Typical Glaswegian Dinner Menu- 50's/60's

[accobra]

Hi John & All,
On the subject of menu's / Dinners I was fortunate to receive free meals firstly in the Gorbals during the week at Abbottsford Place and on a Saturday I used to go to Strathbungo School,
< I hope spelling is correct> I was about 5 years old and i remember the uncertaintity of getting any food on first visit as the older boys were hiding there plate of food under the table when the Dinner
Ladies served the trouble makers and it was chaos.! But my meal in the end but for some reason or the other they ran out of puddings and I remember it was my favorite Caramel Cake.!!
The Dinner Ladies were always my heroes as the always seemed to have a torrid time especially on a Saturdayand when I moved to Knightsw
ood and went to Garscadden School for my free meal the
lady in charge their a certain Mrs . Blair always seemed to have a difficult time with a certain rowdy element and when the resident Janitor came to her aid I could see one or two of the trouble makers
climbing onto the roof and attempt to strip some lead of the roof.! Again the Dinner ladies were on the
front line.! My favorite meals was always Mince and Tatties , Stovies , Lemon Curd Cake ,
Caramel Cakeand Custard <Lumpy or not. > it was brilliant. Best regards Reg

[Granny911]

Hi Reg
Great seeing you back on here again.
I have to agree with you on the caramel squares and custard, that was simply to die for. I have tried making the caramel squares and have never been happy with the outcome, but will keep trying until I get it right. Take care Reg and all the best. Sheila

[DannyGill]

Hi Reg+Shelia
You have me slaverin here ha ha, well Reg I must say I never went to the school dinner hall as it was pandemonium [ went just the once] there were Teachers looking at you and the Bully boys tried kicking you under the table, it just wasn't for me. My Ma used to give me money for something to eat at school-dinner time and my pals and me used to walk along to the Unique chip shop for a poke of chips with plenty of salt n vinegar . I too used ti love the mince and tatties my Ma used to make at night time with a big plate of Scotch Broth before hand [warmed you up in the Winter], then straight out after that out to play fitba with my pals and you burned off all the calories wish I could do that now ha ha. Friday nights were different as a lot of peopl went to the chipper and got [my favourite] a special fish supper with a pickled onion . When we left the Soo-side and moved to south Nitshill we used to wait for the mobile fish shop on a Friday night [it was an old refurbished single decker bus] as the nearest fish/chip shop was about a mile away and would have been cold by the time I ran back with it. Hope you both had a Happy/Good New Year, speak later.
Regards.
Danny

[Granny911]

Hi gang
Just thought of another disgusting meal some people liked....Tripe!
My dear old Dad loved it, I would make it for him but the smell... OMG it was awful!
He knew when he was having that meal he was dining alone as none of us would even sit in the kitchen, we would all go into the lounge with the door closed until he had finished! He used to share it with our dog who apparently loved it too! I used to spray the house with scented air freshner for days after cooking tripe.
Thanks Danny I had a very good New Year and hope you did too. Cheers, Sheila

[amelia]

Hi All I remember a horse and cart used to come 'round the streets when I was young selling it they had it in an aluminium bath no this isn't a joke and I am not on this shortbread Ask anyone who is in their 70's.
Amelia

[amelia]

Hi Sheila you have been speaking about caramel shortbread (Milionaires shortbread) A woman who I knew used to put the tin of condensed milk in a pan of water for a few hours and let it boil away, don't know if she pierced the top of the tin before and then mixed it up, I will send you on Mary Berrys recipe for it tomorrow as I'm off to bed.
Goodnight
Amelia

[DannyGill]

Hi Gang,
Talking of Tripe , I can honestly say that I never had it, my Ma just never made it and there was something about even the name that made me not want to try it [then again I might have liked it if I did try it who knows], it's like a lot of food names I suppose. Remember I used to love going to some of the cafes/diners along the Saltmarket and Gallowgate where you could get ribs and cabbage etc and I did love these Glasgow dinners,yummy.
Regards.
Danny

[accobra]

Hi Sheila ,Danny , Amelia
Really good input on this one
First and foremost i would love the recipe from Amelia on Caramel Squares or Caramel Cake as I remember it by . Yes Danny the Dinner Halls were all about survival of the fittest to get that mid -day
meal .! I must also admit I also had " Tripe and onions on my menu . Ugh.! Ugh!
I can only liken it to chewing old leather shoes .!!
But occasionally small potato may appear and you would mash that into the onion gravy.
I do not recall ever seeing tripe as one of your five a day .! But it was very inexpensive.?
Danny you never missed anything by not eating "Tripe " It just means that you were what one
would say as " Well to do "or posh . I was always glad to get a meal as I know some who perhaps did not even have anything at all.! Finally I would love to get sight of that Caramel cake <Square>.!!!

Ps. I had my "Haggis last week and I scoffed the lot with a Whisky sauce .!1 Yum Yum.!

Best Regards to all on the site and keep up the good work.and posts.!!

Reg

[freddy]

Hi Chinas Just out of the Golden Jubilee after a quadruple by-pass, still not 100 per cent yet. But all this talk of mince and totties and cabbage and ribs will certainly help. Surreyboy.

[amelia]

Hi Freddy sorry to hear you've been in hospital if I would have known that I would have dropped in with a bunch of red grapes
Hope you keep well
Amelia