Jon and Michael have been fussing from opposite sides of the nutmeg question for quite some time. They *have* to give each other a hard time about it. It's become a tradition with those two and it's always a giggle.
I love the episodes with Michael. He's quiet and laid back yet still conveys his genuine enthusiasm and love of what he's doing. I hope he makes many more appearances. Bubble and squeak is one of our camp favorites at rendezvous. We have always done it similar to this method. If we add potatoes and substitute in ham, its a New England boiled dinner to us.
That's the first time I've seen that version of bubble & squeak. Usually in the countries of the UK, we make bubble & squeak by frying up the leftover vegetables from the Sunday roast. In my family, we serve it either with meat from the joint, or bacon / gammon. Makes a great Monday evening dinner. It's great seeing Michael on the channel
Same and to use such a now expensive cut of meat takes away from the history of Bubble and Squeak. B&S is a meal made with leftover veggies and meat. tbh I would add a side dish of simple buttered egg noodles or dumplings but that's me.
@GarouLady I usually serve with a poached or fried egg on top, because the UK version is a drier dish. However, I think your suggestion of pasta or dumpling with this recipe would be perfection 🙂
My mother used to make us bubble and squeak when we were little and I loved it. I grew up on it and this is very close to how she would make it. I miss my mom terribly. She passed on three years ago. I am going to make this for my dad this weekend. I think he will love it because he always used to finish what us three kids couldn't when we were little ones. I love this channel and it saddens me that John is gone but I will keep his legacy alive and well in my home. Rest in peace Sir.
You know that feeling when you can't find adequate words to express your gratitude and admiration, so you shake hands with other person, stare deep inside eyes and just say thank you? It's worth more than plenty of words. I feel this way about you and your hard work guys every time new episode comes out. Thank you
That would totally kick up the flavor a notch. When we make mashed potatoes in the fall, we add ⅓ part mashed rutabagas to ⅔ parts mashed potatoes, cooked in the same pot. It's delicious. You know the mashed potatoes taste great, but it's not quite identifiable as a turnip flavor.
@@crystaldottir 🤣Lol. Perhaps rutabaga would be a little less "turnipy" flavored. I always put turnips & apples together in the family Thanksgiving turkey stuffing recipe. It's another turnip pairing that works.
Anyone else suprised and glad that even after such bad recent news that they channel is still able to continue the memory and smash out amazing videos as normal! What a testement to the memory and foundation of this channel. Amazing video as always! Also to add as an English person from the Black Country, my mother always used to make this mid week to bulk out dishes post sunday roast to maximise ingredients and taste without having just boring 'left overs', massive memory of my childhood here!
I’d not keep mentioning it and let it go, because he does read the comments. Just out of respect, let memories be memories and not a controversy, worthy of constant reminders.
@@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721 It indeed is ... if you crush up about 3 or 4 whole nuts and eat it you'll be high for like 18 hours. Never did it myself but some of the kids are crazy about it.
Dragoo!!! It's always good to see Michael on here. I just so happen to have a cabbage that I've got to use. I only used about half of the outer leaves to make a Cabbage Patch stew some weeks ago, so the other half is waiting to be turned into Bubble & Squeak.
I love how confidently he says "today we know 'bubble and squeek' as a mashed potato dish." I'm over here like "what the what?" Yeah, I actually make a dish more similar to this one from the 18th century, than the mashed potato analogue. I'll seer off some chunked up seasoned beef, add some diced onion and carrots, add butter and fry up chunked up cabbage real quick with some salt and pepper, and some herbs, and then let that simmer in some stock for a bit. It's a really great dish. I especially love it when the cabbage still has just a bit of tooth feel to it.
I make something similar to this with smoked sausage. Fry the cabbage and onions in the pan after browning the sausages, dress the veg with some butter and vinegar, whatever herbs sound good.
Yeah I hadn't heard of the mashed potato based bubble and squeak. I've heard of Irish Colcannon though, where spinach or kale are mixed into mashed potatoes. Then of course you can make redskin mashed potatoes with some of the skins left on. So it doesn't sound crazy to mix in peas and corn and whatnot.
I have a reprint of Mrs Beeton's book on Household Management (1861). The recipe is the same as Michael's version, except the vinegar. Mrs Beeton categorizes it in Cold Meat Cookery and advises to fry boiled beef carefully lest it'll be dry and tough. If the cabbage (white, or Savoy) is raw before preparing the dish, then indeed it is healthy and crunchy. In parts of continental Europe you add chunks of potatoes and some broth with a sprinkle of caraway and call it "Irish Stew" (because of the potatoes?).
I really enjoy Michael Dragoo! As the years pass seeing him from time to time is like seeing an old friend. He brings an air of serenity and wisdom to the show. I truly enjoy episodes featuring him!
Michael Dragoo seemed hesitant through most of this episode. I'm glad he loosened up a bit at the end. He's always at his best when he seems like he's on the verge of saying something wildly inappropriate. 😁 I still go back to watch the pancake episode sometimes because of his comments about historical re-enactors.
Bubble & Squeak is a frequent Monday favourite in our household. We have our traditional Sunday roast dinner and then with any leftovers, make bubble & squeak on a Monday. Makes me proud to be British lol
@@wardy6224 well me either. But never actually heard of bubbles and squeak really either. My mom would make something similar but it has tomatoes and elbow macaroni too. Of course I'm thinking back many many years now, so it may have had a totally different recipe and I just remember the cabbage and ground beef with it also
That is kind of close to a dish my grandparents used to make. They grew up during the depression. We use the cheap high fat ground beef, cabbage, some rice, onions, and tomatoes (could be fresh, canned, diced, crushed, etc), beef broth, salt/pepper and some seasonings. It is all mixed in a heavy oven safe pot. in our instance we use an enameled cast iron dutch oven with lid. put it in the oven and cook tell the rice and cabbage is done. Very cheap to make and very filling. Great stuff.
@@CrystalMcNair my grandpa who is Polish would make stuffed cabbage with rice ground beef tomato sauce and it's wrapped in cabbage unfortunately he's not in enough good shape to do it these days but it's so good. You cut it open and kind of spread it a little bit drizzle it with a little bit of mustard and pepper
@@NicCageForPresident2024 yeah! That's how my grandma would make it. She'd sometimes put slices of bacon on top the cabbage rolls. They would be served with pierogies or blitzed potato pancakes (like Jewish style, but thin and onions. Topped with sour cream)
I've loved all your videos and recently came across a reenactor on reddit who acquired his outfit from Townsend Sr. , he touched so many lives and you continue his beautiful legacy
WELCOME BACK MICHAEL DRAGOO!🤩 Bubble and Squeak is a great choice: cabbage would be kept in the root cellar and beef would be salted in a barrel or hanging in a larder. I was thinking fatty and collagen-rich joint of beef.
Maybe it's a British thing, but we have bubble and squeak almost exclusively after Christmas Day dinner and New Years dinner - can't wait to try out this recipe!
My wife and I learned the concept of Bubble and Squeek about 8 years ago, as a Thanksgiving leftover dish. There seem to be as many recipes for it as skillets to put it in. We've made it a few times and I really do like it, but we don't often have a meal that would have leftovers suitable for it.
I'll say again, like I've said in the past, I love this channel. The mix of interest, education, and positive calm delivery, is just wholesome goodness.
We have always done it this way. The cabbage is boiled with quartered potatoes and carrots and served with lots of butter and pepper. The frying is just to brown the boiled beef and veg a little. Scotch and Irish ancestry.
In PA my family called this "halusky" and it is the one dish I could not live without, even to this day. Butter-fried cabbage and onions with brats or bacon, sometimes served with egg noodles or dumplings if one wanted to put forth the effort. So good!
Tough meat mightve been pickled in vinegar to make it more tender. We still have some local recipes that take tough cuts and stew them with vinegar ( and that are sweetened up with molasses to lessen the acidic impact ).
Fascinating episode as always guys! I'm English, and we regularly make bubble and squeek after a roast dinner, so was very surprised to learn about including beef into the dish, we've always just done it with veg only! I also thought it was called bubble and squeek because of the sounds your bottom and stomach made after eating it the next day 😂
I think a lot of the more basic "comfort" style dishes are better in a lot of ways than the overly complicated haute cuisine. Sometimes a simple boiled cabbage can be super tasty. My mom used to make a sauer kraut and pork chop slow cooker meal, super easy to make it's just pork chops and sauer kraut and diced potatoes slow cooked so that the pork falls off the bone. A little salt, pepper, and caraway seed is all the seasoning in it. Hearty and tasty. And very inexpensive for a large family. And a great way to stretch your meat supply!
Very interesting to know. My husband came to America from the UK. He taught me about bubble and squeak, which we make on occasion. I am very excited about this version you have put together and may make it for dinner tonight. It’s always fascinating to me to learn about our early days of cooking. I too, appreciate all you do. Thank you!
When I was a child my father use to drink the cabbage green water seasoned with salt, white pepper and malt vinegar. Think it was common to do in the old East End of London.
Loved the recap of all the episodes that Michael has been in over the years. Whenever I have leftover ham, I always make the Scotch Egg that Michael demonstrated in the early episode.
Gotta think this would be good with a corned beef roast too. Even pork would be good I think. I've eaten a lot of cabbage with different meats and the corned beef and pork (chops, tenderloin, etc) seem to be the best combo. I might need to go buy a head of cabbage for dinner tonight now...
I've never seen it made like they made it!!. Im from the UK & we use lard to fry the onion and cabbage and chopped bacon add some diced potatoes fry them together & cook until tender then add some fresh or frozen peas if you like!. Sooooo yummy!! Sometimes I like to add turnips & parsnips!!. I'm definitely going to try this way for sure looks great!!.😋
I've also had cabbage with canned corned beef. If you use a good one then it's a great meal. I get mine at Asian markets. Usually use a spicy corned beef. Great winter pantry meal.
Yes! I was reminiscing to myself about the Scotch eggs episode, which is how I discovered Townsends in the first place, though it was a couple of years later. I was fascinated with Scotch eggs and after watching that episode was hooked on this channel. Twenty years ago I lived near a little Cajun breakfast joint and my favorite dish was their version of Bubble and Squeak: grits with spinach and meat (I don't remember what kind) in a tomato onion sauce, all with a couple eggs poached in the sauce. Thank you both for another wonderful episode!
btw I love your channel and I have been here since your guest today came for his first episode. My family immigrated to the US and has been here for 140 years and most of your recipes are much older than that but your show always crates a wonderful window into a familiar but foreign age which is a great escape from the day to day. you are amazing and keep up the good work.
Growing up we had a dish we called "Dew" You went through the fridge and made Dew with what you had. I still make it to this day. Love when you have Michael on. He's the kind of guy you would want as a neighbor.
I'm only half way through, but I had to stop to thank you both. My hard day just melted away. You are both so very kind. Excellent teaching...I watched the gravy being poured in...and I was wondering why it was so brown...and the explanation made me realize how much I have been throwing away and could be saving for future dishes. I'm an American wife and mom.
I used to make something similar with ground beef (browning the beef and then adding onions and cabbage). I would call it "slop". It was also delicious haha.
I’m so happy I’ve stumbled upon these vids. They help me de-stress, are filled with fun history, and they make me want to try out these recipes. Thanks Townsends!
Hi Michael! Good to see you! Its a bit quiet at the forts these day. We've been to Harrodsburg, but not much to Boonesborough lately. Next you fellows are going to have to get into heirloom veggies. We've been dabbling in that, and trying different varieties. We are finding that older varieties of cabbage are quite different from modern cabbages. I also didn't realize that there were spring varieties, fall varieties, and winter varieties. I think I have five varieties going right now for spring, and more in reserve for fall and winter.
@Brent Smith Growing up in the South, with family in the foothills, I don’t think I’ve EVER had cabbage cooked in any way that wasn’t served with vinegar. Lots of Scots-Irish influence in all our traditions. You can sure do a lot worse than to wind up with a gal who likes her cabbage and sausages!!
Traditionally i mainly see cabbage being used raw in my area. Usually in forms of salads or intended to bring a fresh crisp to boiled dishes. But even then i see vinegar being used often too, usually vinegar gets added in the soaking water. The area I'm talking about is Germany/Netherlands at the nothern area
My mother was an interpreter at a museum in a famous baseball town in the mid to late 90’s and as a child I used to love walking around the grounds and learning about everything. One thing my mother brought home with her was the recipe for Bubble and Squeak, something I still make to this day, 20+ years later. Her iteration uses salted pork from the pig that was hung upstairs and adds in potatoes. Cabbage was fried/steamed instead of boiled and drained.
Amazing to think I’ve been watching you all for so long. Love this channel and your guests. Thank you so very much for bringing history and joy to others.
Good to see Michael, I always enjoy his videos with Jon. Fun that they returned to the 'stewed crab incident', which, even though a failure, is one of my favourite cooking episodes.
You gotta love the fact that with everything going on in the world we can still have a laugh because Jon leans into the joke of him putting nutmeg on EVERYTHING.
Good gravy! Michael has returned to continue the activities in the German kitchen of which I am so fond. I like everything this channel cranks out, but the kitchen recipes with Jon are what hooked me.
This looked delicious ! I was surprised with the vinegar addition though . Re gravy, I always make my gravy with the meat juices added, I never throw away the beef or lamb fat . I use the fat and a bit of the juice for roasting potatoes in and the same for cooking the Yorkshire puddings in 😊👍
The stewed crab debacle remains one of my favorites to watch. You guys turned an unpleasant outcome into one of the most entertaining episodes of the series.
Recently shared your channel with my girlfriend and was pleasantly surprised to find her watching while folding some of our laundry! She usually hates learning anything historical (she’s picky) but something about your content she genuinely enjoys. Thanks John! History has always been a passion of mine and thanks to you she’s finally coming around to learning more about our fascinating past!
a bit over a decade ago I'd used a bit of apple cider vinegar when braising some chicken for my uncle. He was a gourmand, but was in a wheelchair due to a broken hip. He flipped and was so pleased he asked for the recipe, when I said I'd used apple cider vinegar the look of surprise on his face was gratifying.
Wow! I've only had it made this way! Everyone's comments about the modern version really surprise me. Guess I should try a modern version as the traditional is my usual. A family that all experienced the depression and live where that type of cabbage is tough enough to survive ( Alberta) probably had something to do with the popularity of this dish in our family. I like it best with pork hocks.
Love your videos! I have numerous allergies and found 18th century dishes are very fitting. I love to cook at home and over a fire or brazer. No one ever walks away from my encampment complaining. Thanks again!
I thought bubble and squeak was corned beef and cabbage. Who knew? Leftovers were Thursday night fare: Mom cleaned out the refrigerator. I loved Thursdays! I'm 71 yo...I still love leftovers.
Outstanding! Please have Michael back more often. Not only do I love the food 'experiments' but the dynamic between you two is right up there. Now I need some cabbage......
John: "You keep coming back Michael" Michael: "What? You say that as if you no longer want me here" Jon: **whispers** "You impeded my backhanded nutmeg additions to dishes that don't call for it. You are banned from the Nutmeg Tavern"
This might be a great alternative to the St. Patrick's tradition of corned beef and cabbage. The corned beef doesn't appeal to me so this seems to allow any type of meat for the dish. Bubble and Squeak with no blarney 🍀
@@black_rabbit_0f_inle805 I believe Cally is mashed potatoes with leeks or onions and heavy creme, whereas Colcannon is mashed potatoes, white or red cabbage (or kale in some areas) with plenty of butter, milk, salt and pepper. My Nana was from County Roscommon and that is how she always made both Cally and Colcannon. It is lovely with a nice cut of grilled or broiled pork!
Yes. Never been this early before. Just had to ask since I’ve been curious lately. You often do episodes about drinking and alcohol, but what about the other vice: smoking? I can imagine the pre-rolled common cigarettes we get today didn’t exist yet. But how does tobacco work then? Do most people grow it? Was it common enough that a poor farmer could buy some and smoke? How much did it cost? What would they use to smoke it? Just things I’ve been wondering lately as I watch your vids while outside on a smoke break.
While some people grew their own, most people by this time would have bought it. Tobacco plantations were a thriving business in the south. Although one could roll his own cigarettes, most smokers used pipes.
I really appreciate the work you’re doing to preserve our history. I really enjoyed this episode because for years I have wondered what is bubble and squeak? Now I know, thank you!
At 8:30, Was waiting for you to say, "Could use a little nutmeg!" :) To me, "bubble & squeak" always referred to cabbage cooked with leftover meat scraps (vs. mashed potato based), I thought it referred to the texture of the cabbage al dente as I chewed it.
Thanks Jon and Michael for sharing this video, they figured back then that anyone who could read was smart enough to cook so they were short on giving instructions. Not being a chef or cook and not being taught by Grand Parents or Parents I find myself at a loss when trying to fix many different meals. I enjoy cooking with easy to follow instructions though and like others my mid drift is drifting more than my doctor would like. Thanks again, Fred.
Another thing that's fairly common to jolly old England - usually made for breakfast on Monday, with leftovers from the Sunday roast. In their time, the beef would have gone tender (or rather, less tough) from being slow roasted on a spit. They would likely have rubbed the meat with things like salt (and nutmeg if they had it), and used a branch of rosemary to brush the beef with its own drippings as it cooked, both basting and seasoning it in one go. The meat was going to be tough and dry in spite of their efforts anyway, so hey, might as well collect the dripping and make gravy. The first recorded instance of bubble and squeak is in the St James chronicle of 1762, where it is mentioned as though it is something everyone reading would know exactly what it was, so it's certainly much older than that. It also describes it as being 'garnish'd with eddowe's cow bumbo, and tongue' - if you have any idea what eddowe's cow bumbo is let me know, as I'm at a complete loss. The cut of beef used would almost certainly have been topside, top rump or silverside, the cabbage would very likely have been a standard white cabbage, but they might also have used sugarloaf, savoy or a number of now-extinct varieties. The spuds (if you choose to use them, but the earliest known recipe containing them is from the middle of the Victorian era) could have been many hundreds of varieties, but one I know for certain was around in the 18th Century is the Pembrokeshire early variety - they would have been roasted in the dripping pan under the beef, then the day after mashed up for the bubble and squeak. For 19th Century potatoes, you could use irish lumpers, champion, kerr's pink or arran banner varieties.
My Mum always made bubble and squeak on a Monday. Monday was washing day, pre washing machine days, so some cold meat from the Sunday roast and fried left over veg was a quick, filling and tasty meal for her to make. She always used roast potatoes and Yorkshire puds chopped into it too...heavenly.