Witzend, I’ve made toad-in-the-hole and served a beef dinner in a big Yorkshire pud, though I didn’t know M&S did them, and you’re right, it’s yum!
What do you find yourself avoiding more as you get older?
On the thread about roast beef, lots of people talk about doing a roast with 'all the trimmings'.
I know what all the trimmings are but why, and when, did people start calling roast potatoes, veg, gravy etc 'trimmings'?
Witzend, I’ve made toad-in-the-hole and served a beef dinner in a big Yorkshire pud, though I didn’t know M&S did them, and you’re right, it’s yum!
Mollygo
LadyHonoriaDedlock, thanks for that idea.
My SIL can’t or doesn’t like rice and pasta So I served her curry with a jacket potato or mash. I wonder if she’d like it neatly enclosed in a big Yorkshire pudding. I must ask.
M&S do a ready meal consisting of a big Yorkshire pud, containing roast beef, veg and gravy.
Bought them once for me and dh - thoroughly enjoyed them.
Jaxjacky
Am I the only person who’s not bothered about Yorkshire puddings? They don’t really taste of much and are so big sometimes (when you eat out) they take up space.
The Yorkshire pudding is my favourite part of the roast dinner. I am disappointed if it is not offered.
'Trimmings' are the bits that lots of people can no longer afford....in fact lots of people can't even afford a basic roast dinner these days
Sago
Potatoes, veg and gravy are not trimmings to me.
Trimmings are more, bread sauce, pigs in blankets, stuffing, game chips, Yorkshire puddings etc.
I agree, trimmings are the 'fiddly bits', not the vegetables. They are basics.
My dad loved swede. My mother would mash it with potato, butter and pepper and we knew it as ‘ stunge’
Never had it for Christmas dinner though.
Oh, just seen your post Gundy.
So you have swede with your christmas dinner?
Jaxjacky
You can MissA I’d just rather have more sprouts, swede, snips, pigs in blankets and roasties. Perhaps I need a bigger plate🤣
That is the advantage of a large plate rather than a bowl, you can get more on!
kittylester
But, when did they become 'trimmings'? Until recently we had what Ann is talking about as a matter of course without calling it trimmings.
I ca not shake an image of roast beef edged in swans down or frills.
I seem to remember reading a non fiction book by Charles Dickens in America on a visit there, and people talked about the trimmings with food.So it either went from here to the US or is an Americanism perhaps?
Oh, turkey and stuffing too, maybe a side late as well..
You can MissA I’d just rather have more sprouts, swede, snips, pigs in blankets and roasties. Perhaps I need a bigger plate🤣
annifrance…
Thank you for pointing that out, about the negativity. It’s not easy to enjoy this blog when you read pointless things like that. I’d much rather see some HUMOR instead of the barbs.
Who cares what the food is called, you call it what you want - to each his own. Every family has traditions which is nice.
Maybe the phrase came from the USA… we use it all the time.
Cheers!
USA Gundy
Makes sense to me - trimmings. Roast Beef takes center stage in the meal… everything else served with the “star of the show” enhance and are the trimmings to the roast. Just like we say “Turkey and all the trimmings.” Can’t wait!
Cheers!
USA Gundy
Unless the family are around, it's two of us but I always do a roast on Sunday. Manage a few exceptions during the summer. Chicken 🐔 today with Delia's Bread sauce. At Christmas I'd be happy to have all the veg and trimmings- Delia's bread sauce and her cranberry sauce, chestnut and cranberry stuffing, dried apricots soaked in sherry or white port, wrapped in bacon and roasted. Delicious cold.
I ever only cook for us two these days. Not sure I could cope with large numbers as my kitchen is tiny.
Today we had roast pork for a change, with stuffing. I parboiled the veg before roasting, until almost cooked, but my husband still said his roast potatoes were underdone.
From about one year after getting married in 1970 I did 18 Christmas' non stop. I loved doing it, and all the trimmings and more.
I don't do so much now as the French do it differently. I am glad for the break from being the 'go to' person for Christmas but enjoy doing it full on every so often and always help/do the lot when I spend it in England with my children.
Couldn't care less what people call it, seems mean to pour cold water on others' pleasures. Trimmings is fine by me. If I didn't enjoy cooking and presenting the result to nearest and dearest I probably wouldn't do it, but would not cast aspertions on others enjoyment.
"All the trimmings" leaves me cold as a phrase. I slso dislike "pigs in blankets", ,"yorkies" and "roasties". I do like Yorkshire puddings though I'm not as good at making them as my daughter and I absolutely love good roast potatoes. I like to think mine are pretty good after 41 years perfecting them but occasionally they don't go to plan. I do look forward to a Sunday roast and find it a very easy meal to produce - many other weekdays meals which sound so simple take a lot of preparation & faff !!
Jaxjacky
Am I the only person who’s not bothered about Yorkshire puddings? They don’t really taste of much and are so big sometimes (when you eat out) they take up space.
You can put extra veg roast potatoes inside them, though. 
sodapop
I like my Yorkshire pudding as a starter with gravy, the old fashioned way.
We always had it like that when I was a child. None of these little ones. It was a big tray cut into portions. My Nan said you could make that stretch further if you had unexpected visitors.
I like my Yorkshire pudding as a starter with gravy, the old fashioned way.
Talking of words we can’t stand…..my pet loathe is “ hubby”. See it far too often on GN.
LadyHonoriaDedlock, thanks for that idea.
My SIL can’t or doesn’t like rice and pasta So I served her curry with a jacket potato or mash. I wonder if she’d like it neatly enclosed in a big Yorkshire pudding. I must ask.
LadyHonoriaDedlock
kittylester
Ooooh, no. That's weird!
I like curry, I like Yorkshire pudding, so it makes sense to me.
Which raises the whole question of whether food should always be eaten in a particular traditional way or whether it's ok to ring the changes with fusion styles.
For example, should haggis always be eaten with bashed tatties (makes sense sometimes) and cheppit neeps (can't stand the things, not plain boiled anyway)? Or as haggis supper, a tempura with salade Glasvège? Or is the very delicious haggis pakora in order?
I think there's a time and place for tradition and haggis, neeps and tatties is hard to beat, but we can also move with the times too, and haggis lends itself wonderfully to many other dishes. I make a haggis lasagne, which - even if I do say so myself - is absolutely delicious! Chicken Balmoral is another great dish.
I never say all the trimmings, is it not just your veg, gravy, roasties, etc. I love the roasted root veg that Iceland do in bag or their red cabbage and apple at this time of the year. A little bit different from my normal broccoli, carrots, etc.
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