Eccles Cake
One of the joys of playing poker up North, is that you meet people with a different mind set. Down South most of the players are forever trying to conform with the stereo type of image for southerners. Let me explain there is a program called ‘The Only Way Is Essex’ and it is very popular with wannabe’s and nevacudbe’s. Up north there is a almost rebellious streak which courses through the veins that makes them different.
I am primarily talking about people in the North West around the areas of Manchester and Liverpool, but, this could apply to most of the Northern region. The culture is very different and this is reflected in the food. At the moment I am gorging myself on Eccles cake a delightfully saucy cake that seems to taste better up here than it does down south. Likewise the humour and banter is different.
To use the television analogy again compare ‘The Only Way Is Essex’ and ‘Coronation Street’. TOWIE is al about lazing around, gossiping and wearing heavy sun tan. While Corrie is all about challenging social issues via humour. Corrie maybe old fashioned but it works and along with the Co-Operative movement and other such social enterprises. TOWIE by contrast just oges for the money shot. Glitz and glamour is the order of the day for The Only Way Is Essex and this is setting the agenda for the youngsters and those who aspire to be a kept person.
In the end Eccles cake taste better than nouvelle cuisine, although the later will undoubtedly look better. Eccles cake is all about substance and nouvelle cuisine is all about presentation. The same could apply to the people although this might be a bit too much of a broad brush. Us Southerners may have our downside but most are just hard working and striving and will try to help their fellow man. Its just we want to have the best bling to do this.