For a Father's Pride (35 page)

‘Well, thank you, Henry, I appreciate your time. I’ll see you right. Would your good lady wife like a box of groceries? Sam will deliver them in the morning – no charge, of
course. Let’s say for services rendered?’ Luke showed Henry out of the door.

‘Well, why are you still sitting here? Get gone!’ Luke flicked his apron at Sam and grinned.

Sam needed no further excuse. He’d missed Daisy so much. He knew he loved her – he loved her with every beat of his heart – and he was fed up with his mother making his ears
burn every day with her constant nagging. He shot out of his chair like a rabbit out of a trap, with his mother shouting warnings behind him.

‘Leave him be, Mother. You’ve a wedding to plan. We’ll have to make the best wedding cake ever seen, because it’s going to be a wedding of substance.’

Daisy watched Sam pacing back and forward in front of the lit fire. She had been surprised to see him standing on her doorstep, and now he seemed to be struggling with his
words.

‘Daisy . . .’ He looked serious, and kept giving fleeting looks at young Tobias. ‘You know that you are the centre of gossip in Hawes, but I won’t listen to it. In fact
none of my family will give the gossips the time of day, and we will stand your corner – we know you’ve been wronged.’ Sam took a deep breath. ‘You know how I feel about
you, and that we are engaged to be married. Well, I was stupid when I said I needed time to think about it, especially when it comes to young Tobias there. I would be proud to make you my wife, and
for Tobias to be brought up as our son.’ He exhaled deeply, relieved that he’d said it as planned. ‘Damn it, Daisy, I love every inch of you. Let’s get married as soon as we
can – and to hell with the rest of the world.’ He grabbed her by the waist and kissed her, and kissed her again and again.

‘Sam! There’s Tobias.’ Daisy smiled and struggled for breath.

‘Come here, Tobias. I’m your new father, and I promise I will look after you for ever.’

Tobias ran to their side. ‘Can I help myself to the toffees in your shop?’ He grinned up at Sam.

‘You can help yourself to a toffee every day, and have cake every day. And we’ll make sure you have shoes and clothes when you want them. And that dog your mother was promising?
Well, just go and have a look at what is tied up in the back of my cart.’

Tobias sprinted out of the door.

‘Sam, you haven’t?’ Daisy watched from the doorway as Tobias got licked to death by an over-eager sheepdog puppy.

‘I have. But what about you, Mrs Allen? When are we to be wed?’ Sam held her tightly and kissed her neck. ‘I know: how about Valentine’s Day – the perfect date for
perfect lovers?’

‘That’s lovely, Mr Allen. Time to read the banns, and for your mother to settle down to the thought of me entering your family.’ Daisy had tears in her eyes as she kissed her
man. All was perfect. She had her home, her man and her son.
Please God
, she thought,
let everything go to plan this time
.

The cold wind blew as Sam and Daisy entered the small chapel at Lunds at the head of Garsdale. It was a cold February day, but inside the chapel the love of the couple and
their family warmed the very bones of everyone gathered there. Even Joshua Oversby and his fiancée, Kitty, beamed as Daisy and Sam kissed after the vicar’s blessing.

‘Excuse me, everyone. And behave yourself for a minute, my lad. Sorry, Vicar – you’ve said your bit, now I’ll say mine.’ Luke Allen stood in front of the
congregation. ‘I know some of you perhaps think these two shouldn’t be married. But I knew from the minute I set eyes on Daisy that she was a grand lass. Now I just want her to know how
much she means to me.’ Luke fumbled in his pocket and pulled a full jam jar out of his pocket. ‘In honour of my new daughter-in-law, here is “Daisy Allen’s Lemon
Cheese”. I got the labels printed last week, as a surprise.’ Luke grinned from ear to ear.

‘Sit down, you silly old fool. There’s more to life than lemon cheese.’ Mary pulled at his jacket.

‘Aye, lass, but she’s going to make me a fortune.’

Luke winked as he watched his son and Daisy walk down the aisle, and whispered, ‘Now that’s what I call a good investment!’

Lemon Cheese

4 eggs

450g / 1lb caster sugar

100g / 4oz butter

Grated rind and juice of 4 lemons

Break the eggs into a basin. Beat slightly, then add the other ingredients and stir over a gentle heat in the basin, over a pan of simmering water, for about 20 minutes or
until thick.

Pour into dry jam jars. When cold, cover securely and store in a cool, dry place.

Variation: Orange Cheese

Substitute 2 oranges for the 4 lemons, and add the juice of 1 lemon. Use just 50g / 2oz butter, melting it in a double saucepan or bowl, before adding it to the eggs, sugar,
rind and juice.

Kiss-Me Cake

225g / 8oz self-raising flour

pinch of salt

50g / 2oz margarine

50g / 2oz lard

50g / 2oz sugar

1 medium egg, beaten

3 tbsp of milk, if required

raspberry jam

caster sugar for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4. Grease a baking tray.

Mix the flour and salt together. Rub in the margarine and lard and stir in the sugar. Mix to a stiff dough with the beaten egg, adding a little milk if necessary to get a good consistency.

Divide the mixture in half, then roll out both halves into thin rectangles. Place one rectangle on a baking tray and spread with the raspberry jam. Place the other rectangle on top and pinch the
edges together.

Bake for 15–20 minutes until golden brown. When cool, cut into squares or triangles and sprinkle with caster sugar.

Onion Chutney

2 tbsp salt

1.4kg / 3lb coarse brown sugar

3.3 litres / 6 pints malt vinegar

3 dozen cooking apples, peeled and thinly sliced

5 medium Spanish onions, thinly sliced

100g / 4oz green ginger, thinly sliced

900g / 2lb sultanas

100g / 4oz bird’s-eye chillies

40g / 1½ oz mustard seed

6 shallots, thinly sliced

Dissolve the salt and sugar in the vinegar, then strain and add to a preserving pan.

Add the apples, onions and ginger and the other ingredients, and cook gently until the apples and onions are quite tender.

Pour into small jars or wide-necked bottles. When cold, cover securely and store in a cool, dry place.

Christmas Mincemeat

3 large cooking apples, cored

3 large lemons

450g /1lb raisins

450g / 1lb currants

450g / 1lb suet

900g / 2lb soft light-brown sugar

50g / 2oz candied orange peel

30ml / 2 tbsp orange marmalade

250ml / 8fl oz brandy

Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F / Gas Mark 6.

Place the cored cooking apples in an ovenproof dish, cover tightly and bake for 50–60 minutes, until thoroughly tender. Leave to cool.

Grate and squeeze the lemons. Roughly chop the lemon shells, place in a saucepan and add cold water to cover. Bring to the boil, cover the pan and simmer for about 1 hour, until the shells are
soft enough to chop very finely.

Scoop the apple flesh from the skins. Place in a large bowl. Stir in the lemon rind, juice and shell with all the remaining ingredients. Cover the bowl and leave for 2 days, stirring
occasionally.

Pot into jars, pressing down the mincemeat well. Cover tightly and store for at least 2 weeks before using.

Victoria Sandwich Cake

Originally the Victoria sandwich cake was oblong, filled with jam or marmalade and then cut into fingers, or ‘sandwiches’. Now the same basic mixture is used with
many different fillings, and it is served as a single round cake.

fat for greasing

150g / 5oz butter

150g / 5oz caster sugar

3 eggs, beaten

150g / 5oz self-raising flour,

or plain flour with 1 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

raspberry jam or other filling (such as lemon cheese)

caster sugar for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4. Line and grease two 18cm / 7-inch sandwich tins.

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the beaten eggs gradually, beating well after each addition.

Sift the flour and salt into a bowl, then stir into the creamed mixture, lightly but thoroughly, until evenly mixed.

Divide the mixture between the tins and bake for 25–30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack, then sandwich together with the jam or other filling. Sprinkle the top with caster sugar.

Westmorland Parkin

fat for greasing

200g / 7oz butter

450g / 1lb black treacle

450g / 1lb fine oatmeal

200g / 7oz plain flour

5ml / 1 tsp ground ginger

2.5ml / ½ tsp salt

10ml / 2 tsp baking powder

200g / 7oz Demerara sugar

100 ml / 3½fl oz milk

5 ml / 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Preheat the oven to 160°C / 325°F / Gas Mark 3. Line and grease two 20cm / 8-inch tins.

Heat the butter and treacle gently in a saucepan, stirring until the butter has melted. Mix together all the dry ingredients, except the bicarbonate of soda, in a mixing bowl, making a well in
the centre.

Warm the milk in a saucepan over a low heat until hand-hot. Stir in the bicarbonate of soda until dissolved. Pour in the dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in the melted butter and treacle.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared tins and bake for about 1½ hours, until cooked through and firm to the touch. Cool in the tins and then cut into squares.

Farmhouse Pork and Rabbit Stew

Serve this delicious dish with jacket potatoes baked at the same time.

Serves 4

1 rabbit, jointed into portions

25g / 1oz flour, sprinkled with salt and pepper

1 head of celery, chopped

2 onions, chopped

225g / 8oz boneless pork, finely cubed

½ teaspoon sage

½ teaspoon thyme

275ml / 9fl oz milk

120ml / 4fl oz chicken stock

Preheat the oven to 160°C / 325°F / Gas Mark 3.

Coat the rabbit portions in the seasoned flour. Put half the celery and onion into a greased casserole dish. Arrange the rabbit on top and then the pork cubes. Sprinkle on the herbs. Cover with
the remaining celery and onion.

Mix the milk and chicken stock together and pour over the ingredients in the dish. Cover and bake for 2½ hours. Serve with the baked potatoes to mop up the sauce.

Yorkshire Dream Cake

100g / 4oz butter

100g / 4oz plain flour

25g / 1oz soft brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4. Grease a Swiss-roll tin.

Rub the fat into the flour and then add the sugar. Put into the tin, flatten out the mixture and bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool in the tin.

225g / 8oz soft brown sugar

25g / 1oz plain flour

100g / 4oz chopped walnuts

75g / 3oz dessicated coconut

½ level tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

2 eggs, beaten

Mix all the dry ingredients together and then add the eggs. Combine well, spread on the top of the cooked mixture in the Swiss-roll tin and bake for a further 20 minutes. Do
not overcook, as the cake will harden as it cools.

Sugar Apple Cake

100g / 4oz margarine

100g / 4oz sugar

2 eggs, beaten

100g / 4oz self-raising flour

grated rind of 1 lemon

milk for mixing

2 large cooking apples, peeled and sliced

2 tsp cinnamon and 2 tbsp of sugar, mixed together

25g / 1oz butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F / Gas Mark 6. Grease a 20cm / 8-inch cake tin.

Beat the margarine and sugar to a cream, then add the beaten eggs, flour and lemon rind. Mix with enough milk to make a stiff consistency. Pour into the cake tin.

Place layers of apple slices on top. Sprinkle the cinnamon-and-sugar mixture over the apples and dot with butter. Bake for 35–40 minutes. When cold, serve with cream.

Author’s Note

Although this book is a work of fiction, and most names have been changed and the events are completely fictitious, two Yorkshire families have influenced my writing. Here is a
little history about these two great trading families.

ELIJAH ALLEN

This family-run business was started in 1860 by Thomas Allen, who was a farmer in Gayle, a tiny hamlet above Hawes in North Yorkshire. Thomas owned livery horses that he would
hire out for use pulling carts, or for funerals and weddings. During the great railway-building era of the 1870s Thomas decided to diversify and had the good idea of filling a cart with food to
sell to the hundreds of navvies working on the railway line at Ribblehead. Every week he filled his cart with provisions such as tea, sugar, eggs and tobacco, and the local butcher came along as
well – with a shotgun under the seat, in case of trouble. Later Thomas’s son, Elijah, and his wife Alice, a very resourceful lady, moved to larger premises in the centre of Hawes, where
their shop can still be found today.

WILLIAM MOORHOUSE & SONS