Food content creator Annie Mae Herring has been exploring endangered and lost recipes from the UK and Ireland, she announced on Apr. 18. Through her social media series, Herring is reviving dishes such as carrageen pudding, Bedfordshire clanger, Brown Windsor soup, and chocolate concrete.
The project highlights how traditional foods can evoke strong memories among people who grew up eating them. Many of Herring’s followers have shared stories of their own childhood experiences with these dishes. “Thanks for the trip down memory lane: we used to have this at primary school – it was my absolute favourite,” one follower commented about Sussex pond pudding.
Herring said that while she expected some nostalgia from viewers, the emotional response has been more intense than anticipated. “It’s important we know that these recipes exist before they entirely disappear,” she said. “They provide a snapshot of a different time”.
Other home cooks are also joining in this effort to preserve culinary history. Shannon McCarthy from Barnsley has recreated regional classics like panackelty stew and Staffordshire oatcakes for her audience, prompting similar reactions online. Dr Neil Buttery, a chef and food historian, noted that many hyper-regional dishes—such as jugged hare or flummery—are at risk of being forgotten because they are no longer made regularly at home.
Some chefs believe not all old recipes deserve preservation if they do not stand the test of time or taste; Anna Tobias of Café Deco pointed out that “classic dishes are classic for a reason… because they’ve been tried and tested – and accepted.” Meanwhile, bakeries like La Rondine in Bedford continue to sell nostalgic treats such as chocolate toothpaste tarts to former schoolchildren now grown up.
However, concerns remain about whether younger generations will keep these traditions alive. Matthew Botley from Kentish Mayde warned that steamed suet puddings may eventually fade away as their core customers age out: “I think we’ve got a few years of it yet, but I can see a time when the people who are eating them are no longer around.” Dr Buttery concluded that passing down these recipes is crucial: “you’ve got to pass it down… Otherwise it will disappear.”
