Posted by When did you ever hear anyone say “I want to go to England for the food”? England does not have a reputation for food, because everyone is too busy raving about French, Italian and Spanish food to focus on what English Cuisine has to offer. Yes, I did say “Cuisine”. If you are planning a visit, read this! If not, open your mind and get your taste buds ready to virtually sample it all!
Mealtime: English vs American
English food is steeped in history. Almost every dish has a reason for existing. Even the meal times represent a lifestyle. The Upper Class had Afternoon Tea, which can still be found in many cafes, restaurants, and high-end venues such as the London Ritz and Fortnum & Mason who make an event out of it. https://www.theritzlondon.com/dine-with-us/afternoon-tea/
https://www.fortnumandmason.com/restaurants/afternoon-tea
Then historically we have High Tea, a sit-down evening meal, which has been abbreviated to Tea, also known as Dinner! That little bedtime snack of scrumptious English biscuits and cakes is known as Supper, which is now an American term in some states for Dinner. Confused?
Let’s look at the English menu format! This is where my fellow Americans may be a little confused the first time around. You will find that Starters come first, that’s Appetizers in the US. Then follows the Main Course, which is Entree in the US. Strange, because Entree is French for an appetizer. After the Main Course comes Dessert or Pudding. This is where the real confusion comes in. A Pudding, in England, is a general description for Dessert. Pudding in America is a specific food. But that’s another post.
Let’s Eat!
And now for the good stuff! Let’s start with this, the Great British Fry-Up, also known as a Cooked Breakfast.
This is where I drool over my laptop. There is nothing better than a cooked English breakfast. Start with thick bacon, and juicy English bangers (thick sausages with lots of flavour), fried egg, fried bread, fried tomatoes, mushrooms, (I did say Fry-Up) and best of all, English baked beans in a delicious tomato sauce, all served with Ketchup or
Lunch Time!
Lunchtime, like other European countries, is typically cold food. Consider the Ploughmans Lunch. Historically a packed lunch for the farmers in the field, which includes cheese, pickles, salad, and meat with some lovely soft bread. Add in some Crisps (Chips)for a bit of crunch. Otherwise, a good old sandwich with your favourite ingredients. If you are out and about, a Jacket (Baked) Potato with your selection of toppings is a popular choice, or sandwich and chips (fries). Yum.
Dinner/Tea
The evening meal where the family comes together. The English typically eat later in the evening after 7 p.m., because after all, you have had afternoon tea in the Drawing Room and are just starting to feel a bit peckish! Ring for the Butler, a pre-dinner G&T is in order. Back to reality. Assuming we are not in Downton Abbey, what’s on the menu?
A staple at dinner time is anything in a savory pie! We love our pies…meat pie, chicken and mushroom pie, Cornish Pasties, Pork Pie, and don’t miss out on Sausage Rolls, Quiche, and Cheese and Onion flan. The above photo shows a meat and ale pie with mushroom, thick onion gravy on the side, and an order of mushy peas. Take a slow walk around your typical English bakery (but go early) and take your pick. If it’s in pastry, it’s going to be delicious.
The English love their meat and potatoes too. Similar to the Dutch, we cook up flavourful stews and casseroles. Try a plateful of Bangers and Mash for a tasty alternative.
Last but so not least!!! A real, genuine, 100% authentic plate of fish, chips, mushy peas, and curry sauce. Make sure you pick a quality fish and chip shop where they serve whale-sized fish, and you will wonder how you ever survived without this experience. There are some bad chip shops out there, but don’t let a bad experience put you off finding a good one. I can think of worse missions!
Thanks to the old Colonial ties with India, a good Curry is as much a part of the food scene as pie and chips. Dive into a Curry House and see for yourself, or find a pub that offers a mild curry if you want to start off slow.
What’s for pudding?
The icing on the cake! British desserts are pure comfort food. We love a good Sticky Toffee pudding with cream or ice cream, or a lovely slice of Victorian Sandwich Cake layered with Jam and cream. Or my personal favourite? Coffee Cake with thick, coffee flavoured icing
And finally, my prized stash that I wrapped with care in my suitcase just the other day before leaving England. We made it through US Customs and my collection is now proudly in my kitchen waiting for the perfect moments. If you can’t make it to England, you can find some of the products in our larger Supermarkets or on Amazon.
Branston Pickle is a fantastic, tangy complement to any sandwich, cheese, cold meat, and salad. HP Fruity sauce is similar to A1 but tangier and wonderful on any kind of meat.
I hope you enjoyed my summary of English Cuisine and your tastebuds have been suitably tantalized. Feel free to email me with questions and comments! As the English say before a meal “Get Stuck In”!
