A Strange and Unusual Mission
Did you know that the humble scotch egg was invented in 1738 at Piccadilly swanky grocers, Fortnum and Mason? That’s the claim, anyway, and nobody as far as I’m aware has successfully refuted it.
So yesterday I popped in, as you do, went down to the Lower Ground where they sell meats and treats. “How much are the scotch eggs?” I enquire, resisting the the temptation naffly to add “my good man”.
“£2.75.”
Well, it is Fortnum’s. I ordered a brace. So are they four times as good as ones you get in the supermarket? Or even your local butcher? I am happy to report that, most definitely, they are. Note how thick the sausage meat is and how it goes all the way to the egg. And the meat itself is lovely, a bit like cumberland sausage, I guess. So in this case, you do get what you pay for.
You may disagree, but in my view the best relish to have with scotch egg is good old British brown sauce.
I can highly reccomend the superior scotch egg range at Source Market at St Pancras station. I like to think of people who are leaving on a long continental train journey, buying up supplies of scotch eggs for the journey. Every bit as expensive as Fortnum’s I’m afraid but far tastier than the supermarket version.
Thanks Rob, and noted!
I’m going to have to buy a brace of these when next I visit the capital! I find that most things one buys in the food hall at Fortnum’s tend to be both more expensive and better quality. One really does get what one pays for there.
By the way, we have the same plates! 🙂
Really? Cool. Have had that set since the 1980s. We clearly share good taste in economy crockery.
Yes, but why Scotch eggs? Why would a London firm choose to call their invention (if, in fact, they did invent this item) “Scotch”?
I have seen two theories but there are probably more. The first suggests that the original Scotch eggs were indeed made in Scotland, easily portable snacks made of leftovers (a “Scottish Cornish pasty”). The second suggests that “Scotch” comes from “scotched”, a verb, now archaic, which refers to preparing meat by chopping or hacking.
I have to admit that neither explanation entirely satisfies me. More research needed!
Your second theory seems plausible to me.
Fiona must have been very pleased to see you walk in the door with these. #luckywoman
Bemused, it must be said. Until we tucked in to them. *Then* she was pleased.