Culture of Jersey - Food and Drink

Food and Drink

Seafood has traditionally been important to the cuisine of Jersey: mussels (called moules locally), oysters, lobster and crabs — especially spider crabs which are considered a particular delicacy. Razor-fishing, sand-eeling and limpeting used to be popular activities but have declined in importance. Ormers, being highly sought after, are conserved and fishing is restricted. Another seafood specialty is conger soup.

Bean crock (les pais au fou) can best be described as a sort of Norman cassoulet. It is a slow-cooked pork and bean stew, most authentically containing a pig's trotter, water and onions. In the past the dish was so ubiquitous that English-speaking visitors, purporting to believe that the people of Jersey ate nothing else, dubbed the inhabitants Jersey beans (this epithet is sometimes considered derogatory, but a Jersey primary school French coursebook Salut Jersey featured two beans Haricot and Mangetout).

Nettle (ortchie) soup was once a popular dish and was considered a tonic for the heart.

Jersey wonders (les mèrvelles) a sort of rich twisted doughnut is made less in the home than formerly but is still a popular treat at fairs and festivals. A sort of wonder poached in milk is known as a fliotte (eune fliotte).

Cabbage loaf is the traditional Jersey bread baked between two cabbage leaves. Historically, Jersey produced sturdy walking sticks fashioned from the stalks of cabbages, known as "Tall Jacks", which had been induced to grow tall stalks by removing leaves around the heart.

Vraic buns are very large sweet buns with raisins, and were traditionally eaten when men went out vraicing on the shore.

Jersey milk being very rich, cream and butter have played a large part in insular cooking. Unlike other parts of the Duchy of Normandy, there is no historical tradition of cheese – Jersey people traditionally preferring rich yellow thickly-spread butter.

Jersey Royal potatoes are the local variety of new potato, and the island is famous for its early crop of small, tasty potatoes from the south-facing côtils (steeply-sloping fields). They are eaten in any variety of ways, often simply boiled and served with butter.

Apples historically were an important crop. Bourdélots are apple dumplings, but the most typical speciality is black butter (lé nièr beurre), a dark spicy spread prepared from apples, cider and spices (especially liquorice). Although called butter, it does not contain any milk. It is traditional to hold black butter nights (séthées d'nièr beurre) in autumn. These are still an important traditional social occasion in country areas; the stirring must be maintained around the clock. The complete process of making black butter, including the peeling of the apples, the stirring of the mixture in a large cauldron throughout the night, the camaraderie and the jarring up was recently recorded by the filmmaker D. Rusowsky for a 48 minute documentary to capture the essence of this ancient recipe and reveal the spirit of one on Jersey’s best kept secrets: its people. Reviving the tradition benefits not only people and communities but creates a fertile social environment supporting the conservation of traditional orchards, which are highly endangered.

Cider used to be an important export. After decline and near-disappearance in the late 20th century, apple production is being increased and promoted. Apple brandy is also produced. Some wine is produced.

• A jar of black butter

• Adding spices during black butter making

• Cider making traditions are maintained in Jersey at the annual Faîs'sie d'cidre festival. Here at the museum at Hamptonne, the old cider press is in action

• Mèrvelles - Jersey wonders

• Frying conger

• Boiled Jersey Royal potatoes