I've always wondered - why is our food so renowned world over, particularly US for being so bad? Can't beat some fish and chips or sunday roast right? Right?
The last time Americans (and a lot of other nationalities) were over here en masse was the second world war, when rationing was in full effect. I've seen some recipes that were made up during the second world war due to rationing. The only one that springs to mind is boiled bacon. Yeah, I read that and I began to understand where the stereotype came from.
Had this conversation with my family only recently. Personally, it's one of my favourites, if not my favourite. I realized all my favourite home cooked meals are the British ones - Bangers and mash - Toad in the hole - Sunday Roast - Fish 'n chips - Beef Stew and dumplings all very nice. As I said, it is sort has that 'home cooked feel' and I love it all.
The general standard fare is tasteless as very little or no additional spice or herbs are used in general. | My partner was originally from the UK and while he still loves his fish and chips and egg on a bun....he generally is the first to comment on the lack of zip. Mind it took him a long while to adjust to zip.
Do you guys eat English food without condiments? Brown sauce for the breakfast, mint sauce/mustard/pickles for the roasts, salt and vinegar for the fish & chips.
Yeah, that's a pile of crap actually edit - I mean that, in a respectful way of course. Sounded a little rude and it wasn't meant to.
I used to have HP Sauce Fruity, because it's fairly mild...I was young and couldn't really handle normal HP. Then one day when I was around 18 I went for normal HP and realised how fucking delicious it was. Haven't had anything but that since. Trivia - "HP" stands for "Houses of Parliament", because that was where it was first used. Same reason they've got it on the label.
Normally I would never have mustard on roast beef unless it was cold on a sandwich. Always serve gravy and taters and Yorkshire pudding with roast beef. Always make mint with my Lamb. Malt vinegar on fish and chips and HP on eggs. Usually pickles are served as an aside here. I have been to the UK 8 times and the food is blander. Any food that was actually herb or spiced was from shops selling it and usually it was not local fare. Even my cousins who are the same age do not tend to use much in the way of spices other than salt and pepper. Not meant to be insulting at all. Just have always found the food to be blander due to no spice, not the quality of the food.
oooh no way what can be nicer than some good home cooking. a lovely roast on a sunday yum yum yum. I don't believe our cooking is bland, but I guess I will season my food to my own tastes. As someone mentioned above there is a history of us having bland food but i think this isnt the case any more, a bit like warm flat beer. Old sterotypes. nah. I think that makes some kind of sense..
from what everyone else said, i would probably love. and Imaginary Being mentioned toad in the holes, I LOVE THOSE i think i'll go make one right now the only stuff that doesnt sound appealing is hagus, wherever in the UK they eat that.
I think we are hard pushed to defend our food because we are as ignorant of it's history as foreigners are. Bangers and mash, fish 'n chips, roast dinners and, er..... I include myself in this ignorance too. http://www.greatbritishkitchen.co.uk/ My perception of American food is: Burgers and er....
boiled bacon is feckin' lovely with bread sauce and pease pudding! i'll list some other favourites in no particular order... roast anything with all the trimmin's black pudding lancashire hotpot beef and ale pie bangers and mash with onion gravy pie and mash with gravy egg and soldiers fish and chips full english breakfast shepherds/cottage pie beef stew and dumplings steak and kidney pudding sussex pond pudding scones with homemade jam and clotted cream devils on horseback cold trotters cucumber sandwiches with thin spreading of marmite any fruit crumbles or steamed puds with custard winkles and brown bread with crusts off rabbit stew brawn game pie now i feel hungry
