Our Ancestors Recipes

Welcome to Our Culinary Archive

Welcome to Our Ancestors' Recipes – a celebration of the culinary treasures that graced the tables of Halifax and Yorkshire for generations past. These recipes are far more than mere instructions; they are windows into the lives, prosperity, and ingenuity of our forebears.

Each recipe in our collection has been carefully researched and authenticated through historical household accounts, period cookbooks, trade journals, and the fond memories of those who knew them. Whether a modest potted meat for a working family's Sunday supper or an elegant pâté adorning the table of a mill owner's dinner party, each tells a story of our heritage.

– Harry Facks, Curator, HalifaxPeople Heritage Collection

Our Recipe Books

Click on any book to explore its complete index and sample a recipe. Each beautifully designed PDF is ready to download and enjoy.

Our Ancestors' Recipes: Book 1 - Starters

1.1 Potted Pork

1.2 Smoked Salmon Pâté

1.3 Devilled Eggs

1.4 Pickled Herrings

1.5 Potted Shrimp

1.6 Oysters with Mignonette

1.7 Aspic Jelly

1.8 Tongue in Aspic

1.9 Calf's Head Vinaigrette

1.10 Lobster Salad

1.11 Prawn Cocktail (Victorian Style)

1.12 Anchovy Toast

1.13 Cheese Straws

1.14 Sardine Canapés

1.15 Vegetable Terrine

Our Ancestors' Recipes: Book 2 - Mains

2.1 Roast Beef with Yorkshire Pudding

2.2 Lamb Cutlets with Mint Sauce

2.3 Pork Chops with Apple Sauce

2.4 Chicken Fricassée

2.5 Braised Oxtail

2.6 Beef Stew with Dumplings

2.7 Mutton Pie

2.8 Fish Pie with Oysters

2.9 Sole Meunière

2.10 Salmon Steaks with Hollandaise

2.11 Trout Almondine

2.12 Rabbit Stew

2.13 Venison Roast

2.14 Sweetbread Cutlets

2.15 Boiled Bacon with Parsley Sauce

Our Ancestors' Recipes: Book 3 - Puddings

3.1 Sticky Toffee Pudding

3.2 Bread and Butter Pudding

3.3 Rice Pudding with Jam

3.4 Suet Pudding with Custard

3.5 Treacle Sponge

3.6 Jam Roly-Poly

3.7 Plum Pudding (Christmas)

3.8 Syllabub

3.9 Trifle

3.10 Blancmange

3.11 Panna Cotta (Victorian Style)

3.12 Gooseberry Fool

3.13 Apple Crumble

3.14 Rhubarb Custard Tart

3.15 Lemon Posset

Our Ancestors' Recipes: Book 4 - Drinks

4.1 Mulled Wine

4.2 Punch (Victorian Style)

4.3 Lemonade (Homemade)

4.4 Ginger Beer

4.5 Cordial (Elderflower)

4.6 Cordial (Blackcurrant)

4.7 Hot Chocolate (Victorian)

4.8 Tea Punch

4.9 Negus (Spiced Wine)

4.10 Syllabub (Alcoholic)

4.11 Shrub (Fruit Vinegar Drink)

4.12 Barley Water

4.13 Ratafia (Fruit Liqueur)

4.14 Sloe Gin

4.15 Dandelion Wine

---

If you have enjoyed your visit to this website, please spread the word by clicking the 'like' and 'share' buttons below. Thank you