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Use your Lammas loaf
6 , 4 I AM so unnerved by the announcement that a bird-eating Tarantula has given birth to 700 babies in London Zoo that my mind has glazed over and I can think of nothing else. What about next year when all those babies do the same thing? They are bound to get out or be let out by anti-something or other people, and life will be far more dangerous than having attacks of lysteria hysteria. Any spider that can eat a bird is worthy of a lot of terror. However, on we must go. This coming Sunday, the first in August, is Lammas and — of the four agricultural festivals, Plough Sunday and Monday, Rogationtide, Lammas and the Harvest — it is the only one without secular customs. The name comes from `Loaf-Mass', at which loaves of bread made from the first ripe corn were conse- crated and offered to God. Seeing there is a new book on Lesley Blanch's excellent eating habits reminded me of a very useful picnic loaf of hers with which to celebrate Lammas.
Roquebrune tartine
1 long French loaf of the best quality garlic 10 ripe black olives 1 red pepper (pimento) 2 tomatoes a handful of cooked green string beans 4 anchovies 2 tablespoons of olive oil lemon juice.
Cut the loaf in half lengthwise, crush as much garlic as you fancy with a little salt and rub into the cut surfaces. Mash together the olives, the pimento thinly sliced, the tomatoes, green beans and the anchovies. Add the olive oil, lemon juice to taste and a good grinding of black Pepper. When the mixture is thoroughly mixed, spread it on the loaf and sandwich the two sides together. Wrap in foil and put under a weighted pastry board for about an hour so that the flavours sink in.
Another use for the loaf is a splendid beef sandwich which I once made for our previous editor Alexander Chancellor and his wife, who were driving to Italy; it lasted them all the way and remained moist and delicious to the end by all account.
Shooter's sandwich
1 sandwich loaf — the best you can buy 1 thick rump steak some big flat field mushrooms salt and pepper.
Cut off one end of the loaf then scoop out enough of the crumb to enable the beef and mushrooms to be introduced when ready. The rump steak should be about the size of the loaf's base and a good 11/2 to 2 inches thick. Grill the meat under or over a fierce heat, keeping it very rare. Remove from the heat and season on both sides with quite a lot of good sea salt and freshly ground pepper, then insert into the loaf. Grill enough mushrooms to cover the steak plentifully then push them into the loaf. Replace the deleted end of the loaf. Wrap the whole thing in a double sheet of clean white-blotting paper and secure with string into a neat parcel, then secure again with grease-proof paper and more string. Place under a weighted board for at least six hours. When eating this sandwich just cut off each slice as required. 'With this "sandwich" and a flask of whisky-and- water a man may travel from Land's End to Quaker Oats [sic], and snap his fingers at both.' (T. Earle Welby, The Dinner Knell, Methuen, 1932.) To finish on a sweeter note and with the markets full of very good peaches and raspberries I suggest you make this most beautiful and luscious of deserts.
Cardinal peaches (Hume perhaps?)
10 ripe peaches 21/2 pints water 1 lb granulated sugar 1 vanilla pod 1 lb raspberries 6-8oz granulated sugar
Put llb of sugar into a saucepan large enough to take the peaches, add the water and the vanilla pod, bring to the boil then simmer until the sugar is dissolved. Put the peaches into the syrup, bring back to simmering point and poach for eight mi- nutes very gently. Let the peaches cool in the syrup for 20 minutes. Drain the peaches and peel while still warm. Place in a charming bowl and chill. (The syrup can be used to poach other fruits). Liquidise the raspberries and the rest of the sugar and if pip-fussy push through a sieve. Chill. When required, pour the raspberry purée over the peaches and decorate with mint leaves. Jennifer Paterson
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