Baku Bangers

On Saturday 24th February, 2009 Croatians cooked up what they claim to be the world's largest sausage measuring 530 metres.

Hundreds of locals gathered in the main square of Vinkovci in the country's east and grilled the giant sausage, made with 400 kilograms of pork, 10 kilos of salt, 2.5 kilos of spices and 3.5 kilos of garlic bought for a local farm, the town hall said.

Organisers said the sausage was the world's largest and could feed as many as 3,000 people, but adding it was merely "training" for next year when they plan to produce a sausage measuring 1,000 metres.

According to the Guinness Book of Records the longest-ever sausage made so far measured 392 metres and was made in Romania in December last year.

The word sausage is derived from the Latin word salsus which means something salted.

The popular myth is that the epithet 'Bangers' dates from WWII when due to the rationing of meat, sausage makers made up the the weight of the sausage by the addition of more filler and water. A high water content meant that during cooking the sausages released water into the hot fat creating a characteristic popping sound. Additionally the water trapped inside the sausage would boil, turn to steam and cause the casings to rupture.

However, the Oxford English Dictionary's first citation dates back to 1919 referring to a term used by Australian soldiers during the 'Great War' which suggests that meat rationing was not the only reason why sausage makers would increase the water content of the sausage.

302,000 tonnes of sausages were produced in the UK in 2008.

Every day, 5 million Britons will eat sausages.

Grilling is the most popular cooking method used for 44% of all sausages followed by frying at 23% and baking at 20%.

The Dishes

Bangers are served as part of a large number of dishes, one of the favourites being as part of a 'Full English Breakfast'. Other popular Banger dishes are 'Toad in the Hole'  a presentation of sausages cooked in a Yorkshire Pudding batter and 'Bangers & Mash'  which usally consists of nothing more than a couple of cooked sausages placed over a portion of mashed potato and served with a rich onion gravy Bangers may also be served in sandwiches with grilled onions.

Bangers are also popular when presented in sandwiches and bread rolls or served along with chips (french fries) and egg as an evening meal. 

The earliest references to the Pasty are cited as being as early as the 13th century and its Cornish identity had become well established by the 18th century.

Also known as 'oggies' or 'tiddy oggies', popular lore suggests that the pasty was the staple food of miners working underground in the Cornish tin mines. In this dirty, and due the quantity of arsenic often present in the Cornish mines, poisonous environment the crimped edge of the pasty would be held by the miner whilst eating the pastry encased contents. After the pasty had been consumed the excess pastry was left underground in order tho appease the 'knockers' or mine spirits said to occupy the Cornish mines.

It is also suggested that at one point in time the pasty contained discrete compartments for sweet and savoury items meaning that the miner could enjoy a meal with both a main course and a dessert whilst working underground.

The Cornish Pasty Association is currently seeking Protected Geographical Indicator (PGI) status for the Cornish Pasty through the European Union which will prevent manufacturers from outside Cornwall from identifying their products as Cornish Pasties.