Today is Mother's Day and on Mothering Sunday, the fourth in Lent, girls in service used to be given leave to visit their mothers, taking a simnel cake as a gift. In Warwickshire and Gloucestershire the traditional meal on this day was a chine of pork, followed by fig pudding. A chine was a particular cut (down each side of the backbone) and often served at christenings or other celebrations, and at Christmas-time in Northamptonshire. John Clare in 'The Shepherd's Calendar' wrote:
'And huswifes sage stuff'd seasoned chine
Long hung in chimney nook to drye
And boiling eldern berry wine
To drink the christmass eves good bye.'
Sylvia xxx
'And huswifes sage stuff'd seasoned chine
Long hung in chimney nook to drye
And boiling eldern berry wine
To drink the christmass eves good bye.'
Sylvia xxx