Faggot (food)

Lore & Background

Faggots originated as a traditional cheap food consumed by country people, with the dish most consistently associated with the English Midlands and South Wales. Their popularity spread especially to South Wales in the mid-nineteenth century, when many agricultural workers left the land to work in the rapidly expanding industry and mines of that area. The alternative name 'savoury ducks' is regional to Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Lancashire; the first print reference for 'faggots' appeared in the Manchester Courier on Saturday 3 June 1843, while the first reference for 'savoury ducks' is from a later date.

Reader's Guide

Faggots gained popularity during the rationing of World War II, but declined over the following decades. The 'nose-to-tail eating' trend has resulted in greater demand for faggots in the 21st century; British supermarket chain Waitrose once again sold beef faggots from 2014. In 2018, it was estimated that 'tens of millions' of faggots were eaten every year. The dish's name has caused misunderstanding due to its American English meaning as a pejorative term for a homosexual man, leading to a banned radio commercial in 2004, profanity filter issues (the Scunthorpe problem), and temporary Facebook blocks in 2013. A Google Ads advertisement for a British cafe was removed in September 2019 for featuring the term.

Did You Know?

• The alternative name 'savoury ducks' is regional to Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Lancashire.
• The first print reference to savoury ducks was in the Manchester Courier on 3 June 1843.
• In 2004, a UK radio commercial for Somerfield using the word 'faggots' was banned by Ofcom for innuendo.
• In September 2019, a Google Ads advertisement for a British cafe was removed for featuring the term 'faggots'.