Hertfordshire is a county in south-east England whose southern border is just 12 miles from the centre of
The county is full of contrasts which blend together to create a superb quality of life for residents and visitors. Thriving modern towns have developed amongst historic market towns. Country lanes and sleepy, picturesque villages are never far away. The close proximity of London provides employment opportunities with commuters making the most of the fast train links into central London.
The largest town in Hertfordshire is Watford, situated within the M25 motorway and has a thriving shopping centre and business parks. Other large, historic towns include St Albans, Hitchin and Hertford. New towns include Letchworth and Welwyn Garden City. Details of other Hertfordshire towns and village can be found here.
Hertfordshire is a green county, with half of the county designated by the government as Green Belt. Picturesque woodland, river valleys, and open farmland make up a beautiful and varied landscape. The Chiltern Hills to the west and north-west of the county are designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The county has more than 1,800 miles (~3,000 km) of public paths and rights of way, including the The Hertfordshire Way, a 166 mile (265 km) circular footpath. The county also has a number of designated cycle paths. For the more adventurous the county’s canals, rivers and lakes provide opportunities for a number of water sports such as sailing and canoeing as well as the more gentle boat cruises that depart from various points through Hertfordshire.
OUR EXPERIENCE
I’ll be
honest; I didn't do much this week other than the scones - which were not that much different to what I already make. We didn't try the Pope Lady Cakes as I just run out of time. Will try better next times....
Cooked with score (out of 100):
Oven Scones………………………............87
Wanted to cook:
Pope Lady Cakes
Oven Scones
Afternoon tea
was a very important meal. Edwardian cookery books are full of recipes for
different teacakes (American, Irish, Shrewsbury, Watford, Yorkshire) also for
quantities of crumpets, baps, gaufres, pikelets. Also included are many
different kinds of scone - brown, white, buttermilk, potato, soda, sago, milk
and, as in this recipe, Hertfordshire scones.
Ingredients
10 oz (283g)
flour
1 teaspoonful
sugar
4 tablespoonful
butter
4 teaspoonful
baking powder
½ teaspoonful
salt
cream and water
(or milk)
Making and
cooking it
- Sift flour salt, baking powder and sugar into a basin
- Rub butter thoroughly but lightly, into dry ingredients
- Stir in enough rich milk or half cream to make a soft dough (scarcely stiff enough to roll out)
- Turn on to a floured pastry board or surface. Roll to a quarter of an inch (1cm) thickness. Cut into rounds
- Bake on a hot greased baking-sheet in the oven at Gas 8, 230C, 450F for 10 - 12 minutes
- Whisk 1/4 pint (150ml) whipping cream until stiff
- Cut open the warm scones and spread with cream and jam. Sandwich together and serve
Source: http://cookit.e2bn.org/historycookbook/132-hertfordshire-oven-scones.html
(accessed 22.01.2016)
Pope Lady Cakes
'British Popular Customs' by Rev TF Thiselton-Dyer, of 1900 has; "At St. Alban's certain buns called "Pope Ladies" are sold on Lady Day, their origin being attributed by some to the following story: - A noble lady and her attendants were travelling on the road to St. Alban's (the great North road passes through this town), when they were benighted and lost their way. Lights in the clock-tower at the top of the hill enabled them at length to reach the monastery in safety, and the lady in gratitude gave a sum of money to provide an annual distribution on Lady Day of cakes, in the shape of ladies, to the poor of the neighbourhood. As this bounty was distributed by the monks, the "Pope Ladies" probably thus acquired their name. Another correspondent ... says these buns are sold on the first day of each year, and that there is a tradition that they have some relation to the myth of Pope Joan."
'British Popular Customs' by Rev TF Thiselton-Dyer, of 1900 has; "At St. Alban's certain buns called "Pope Ladies" are sold on Lady Day, their origin being attributed by some to the following story: - A noble lady and her attendants were travelling on the road to St. Alban's (the great North road passes through this town), when they were benighted and lost their way. Lights in the clock-tower at the top of the hill enabled them at length to reach the monastery in safety, and the lady in gratitude gave a sum of money to provide an annual distribution on Lady Day of cakes, in the shape of ladies, to the poor of the neighbourhood. As this bounty was distributed by the monks, the "Pope Ladies" probably thus acquired their name. Another correspondent ... says these buns are sold on the first day of each year, and that there is a tradition that they have some relation to the myth of Pope Joan."
The following receipt, widely reproduced in recent cookbooks, with
minor variations, is for a large, undecorated, Pope Lady Cake. It uses baking
soda and cornflour, which would not have been available before the mid-19th
Century.
8oz self raising flour
8oz caster sugar
1oz cornflour
8 egg whites
6oz butter
¼ teaspoon almond extract
Grease and line an 8” round, deep cake tin. Cream the butter and the sugar and 4 of the egg whites together. Add the almond extract and fold in the flour and cornflour. Beat the remaining egg whites till they are very still and gently but thoroughly fold into the cake mixture. Pour the mixture into the tin and bake in a pre-heated oven at 110°C/220°F/Gas mark ½ for 1½ hours. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
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