: 'Peel the onions and throw them immediately into boiling water to remove the objectionable odour and taste.'

vincent on 18 Oct 2003  •  Link

Iberian special still: Paradise in Portugal
... leave without having sampled Lulu's olive bread, baked tomatoes with anchovies and
a ... From FARO airport, follow signs to Lisboa motorway; exit motorway after ...
http://www.birding-in-portugal.co… - 23k - similar pages

Australian Susan on 2 Jun 2004  •  Link

Anchovies
Gentleman's Relish {Patum Peperium} -anchovy paste - was a popular delicacy throughout much of the 19thc and 20c in England. Up until the 1960s it was sold in stoneware pots, but these gave way to plastic. C.Osborn & Co were the retailers until the early 1970s when the recipe was sold to Elsenhams. It was a Sunday teatime treat spread on thin toast.

michael j. gresk m.a. on 4 Jun 2004  •  Link

anchovy paste?? i believe one can still purchase anchovy paste in stone crockware at harrod's.

Bill on 13 Jul 2013  •  Link

ANCHOVIE, a little Sea-fish much used in Sauces, &c. Anchovie-Cullices are frequently made and put into several Ragous, as well for Flesh as Fish-days, so that it would be unnecessary here to give a particular account of them, since it is sufficiently done in the respective places where they are to be us'd; we shall only observe at present, that the Bones of the Anchovies, which have been already made use of, may be fry'd, after you have put them into Paste made of Flower and White-wine, with a little Pepper and Salt, so that you may either garnish another Dish with that Paste, or serve it up to Table for an Outwork, with Orange and fry'd Parsley.
---Dictionaire oeconomique. N. Chomel, 1725.