The first printed reference to the dish is in 1809 and, like many of the era, calls for “pullet" or young hen's eggs – meaning that these early incarnations would have been smaller than the tennis ball-sized orbs we tuck into today (once again, it seems, we Brits have super-sized our meals). Instead of sausagemeat, the meat used would have been "forcemeat" – leftover bits of meat and offal pounded together to make mince. And although today they are generally considered a cold snack, back then Scotch eggs were often enjoyed hot with a sauce – Mrs Beeton suggests they be served in a pool of “good brown gravy”. As time went by, regional variations appeared: a Worcester egg, for example, involves marinating the egg in (what else?) Worcestershire sauce.