Bangers & Mash
Bangers and Mash is a good example of British pub grub.
Key words
- Mash: to crush food, usually after cooking it, so that it forms a soft mass
Mash the potatoes and then mix in the butter and herbs.
- Pub grub: meals that are served in a pub
Check out our foodie's guide to the best in British pub grub!
- Scarce: not easy to find or get
Jobs are scarce around here.
- Emulsify: if two liquids emulsify or are emulsified, they combine and become a smooth mixture.
Stir well and cook until the butter is emulsified into a sauce.
- Coarsely: in a way that is rough and not smooth or soft, or not in very small pieces
The coarsely shredded meat is cooked with onion.
Read the article to find the answers
- What are bangers?
- What is a Cumberland sausage?
- When did the first mashed potato recipes begin to appear?
- What are the best potatoes for making mash?
Bangers and Mash
Bangers and mash is a traditional British dish of sausages and mashed potatoes and is a good example of pub grub. It is usually served with onion gravy, fried onions and peas. In a survey by the Good Food television channel, it was voted Britain's favorite comfort food, beating fish and chips, and beans on toast.
Bangers
The term "banger" comes from the fact that during World War I, when meat was scarce, sausages were made with such a high water content that they tended to burst when cooked at high heat.
The Romans brought the first sausages to the British Isles during their conquest in 400 AD The word sausage comes from the Latin word "salsisium", meaning something that has been salted, this later evolved into the Anglo-Norman "sauseche", after which Middle English changed the word to "sausige", pronounced "sawsage".
Many large food manufacturers mass-produce sausages, focusing on quantity rather than quality. Meat content can be as low as 45%, and the meat is emulsified rather than coarsely chopped.
The sausages used to make Bangers & Mash can be of any kind, but one of the most popular is the Cumberland sausage, a pork sausage from the northwest of England. Cumberland sausage is typically stuffed with coarsely chopped pork, seasoned with pepper, thyme, sage. The meat content is usually 85-98%.
Mash
Potatoes were introduced to England in the 1500's, but did not become widespread for another two hundred years. Gardening books from the late 1600's refer to potatoes as "poor people's food," but the use of potatoes gradually spread, and by the mid-1700's they were known in most of the country and have been grown extensively ever since.
Mashed potato recipes began to appear in the mid-1800's as potatoes became more common and affordable. Mash is made by boiling potatoes for about 15 minutes, pouring milk and/or butter over the potatoes, and mashing them with an electric hand whisk or potato masher until smooth and creamy. Most cooks recommend using floury potatoes such as King Edward or Maris Piper.
Discussion questions
- Do you have any questions about any of the vocabulary or grammar in this article?
- Have you ever eaten Bangers & Mash?
- Are sausages and potatoes popular in your country?
- What do you know about the history of sausages and potatoes in your country?
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