Ploughman's Fancy

August 01, 2025

Ploughman's Fancy

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Step inside any traditional public house the length and breadth of the United Kingdom and, more likely than not, you'll see them offering 'Ploughman's Lunch' as part of their lunch-time menu.

The 'traditional' Ploughman's Lunch is so well established as part of the British culture that you could be forgiven for thinking that it dates back to the pre-Industrial age. In fact, the fare on offer these days is the product of a 1950s advertising campaign to encourage people to eat more cheese after the privations of Britain at war.

The modern-day 'Ploughman's' is usually a plate of bread, strong Cheddar cheese, and pickles, traditionally accompanied by a glass of good beer or cider.

However, the first mention of a suggested lunch for a Ploughman dates back to the 14th century. In Pierce, the Ploughman's Crede, we first read of a midday meal for working Ploughmen. It's a meal of bread, cheese and beer. Bread and cheese formed an almost staple diet for British rural labourers for centuries. The cheese was often made from skimmed milk with the addition of a little lard and butter, ensuring sufficient fats and protein. This would often be served with slices of raw onion as a perfect condiment.

A fascinating account of the diet of farm and rural labourers in the 14th century can be found here:

https://bahs.org.uk/AGHR/ARTICLES/36n1a2.pdf

Pierce, the Ploughman's Crede (1394)

A 19th-century engraving of rural labourers at lunch.

Lunchtime for Ploughmen

Gerald Taylor, West Hallam Ploughing Competition 1950.

The bread that accompanies a Ploughman's lunch has to be rustic, substantial and fresh. These days, you may well be served a slice or two of sourdough, a baguette or some other artisan-styled bread.

I've called my lunchtime accompaniment The Ploughman's Fancy. I hope you like it.

INGREDIENTS

350 gms strong white bread flour

150 gms wholemeal / wholegrain flour

290 gms flat beer (beer that's been left standing for a couple of hours to remove the 'fizz')

15 gms oil (olive or sunflower)

25 gms dried skimmed milk powder

10 gms dark sugar

8 gms fine salt (I've used sea salt)

45 gms wholegrain mustard

7 gms instant active yeast

METHOD

Add the beer to a large bowl and stir in the mustard, dried milk, salt, sugar and oil.

Mix thoroughly.

In a separate bowl, mix the white and the wholegrain flour together.

Now, to the beer mixture, add the instant yeast and then slowly add the flour, bringing it all together until thoroughly hydrated.

Knead until you have a soft and silky dough.

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover and leave in a warm place to double.

Once doubled, tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and de-gas / knock back to remove all the air. Don't be gentle here; the dough benefits from good handling.

Now, you can either shape the whole dough or you can split it into two.

Shape the dough into a boule, drawing it across the worktop to ensure a good surface tension.

Place the dough on a prepared baking tray and slash the top of the dough with a cross.

Cover the dough and leave it at room temperature to more or less double in size.

Preheat the oven to 190⁰C (375⁰F) and add a small container with boiling water to create steam.

Bake for 15 minutes and then remove the steam before baking for a further 15 minutes or until the bread is golden brown and hollow when tapped underneath.