Edward Le Quesne: Delicacies

Edward Le Quesne (1882-1957) was elected a Deputy for St Helier No 2 district in 1925 and held the seat until he stood successfully for the new office of Senator in 1948. This is an extract from a journal he wrote entitled “50 Years of Memories”, written sometime around 1949.

Black butter night is still, I am happy to say, a continuing tradition, albeit mainly a heritage one. I remember in the 1980s going to a traditional farm when many farmers still made it. Wraic gathering has also completely gone, but I still remember seeing tractors with trailers on the beach in St Brelade, gathering it up. I never liked Ormers but that may have been the way they were cooked; I always found them rather tough, like one images the soles of shoes would be. Not mentioned is St Brelade's particular custom, on Good Friday, of serving Conger soup as part of a Lent lunch, but that is probably of more recent origin. I've not been able to find when Lent lunches began.

Delicacies

During the winter months black butter often replaced jam to spread on our bread. This was made from apples and the making of it was a real ceremonial occasion in many of the farmhouses. Huge cauldrons, or “ bashins ” as they were locally termed, were filled with peeled apples and cider and placed over a wood fire.

All the family and often many neighbours were called in to stir the contents and this went on throughout the night. The family and guests, when not engaged in stirring the apples sat around singing and spinning yarns and at intervals refreshing themselves with both solid and liquid nourishment. Very often the liquid form predominated, and the early morning witnessed a company returning home, happy and contented but far from steady on their feet.

Huge quantities of this delicacy was made and of a Saturday it could be bought at many a stall in the Markets. Some of it was slightly spiced, some a dark-brown in colour, some intensely black and highly Spiced.

Many families, especially in the country, would have a large tub of salt pork, and would use this pork during the winter months instead of beef. Pieces would be taken from the tub and boiled to make soup, and the meat eaten either hot with vegetables, or cold with bread and pickles.

Another favourite dish was “ Tripe-a-la-mode-de Caen.” Shops existed in the Markets at which tripe could be bought of a Saturday and placed in a pot with vegetables and sent to the bakehouse similarly to the beans.

Other delicacies were sand-eels and ormers, and although both of these are still occasionally available, they are nothing like as popular as in those days. Thousands of ormers used to arrive in French “ Chasse Marées ” from the Roches Douvres and could be bought at from 6d. to 1/- a dozen. Sand-eels were often dried by the hundred and provided a welcome change for the evening meal, whilst many were fried in butter and used as a substitute for meat at the mid-day meal. Fourpence to Sixpence a dozen was the price paid for this delicacy.

 

Another great occasion in the country was the Big Plough or “ Grande Charme.” This was the annual ploughing event and provided an occasion for hard work and entertainment. More co-operation was in existence than appears at present amongst the farming community, for on the occasion of the Big Plough, neighbours not only supplied horses but spent the day themselves in assisting in thework.

The ploughs were drawn by teams of four, six or eight horses, some belonging to the owner of the field being ploughed, the others belonging to the assisting neighbours. Whilst this was going on the women-folk were busy preparing the mid-day meal. This was a sumptuous affair. Huge joints of beef were roasted, and vegetables and puddings provided, and at mid-day the workers came in and ate to their hearts’ content. Again plenty of liquid refreshment was available,.and at various periods during the morning and afternoon the women-folk came to the field with cakes and cider or hot coffee. It was a fine sight to see and much more picturesque than the ploughing by tractor of .to-day.

The gathering of the vraic harvest was also an event, and for this work special buns were provided. These buns called vraic buns were made of flour, butter and. raisins and were taken by the vraickers for use whilst on the beaches gathering the harvest.