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The Herald Scotland
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Research says 'vital' public libraries are 'endangered'
Based on surveys of 2000 library users and 300 staff from across Scotland, and led by national charity Scottish Book Trust, the extensive independent research was undertaken in partnership with Scotland's major library organisations the National Library of Scotland (NLS), the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC), and the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals in Scotland (CILIPS). The authors have called for more support for the sector, arguing that legal definitions must be strengthened, funding should be increased, and published data should be made much more comprehensive. The report – The value and impact of Scotland's public libraries – highlights a range of personal, social and economic benefits provided by libraries across the country: survey respondents overwhelming agree that libraries inspire a love of reading, support learning, and save people money. Key findings from the report will be presented at the Scottish Government Cross Party Group on Culture and Communities event in Parliament on Wednesday 4 June, which will explore the role of libraries and other cultural institutions as community hubs. One particular area of importance for libraries is digital inclusion. Recent research has found that around fifteen percent of the Scottish population faces some form of digital inequality, and that 19 council areas in Scotland 'have a high likelihood of digital exclusion.' However, almost all libraries offer access to Wi-Fi and computers, and 70 percent also provide access to ebooks. The report also highlights the contribution of libraries to 'learning opportunities' in communities. It notes that around a quarter of adults in Scotland may face 'challenges and limited opportunities' due to poor literacy levels, and that these individuals tend to earn less than they otherwise would with even basic literacy skills. Nearly 70 percent of respondents said that access to learning is a 'very important' aspect of library provision, with examples including the use of library materials for online learning, and individuals teaching themselves new skills that helped to improve their lives. Another area of focus for researchers was 'active citizenship', which refers to 'the library's role in supporting communities to be informed about their democratic rights and access, to be empowered to voice their concerns and decisions, and to engage with their local authority, all with the goal of shaping local and national services to their needs.' Survey data shows that libraries are seen as welcoming, inclusive spaces that are able to reach and support a diverse range of people and ensure equal access to information. Disabled, LGBT+ and autistic library users are all quoted supporting the idea of libraries as a 'safe space' for those who need it. READ MORE: The report concludes with a number of recommendations. The first two call on the Scottish Government to publish 'clear legal definitions' of what an 'adequate' library services looks like, and to then 'empower local authorities across Scotland with sufficient funding and resource' to meet those standards. Local authorities are expected to train and support librarians 'to deliver a progressive and accessible library service' and to publish annual reports with clear data on the provision of that service and its use by local communities. Éadaoin Lynch, Research and Evaluation Manager at Scottish Book Trust, said: 'Nowhere else in modern life, whether urban or rural, is there a public space where anyone can enter and remain without the expectation of payment or labour. Nowhere else is there a public space where people can access information, combat digital poverty, learn new skills, socialise with others, express themselves creatively, and seek to self-improve, entirely for free. 'These institutions are vital for every person in Scotland, and they are endangered.' Alison Nolan, Chief Executive, SLIC commented: 'This research highlights the essential role of Scotland's public libraries in advancing equity, education, and community wellbeing. 'By elevating the voices of users and staff, it reveals how libraries anchor resilient communities and help individuals navigate critical challenges -from low literacy and misinformation to economic hardship and mental ill health. A timely and urgent reminder that sustained investment in libraries is not optional -it is fundamental to building a fairer, more resilient society." Sean McNamara, CILIPS Director, commented: 'This report is an essential read for anyone concerned with the impact our public libraries are having and the impact wider challenges are having on them. It presents a detailed picture of the incredible difference our libraries and librarians make to millions of people's lives and in so many ways, all whilst facing a false economy of significant and ongoing budget cuts." A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'Library policy is devolved to local authorities, and ministers expect councils to ensure there is adequate provision of library services for their residents. 'We believe libraries are at the heart of Scotland's communities. That is why we provide annual funding to the Scottish Library and Information Council, including £450,000 towards the Public Library Improvement Fund which exemplify the transformative power of libraries, from introducing digital inclusiveness to teaching about economic wellbeing.'
The Herald Scotland
16-05-2025
- General
- The Herald Scotland
This children's book helped keep story of Herald Clearances alive
Or 'I've spent so much time writing my own material for this novel-study or topic, it ought to be published!' It's perhaps the nature of the job that teachers spend so much time supporting young people's talents, they lose sight of their own. They crave creativity and recognition. Maybe George Bernard Shaw was right: 'He who can, does. He who cannot teaches.' But there isn't a teacher in the land who doesn't find this offensive, especially when shattered at the end of the day or term, those dreams of a publishing deal diminish as they settle into a soft cloud of exhaustion. Read more But there are exceptions to the rule and plenty of examples of writers who once were teachers: Roddy Doyle, William McIlvanney and JK Rowling, to name but a few. So, there are role models out there. As a teacher, now turned writer, there was a wonderful author, who inspired my imagination like no other when it came to stories based on Scottish history. Her name was Kathleen Fidler, and she began her career as a teacher, and went on to write prolifically from the mid 1940s to the 70s, penning the The Desperate Journey and The Boy with the Bronze Axe that are still in publication today. Her most distinguished book, The Desperate Journey, was part of every primary school in Scotland's senior curriculum from 1970s through to the 1990s. Fred Rendell, the charismatic Head of Inservice at Jordanhill College for Teacher Education was key to inspiring schools to use it as a novel-study, charting the story of the family evicted during the Highland Clearances, travelling to Glasgow to stay in slum tenement dwellings before taking the decision to risk their lives and sail to Canada in hope of a new life. Kathleen Fiddler's meticulous notes The journey was fraught with danger and disease. What would become of the family? And what about the way of life they'd left behind in the Highlands? It was a page turner for both teachers and pupils and it covered literacy, numeracy, geography, history, social history, health issues and great debate on the reasons why people were uprooted from their homes in mid 19th century Scotland and forced to seek a living elsewhere. It is a story that resonates today with the boat people, war refugees and those living in Gaza, being threatened to leave their homeland to make way for luxurious developments along the Mediterranean coast. I recently met up with Kathleen Fidler's granddaughter, Izzy Rimmer, at the National Library of Scotland, to find out more about her grandmother, and what had inspired her, as an English woman, to write so evocatively about this period of Scottish history. 'She began her career as a teacher in Wigan and she became a head teacher before she was 30 years old. She married a Scottish banker and came to live in Midlothian and, frustrated that she could no longer teach as a married woman at this time, she turned her talents to writing, particularly Children's Drama for the BBC Scotland Home Broadcasting service in Edinburgh. The scripts were initially the plays she had written and staged with the children in Wigan,' Izzy explained. 'She found the children so inspired by the true story of Bonnie Prince Charlie's Jacobite army passing through Wigan, that she wrote a script about this that was performed to great enthusiasm from parents, children and the local community. This script was later to become the novel The White Cockade Passes that was published in 1947. From then on, she wrote at least one novel or drama script a year, and she kept meticulous notes on each submission.' We examined, in her own meticulous handwriting, a list itemising the title of her work, the date it was completed, who it was sent to, the cost of postage, the reply she had received whether accepted, returned or rejected and most significantly, how much she was paid. 'My grandmother's record-keeping was so methodical and was even completed for each tax-year!' added Izzy astonished. As we continued to examine the original manuscript for The Desperate Journey, we noticed that it was originally written as a 6-episode script that was broadcast at 5pm on a Sunday, on the BBC's Home Service Children's Hour. It was such a success the producer, Ian Wishart, encouraged Kathleen to publish it as a book. Indeed, she dedicated it to him, and we could see the detailed annotations involved in redrafting the original script into the narrative that became the novel. Read more 'Oh, she always spoke so highly of Ian,' remembered Izzy fondly, 'she was in awe of him, as a young producer with a background in dramatic arts, and the fact that he championed her work. This was a real boost to her as an older married woman.' And what did Izzy remember most of her granny Kathleen who passed away in 1980? 'She would visit us in England and she was great fun, telling me and my sister the most wonderful stories. We got the best out of granny, as my mother said she was so busy writing and researching that she didn't have so much time for her.' But it was in her last decade that Izzy felt her granny really excelled. 'I remember her coming down from Scotland to meet her publishers, doing presentations and attending author soirees. As a teenager, when I'd call her to ask how she was, she'd say, 'I've been out 9 nights out of 7'. She was active until the end.' As we finished looking at treasure trove of hand-written records and type-written scripts, I was struck by the determination of Kathleen Fidler to be a successful writer. This was no side hustle; it was a real career choice, and she was known for her assiduous research and eye for detail on each subject she chose. She was my motivation to write books inspired by pivotal moments in Scottish history, peopled with real characters encountering real difficulties. And of course, to be enjoyed by teachers and pupils alike. In a way, she made history come alive. My first book for children, Vikings and Skylarks on Cumbrae, set in 1263 in the run up to the Battle of Largs, was published in 2022 and it makes my day when I visit schools and teachers tell me how much they enjoy doing is as a novel study with pupils. My latest book, Smugglers' Midnight Escape is set in the 1760s, when King George's harsh taxation policies forced traders from the Ayrshire coast to smuggle everyday goods to the islands, risking their lives. It's aimed at the 9-14 age range. I had to wait until I retired to devote my time to writing, but I hope like Kathleen Fidler, my final decade is the one that I excel in: meeting publishers for lunch; being out 9 nights out of 7. Not even George Bernard Shaw would begrudge that. Kathleen Fidler's books available from Floris, Maura McRobbie's books available from: and
The Herald Scotland
11-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
'Incredibly rare' conclave documents held at Scots library
The 69-year-old was elevated to pontiff relatively quickly, after just two days of conclave, but the inner workings of the election remain opaque despite renewed interest following 2024's Oscar winning film on the subject. Research by a scholar at the University of St Andrews has shed light on documents dating back to the 1655 conclave, including unused ballots which would usually be incinerated. Read More: Katherine Tycz, a Postdoctoral Research Assistant on the Universal Short Title Catalogue, tells The Herald: "It's incredibly rare, I think this collection is probably one of the best-preserved and largest collections of print produced by the Vatican in this period outside of Italy. 'To have conclave documents is incredibly rare, they were burning them from at least the 15th Century. The smoke signal came a bit later, but they were burning the ballots to preserve secrecy from an early period. "I think the reason they do survive is they were either extras or they were samples, because they're not filled out. They must have kept some extras around for when they needed to print them again so they'd know what they should look like. 'They would have been using a hand press and having to set the bed of it with the movable type, the different designs that you see on the ballot would have had to have the lines set with individual pieces of type, so it was quite a laborious process. A tally sheet from the 1655 papal conclave featuring the Latin names of the cardinals. Crawford.B.16(3). Reproduced with permission from materials on loan to the National Library of Scotland from the Balcarres Heritage Trust (Image: National Library of Scotland) 'These are just single sheet items so they'd have been printed fairly quickly, but the use of the two colours on the tally sheet was another step to the process you'd have to print each colour individually unless you were a very skilled printer. You can see they wanted to make these look nice even if they were going to be burned. 'It's a very special thing to have these survive – talking about something that has happened in the conclave is punishable by excommunication, so to have any surviving evidence is really special.' The 1655 conclave was an impactful one, even allowing a woman, Olimpia Maidalchini, to address the cardinals. The favourite to be elected was Giulio Cesare Sacchetti, France's preferred candidate, but his papacy was opposed by Spain and by the people of Rome who devised a ditty: "Non fate Papa Sacchetti, se no Roma sarà a pezzetti" - don't make Sacchetti pope or Rome will be in pieces. He'd failed to be elected in the conclave of 1644 and 11 years later could not get past 33 votes from the 64 cardinals, well short of the two-thirds majority he needed. As a result the conclave went on for close to three months, with some younger cardinals resorting to pranks for their own amusement. This would prove to have tragic consequences when a younger cardinal, who had dressed himself as a ghost, frightened cardinal Pier Luigi Carafa so badly that he collapsed on the cold marble floor and, allegedly, developed the pneumonia which would kill him. Sachetti eventually realised he could not win and urged electors loyal to France to vote for Fabio Chigi, Pope Alexander VII, instead as a compromise candidate. The ballots at the National Library of Scotland reflect the lengthy process, featuring as they do space for election by accessus. A now discontinued 'second preference' way of voting which would allow cardinals to change their choice in the second round, it was abandoned at the 1903 conclave as it eliminated the secrecy of the first ballot. Four voting slips for the election of a pope, with space for the name and their signa. B.41 (15). Reproduced with permission from materials on loan to the National Library of Scotland from the Balcarres Heritage Trust (Image: National Library of Scotland) Dr Tycz explains: "They would write their names on it and it would be folded over so they wouldn't be immediately visible, but it would have their name and a phrase that would identify them, called the signa. 'In the first round of voting, which was called the 'scrutiny', they would write their signa on the ballot and in the next round they'd match them up to make sure someone wasn't giving a candidate an extra vote. The accessus would be a changed vote, and that was the way to confirm it was a changed vote. 'That was what the ballot sheet was for, there would have been a slightly different version for the first round which doesn't survive in great quantities and is very difficult to find images of." Given how rare materials from a papal conclave are, it's perhaps surprising that the papers ended up in Scotland rather than being locked away in a Vatican vault. Dr Tycz says: "The collection was acquired by the Earl of Crawford in the late 19th Century from the Borghese family, there was a Borghese Pope in the early 17th Century. 'The Borghese family collected these kinds of items, probably to keep some kind of family record, and they were sold to the Earl of Crawford. 'They're currently on loan to the National Library of Scotland from the family, they've been catalogued really well and been made very accessible for researchers to go and see them. 'It's a really great resource for us as scholars.'
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Yahoo
What is kedgeree: the British breakfast classic that originated in India
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). Smoked fish flaked into gently spiced rice, topped with egg — kedgeree is a beloved breakfast dish that's also enjoyed for brunch, lunch and dinner around the UK. Yet its origins can be traced back to India, centuries ago. It's derived from khichdi, a one-pot rice and lentil dish synonymous with both comfort and celebration in South Asia. The earliest written references to khichdi — whose name comes from the Sanskrit word khiccā, meaning a mixture of rice and lentils — appear in the Indian epic Mahabharata, believed to have been compiled between the third century BCE and fourth century CE. Khichdi has since spread globally, but it first captured English hearts when it made its way onto the tables of East India Company staff in their early days as traders in India in the 17th and 18th centuries. Back then, the company's employees were mostly eating local food. Englishman John Grose, who travelled to India in the 1750s, wrote that many even preferred this 'country-diet' as it tasted better than their own cuisine and was more suited to the climate. In the absence of precise historical records, one can at best infer how khichdi transformed into kedgeree. 'Khichdi would have been served as a soothing dish at breakfast,' says food historian and author Lizzie Collingham. 'The British enjoyed eggs for breakfast and fish would have been served in the mornings, while it was still fresh, before the arrival of the fridge.' The lentils were eventually abandoned, and khichdi became kidgeri, then kedgeree. It travelled back to Britain via returning officials, soldiers and traders along with a taste for 'curry', the generic word they used to describe Indian cuisine. Commercial curry powder was advertised as early as the mid-1780s, according to Laura Kelley, author of The Silk Road Gourmet. The first known written instructions for making kedgeree were recorded soon after, by Scottish woman Stephana Malcolm, in a diary she started in 1790. While Malcolm spent most of her life in rural Dumfriesshire, her three brothers travelled extensively. One of them, John, rose to prominence in the East India Company as the Governor of Bombay, opening her eyes and palate to dishes such as kedgeree and mulligatawny soup. Malcolm's recipe, available on the National Library of Scotland's website, uses 'cold boiled haddock' or 'a bit of cod' along with 'minced' hard-boiled eggs warmed in butter. Cayenne pepper is the only spice. Her fish and rice are freshly prepared, but the NLS notes that by Victorian times, thrifty housewives often made kedgeree from leftover ingredients. Curried dishes were seen as a frugal way to transform produce and give leftovers a fresh lease of life, says Collingham. As the ambitions of the British in India went from commerce to colonisation in the 18th and 19th centuries, their eating habits evolved. While soldiers in camps and rural areas would continue to consume traditional Indian food, the higher-ranking officers in towns and cantonments would create more anglicised big feasts, or 'burra khanas', writes food historian David Smith in his 2019 paper, 'The Sublime Art of Curry-Making: Culinary Trends in British India'. And with more British officials being stationed in India during the height of the Empire as military ambitions intensified, Indian food fell off the main menu, with Anglo-Indian dishes gaining favour at formal dinners and banquets. Over in Britain, the same dishes found their way to upper- and middle-class Victorian tables. Up until the early 19th century, breakfast was a mostly frugal meal, but this changed during Queen Victoria's reign. In her book A History of English Food, Clarissa Dickson Wright describes how, from the 1830s, breakfast became a 'rather elaborate meal' served from about 10am. While Queen Victoria would enjoy a boiled egg with a golden spoon, others around her would tuck into a feast that included 'fancy dishes such as kedgeree or devilled kidneys'. In 1861, the queen's chief cook, Charles Elmé Francatelli, even created and published a version of kedgeree for 'curry'-loving Florence Nightingale. By 1845, the advent of the railways had made the transport of smoked fish more convenient. Collingham suggests that the upper classes would have been familiar with Scottish smoked fish from their hunting parties there. Kippers (smoked herring) started becoming popular for breakfast in southern England, and the stagecoach connection from Findon, south of Aberdeen, to Edinburgh and London shot finnan haddie (smoked haddock) to fame. The method of curing didn't give the fish a long shelf life, so it made sense to flake it into kedgeree to save on waste and infuse the dish with flavour. In 1845, Eliza Acton published Modern Cookery for Private Families, featuring a version of the dish with 'slightly beaten eggs' stirred through. She suggests that 'cold turbot, brill, salmon, soles, John Dory and shrimps, may all be served in this form' and recommends 'Mauritian chatney' as an accompaniment. Mrs Beeton's 1861 kedgeree recipe, meanwhile, incorporates smoked haddock but omits curry powder, which does appear in her other Anglo-Indian dishes. Following her death, the brand franchise was sold to publishers Ward, Lock & Co, which printed recipes for versions with boiled fish, lentils and even chopped cold meat well into the middle of the 20th century. Curry powder eventually made its way into this quick, family-pleasing, fusion dish that became as acceptable for supper as for breakfast. And today, despite plenty of variation, there are some common denominators — long-grain or basmati rice, eggs and fish. However, recipes tend to fall into two camps: a low-waste version suitable for home cooks and a richer, more lavish rendition that would please a royal court. The former tends to be lighter, with an optional splash of cream, and the egg is mostly hard-boiled. The latter, meanwhile, is often heavier. Double cream and lemon might feature. The egg could be soft-boiled or poached and perched atop the rice, for added theatre and creaminess. It's found on the menu at high-end restaurants and has enjoyed a resurgence since featuring in the first episode of Downton Abbey in 2010. Kedgeree is one of the most popular breakfast dishes at The Ritz London, and the hotel's 2018 cookbook recipe requires the creation of a curry sauce to serve alongside it, complete with cardamom, ginger and cumin alongside curry powder and chicken stock. At Francatelli restaurant, in London's St James's Hotel & Club, chef William Drabble serves modern versions of recipes inspired by Queen Victoria's cook. He alternates between a lighter, more homely version and something closer to risotto. 'It's good, tasty, healthy, honest and comforting; I don't think it gets enough recognition,' he says of kedgeree. Many chefs, food writers and restaurateurs are making an effort to change this, however, putting it back on the menu and adding their own flourishes. Pete Taylor, co-owner of posh London fish-and-chip restaurant The Mayfair Chippy, has created a kedgeree scotch egg with milk-poached smoked haddock and spiced rice. At Vandal restaurant in Warrington, kedgeree is made with miso-baked cod, spinach, katsu curry and a poached egg, before being smoked and unveiled at the table from under a cloche. And chef Shuko Oda of London's Koya serves a Japanese-British version for breakfast, flavoured with bonito and niboshi (dried anchovy). In Edinburgh, Kelsey Garthwaite, owner of Pie Dolly, has captured the flavour of kedgeree in a quiche, complete with a turmeric pastry crust. She describes kedgeree as a typical Edinburgh dish, although it's not easy to find a classic version in the Scottish capital nowadays. Roseleaf bar and cafe in Leith, however, has served it since 2007, made to an old family recipe. 'We're using our grandmother's recipe here and at home. Kedgeree is perfect just the way it is. Why mess with it?' says owner Graham Parsons. Perhaps this explains kedgeree's enduring appeal. It's perfect just the way it is and the best way to cook it is however you wish. Inspired by home-cooked versions, this kedgeree is elevated by home-made curry powder. You could add a splash of double cream and a squeeze of lemon juice if you like, and extra powder can be stored in an airtight container for later use. Takes: 30-35 minsServes: 4-6Ingredients300g basmati rice, uncooked500ml whole milk4 undyed smoked boneless haddock fillets, halved4-6 medium eggs50g butterquarter nutmeg, freshly gratedcurly parsley to serve (or flat leaf parsley, coriander or dill) For the curry powder1½ tsp coriander seeds1½ tsp cumin seeds6 black peppercornshalf-inch stick cinnamon1 tsp ground ginger2 tsp turmeric½ tsp hot chilli powder2 green cardamom pods, seeded METHOD To make the curry powder, toast the coriander, cumin and black peppercorns in a small pan over a medium heat for 30 seconds, shaking gently until warm. Tip into a spice/coffee grinder with the cinnamon stick, ginger, turmeric, chilli powder and green cardamom seeds and grind to a fine powder (if you don't have a spice grinder, use a pestle and mortar to powder the toasted spices, then mix in the other ingredients). Set aside. Rinse the rice, drain and leave in the sieve. Gently warm the milk in a pan large enough to hold the haddock fillets. Halve the fillets and place, skin side up, in the pan. Cover and poach on a high simmer for 8 mins until cooked and flaky — the skin should peel easily off the thickest fillet if you run a butter knife under it. Transfer the fish to a plate using a slotted spoon and strain the milk into a measuring jug. Add just-boiled water to make it up to 600ml. Pour into the saucepan the rice was rinsed in, then bring to a rapid boil, tip in the rice, bubble quickly and cover and simmer for 12 minutes until cooked. Remove from the heat and move to a cool spot, leaving the lid on. Put the eggs in a pan of cold water and boil for 6-8 mins. Drain, submerge in cold water, peel and slice. Remove the skin from the cooked haddock and flake the fish. Melt the butter in a large, non-stick saucepan. Mix in a generous tbsp of the curry powder, then fold in the fork-fluffed rice, fish and nutmeg until everything is well incorporated. Add salt to taste. Serve with the sliced eggs and scatter with the chopped parsley. Published in Issue 27 (spring 2025) of Food by National Geographic Traveller (UK)To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
National Geographic
01-05-2025
- National Geographic
Everything you need to know about kedgeree, the British breakfast classic that originated in India
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). Smoked fish flaked into gently spiced rice, topped with egg — kedgeree is a beloved breakfast dish that's also enjoyed for brunch, lunch and dinner around the UK. Yet its origins can be traced back to India, centuries ago. It's derived from khichdi, a one-pot rice and lentil dish synonymous with both comfort and celebration in South Asia. The earliest written references to khichdi — whose name comes from the Sanskrit word khiccā, meaning a mixture of rice and lentils — appear in the Indian epic Mahabharata, believed to have been compiled between the third century BCE and fourth century CE. Khichdi has since spread globally, but it first captured English hearts when it made its way onto the tables of East India Company staff in their early days as traders in India in the 17th and 18th centuries. Back then, the company's employees were mostly eating local food. Englishman John Grose, who travelled to India in the 1750s, wrote that many even preferred this 'country-diet' as it tasted better than their own cuisine and was more suited to the climate. In the absence of precise historical records, one can at best infer how khichdi transformed into kedgeree. 'Khichdi would have been served as a soothing dish at breakfast,' says food historian and author Lizzie Collingham. 'The British enjoyed eggs for breakfast and fish would have been served in the mornings, while it was still fresh, before the arrival of the fridge.' The lentils were eventually abandoned, and khichdi became kidgeri, then kedgeree. It travelled back to Britain via returning officials, soldiers and traders along with a taste for 'curry', the generic word they used to describe Indian cuisine. Commercial curry powder was advertised as early as the mid-1780s, according to Laura Kelley, author of The Silk Road Gourmet. The first known written instructions for making kedgeree were recorded soon after, by Scottish woman Stephana Malcolm, in a diary she started in 1790. While Malcolm spent most of her life in rural Dumfriesshire, her three brothers travelled extensively. One of them, John, rose to prominence in the East India Company as the Governor of Bombay, opening her eyes and palate to dishes such as kedgeree and mulligatawny soup. Malcolm's recipe, available on the National Library of Scotland's website, uses 'cold boiled haddock' or 'a bit of cod' along with 'minced' hard-boiled eggs warmed in butter. Cayenne pepper is the only spice. Her fish and rice are freshly prepared, but the NLS notes that by Victorian times, thrifty housewives often made kedgeree from leftover ingredients. Curried dishes were seen as a frugal way to transform produce and give leftovers a fresh lease of life, says Collingham. Kedgeree can be elevated by using homemade curry powder. Any extra can be stored in an airtight container for later use. Photograph by Jamie Orlando Smith Gently warm milk in a large pan. Then, halve the fish fillets and place them in the milk, skin side up. Cover and poach on a high simmer for eight minutes until cooked and flaky. Photograph by Jamie Orlando Smith As the ambitions of the British in India went from commerce to colonisation in the 18th and 19th centuries, their eating habits evolved. While soldiers in camps and rural areas would continue to consume traditional Indian food, the higher-ranking officers in towns and cantonments would create more anglicised big feasts, or 'burra khanas', writes food historian David Smith in his 2019 paper, 'The Sublime Art of Curry-Making: Culinary Trends in British India'. And with more British officials being stationed in India during the height of the Empire as military ambitions intensified, Indian food fell off the main menu, with Anglo-Indian dishes gaining favour at formal dinners and banquets. Over in Britain, the same dishes found their way to upper- and middle-class Victorian tables. Up until the early 19th century, breakfast was a mostly frugal meal, but this changed during Queen Victoria's reign. In her book A History of English Food, Clarissa Dickson Wright describes how, from the 1830s, breakfast became a 'rather elaborate meal' served from about 10am. While Queen Victoria would enjoy a boiled egg with a golden spoon, others around her would tuck into a feast that included 'fancy dishes such as kedgeree or devilled kidneys'. In 1861, the queen's chief cook, Charles Elmé Francatelli, even created and published a version of kedgeree for 'curry'-loving Florence Nightingale. By 1845, the advent of the railways had made the transport of smoked fish more convenient. Collingham suggests that the upper classes would have been familiar with Scottish smoked fish from their hunting parties there. Kippers (smoked herring) started becoming popular for breakfast in southern England, and the stagecoach connection from Findon, south of Aberdeen, to Edinburgh and London shot finnan haddie (smoked haddock) to fame. The method of curing didn't give the fish a long shelf life, so it made sense to flake it into kedgeree to save on waste and infuse the dish with flavour. In 1845, Eliza Acton published Modern Cookery for Private Families, featuring a version of the dish with 'slightly beaten eggs' stirred through. She suggests that 'cold turbot, brill, salmon, soles, John Dory and shrimps, may all be served in this form' and recommends 'Mauritian chatney' as an accompaniment. Mrs Beeton's 1861 kedgeree recipe, meanwhile, incorporates smoked haddock but omits curry powder, which does appear in her other Anglo-Indian dishes. Following her death, the brand franchise was sold to publishers Ward, Lock & Co, which printed recipes for versions with boiled fish, lentils and even chopped cold meat well into the middle of the 20th century. Curry powder eventually made its way into this quick, family-pleasing, fusion dish that became as acceptable for supper as for breakfast. And today, despite plenty of variation, there are some common denominators — long-grain or basmati rice, eggs and fish. However, recipes tend to fall into two camps: a low-waste version suitable for home cooks and a richer, more lavish rendition that would please a royal court. The former tends to be lighter, with an optional splash of cream, and the egg is mostly hard-boiled. The latter, meanwhile, is often heavier. Double cream and lemon might feature. The egg could be soft-boiled or poached and perched atop the rice, for added theatre and creaminess. It's found on the menu at high-end restaurants and has enjoyed a resurgence since featuring in the first episode of Downton Abbey in 2010. Kedgeree is one of the most popular breakfast dishes at The Ritz London, and the hotel's 2018 cookbook recipe requires the creation of a curry sauce to serve alongside it, complete with cardamom, ginger and cumin alongside curry powder and chicken stock. Melt your butter and mix in a generous tbsp of curry powder before pouring into the rice. Photograph by Jamie Orlando Smith Fold the golden curry butter mixture into fork-fluffed rice before adding fish and nutmeg until everything is incorporated. Photograph by Jamie Orlando Smith At Francatelli restaurant, in London's St James's Hotel & Club, chef William Drabble serves modern versions of recipes inspired by Queen Victoria's cook. He alternates between a lighter, more homely version and something closer to risotto. 'It's good, tasty, healthy, honest and comforting; I don't think it gets enough recognition,' he says of kedgeree. Many chefs, food writers and restaurateurs are making an effort to change this, however, putting it back on the menu and adding their own flourishes. Pete Taylor, co-owner of posh London fish-and-chip restaurant The Mayfair Chippy, has created a kedgeree scotch egg with milk-poached smoked haddock and spiced rice. At Vandal restaurant in Warrington, kedgeree is made with miso-baked cod, spinach, katsu curry and a poached egg, before being smoked and unveiled at the table from under a cloche. And chef Shuko Oda of London's Koya serves a Japanese-British version for breakfast, flavoured with bonito and niboshi (dried anchovy). In Edinburgh, Kelsey Garthwaite, owner of Pie Dolly, has captured the flavour of kedgeree in a quiche, complete with a turmeric pastry crust. She describes kedgeree as a typical Edinburgh dish, although it's not easy to find a classic version in the Scottish capital nowadays. Roseleaf bar and cafe in Leith, however, has served it since 2007, made to an old family recipe. 'We're using our grandmother's recipe here and at home. Kedgeree is perfect just the way it is. Why mess with it?' says owner Graham Parsons. Perhaps this explains kedgeree's enduring appeal. It's perfect just the way it is and the best way to cook it is however you wish. The best way to cook kedgeree is exactly how you wish. Photograph by Jamie Orlando Smith Mallika Basu's kedgeree Inspired by home-cooked versions, this kedgeree is elevated by home-made curry powder. You could add a splash of double cream and a squeeze of lemon juice if you like, and extra powder can be stored in an airtight container for later use. Takes: 30-35 minsServes: 4-6 Ingredients 300g basmati rice, uncooked500ml whole milk4 undyed smoked boneless haddock fillets, halved4-6 medium eggs50g butterquarter nutmeg, freshly grated curly parsley to serve (or flat leaf parsley, coriander or dill)
