No, not gang bangers, but savory bangers to complement some mash.
The fall is coming… well, one can only hope, since it’s almost October and the temperature in our ‘hood is still on kissing terms with 100. But ever optimistic for a little chill, my culinary thoughts turn from salads to meat loaf and other more “wintery” fare… roasts, stews, soups and hearty English pub food (well, I am now and have always been an Anglophile)… more specifically, my taste buds started imagining the flavors of bangers and mash, which turned into a craving.
My husband promised he’d become my Lone Banger Ranger (couldn’t resist) and go questing for some bangers. I opted to join him on his quest.
We checked out our local super markets and meat markets. No bangers. Yes they could order us some for the next day, but I wanted them now! That night! So, we decided to go over the hill and into “the city” to the Farmer’s Market where we found fresh made bangers at Huntington Meats, a favorite meat market of ours. Gorgeous looking bangers. We had them wrap up four. Two for that night’s dinner and two for the freezer.
Of course, while we were there we had to buy world-famous Chef Nancy Silverton’s burger blend of ground beef that Huntington Meats makes up especially for her and its customers that I’ve kvelled about on this very blog.
Since going over the hill is not something we do every day we decided to explore the Farmer’s Market. We hadn’t been there in ages so might as well make a fun afternoon of it.
Not a good idea budgetarily speaking. Before we finished we ended up in the Monsieur Marcel Gourmet Market buying an assortment of delicious, fabulous, amazing – and expensive - cheeses to have before our bangers and mash dinner. We got a slice of Tomme de Savoie, a wedge of Brillat Savarin (a quadruple creamy brie-like cheese) and a slice of Bucheron (a very ripe goat-type cheese)…This put a big dent in our stream-lined budget of 2 bucks for 2 bangers and a half a cent worth of potatoes for dinner. But even with these cheese tastes, dinner wasn’t going to be more than $20 for the two of us.
Back home we sipped some wine as we devoured the cheese spread on slices of a baguette that I freed from the freezer… and then sat down to eat our bangers and mash by candlelight. It was everything I thought it would be. The bangers were perfect and when I took that first bite, the skin popped and the fragrant juices filled my mouth. I was in banger ecstasy! Then a taste of the smooth mashed potato smothered in onion gravy to die for, then a fork full of peas (very Brit), then back to the banger. Food Nirvana. Really.
Who says the English can’t cook?! Well, besides the English!
Check out The Huntington Meats (they ship)
