Gentleman's Relish is a type of anchovy paste. It is also known as Patum Peperium.
It was created in 1828 by an Englishman called John Osborn. It has a strong, very salty and slightly fishy taste, and contains anchovies (minimum 60%), butter, herbs and spices. Today, the secret recipe is withheld from all but one employee at Elsenham Quality Foods in Elsenham, England, the licensed manufacturer.
Gentleman's Relish is traditionally eaten thinly spread on slices of buttered white-bread toast, either on its own, or with cucumber, or "mustard and cress" sprouts . It can also be added to minced meat for a different-tasting cottage pie or to the mixture for fish cakes, potato cakes and croquettes. Alternatively it can be melted into scrambled eggs or be used as a topping for jacket potatoes. It has been depicted as an upper or middle class taste, for example Gentleman's Relish is mentioned in Nancy Mitford's book, The Pursuit of Love as a favorite food of Uncle Matthew. In Ian Fleming's book For Your Eyes Only it mentions that at the time of the visitors, Mr and Mrs Havelock were having Patum Peperium sandwiches.
Famous quotes containing the words gentleman and/or relish:
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—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“The king-becoming graces,
As justice, verity, temperance, stableness,
Bounty, perseverance, mercy, lowliness,
Devotion, patience, courage, fortitude,
I have no relish of them.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)