5 weird things Geordies eat and why you have to try them
If you ask people what springs to mind when they think about Newcastle, culinary prowess generally isn't on the tip of their tongue. The Geordie cultural identity is as rich and strong as that of any other region in the UK, but food isn't something that usually stands out.
In recent years, Newcastle has become the north-east's cultural hub and narrowly missed out on the European Capital of Culture award in 2008, but this thriving city has grown from a history as an industrial centre, complete with iconic shipyards and coal mines. It's here that the local culinary culture is rooted, evolving out of the region's working class past.
So what local specialities should you look for when you're staying in a hostel in Newcastle? Here are our top five..
1 – Stotties
A distinctly Geordie loaf, the stotty is a round and flat bread that has a delightfully stodgy texture and slightly sweet taste.
Though yeast is used in the dough to make stotties rise, they are still quite flat and dense, and this is where the name comes from. In Geordie dialect, to 'stott' means to 'bounce' and the story goes that were you to drop your stotty, its unique qualities would make it do just that.
In reality, this is unlikely to happen and you'd just ruin your northern delicacy!
The round stotty is typically cut in half to make a semi-circle of bread that is ideal for creating a huge sandwich. Available from bakers and supermarkets throughout the north-east, stotties are sold by many sandwich shops pre-filled, with the most traditional being ham and pease pudding.
2 – Ham and Pease Pudding
Possibly the most underrated north-east dish out there, pease pudding is a soft, smooth and spreadable paste made from split peas.
For many, pease pudding is one of those Marmite 'love it or hate it' foodstuffs, but either way it is well worth trying. Traditionally, when a joint of ham was boiled, the yellow split peas or Carlin peas would be cooked in the pan at the same time and then drained and mashed into a paste that would be eaten alongside the ham.
These days, pease pudding generally comes as a cold paste in a pot, not too dissimilar to hummus, and can be bought in any supermarket, though homemade pease pudding is still something found in many a northern fridge.
Typically it is used in sandwiches alongside thick-cut ham and the combination is something quite fantastic.
3 – Singin' Hinnies
Singin' Hinnies are the north-east's answer to crumpets, muffins and the like.
A staple with a cup of tea in many a Northumbrian village or north-east mining town, they are a kind of scone made from flour, butter, lard, currants, salt and milk. Baking powder is added to make them rise slightly when they are cooked on a griddle pan.
Though many people assume that their affectionate name came about because they are made from honey, there is in fact no honey in the recipe. When they're being cooked, the fatty dough sizzles and makes a hissing sound as if it was singing. In north-eastern dialect, 'hinny' is a term used to fondly address a woman.
Sadly, getting your hands on a freshly made singin' hinny is not as easy as it should be. Though the occasional tea shop does offer them, they are traditionally a home-made dish, so digging out a recipe online may be your best bet. However, places that specialise in regional foods, such as Fenwick's Food Hall in the city centre department store or stalls in the iconic indoor Grainger Market, do occasionally stock them.
4 – Craster Kippers
Perhaps the most famous of all north-eastern specialities, Craster kippers herald from the Northumberland fishing village of Craster and are exported far and wide.
Oak-smoking herring caught in the North Sea is the traditional way to preserve the fish and the Robson family in Craster has been doing it for four generations and more than 130 years.
In the days before refrigeration, smoking was a great way to make food last, as opposed to the less healthy and more expensive salting, but it just so happened to make an incredibly tasty fish that is also very healthy.
The pungently-smoked fish is rich in essential Omega oils and comes in two joined halves that have been filleted through the middle. Fantastic for breakfast served with thick toast, plenty of butter, a wedge of lemon and some peppery leaves like watercress or rocket.
5 – Pan Haggerty
Another classic from Northumberland, Pan Haggerty is a wonderfully filling potato dish that is often served as an accompaniment to meat or kippers, though is robust enough to be served on its own.
Fried onions are layered with thinly sliced potatoes and mature cheddar cheese to create a north-east take on the French classics like Dauphinoise potatoes or boulangere potatoes .
The dish even has a restaurant named after it on Newcastle's Quayside (21 Queen Street, 0191 221 0904), which is the best place to try it. There, it is served with a duck egg, crispy bacon and homemade brown sauce.
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