You mentioned that your wife used to be a lardy and now she isn't. Did the pair of you train and diet together or was her approach more the weight watchers, slow pace jogging type?
2004, Warwick Allen, Sweat, page 286:And as for the equipment they use, let's just say that Lance Armstrong won't be winning the Tour de France on one. In fact he probably wouldn't be able to turn the pedals, especially with a couple of lardies like us in the back, ...
1985, Jane Grigson, Jane Grigson's British cookery, page 32:‘A bloomer, a Hovis, thank you, that's all ... oh, and put in a couple of lardies.’ Naturally, home-made lardy cake is even feggier than the baker’s. His aim is to put in as little lard, fruit and sugar as he can get away with: yours is, or should be, to cram in as much as possible.
1997 March 30, "Paul Louis" (username), "Why are Americans such wankers.", alt.nuke.europe
, Usenet:
>Hmmm. American food is sugary? Not as sugary as the stuff they sell at>Somerfield's and Sainsbury's and ASDA--whole aisles of cookies and tea>biscuits. Ribena instead of fresh juice. No English muffins (which are>actually American) but lots of lardies!
2001 October 16, "Stephen Toogood" (username), "What is Twinkies?", alt.usage.english
, Usenet:
But Lardy Cake isn't really a London thing anyway. Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire is to my mind the epicentre of lardies.