Toad in the Hole with Rosemary

When we were living in London in the '90s, we would go to our local Guy Fawkes bonfire in Highbury Fields in Islington. Friends who didn’t have access to a Georgian square complete with a burning man were invited (specimen invitation below) to join us.  We would start at our flat with drinks (and fill all flasks), bundle up and head to Highbury Fields with hot roasted chestnuts in paper bags (mainly to keep our hands warm), cider and lots of smoke. I have to say, the atmosphere was deeply weird and sort of a nod to a Stephen King novel with a bit of Harry Potter (though HP didn't exist then) thrown in.

Thoroughly chilled, we would return to our flat for English fare such as Toad in the Hole and more cider. November 6th is always a slow start in English workplaces. Some blame it on the cider; I blame it on the Guy.

Guy Fawkes night is a British celebration that commemorates the capture of Guy Fawkes, a man who was instrumental in trying to overthrow the king in the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. It falls on the 5th of November and is a night filled with bonfires and fireworks, and of course British food. The weather is often freezing, but can sometimes be wet and warm.