And while in Bath . . .
When I was in Middle School I loved reading cookbooks and whenever I went to my Grandmother's I would take her Betty Crocker Cookbook and scan the pages. I was always charmed by the story of Sally Lunn and her buns made famous in the English city of Bath!
And so . . .
I found the shop and building that Sally Lunn made famous
On a very small street not far from the abbey.
In the oldest house in Bath --
Here Sally produced the buns that were forever associated with her name, the bulding and indeed, the City of Bath.
The bakery in the basement of the building where bread baking would take place at the time of Sally Lunn.
And as the lady who sold me the bun told me, "everything here is authentic except the mannequin -- that came from Marks and Spencer"!
The story of Sally and her house
And the bun. Which I brought home.
To be eaten with our dinner (for tea was not to be taken at Sally Lunn's -- tea was to be taken at the Pump Room in Bath!)
It's a great bun and it's also great to be able to taste one after all these years. Finding Sally Lunn's in Bath and eating one of her buns brings back memories of my youth and of my grandmother and my favorite cookbook, Betty Crocker!
If you want to make your own Sally Lunn, here's a recipe. I may try to make one after I get home for it is a good bread!
Sally Lunn
3 1/4 c. flour
1/4 oz. active dry yeast
1/2 cup melted shortening
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 c. milk
1/2 t. salt
1 egg
4 T. warm water
Grease a cookie sheet. Heat the milk and shortening to the temperature of a warm baby bottle. Mix flour, salt and sugar in a separate bowl. Add water to the yeast in a separate bowl. Mix the egg in yet another bowl. Add the warm milk and melted shortening to the bowl of flour, sugar and salt. Add the egg and yeast and water.
Beat the entire mixture until it comes off the side of the bowl, which should be clean. Cover, let rise in a warm place until double in size (about 1 1/2 hours). Knead the bread down in size and shape into a round loaf. Place on a cookie sheet and let rise again to 1/2 again as big, about 45 minutes.
Bake bread at 300 degrees for approximately 45 minutes. After 30 minutes, baste the top of the bread with butter and also again after it has finished baking.
12 comments:
Isn't it wonderful when you can visit a place you've read about and "put it all together?" What a great story. Cute comment on the manequin.
We were in Bath last June (2010) and, indeed, had a Sally Lunn bun with our dinner. Bath is a fascinating place to visit and we would love to return some time. We loved the Abbey, where we listened to Evensong and the lovely plaza outside where we played life-sized chess and listen to the buskers. Thanks for helping to bring back some memories!
Hi Martha..
I was just stopping by to say hello and see how you were doing, my friend! I have been on a little blogging break the last couple of weeks of so...and thought I would try to do a little catching up.
Ohhh my...I didn't realize that you and your husband were traveling and vacationing in England! What a GRAND time you must be having! I have just spent the last hour going back through all of your previous posts and sooo enjoyed each and every little morsel that you have shared with us! I can't even imagine...being able to stay in a quaint English cottage in the countryside....heavenly! I sooo loved all of your beautiful photos and I hung on each and every word that you wrote. I just find it all sooo interesting! Well dear lady, do have fun and keep us posted!
Warmest wishes,
Chari @Happy To Design
That looks so delicious. Looks like you are having a wonderful trip.
Martha, I loved my day and a half in Bath and especially loved the costume museum. It is really amazing. Please please post about your tea or lunch at the Pump Room. I cannot wait to hear about it! I was there in 1987 and was so young then (relatively-- it seems so now)!
Francie
That is certainly a crude looking kitchen for something so famous! Glad ours are much easier to work it. I'd love to be following along with you on all your stops. ♥♫
Oops, my eyes are tired...easier to work IN. Thanks for sharing. ♥♫
I have such great memories of Bath. I stayed in a B&B called the Paradise Hotel. Our first breakfast was at Sally Lunn's. Don't hate me but.....I was expecting something extra special. What I got was a hamburger bun in England. Still, a great memory!
Now I missed that when I was in Bath! I remember making Sally Lunn bread after I visited Williamsburg and got the recipe....yum!
DB -- you're right -- it does LOOK like a giant hamburger bun!!! But as DH said, after the heavy breads that they were used to in the 17th century, this bread must have been light and wonderful and news traveled fast!
It looks amazingly like a hamburger bun to me....but I'm sure it is much, much better than that!
I've just recently rediscovered your blog and am enjoying particularly your Bath posts. It brings back happy memories of two summers ago when my husband and I were there. Thank you for sharing!
Martha,
How wonderful to visit something you read about in your childhood!!!
I remember taking "Mr. Ed" to the Smithsonian in DC and he nearly cried he was so excited. I will always cherish the smiles between my sister and I when we arrived in Paris...a childhood dream come true.
Thank you for sharing this precious story with all of us!
Fondly,
Pat
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