I don't have a lot of real friends, but I do have a lot of imaginary ones.

[Amina Sopwith]

Where do I get a weaponised cake with which to ambush the Prime Minister?

I feel much safer knowing that if war breaks out, we can fight them off with a Victoria sponge. Mine tend to be quite light and airy though. @Madelaine McMasters, the Ministry of Defence may be in touch for your mother's recipe.

[Lewis Luminos]

9 hours ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

I am so lucky. My grandmother (English) was a superb cook who would have been a great deal more adventurous had my grandfather any interest in food that wasn't very conventional Brit fare. But what she did cook, which was a pretty broad range of English dishes, she managed superbly. My mother (also brought up in England) is even better, and has been able to tackle a far broader range of cuisines -- but both left me with a healthy respect for real English peasant fare.

Savages, the both of you. Although I'll confess I mostly prefer kidney in things. When I was a kid, I ate them fried, with tons of HP Sauce (which is the salve for all slightly suspect foods). Preferably with bubble and squeak.

I have not retained a fondness for liver since becoming an adult, however.

My mum was a good cook too but like your grandfather, she was hampered by my dad's unadventurous taste (plus low income, so she learned to be very frugal). While I was growing up, it was just about possible to tell what day of the week it was by what meal was on the table, with any variations dependent on what special offers she'd get from the local butcher, or from neighbouring farms. As dad got a bit older he got a bit more adventurous and learned to enjoy such things as pizza, curry and Chinese style stir-fry (always home made though, never from a take-away. The only actual takeaways we'd ever have would be fish and chips). 

Her Cottage pie/Shepherds pie is still my favourite and I still make mine the same way she did; a can of baked beans mixed in with the meat to make it cheaper - though I do it because of the taste, not because of the cost. She did liver wonderfully too, with a rich onion gravy and it would be tender and juicy. Too many people overcook it so it turns into boot-leather. It's got to be rare or medium-rare, no more than that. 

Bubble and squeak was a rare treat - there were seldom enough leftovers to make it.  It was one of the few things my dad would cook himself, and one of the first I learned to cook as a kid. 

I will be forever grateful that neither of my parents liked tripe, however mum did buy it for one of our dogs (a fussy eater, tripe and boiled rabbit were almost the only things she would eat). Both of those being something I had to leave the house for when they were cooking.

[Amina Sopwith]

59 minutes ago, Lewis Luminos said:

Bubble and squeak was a rare treat - there were seldom enough leftovers to make it.  It was one of the few things my dad would cook himself, and one of the first I learned to cook as a kid. 

As a veggie, I can't participate in a lot of traditional British fare, but I can do this and frequently do. I always overcook the quantities of veg and potatoes at Christmas on purpose so that I can do some Boxing Day bubble and squeak, so it's sobering (and appropriate) to be reminded that many people don't have the choice of having leftover food to make it.

[Lewis Luminos]

There is sadly no room for vegetarians in traditional British cuisine. Almost the only things that aren't meat or fish, are puddings and cakes, and even then, they often contain suet. Vegetables and potatoes are always present of course, but almost never on their own. The only other things I can think of are cheese and potato pies and Welsh Rarebit. Devilled eggs used to be popular but they are not British in origin. 

[Silent Mistwalker]

People eat some really weird things. I don't think I'll ever eat again. 🤢

[Amina Sopwith]

3 hours ago, Lewis Luminos said:

There is sadly no room for vegetarians in traditional British cuisine. Almost the only things that aren't meat or fish, are puddings and cakes, and even then, they often contain suet. Vegetables and potatoes are always present of course, but almost never on their own. The only other things I can think of are cheese and potato pies and Welsh Rarebit. Devilled eggs used to be popular but they are not British in origin. 

Cheese ploughman's and cheese and mushroom Wellington are also options.

Vegans really are stuffed. Or not, I suppose.