Recipe History: An Ode to Toad in the Hole

Any traditional English family is sure to have their own Toad in the Hole recipe. This recipe is a twist on Yorkshire puddings, using the same batter with sausages in it to prepare a whole meal. When times are scarce, you can use any type of meat, but the standard ingredients are simple and cheap: eggs, flour, milk, and sausages. Some families prepare it a certain way so the batter rises more or has a different flavour, but the traditional taste is remarkably easy to obtain with as few ingredients as possible.

Here are some facts about the history and current traditions associated with Toad in the Hole.

Nobody knows where the Name came from

There are many theories about the name “Toad in the Hole” (often hyphenated as “Toad-in-the-Hole”), but nobody quite knows which one is right. Some historians have found recipes for Pigeon in the Hole, prepared with pigeons, but Toad in the Hole obviously isn’t prepared with frog meat! Some people think that the sausages peeking out of the batter look like toads’ heads peeking out of holes, while others think that it used to be called Frog in the Hole.