Bacon joint choose one with as little fat as
possible
soak overnight well covered in cold water
rinse and cover with fresh cold water
boil till soft next day (about an hour?) then
drain and cool so you can get the fat off the
top before adding the other stuff
big onion dice
split peas preferably yellow – 3 spoons ish
but green, or any kind of lentils will do
boil peas and onion in bacon stock with bit of garlic, pepper and
bayleaf if liked. Takes about half an hour to an hour. (Or ten to 15
minutes in a pressure cooker). The yellow peas dissolve completely
and delicious golden yellow soup left.
reboil thoroughly if you don’t use it all at once – and don’t keep
longer than 3 days in the fridge
use the bacon sliced for sandwiches, or eat with creamed
potatoes, peas, sprouts, pickle and apple sauce (if you
like that kind of thing)
This is from Mrs Lily McBride who great-Granpa Harold Lomas lived with in Dalston,
Cumbria after Gran died in 1958. She made wonderful scones, ham sandwiches (in thick
white bread) and gooseberry tarts. Also rice pudding – see later. Famous sayings: “Reach
up now….”
Claimed never to eat anything but banana sandwiches herself.
Carolyn stayed with Granpa Harold and Mrs McBride for several days in 1974 to collect
information for a thesis on dialectology. Mrs McBride imparted plenty of gossip and family
history over the kitchen table. Granpa Harold knew even more, but rarely passed it on –
main source of input his domino appointments at the Bridge End pub.
Mrs McBride’s granddaughter Bridget was a great favourite with Great Granpa Harold. She
used to follow him around “helping” as he worked in her father’s upholstery business,
doing general odd-jobs. One day a sycophantic visitor caught sight of her peering round
from behind Harold’s legs, aged about 3. “Who’s a sweet little girl, then?” he asked in an
oily voice. Bridget took a firm stance, announcing scornfully “You daft bat”.
