A celebration of Liverpool’s culinary gift to the world was held this week, as Global Scouse Day was marked across the city.
The idea of a special day set aside for the dish was started five years ago by adventurer, filmmaker and television presenter, Graham David Hughes. Now, half a decade on, the campaign is popular throughout the Merseyside restaurant scene, and many students and tourists use their day in the city to venture out to find and try their first bowl of Scouse.
The dish’s origins aren’t entirely known, but the legend is that it was enjoyed by sailors throughout Northern Europe, becoming popular in seaports such as Liverpool. Some traditional Merseyside cafes have stayed true to their roots and continue to serve Scouse daily to their loyal customers.
Our Kitchen, a relatively new addition to the Bold Street restaurant scene, embraced Liverpool’s food heritage and prepared the traditional Scouse for their first year. Although they are no longer an exclusive vegan and vegetarian restaurant they have put a meat-free ‘blind Scouse’ on offer for those who don’t wish to try the tradition Lamb or Beef version.
Well known for their Scouse, Maggie May’s Café near the top of Bold Street has been a family-run business for decades, focusing on traditional home-cooked café food. John Lea, owner and chef of Maggie’s, has been making the dish for over 30 years, using a recipe handed down the generations.
John told JMU Journalism: “We go through this huge vat in just three or four days – we sell it every day of every week.”
Maggie May’s received coverage and praise for their traditional Scouse when it featured on a webisode of Munchies produced by famous rapper, chef and food-enthusiast, Action Bronson, in which he described the meal as: “Hearty, stick-to-your ribs food for work.”
YouTube: Jasper Hunt