Brawn - Physical Strength in Contrast to Intelligence

Wartime Kitchen and Garden 1993

Ok so, what a place to begin my blog! Many years ago, I came across an amazing TV Series called 'The Wartime Kitchen and Garden'. As the name suggests this series was based around the kitchen and garden during World War II. Perfect for me, combining my passion for food, with my interest in life during the Second World War history too. The head cook was Ruth Mott and Harry Dodson in charge of the garden, were tasked with re-creating the Wartime Kitchen and Garden, as a follow on from the previously successful series The Victorian Kitchen. 

1940 - Poster encouraging the
creation of mini-allotments

One month on from the outbreak of the Second World War the Ministry of Agriculture launched one of the most memorable slogans of the whole conflict - 'Dig for Victory' (see poster right).

Ration Book 1943-44

This campaign was created to encourage households to set up mini-allotments in their gardens, to enable families to grow their own fruit and vegetables to substitute the forthcoming rationing. During the war years, instead of ships bringing in food from around the world, they were used to bring in war materials. So gone were food items like the Banana and Orange, and in came the resourceful housewife, as portrayed so brilliantly by Ruth.


The campaign was a huge success and within months of it beginning, gardens everywhere had taken on a new purpose and across britain everywhere flower beds were turned into these mini allotments.

Raise Pigs Campaign Poster 1918

Almost as quickly as this caught on, so did the idea of keeping chickens for the production of eggs and Pigs for meat rearing. The importance of retaining edible scraps of food for pigs was then evoked. These pigs, some of which were purchased with monies collected from organised neighbourhood schemes, once fattened with the scraps, yielded good food too. Pig schemes were often called Pig Clubs, from earlier campaigns commencing during the First World War (see poster above).

Wartime Kitchen and Garden gave viewers a glimpse into these hard times, showing a range on innovative ways to create good food from home grown produce and making a tasty meal from what would otherwise have been considered as waste.


During one episode, inspired by the 'pig clubs' which emerged from the ruins of a blitzed Britain, Ruth Mott, makes brawn from half a pig's head - not a task for the faint hearted!


Ever since watching Ruth make that Brawn all those years ago, I have been fascinated by the idea and keen to have a go at making it myself. Over the past two years my confidence in the kitchen has grown, so much so, I decided that I should have a go at this rather challenging task. In 2011 Geoff bought me a week long course at the Ashburton Cookery School for my birthday, this further inspired my interest in cooking and in particular with local produce, after completing the Intermediate Course there, this was an amazing  experience!


To begin my task of making Brawn, I needed to source a Pigs Head, as few of us in the suburban back garden raise pigs for the pot these days!


My local Farm Shop has an excellent butchers counter, so my first port of call was to ask there. Although the butcher seemed somewhat surprised by my request, he assured me he could supply one. So I arranged to return the following week to collect it, as agreed.


The following week came and I was excited to arrive at the Farm Shop to collect my Pigs Head, only to be thoroughly disappointed that it was not available. Unfortunately I did this on three different occasions over a period of 6 months with 2 different local butchers.


Finally, after my disappointment I was successful in obtaining one, when I least expected to. Following a family lunch at the Start Bay Inn for a belated Mother's Day treat, we called into a local farm shop there. I had to drive an hour from my home in Plymouth to collect it from a farm shop in Stokenham, the following week. This time I phoned a'head' (if you pardon the pun!) and they confirmed it was indeed ready for collection. So on Good Friday Geoff and I drove to South Devon and I was delighted to find that the head was in, well at least I think I was, the dream was suddenly a stark reality now, I was confronted with my Pigs Head! The butcher was a little bemused as to what I was going to do with it, but prepared it for me to take away, free of charge along with 2 pigs trotters too.

A regular visitor to Fergus Henderson's Restaurant, St John

On waiting at the counter a few stares from other shoppers and staff were certainly apparent! One customer came up and asked what we were going to do with it and I explained that I was making Brawn, 'I thought you might be' she said. She then went on to tell us how years ago whilst an assistant at a Dental College, she remembers lining up many heads for students to practice working on their teeth, as it seems the set up of Pigs teeth is remarkably similar to humans! Food certainly brings people together...


After finishing my weekly shop, I then took my goods to the till to pay, one of the staff said that the checkout girl had been 'dreading us coming over' with the head, so I stashed him at my feet so that she couldn't see him (the butcher had placed him in a see through plastic bag!). Notice here that I am now becoming more familiar with my pigs head already, I think we were bonding!

Our tastes have changed!

Amazing how the times have changed. I am fully aware that my making this Brawn was purely for my benefit, as no-one I knew would eat it, except for me. Where this was once a delicious supplement to a families diet, in a nose to tail diet approach, this was certainly now no longer the case! There are few chef's that are currently working hard to re-invent the 'Nose to Tail' concept, Fergus Henderson (link above) and of course Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall of River Cottage too, however I don't think this is a battle which will be easily won.

My love of all things foods had culminated in this task, of cooking a Pigs Head and making Brawn, just like Mrs Mott. I enjoy a challenge with food preparation and developing my skills whenever I get the chance. 2011 was named this 'The Year of Sauce' or the 'Saucy Year', as Geoff liked to think of it (wishful thinking if you ask me!), after watching the fabulous Julie and Julia (2010) and subsequently reading Julia Child's 'Mastering the Art of French Cookery' (2009), I was greatly inspired to cook more things from scratch, this included sauces for savoury and sweet dishes.


2012 has commenced with Preserves, Jams and Chutneys, so watch out for updates to my blog with different methods of preserving fruit and veg. A cook won't improve by cooking the same things time after time, that small repertoire might improve, but the cook will not.


So, the story of 'Why Brawn?' has been told, all I have to do now is prepare my Pig for the pot, cook him and the challenge will be achieved.


Watch out for the next blog update, with recipe and tips. Am I nervous? Yes, but excited too!