If you’re new to the North East, you might be surprised to learn that Sunderland is home to a few regional dishes that you’re unlikely to find anywhere else in the country. You might not have heard of some of them, and you might even struggle to spell a couple, but you can’t consider your time as a student here complete until you’ve tried them.
Watch as our students go on a Wearside culinary journey, and learn more about each dish below.
Panackelty
Panacalty, panaculty, panackerty, panaggie, panack… Mackems might not always agree on how to spell it, but they will agree that it is a well-loved, wholesome family meal. This casserole dish originated as a way to use up leftover ingredients from a Sunday dinner, but usually contains corned beef, potatoes, onions and carrots.
Cheesy chip pie
Cheese… On chips… In a pie. It might sound like an odd combination, but Sunderland locals will swear by this Mackem creation. You’ll more than likely come across cheesy chips on a night on the town, but a cheesy chip pie is a much rarer offering, and one you’ll wonder why hasn’t caught on elsewhere.
Pease pudding and stottie
Don’t be fooled by the name – pease pudding isn’t a dessert. It’s a savoury dish, traditionally made from split yellow peas, water, salt and spices. To ‘stott’, in the North East, means to bounce, which is what this dense bread accompaniment should do if you drop it – hence the name stottie.
Saveloy dip
The ultimate Mackem indulgence. A saveloy dip, in simple terms, is a smoked sausage sandwich, but this being Sunderland, it’s no ordinary sandwich. Fill it with stuffing, pease pudding and mustard, before dipping the whole thing in gravy. Good luck not making a mess.
Pink slice
A straightforward name for a straightforward treat, but one which is pretty much universally loved here on Wearside. Pink icing covering a slice of two layers of shortbread separated by jam. Simple to make, delicious to eat.
Published: 4 December 2019