THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — www.findonvillage.com created by Valerie Martin, contains scenes from her home village of Findon, West Sussex, U.K.
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The church at Patching near Findon. |
MARY HACK AND THE DOWNLAND TRUFFLES
Copyright Valerie Martin 2002.
Not far from Findon is Patching off the Long Furlong (A280) road — where the view from Patching Hill is considered to be one of the finest in Sussex. Patching is tucked away with its pond among the trees of the Downs and the woods were at one time a favourite location for truffles and during the 1800s a noted truffle hunter was William Leach. He arrived from the West Indies and for four years he had a strange quest as he worked his way up the coast from Land's End in Cornwall to the mouth of the Thames..... the Chilterns and Kent.
It is reputed that he had such a love of truffles that he brought several trained pigs with him from the West Indies. He searched for the best site in England for truffles and he settled on Patching near Findon, where he conducted a thriving little business hunting for truffles for the rest of his days. William's fame as a truffler put Patching on the map for its legendary truffle pies, these were traditionally eaten at Christmas.
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I took this atmospheric night time shot tonight in December 2007 of the nearby church at Patching..... |
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...... and here it is after stumbling out in the darkness into the ploughed field beyond. |
Around 1880 (the exact date is lost in the mist of time), there was another well known truffle hunter in nearby Patching.
Her name was Mary Hack and I do not know if she ever made the walk over to Findon Village in here search for truffles or not. She was not a local person but had come over from Ireland and it is not known how she came to settle in the village of Patching.
This old Irish woman led everyone, including her neighbours, a
fine dance. She would depart from her cottage with her basket and
disappear round the corner, passed the church and over the Downs by many a
devious route.
I have found recipes for Truffle Pie but have been unable to obtain the recipe for Patching Truffle Pie, has anyone come across it?
The nearest I have been able to get is in this extract I have discovered of Samuelson's "A Sussex Ride of 1938"....
| I have read of a Patching truffle pie but I have been unable to get a recipe. In view of Patching's former glory for truffles, I suppose this may have been "A Patching Truffle Pie" made according to an 1810 recipe which is similar to the famous Strasbourg pies, beloved by gourmets. I obtained the recipe from the 1810 cook book written by Francis Collingworth and John Woolworth, cooks to the Crown and Anchor Inn, in the Strand, London..... Chop and cook 1lb veal, ½lb fat ham, 4 oz lean ham, 6 fat goose livers and a shallot. Add 4 oz marrow, chopped parsley, thyme and seasoning. Pound the mixture until it is "well incorporated" and leave till cold. Meanwhile make a raised pie in three parts, fill with the mix and top with siced truffles. Put pastry lid on and bake in an oven made very hot with faggots. When about to serve lift the lid and pour in a glass of madeira"
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Continue if you would like to read about Patching Pond.
THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — was launched by Valerie Martin in January 1999 and will grow to be a historical record of life in Findon, West Sussex, U.K.
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E-mail: valeriemartin@findonvillage.com |
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