A Cock and Bull Story

Road into Stony Stratford

Once upon a time, in 18^th and 19^th century England, weary travellers would gather in the inns of Stony Stratford for a pint and to share the news of the day. At the time, Stony Stratford was an important stopover point for coaches travelling the Roman-built Watling Road between London and northern Britain. Coach travellers were the main source of news from remote parts of the country.

Bridge across the River Ouse

You know how it goes. A few pints in and tongues loosen, tall tales get taller. Storytellers compete to come up with the oddest, the strangest, the most outlandish stories. As the town’s web site tells it, the town’s two main coaching inns developed a rivalry as well, vying to be known as the best place to hear a good story. As it happened, these inns were named The Cock and The Bull. 

Bull Hotel, Stony Stratford

And this, the Stony Stratford Cock and Bull Society insists, is how the phrase ‘Cock and Bull story’ originated.

There are other stories claiming a different origin for the phrase 'Cock and Bull story' but this is Stony's story and they're sticking to it.

In honour of this proud story telling heritage, Stony Stratford holds an annual literary festival every January. The festival includes bardic trials that end with the selection of the town’s poet for the year. This year’s bard is Phil Chippendale.

But the story-telling and the drinking go on. This Friday and Saturday from noon to 11 p.m. both days, Stony Stratford is hosting the 11^th Cock and Bull Real Beer Festival. You’ll find it at York House Centre on London Road (MK11 1JQ for your sat nav). Entry is free and the music is live, if you are interested in attending. 

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Spotted What?

While visiting the nearby town of Stony Stratford, I stopped in at the Cock Hotel (Now stop your giggling. Of course they mean rooster!) for a coffee. At least that's the animal on the picture outside.

                               The Cock Hotel in Stony Stratford                        Photo by Lynette Hill

Then I looked at their menu. It included a dish called Spotted Dick.  

 ???

Naturally I had to try it.

The staff helpfully explained that the dish is a steamed sponge cake, flavored with raisins and cinnamon and covered with a light vanilla sauce. I enjoyed every bite of the still warm pudding they produced.

Spotted Dick from Stony Stratford's Cock Hotel                                Photo by Lynette Hill

Traditional recipes include suet and currants. One variation, known as Spotted Dog, includes plums.

I recommend having one (the pudding, that is) with coffee for afternoon tea.

(For my American readers, pudding in British means dessert. As the Encyclopaedia Britannica explains, a British pudding can as easily be a cake as a custard. And by tea I mean the light meal generally served around 4 p.m., not the drink. Of course you knew that already.)

Food Fight:

The name has become embarrassing enough that in the early years of the 21^st century a branch of the United Kingdom’s National Health Service attempted to rename the treat 'Spotted Richard.'  The supermarket chain Tesco's considered following suit. This raised the ire of the Pudding Club, determined defenders of traditional British desserts. Eventually the purists prevailed and the tasty, raisin-filled pudding kept its name.

But Why Call it Dick?

The short answer is that no one really knows. That is, of course, a completely unsatisfying answer.  Wikipedia offers the theory that the name evolved over time from pudding to puddink to dick. Given the variety and creativity of British accents I suppose that's possible.  I find their second theory, which blames the Germans, less likely.



How Old is It?

While similar recipes have been around since at least the 1600s, the Oxford English Dictionary says the earliest documented reference is a recipe for "Plum Bolster, or Spotted Dick", in Alexis Soyer's The modern Housewife or ménagère (1849). You’ll be pleased to know that the book is still in print and it’s even available on Kindle.

Make Your Own

The Food Network offers this modern recipe for making Spotted Dick. Just remember to prick four times before baking to let the fairies out. At least, I think it's a modern recipe.

Come back tomorrow and I'll tell you another 'Cock and Bull story.'