With the ground hidden somewhere under Witney whiteness, thinking about growing anything seems fanciful. When my limbs finally get unwrapped from multi fleece layers they’re surely going to look even more ‘forced’ than from normal winter hibernation.
So instead I’ve dived back into the bookshelves and rifled through my cookbooks.
The Cranks Recipe Book. Published in 1982 it contains over 300 vegetarian recipes from the restaurant of the same name. First appearing in Carnaby St in 1961, Cranks didn’t set up home in many places, but of the few it did, Guildford and Dartington, Devon were, at differing times, on my doorstep.
Delicious, wholesome food served on hand thrown, stoneware pottery.
Each time, the same dilemma – Cheese Bap, split, buttered and filled with mustard and cress or Homity Pie, a humble, rustic, mouth watering mix of potato, cheese and onion.
But today the focus is on tomatoes and what I can put in my inspiration store cupboard. What’s interesting about these recipes is that even for soups or stews, fresh not tinned tomatoes are used. Perfect for the home grower.
For days when we need warming from the inside – Lentil and Tomato soup or Macaroni or Haricot Beans in Tomato Sauce. Or how does carb comfort from a homemade Tomato and Cheese Pizza sound ?
When summer comes however, lunch could be Cheese, Onion, Tomato Flan, Fresh Tomato soup or simple Salads of Tomato, Cucumber, cubes of white Cheshire Cheese with French dressing? Or even simpler…. slices of tomato, onion, scattered with parsley with French dressing.
Not so simple as Simon Hopkinson says, is anything involving Agar Agar, the vegetarian gelling compound derived from sea weed – so even though it’s blessed with 3 of my favourite things – eggs, tomatoes and mayo – I’ll have to pass on the Egg and Tomato Mousse.
What I am going to put on the menu more this year – hot or cold – are stuffed tomatoes. For picnics – cold with breadcrumbs, cream cheese and chives. And for warm decadence, served with crusty French Bread, tomatoes baked with cream and cheese.
What’s strange now is to think that the name Cranks derived from how this kind of cooking – vegetarian and wholefood – and those who ate it were seen.
Now the same recipes seem straightforward – perhaps even traditional ?
