Originally a suet pudding, now more likely to be pastry, filled with gammon, vegetables and gravy at one end and with apples at the other, rolled and baked. The clanger used to be of great size, sufficient to feed a family for several days. Hence, dropping a clanger was dropping several days supply of food.
A variety of large, yellow cooking apple flushed blushed with red which probably arose in Bedfordshire around 1800. Slices of this apple retain their shape on cooking. It is a late season variety, harvested from early October in South-East England, is stored and is at its best between October and December.
Bergamot. A herb of the mint family with finely toothed, dark green leaves, used in perfumery, particularly in eau de Cologne. It has few culinary uses, but the lemon-scented leaves can be added to salads, tisanes and fruit cups. Bergamot is also a citrus fruit.
Beech nut. A small, triangular nut which grows in groups of two or three on beech trees.
Brown beech mushroom. The true shimeji mushroom. which, in nature, grows on wood, often beech as its name implies.
The beech nut is a small, triangular nut which grows in groups of two or three on beech trees. Although the meat is rather bitter, the flavour improves with grilling or roasting. The oil extracted from them is considered to be second only to olive oil in quality. It keeps well and is excellent for frying and salad dressings.
