pumpkinstrokemarrow

Take half a tenderloin of pork, 2 ounces of pearl barley and simmer in 3 pints of water for an hour. Add two pounds of finely sliced white cabbage, including here the sliced stalk to provide a little textural variety. Simmer for a further five minutes and serve in green Beryl ware soup plates. At this point the water should not cover the other ingredients. There should be plenty poking out above the water line.

Flavour of soup enhanced by its excellent appearance. Pale grey stock, off white barley, darker grey pork and pale green cabbage, all nicely offset by the darker green of the soup plates.

Sadly, not something that can be had in restaurants. Neither flavourings nor E-numbers to give the cook some creative satisfaction and the stuff does not stand well. Needs to be eaten fresh. We did the lot in one go, with a little white bread.