RENOWNED chef Mary Ellen McTague was featured all last week on the Great British Menu on BBC2 with a menu inspired by her husband’s grandparents, Bill and Vera Tottingham from Edington, and their stories and experiences from the war.
The theme for the Great British Menu was D-Day and Mary Ellen has a close personal connection to this brief as Bill was on HMS Wensleydale on D-Day whilst Vera was making boots for soldiers back home.
Some filming took place in Edington where Vera and Mary Ellen looked at photos from the war and discussed ideas for dishes.
The episode that aired on Wednesday 16th April features Mary Ellen making a dish inspired by Bill’s time in the navy called ‘Bill’s Pot Mess’. Vera explains, “When Bill was out at sea there was only cold food available as no smoke was allowed. So when the troops came on shore they put all the meat and tins of beans left over in a big pot to cook, and ate a large meal.
“Another dish Mary Ellen made on the Great British Menu was inspired by the Christmas pudding we used to make during the war which had carrot in as we didn’t have enough dried fruit.”
Discussing the food available during the Second World War, Vera said, “We had fish and chips and grew our own vegetables around our bomb shelter, but there were no bananas and meat was rationed. We made do and didn’t miss out on much.”
Bill and Vera recently celebrated 67 years of marriage and Bill is currently at Longbridge Deverill Home.
Mary Ellen opened her own restaurant – the Aumbry in Manchester drawing on a love of traditional and historical British food. It was named 8th Best Restaurant in the UK by voters on Toptable. Mary Ellen also won the ‘Chef of the Year’ award at the Manchester Food and Drink Festival 2013. You can visit the restaurant website at www.aumbryrestaurant.co.uk
