Page 8 - Demo

8IntroductionOk. Yes. I know. It%u2019s fair to say that Sunderland isn%u2019t exactly known for its food. Our nanas kept our mams and dads well fed, but they probably put more emphasis on %u2018filling%u2019 over %u2018fancy%u2019. And what are a few burnt bits among family, eh? An English working class diet meant stodge over super foods. You%u2019re not likely to find very much of what follows in one of Joe Wick%u2019s cookbooks.But just like dialect, food is an expression of culture. The debate on social media in recent years over the unparalleledpink slice is a good example. Many celebrated the little square of heaven. But a number of people also claimed it to be %u2018not a thing%u2019 because it hadn%u2019t featured in their childhood. And they got quite upset about it too! These things matter to people%u2019s perceptions of their identities.While certainly on the comfort end of the spectrum, there are things to celebrate (perhaps in moderation) about Wearside%u2019s culinary heritage. That%u2019s what this book sets out to do.Selecting RecipesNot every recipe in this book can claim to be exclusively of Sunderland. The pink slice is, but ham and pease pudding is obviously a wider north east thing. Surely few cities in the world could lay exclusive claim to more than a couple of dishes. The book is instead a collection of dishes that are, or have been, staples on the kitchen tables or the shop windows of Wearside but are less well known outside of the North East. And some dishes are new, inspired by Sunderland%u2019s culinary history - hopefully they%u2019ll become %u2018a thing%u2019 as a result of this book. Traditions have to start somewhere.Charitable PurposeAs with the Mackem Dictionary, this book is a celebration of life on Wearside. But it has a serious side too. While Sunderland very sadly isn%u2019t unique in this case, there are people who don%u2019t have enough food to eat. In a 21st century developed society like ours, this is shocking.The Sunderland Community Soup Kitchen (SCSK) - the %u2018Soupie%u2019 to those who use it - provides food, drink and more to Wearside%u2019s most needy. It is a lifeline to those who find themselves in hard times. 08