8 Tasty and Traditional Kentish Foods (2024)

8 Tasty and Traditional Kentish Foods (1)

British Food Fortnight takes place between 22nd September to 7th October and celebrates all the wonderful food from the British Isles, from Cumberland Sausages to Cornish Brie, Lancashire Hot Pot to Eton Mess. Our nation is home to some amazing cuisine, but did you know some of the best-loved British foods actually originate in Kent?

It’s no surprise that our beautiful county has produced some famous foods and drink, our rich countryside, farming heritage and dramatic coastlines have contributed to a great culinary history. Here are 8 of Kent’s traditional foods that showcase the “Garden of England”:

Gypsy Tart

The divisive pudding takes its name from an old tale of a local lady, who, upset by the sight of hungry gypsy children, created the sweet treat to feed them, hence the name Gypsy Tart! The tart is made from a pie crust, evaporated milk and brown sugar and is very popular treat at the Kent-Teach office!

Sandwich

The humble sandwich is named after Lord John Montague, the 4th Earl of Sandwich. Lord Montague was rumoured to have been a keen gambler and he ordered waiters to bring him meat between 2 slices of bread, so he could continue playing cards rather than break for meals. His friends would watch and order the “same as Sandwich” and thus the sandwich was born!

Ales

Kent is renowned for its hop growing heritage. The Shepherd Neame Brewery, the oldest brewery in England, is located in Faversham and has been on the same site since 1698. Spitfire Premium Kentish Ale is the breweries’ biggest selling cask ale and takes its name from the Kentish hops used to make the beer.

Shepherd Neame produce a number of other ales, many with origins from Kent, these include:

  • Whitstable Bay collection: ales named after the nearby town of Whitstable.
  • Bishop’s Finger: a beer named after a finger-shaped signpost on the Pilgrim’s Way pointing to Canterbury and to Thomas Beckett’s shrine. This ale has EU Protected Geographical indication, which is the same accreditation that the likes of champagne and feta cheese are given.
  • Bear Island: this ale takes its name from the island that once sat in the brewery grounds in Faversham Creek. Many strange cargoes arrived at the island including a bear and its keeper! Bear Island is a nod to the breweries’ great trading past and the imports from the USA.

Strawberries

Kentish strawberries are famous for being the best (I would say that living in Kent all my life!) and owe their great taste to our fertile soil and temperate climate. Kentish strawberries are so delicious that the Hugh Lowe Farms in Mereworth have been a trusted supplier at the Wimbledon Championships for a quarter of a century. According to the Wimbledon website, 34,000kg strawberries were consumed by visitors last year alone.

Canterbury Tart

A Canterbury Tart is an apple tart with grated apple and lemon filling and decorated with sliced apples. The tart is so tasty that even Mary Berry has a recipe for the Kentish classic! The origin of the name of the pudding is unknown, but it may come from the recipe being first written down by Geoffrey Chaucer, the author of the Canterbury Tales.

Whitstable Oysters

Whitstable oysters can only be found in the oyster beds in the vicinity of Whitstable, Kent. The Whitstable Oyster Company can trace its origins back to oyster farming in Kent in the 1400’s, but oysters were in fact discovered by the Romans who regarded the shellfish as a delicacy and shipped them back live to Rome! The town now hosts the annual Whitstable Oyster Festival where the local heritage is celebrated.

Folkestone Pudding Pie

Also known as Kentish Pudding Pie or Kent Lent Pie; this dessert has a pie crust at the base and a rice pudding filling. Sultanas, currants, spices and lemon zest are added to the filling for flavour and sometimes the top of the tart for decoration. You can find a recipe for Folkestone Pudding Pie here.

Kentish Rarebit

Kentish Rarebit is based on the Welsh Rarebit but is made with apples, another fruit with a rich history in Kent. Kentish Rarebit was a popular snack with fruit pickers in Kent’s orchards. You can make this simple dish yourself by mixing cheese and sliced apple, layering on bread and popping it under the grill.

Now you have had a culinary tour of the county, why not get out an about and experience the beauty of Kent in person! Here are 8 things to do in Kent for free.

Sources -

http://www.kent-life.co.uk/food-drink/9-of-kent-s-traditional-dishes-1-5362571

https://www.shepherdneame.co.uk/beer

http://whitstableoystercompany.com/heritage/

8 Tasty and Traditional Kentish Foods (2024)

FAQs

8 Tasty and Traditional Kentish Foods? ›

Folkestone Pudding Pie

Also known as Kentish Pudding Pie and Kent Lent Tart. Originating from Folkestone and baked during Lent. A tart with a creamy zesty filling spiced with nutmeg and currants.

What food and drink is Kent famous for? ›

Here are 8 of Kent's traditional foods that showcase the “Garden of England”:
  • Gypsy Tart. ...
  • Sandwich. ...
  • Ales. ...
  • Strawberries. ...
  • Canterbury Tart. ...
  • Whitstable Oysters. ...
  • Folkestone Pudding Pie. ...
  • Kentish Rarebit.
Sep 21, 2018

What is the sweet dessert from Kent? ›

Folkestone Pudding Pie

Also known as Kentish Pudding Pie and Kent Lent Tart. Originating from Folkestone and baked during Lent. A tart with a creamy zesty filling spiced with nutmeg and currants.

What fruit is Kent famous for? ›

Traditional orchards in Kent

Kent is traditionally known as 'The Garden of England' because of its abundance of orchards and it still remains the county of orchards and hop gardens. As Charles Dickens wrote, 'Kent, sir, everyone knows Kent. Apples, cherries, hops and women.

What foods are grown in Kent? ›

Kent, often called the Garden of England, is justly famous for its fresh produce. There are apples and cherries, berries and beans, asparagus and oysters, whitebait and samphire, cobnuts and marsh lamb. Kent also has a long tradition of hop growing and beer brewing going back to Tudor times.

What is Kentish rarebit? ›

Kentish Rarebit was a popular snack with fruit pickers and mixes cheese and sliced apple grilled on a slice of bread.

What is the national drink in England? ›

This act solidified tea's role as a necessity for all classes of British society and it marks the point at which we can see tea established as the national drink of England. François de La Rochefoucauld in 1784 commented: The drinking of tea is general throughout England.

What was Queen Elizabeth's favorite dessert? ›

Posted on www.today.com (Read original article here.) “This chocolate biscuit cake is Her Royal Majesty the Queen's favorite afternoon tea cake by far,” chef Darren McGrady, The Royal Chef and former personal chef to Queen Elizabeth II, told TODAY Food.

What is honeymoon dessert? ›

The Honeymoon Dessert is a chain of dessert stores founded in Hong Kong in 1995.

What kind of mango is Kent? ›

Developed in Florida in the 1940s, Kents are ideal mangos for drying or juicing. The mango is dark green with the occasional red blush, and develops yellow undertones when ripe. This mango is popular in Mexico, Ecuador, and Peru. It has two growing seasons and is available in late winter and throughout summer.

What is the cleanest fruit in the world? ›

Avocados and sweet corn were found to be the cleanest produce with less than 2% of samples showing any detectable pesticides. The EWG analysis is based on data from 46,569 samples of 46 fruits and vegetables.

What is a Kent fruit? ›

Kent mango is perhaps the best flavored Florida type mango variety. Fruits are large and oval shaped with greenish-yellow skin with a red blush. The deep yellow flesh which is sweet, aromatic, and virtually fiberless. The tree is a large vigorous grower. Kent is an excellent late season producer of top quality mangoes.

Why is Kent called the Garden of England? ›

Kent is sometimes known as the "Garden of England" for its abundance of orchards and hop gardens. In particular the county produces tree-grown fruits, strawberries and hazelnuts. Distinctive hop-drying buildings called oasts are common in the countryside, although many have been converted into dwellings.

What fruit grows in Kent? ›

Apples, pears, plums, cherries, quinces, nuts, currants, medlars, gooseberries, apricots and fruit galore . . .

What is the most planted food? ›

Based on our findings, here are the 20 most grown crops in the world:
  • Oranges. ...
  • Grapes. ...
  • Seed Cotton. ...
  • Onions. ...
  • Sweet Potatoes. ...
  • Bananas. ...
  • Apple. Production Quantity In The 2021/2022 Crop Year: 139 million tons. ...
  • Barley. Production Quantity In 2021/2022 Crop Year: 147 million tons.
Aug 10, 2023

What is Kent also known as? ›

Its name comes from the ancient Celtic word, cantus, meaning 'rim' or 'border'. It is alleged that Julius Caesar, who referred to the county as 'Cantium', said that of all the British tribes, “by far the most civilised are they who dwell in Kent”.

What is the history of Sandwich Kent? ›

Originally, the tidewater came far enough up the Stour estuary to make Sandwich a port. By the 9th century the town had replaced the decayed Roman port of Richborough, and in the 11th century it became one of the Cinque Ports. It flourished during the Middle Ages and was chartered as a borough in 1226.

How did Sandwich Kent get its name? ›

The first recorded mention of Sandwich was around 664 AD but there was probably some kind of settlement in Roman times as the site is very close to Richborough Roman Fort (Rutupiae). The name of the town is, most likely, Saxon in origin, approximately meaning sandy place, or the place on the sand.

Why is Kent called Kent? ›

The name Kent derives from the ancient Celtic tribe who inhabited South East England from the Thames to the south coast. Their lands included modern Kent plus parts of Surrey, Sussex and Greater London. The Romans called the people the Cantii or Cantiaci and the county Cantium.

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