A tasty tale of Yorkshire’s recipes and dishes!
From seafood to savoury snacks and sweet treats. Yorkshire’s larder is nothing short of impressive …
Fabulous Yorkshire Fare
Yorkshire is a vast county including lush pastures, seaside landscapes and cool, dark forests.
And this varied terrain gives us same fabulous local food and tasty recipes.
Starting with the sea, North Yorkshire fishermen have ventured out on the ocean wave for hundreds of years.
They set sail from small fishing villages such as Staithes down to bustling harbours such as Whitby or Scarborough.
Delicacies like crab and lobster, white fish including haddock and cod, and cockles and mussels have been harvested from the North Sea and offer healthy, delicious repasts.
There is a local concoction, often called the North Sea Fisherman’s Pie.
This uses locally caught haddock or cod along with prawns, herbs and spices together with fluffy mashed potato and freshly grated cheese.
This is a hearty dish and full of flavours of the sea. Other villages along the Yorkshire Coast use different fish including ling and woof.
And you can add bacon for that extra salty, savoury twist.
Kippers, Anyone?
Our coast also has connections to the silver darlings, otherwise known as herring.
The herring would shoal off the Yorkshire Coast in the late summer.
They were caught in vast numbers before being brought ashore where the fish were gutted and then preserved in barrels of sparkling salt.
Of course, Whitby is famous for its kippers, which are the smoked version of herring.
Smoking, like the barrels of salt, is a form of preservation and one such smokehouse, Fortune’s of Whitby, have been smoking fish since 1872.
Kippers are a real local delicacy and can be eaten at breakfast for those who enjoy the strong flavour.
Moving away from the sea to the land, Yorkshire is well catered for when it comes to tasty meats such as lamb, pork and beef.
Yorkshire farmers look after their livestock prior to slaughter and there’s nothing tastier than roast beef and Yorkshire Pudding.
Yorkshire Pudding
Which leads us nicely onto this Yorkshire favourite.
Made from a simple batter of eggs, flour, milk or water, it’s a versatile food, creating comforting favourites such as toad in the hole or simply served with onion gravy.
There is some discussion as to the beginnings of this now eponymous dish.
Some researchers suggest a dripping pudding (later called the Yorkshire Pudding) was first mentioned in a 1737 book called ‘The Whole Duty of a Woman’.
Staying with the baking theme, if you’ve heard of Egton, then this pretty village also has a claim to fame in the culinary world.
Fat Rascal
The term Fat Rascal is often associated with this village, as are Turf Cakes.
Of course, these dishes aren’t just found in Yorkshire, with various recipes found up and down the British Isles.
The ingredients can include self-raising flour, caster sugar, butter, currant and sultanas.
For the best flavour, cook in a frying pan and eat while still warm.
Turf Cakes include similar ingredients, although soft brown sugar and glace cherries are also advised.
These can be cooked in a medium oven for up to 20 minutes.
Here in Whitby, we also have local bakers such as Bothams who create tasty treats for both immediate consumption and for taking home as an edible souvenir.
Where to Eat in Whitby
See our guide to eating out in Whitby! Let us know if you’d like something adding to the list.
