Global Scouse Day

Global Scouse Day is celebrated on February 28^th every year to server for scouse.

History of Global Scouse Day

Global Scouse Day is an annual celebration in Liverpool centered on Scouse, a stew that goes hand in hand with the city. Bars, restaurants and cafes in Liverpool serve it up during the day, as do the city's hospitals and schools. Virgin trains around the country also put it on the menu. However, celebrations of this day are not limited to Liverpool or England, and the festival is served around the world on this day, with countries such as the United States and Australia participating. In Liverpool, celebration has extended from dining to music, art and cinema. A "Scouse Off" contest judged by Liverpool's celebrities was held on this day, like a cocktail contest. Because of the city's association with food, residents are sometimes referred to as "small thieves".

Scouse is usually a stew, which is made not only with blocks of beef, but also with lamb, and often with potatoes, onions, and carrots, although its ingredients tend to vary. Traditionally, leftovers are used to make it, and the ingredients also depend on the season. Today, other ingredients sometimes used include braised meat cubes, peas, lentils, sweet potatoes, parsley, basil, and rosemary. Scouse made with only vegetables is called tamarind. Historically, this dish was created by people who could not afford to add meat. Scouse is usually served with crusty bread and pickled red cabbage or beets. The name of the dish stands for "lobscouse", which is a sailor's dish. From the eighteenth century to the nineteenth century, lobscouse is made with meat, onions, peppers, and biscuits (cardboard).

Global Scouse Day got its start on a small scale prior to 2008 when Graham Hughes hosted a "sniper dinner" on his birthday — February 28 — every year, in his hometown and his Liverpool flavor. After he left England in December 2008, his friends, especially Laura Worthington of Laura's Little Bakery, decided to continue the fine tradition. Over the next 5 years, the event evolved from a small gathering into a celebration, where over 100 bars, restaurants and cafes put snacks on the menu of the day. The Lord Mayor of Liverpool supported them, as did Liverpool Football Club and Everton Football Club. The sale of sleds on this day has raised money for a number of charities, including the R Charity, Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, The Paper Cup Project and the Whitechapel Centre, and also provided food for homeless people in Liverpool.

How to celebrate Global Scouse Day

If you can make it to Liverpool, enjoy a bowl of mixed rice paper in one of its top places to eat it. You can also check out scooter locations for occasions of the day, most of which are in Liverpool, and see what charity money is being donated. If you can't make it to Liverpool, you can still celebrate today — it's Global Scouse Day anyway. Celebrate by making and eating a few dishes or see if there are restaurants near you that serve this dish!