Ploughman's Lunch

The Ploughman's lunch is a traditional British meal perfect for hot summer days.

Ploughman's Lunch
Flawless Food
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Key words

  • Rustic: simple and often rough in appearance; typical of the countryside

The property has a certain rustic charm.

  • Chutney: a mixture containing fruit, spices, sugar, and vinegar, eaten cold with especially meat or cheese

Mango chutney is my favorite.

  • Compelled: In a restaurant, a platter is a dish with a variety of foods on it

The waiter came out carrying a huge platter of fruit.

  • Staple: basic or main; standard or regular

Prices of staple foods such as wheat and vegetables have been increasing.

  • Idealized: involving thinking of or representing someone or something as better than that person or thing really is

The film presents a very idealized view of 19th-century Ireland.


Read the article to find the answers

  1. What items are in a Ploughman's Lunch?
  2. What is it often served on?
  3. What is the meal associated with?
  4. Why did it become popular in the 1970s?

Ploughman's lunch

A Ploughman's lunch is a traditional British meal that typically consists of simple and rustic ingredients. It is named after the ploughmen, the agricultural workers, who would enjoy this simple meal during their midday break. While the items in a Ploughman's lunch can vary, it generally includes cheeses, cold meats, breads, pickles, chutneys, salad, and real ale. It's the perfect meal for hot summer days when you don't want to spend too much time in the kitchen cooking food.

The meal is often served in pubs on a platter or a wooden board. While variations exist, the key is to provide a selection of the main ingredients allowing individuals to assemble their own combinations.

Ingredients

Cheddar and Stilton are the most popular cheeses. Pickled onions, Branston Pickle, Piccalilli, and chutney adds some tang. Cold cuts, such as ham or gammon spread with strong English mustard go well with wholemeal, multigrain bread that gives the meal a rustic feel.

Scotch Eggs are hard-boiled eggs wrapped in sausage meat, covered in breadcrumbs, and deep fried. Melton Mowbray pork pie goes well with a simple green salad, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and radish.

Sliced apple or other fruits can be part of the Ploughman's lunch, offering a sweet contrast to the savory components.

History

Bread and cheese have been the staples of the English farm worker's diet for centuries. Pierce the Ploughman's Crede, a poem written in 1394, mentions the traditional ploughman's meal of bread, cheese and beer. While this diet was associated with rural poverty, it was also associated with more idealized images of rural life. Anthony Trollope, in The Duke's Children, has a character comment that "a peasant laborer, sitting by the side of a ditch with his bread and cheese and an onion, has more pleasure out of it than any Roman general."

The meal grew rapidly in popularity during the 1970's, because it required no cooking and was quick and easy to prepare for less skilled staff.


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Discussion questions

  • Do you have any questions about any of the vocabulary or grammar in this article?
  • Have you ever had a ploughman's lunch?
  • What is a popular summer meal in your country?
  • Are there any meals associated with farmers in your country?

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