toad in the hole

[doomey]

how the devil did this dish get its name?

[naz_nomad]

"In med�val times meat was in short supply. Residents in some impoverished villages, particularly those in areas such as the Carrs regions around Selby, took to eating frogs and toads. They would often supplement the protein with a baked mixture of powdered grains to protect the delicate meat from the heat of the fire. Children and the poorer members of the comunity would be given the remnants of the baked grain coating and be required to extract the "toad from the hole".


... apparently

[tictactoe]

My Farmhouse Cookery Book says that Toad-in-the-Hole, also known in Norfolk as Pudding-pye-doll, has changed its ingredients over the centuries. According to one theory, toad-in-the-hole began when 18th century cooks first wrapped a small piece of mutton in a large piece of suet crust to make the meat go further. This dish was thought to resemble a toad in a hole. But for the majority of the population then, as now, a 'toad' is a sausage and the batter a Yorkshire pudding.