My Toad of Toad Hall! - Real Mum story on MoM

14 Comments

When I was a child, there were foods I wanted to try just because they had a freaky name. Growing up with an English father and Irish mother helped because the English love an eccentric name (Spotted Dick anyone? ). One of them was Toad In The Hole.
I loved the book The Wind in the Willows and I had always imagined that this dish was linked to Mr Toad from Toad Hall and that by eating it I’d be transported to Toad Hall to hang out with Mr Toad.
The Toads are sausages and they poke out from pastry which is like a giant Yorkshire Pudding, the Hole. Today it is still a favourite of mine and one I have passed on to my Greek niece only we gave it a bit of a Mediterranean feel by adding basil, Italian sausages and baby vine ripened tomatoes. Traditionally it’s made using pork sausages and rosemary.
My husband loves it and and devours it each and every time I produce it. The session ends with him patting his stomach after seconds and I’m reminded that I am in the presence of my own lovable rogue, my very own Mr Toad.

Posted by rachkap, 7th July 2014

14 Comments

- - deb_gs said
  - 30 Jun 2015
    11:10 pm
I loved eating Toad in a Hole in the UK. Although I am unsure why the Brits are so obsessed with Yorkshire puddings!

- - mom57522 said
  - 29 Sep 2014
    2:58 pm
The ending of this story made me chuckle!

- - mom56842 said
  - 01 Aug 2014
    12:06 am
I love Wind in the Willows and can see how you would make the connection.

- - mom70050 said
  - 21 Jul 2014
    1:05 pm
Such sweet memories you have shared, thank you.

- - damish70 said
  - 20 Jul 2014
    12:16 am
You should post the recipe for other MoMs

- - Statho2000 said
  - 17 Jul 2014
    10:53 am
Hahaha had a bit of a chuckle! Your very own Mr Toad….who would have thought.

- - Kelly said
  - 16 Jul 2014
    4:39 pm
Im from the UK and when i first moved here and had friends over they were all so excited to hear about all the weird and wonderful names with have for things.
Even now they still find it funny that in the UK we call thongs – flip flops as thongs in the UK are knickers lol

- - ashblonde said
  - 10 Jul 2014
    9:52 am
It brings back childhood memories, Toad in the Hole was another way of using left over meat & creating a family favourite loved by us all.

- - mom61907 said
  - 08 Jul 2014
    9:51 pm
BTW, sausages and mashed potatoe is called bangers n mash, which is beautiful, make the gravy with 4 onions sliced then slowly fried till soft, then add barbeque sauce and make into a gravy,,,,,,,,,the 3 together are lovely, add a green veg and carrots if you want……backto basics. again.

- - cherz said
  - 08 Jul 2014
    8:06 pm
My all time favourites Bubble and Squeak, and Jam Roly Poly. Yummm. Thanks for sharing your story.

- - arcticwynta said
  - 08 Jul 2014
    11:11 am
I know to well all they English delights in food raised by my Mum English married my Husband English but they have been handed down to my Daughter and many of my Grandchildren have eaten one or another at one time

- - mel1 said
  - 08 Jul 2014
    10:53 am
The kids always love great names too, makes food fun.

- - hopefullyheidi said
  - 08 Jul 2014
    10:51 am
I loved the book and the series on television. I wish they still had some of those sorts of programs on now. I have flicked through my recipe books and found some great English recipe names, such as you describe. It makes them interesting. I love one I found called an Eton Mess. Interestingly Jamie Oliver seems to follow this trend as well with great catchy and different recipe names.

- - BellaB said
  - 08 Jul 2014
    10:43 am
I always thought the sausages were in mashed potato… Live and learn!