“My favourite salad vegetable is watercress. As the name implies this cress grows all the year round in fresh water.

Gathering watercress from the streams for cooking and selling at market was a natural way of life for country folk for centuries. In Staffordshire, the slow running streams and rivers, especially near their source, were ideal for growing watercress.

Watercress also makes a good soup. How about trying the following recipe and if you are, or become, a watercress fan, then you can double the amount of watercress you use.“

Mrs Stearn (1876)

INGREDIENTS
1 medium sized potato about 250g (8oz)
1 bunch of watercress 85g (3oz)
300ml (1/2 pt) milk or single cream
Medium sized onion about 250g (8oz)
600ml (lpt) chicken stock
Pepper and salt

METHOD
1. Peel, cut and dice the potato and onion.
2. Wash and check over the watercress, removing any yellow leaves and large stalks.
3. Place onion, potato, watercress and stock in saucepan, bring to the boil, cover with lid and simmer until vegetables are cooked.
4. Zap in the pan with a hand held blender or liquidise or pass through a sieve until soup is smooth
5. Add milk or cream, season to taste and reheat without boiling before serving.  The soup can also be served chilled.