After and early start (apparently there is a 6 o’clock in the morning), a full day at the Birdfair, and seeing 7 opsreys at Rutland Water, there was quite some need for sustenance. Thankfully we were not far from Melton Mowbray the home of pork pies and Melton Hunt Cake.
Melton Hunt Cake is a rich, moist fruit cake first created by Joseph Morris in 1854 for members of the local hunt. The cake is still made using the original recipe and method, combining the finest ingredients: sultanas, currants, muscovado sugar, butter, fresh eggs, cherries and almonds all enhanced with Caribbean Rum.
It is indeed a very fine cake, and hunting is not a requirement for its enjoyment. Its enhancement of rum ensures it is deliciously moist – almost to the extent that tea is not required to help “wash it down”. Having said that, of course the flavours and texture is enhanced even further with a good hot cup of tea.
If only it was more widely available, though it can be ordered online at Dickinson & Morris. Those photographed here are “individual” pieces, thankfully whole cakes can also be purchased.
Glad to see you are back on the road and the bike. Very excited to read your latest epicurean report; although I’m not sure my conscience will allow me to eat something that in other circles supports hunting ;-) But then the sultanas, cherries and rum are telling me otherwise. R.
I know how you feel, I worry every time I eat a sandwich that I am condoning gambling by the 4th Earl of Sandwich and everyone since…
I hope that neither of you eat haggis. Haggis hunting is by far the cruellest blood sport – many die a very slow death from shrapnel injuries (pinhead oatmeal really smarts if shot at high velocity).
Hi,
You have a wonderful image of a Hunt cake on your website. Would it be possible to use it on the UKTV Food website? Do you own the rights to it?
Thanks, Michael.