Food Rules.

Somewhere I read in a historical food book or article that the accompaniments were tailored to the meat, in that they would serve a version of what the animal ate when alive. Lambs and sheep chomp willy-nilly through the herbs and grasses on the hillsides, which is why we put mint (a herb) with their meat, domestic pigs traditionally get apples to eat, so pork is served with apple sauce.

Turkey and cranberry sort of makes sense, as they both come from America, although I'm not sure if they come from the same part of the country!

We always had "French mustard" (which is nothing like French mustard) with our beef. Not sure how that relates to a cow's diet. Isn't horse radish traditional with beef?

When I was a kid, Yorkshire pudding, as we weren't from Yorkshire, was served traditionally with roast beef only, and on the same plate and at the same time as the meat and spuds. They were very popular, my mother did them well, always saying that the secret was in getting the fat really hot first. (I say "they" because she made individual ones in patty tins)

The rules stating that lamb goes with mint sauce and pork with apple sauce only apply in Britain. Most of the continent will serve rosemary and garlic with lamb and mustard with pork. (See Asterix in Britain(I think it's that one) where they seem to think that the British serve mint sauce with all kinds of meat.)

Personally, I think lamb and beef taste absolutely wonderful on their own and I can quite happily eat them with no accompaniment at all.

Adding garlic, rosemary, onions, sage, or mint will add an extra dimension to the smell when cooking, which adds to the enjoyment of the meal.

Gorgeous! Indeed

Garlic with lamb is a must. Just roast whole cloves with the roast then squeeze them out! Gotgeous

Make sure you use plain flour and salt and put an extra egg in the mix When. Beat it well - I make it in the mixer or liquidiser. The consistency should be like single cream and make sure the oven is very hot ie about 220'. I don't have a specific recipe as I just chuck it all in but I do use more egg than recipes usually say and if I'm not careful they touch the oven roof.

As for asking for them in a restaurant remember that the customer is always right !

Would anyone like to start a mail-order Yorkshire pudding service please? I don't think I can be heating the fat to a high enough temperature. On occasion I have asked for one in a restaurant when I've been having something other than beef, and usually I get it, but don't always feel brave enough to ask.

Oh dear - I love marmalade in a bacon sandwich-not ketchup!!!

There are loads of traditional and contemporary recipes for boned and stuffed leg or shoulder of lamb. Pittcity Your relative is mistaken.

Yorkshire puds served as a first course before the roast is a must and it has to be remembered that 'He who eats most Yorkshires gets most meat'.

DD is another who will eat Yorkshires and mint sauce with any meat.

Always remember before DH and I were married �� having Sunday lunch at his mum's (professional cook) his younger sister had brought a new BF and he asked for ketchup with his meal. MiL face was a picture

BTW I have tried Ranch Racoon crisps and Dairy Milk Ritz crackers this week. Both sound so wrong but IMHO taste so right - yum.

Been thinking and a garlic and herb stuffing would go nicely with lamb.

Yorkshires with everything of course.

As for sauces, my sister used to have mint sauce on everything and DD2 would grate cheese on every meal.

You're right Ana it's tradition!

I had mint sauce with fish and chips today. Not sure if it's just a local tradition but works really well.

It's tradition rather than rules, isn't it?

Our grandparents would probably have been shocked at the thought of stuffing with roast lamb, but now it seems anything goes!

Yorkshire puddings are a must for any Sunday dinner and for Christmas day. In fact yorkshire pudding is a must for any roast dinner.

My mother always had the Yorkshire after the meal with jam.
My mil insisted it should be served before the meal
I like it anyway anytime but can't remember the last time I had it. Yorkshire pudding that is.

In our house you can have yorkshire pudding with beef, lamb, chicken or Christmas dinner if you want. As long as the cook (me) has plenty of notice. When my children were small we had mint sauce with everything too, and the dinner table wasn't complete without the tomato ketchup. To this day my DS asks for stuffing and roast potatoes with most of his cooked dinners, he's 30 this year.