Thursday 2 February 2017

Don't Believe The Tripe

Fanny Cradock was an untrained cook. No shame in that at all, and indeed she was not ashamed in the slightest. She was extremely proud however of the very many Gastronomic Honours that she and Johnnie were awarded*. Generally Johnnie's were for the wine, and Fanny for the food, but there were a few that they both 'secured'. One such honour entitled Fanny as the intriguing Grand Dame de la Tripière d'Or. The linguistic among you, and it doesn't really take much translation, will have clocked that made Fanny the Grand Dame of the Golden Tripière.

*or if I were cynical, purchased or contracted to promote...

Fanny Cradock Tripe

The what? The who? The why? Without questioning Fanny's honours (although see * above), the answer lies in an equally intriguing dish. One of the most famous in Europe, Fanny proclaimed and certainly the most famous Tripe dish in Europe. Without a doubt it is also a dish for cooking tripe in. With it's very own gastronomic order - Gastronomie Normande. The Tripière is certainly something special. Fanny describes it as an earthenware flying saucer. Perfect for casseroles, especially tripe. The shape of it encourages the rising fumes to be locked in resulting in a superb flavour. Makes perfect sense. You wouldn't really want the tripe fumes escaping now would you?

Fanny Cradock Tripe

Fanny took her Tripe honour extremely seriously. She promoted Tripe at every opportunity, chastising the British public for their lack of love for the lining of the cows stomach. In France they seemed to not have the same disdain and indeed their youngsters seemed to be jolly excited to eat Tripes à la Mode de Caen, as Fanny reported in newspaper columns and in her books from the 1950s to the 1980s. The recipe changed a little depending on the decade, with calf's feet being replaced by pigs trotters, parsley for thyme and from time to time wine instead of cider and calvados. But always tripe. Lots of it. Fanny couldn't understand why it was not more popular.

Fanny Cradock Tripe

Fanny and Johnnie travelled to Normandy to attend a banquet given by the Order at a disassociated Abbey in the Norman capital of Caen. This was held to celebrate the original banquet on the same date in 1066 where William the Bastard of Normandy (not a title bestowed on the Cradocks, that I know of, at least not in polite company), his knights and gentlemen sat down to eat Tripes à la Mode de Caen from these marvellous tripières before embarking for England and the Battle of Hastings. You see, you cannot have Tripe without a Tripière. Perhaps Fanny has overlooked the victory in history as the mystery downfall for Tripe in England.

Fanny Cradock Tripe

Fortunately, for me at least, no-one has yet developed a vegetarian Tripe alternative, although I fear it may not be far away. Glancing at some of the questionable alternatives in the supermarket (Vegan Fish Fingers anyone?) I would say it has potential to be next on the list. Fanny's 'Mum's Tripe and Onions' would surely be a Quorn bestseller? I really must sign up to la Tripière d'Or, or perhaps I should just track down an old Tripière dish for myself and join the Tripe Marketing Board? Surely Fanny would've been at the helm if she were still around, so would only be fitting. Perhaps they'll induct me? Perhaps they may not accept vegetarian members? Perhaps I should set up the Tripe Alternative Marketing Board? Perhaps not.

Fanny Cradock Tripe

6 comments:

  1. What a load of tripe ;) what about potted hough (or however you spell it!) equally as vile. Fanny is game tho.

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    1. I know nothing about this Potted Hough stuff, thankfully! I'm not sure if I've ever had Tripe either tbh - although a distant memory says yes!

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  2. Oh tripes, Fanny was all about nose to tail wasn't she. Given the choice between eating tripe regularly or becoming a vegetarian, the latter would prevail. All power to her for using it. Any recipes for tripe in aspic with blue icing?

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    1. No, she really just seemed to push the same old Tripe recipe year after year... ;-)

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  3. I have had tripe in Andalucia, which was actually okay, and as a dim sum, which was also okay, but it's not something I'd ever go mad for. Never had it a la mode de Caen, though.

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    1. If you do ever try it, Fanny says the traditional recipe smashes up the trotters before they go in, but she feels 'who has time for that?' so flings them in whole... ;-)

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