There’s something uniquely satisfying about taking a dish steeped in regional history and giving it a contemporary twist that suits today’s kitchens and tables.
Whether you’re a food blogger, a home cook, or simply curious about what people eat beyond your postcode, researching and modernising traditional meals from specific areas can be an exciting and rewarding culinary journey. Here's how to go about it.
1. Choose Your Location and Theme
Start by picking a specific area, this could be as broad as a country or as narrow as a town or village. You might choose the Scottish Highlands, the Cornish coast, or the Yorkshire Dales. Consider focusing your research around a theme too, like seafood traditions, harvest festival dishes, or miner’s meals.
2. Dig Into Local History
The best regional dishes often stem from a rich historical or cultural context. Local museums, libraries, historical societies, and archives can hold clues about what people cooked and ate. Parish records, old cookbooks, even wartime ration recipes can be treasure troves of inspiration.
Check:
Old cookbooks from the region
Local food blogs and historical food writing
BBC Food’s regional recipe archives
Books on British regional cuisine
Online museum collections and oral history projects
3. Talk to Locals and Food Producers
If you’re able to visit the area, talk to the people who live there. Farmers, butchers, fishmongers, bakers, and older residents often hold onto knowledge that isn’t written down. Local food festivals and farmers’ markets are also a great place to hear stories behind the food and how it’s still made.
4. Look for Signature Ingredients
Identify what ingredients are key to the region. For example, Pembrokeshire leeks, Melton Mowbray pork pies, Orkney crab, or Kentish cobnuts. These give a dish its local character, and sourcing or substituting them thoughtfully is key to authenticity with a modern flair.
5. Find Traditional Recipes
Start with the original form. Look for:
Recipes published in old community cookbooks
Traditional versions on heritage food sites
Dishes served in local pubs or cafés
Take note of preparation methods, typical accompaniments, and how it was originally served, was it a one-pot meal, a celebratory dish, or a working lunch?
6. Modernise Thoughtfully
Now for the fun part: reimagining the dish for a modern eater. Here’s how to go about this:
Healthier tweaks: Reduce salt, fat, or sugar if appropriate.
Simplify techniques: Use a slow cooker or air fryer instead of an open hearth or boiling for hours.
Update presentation: Deconstruct a pie or serve a stew in individual portions with a garnish.
Consider modern dietary needs: Create a vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free version.
Example: Take a traditional Cornish stargazy pie, originally fish heads poking through the crust, and turn it into individual fish parcels with herbed pastry, served with lemon-dressed greens.
7. Document the Journey
If you’re blogging or sharing your creations on social media, document your research as part of the story. Readers love knowing the origin of the dish, the changes you’ve made, and your inspiration. Include:
Photos of original recipes or dishes
Interviews or quotes from locals
Ingredient spotlights
Before and after recipe versions
8. Celebrate the Heritage
Even as you modernise, give credit to the cultural roots of the dish. Name the region in your titles, include maps or local imagery, and preserve the spirit of the meal. It’s about evolution, not erasure.
Final Thoughts
Recreating regional meals for the modern table is a brilliant way to keep food heritage alive while ensuring it remains accessible, tasty, and relevant. It’s a creative process that connects you to communities, history, and ingredients—making every bite that bit more meaningful.
Have you modernised a regional dish? Share your version in the comments or tag us on social media!
Here, as they used to say, is one I have prepared earlier. It's a recipe for Shropshire Fidget Pie which I tried at a food festival that had a section dedicated to serving up Medeval foods and drinks.
Modern Shropshire Fidget Pie Recipe
A lighter, individual version of the classic pork and apple pie from Shropshire
Fidget pie is a traditional savoury dish hailing from the county of Shropshire (and sometimes claimed by neighbouring Staffordshire), made with pork, apples, and onions, often encased in a pastry crust. The name "fidget" is thought to come from “fitchett,” an old word for a five-sided pie, or possibly from the constant bubbling of the filling as it cooks.
This updated recipe keeps the heart of the dish intact while creating smaller, lighter, and easier-to-make individual pies perfect for modern dining.
Ingredients (Makes 4 individual pies):
For the filling:
250g cooking apples (e.g. Bramley), peeled and chopped
200g cooked ham or pulled pork (use leftover roast if available)
1 medium onion, finely sliced
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
1 tbsp plain flour
1 tsp thyme leaves
50ml apple cider or dry apple juice
Salt and pepper to taste
For the pastry:
250g plain flour
125g cold unsalted butter, cubed
Pinch of salt
1 medium egg, beaten (for glazing)
2–3 tbsp cold water
Method:
Make the pastry:
Rub the butter into the flour and salt until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add just enough water to bring it into a dough. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
Prepare the filling:
In a frying pan, lightly sauté the onion in a bit of oil or butter until soft. Add the apples, thyme, mustard, flour, and cider. Simmer for 5–7 minutes until the apples are tender but still hold their shape. Remove from heat and stir in the pork or ham. Season to taste.
Assemble the pies:
Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan) / 200°C / Gas Mark 6.
Roll out the pastry and line 4 small pie dishes or ramekins. Fill with the pork and apple mixture. Use the remaining pastry to make lids, crimp the edges, and cut a small steam hole in each. Brush with beaten egg.
Bake:
Bake for 25–30 minutes until golden brown and bubbling. Serve hot or warm.
Serving suggestion:
Serve your modern fidget pies with a crisp green salad and a spoonful of Shropshire Blue cheese slaw for a nod to the county’s famed dairy produce.
Why it works today:
Uses leftovers and seasonal apples
Scaled for individual portions
Simple ingredients with big flavour
Pays homage to Shropshire’s farming and orchard traditions.
Later on we'll be making a blogpost about a vegan version, so please keep an eye out for that!
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