Food in England

 

I absolutely love food! Trying new foods, especially desserts, is one of my favorite things to do. So when I was going to England I could not wait to try the food. 

I found it quite interesting that before I left, many people in my life had made comments about British food “not having flavor” or just not being very enjoyable. I believe this assumption comes from the fact that the English do not use many spices in their food, especially compared to many other cultures. However, as I have mentioned in previous blog posts, England has a huge multicultural population. Arriving in London specifically I was shocked to see the absolute diversity of restaurants just within walking distance of my hotel. From Chinese, to Italian, to Taiwanese, the options were endless. 

That being said, while there I focused a lot on having authentic English meals, the exact foods many had assumed would be boring and plain. But I was so excited to try it all, and learn all about the country’s culture from the unique dishes.

              Everyone of course has to try authentic English tea, and I got multiple wonderful opportunities. There are two types of tea offered: “cream tea” and “afternoon tea”. I first tried cream tea with my friend, a tea time focused on sweeter snacks. The tea was served with a delicious array of scones and cakes. I initially did not expect to enjoy the classic British scone. They seemed dry, and I usually am not a fan of dried fruits in my food, but they were delicious! By the end of my trip I believe I ate scones with jam at least six times. Later on in my trip I got to enjoy afternoon tea at the British Museum. This was absolutely one of the coolest experiences I had, with a wide variety of scones, finger sandwiches, and cakes offered. It was in this meal I tried raw fish for the first time, inside one of the finger sandwiches, which was not as bad as I had always feared it to be. I enjoyed experiencing this meal that has been a staple in the English culture for hundreds of years, and in the end I enjoyed tea in a whole new way I hadn’t before.

            Beyond the traditional English tea time, I branched out to try many new foods. For lunch one day my friend and I stopped at a pub, and I got a meal of liver and onions to try. While the texture was something I wasn’t used to, the flavors were absolutely delicious and gave me more of an appreciation for British cuisine. I also enjoyed a meal of a beef pot pie, which gave me more of an appreciation for the English’s traditional savory pastries, which I had not expected to enjoy either.

            I could go on and on for hours about the amazing food I tried, from Yorkshire pudding (which I dream to make at home next time I have a roast dinner) to an incredible focaccia bread sandwich with homemade pesto. If you ask me, food is the way directly to the heart of a culture. It is in the restaurants and the pubs where you see people interacting in their daily life and you try a dish you never thought you would have enjoyed, and it becomes your favorite.

If you ever go to England, or any other country for that matter, try the food. Try this simple artform that so many have poured their heart into, to share their favorite meals and memories with you. Wherever you go, try the food!