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Keynsham Cakes

Fish
Somerset

A form of Elver Cake, made by frying the tiny young eels in butter.

'The complete English traveller, or A new survey and description of England' of 1772 by Nathaniel Spencer has; "The next place we visited was Keynsham or Cayniham a small though a populous town situated on the banks of the Avon where the Chew falls into that river. At this town the Avon is remarkable for vast quantities of small red fish called elvers who in the spring season swim in millions on the surface of the water. The people take them in small nets and having stripped off their skins made them into small Cakes which they sell to the people of Bristol, Bath and other neighbouring towns. The method of dressing them is to fry them with butter when they are considered as great dainties."


Elvers
Image: Unknown







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