British Food In The Countryside
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by: John Sanderson
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There is a lot of misunderstanding on the surface about the
subject of British cuisine. This is mainly because British cuisine varies widely, depending on what
part of the country you're visiting. The cuisine of London, for example, is far different from the
cuisine of Yorkshire, or the cuisine of tiny, unfamiliar regions scattered across the country and
virtually unknown to Americans. In my opinion, the true cuisine of the British is not what is found
in the big cities, but the unknown treasures of the table that are hiding in the farmlands and
countrysides and old villages across Great Britain.
If you are ever wandering the British countryside, and you stop at a local pub or restaurant for
breakfast, prepare yourself. The classic British breakfast is a large meal, bigger than what we're used
to as Americans, and most of it tends to be fried. Fried bacon and eggs, fried bread, and fried
tomatoes are standards. The true British country experience involves a breakfast heavier than your
knapsack.
Asking for coffee with your breakfast in the UK is just no fun. Give the tea sensation a try. British
cuisine leans heavily on tea, served with milk and sugar, the latter of which is usually coarse, brown,
and unrefined. Tea is served for any meal and any time in between. It's just as classically British as
it sounds.
Any typical British meal, whether it's breakfast, lunch or dinner, tends to consist of some form of
potatoes. Especially in the countryside, the British rely heavily on potatoes, and serve them in very
traditional manners. A wonderful British treat is something called a pasty. Meat, potatoes, vegetables
and warm gravy are wrapped in a flaky bakery crust and sold ready to eat. Pasties are treated like
take-out sandwiches or fast food, walking down the street with a paper cone or napkin wrapped around
them. They keep your hands warm too!
The other major staple of typical British food is, of course, fish and chips. Fish and chip shops
abound in all cities in England. British fish and chips are amazingly crackly, cooked until the coating
is rich brown and salty, and the meat inside tender white and flaky. Chips, or potato wedges, are
served hot and crispy on the side, and generally the whole thing is smothered in as much vinegar and
salt as the consumer can stand. There is something distinctly British about that malt vinegar- left on
the tables at restaurants like American ketchup.
The smells and flavors of traditional British cuisine are well worth experiencing. If you find yourself
in England, take time out to explore the sites, the back pathways and rolling fields. And stop at a
bakery for a pasty, stop for fish and chips. Order tea instead of your usual coffee. The British
experience just isn't the same if you miss out on this marvelous tradition- authentic British food!
About the author:
This article provided courtesy of http://www.recipes-low-carb.net
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