A comment on this earlier AskLemmy post inspired me to ask this question. I think there’s lots of delicious British food/it really depends on how you cook it, as with any cuisine.
You must log in or register to comment.
Two things definitely stand out for me:
- The fish and chips are Awesome - fillets are delicious, and 3x the size of what I get in the States. The fish and chips are hot, crispy outside, tender inside.
- Baked goods. Pies, cakes, napoleons, etc are universally fantastic, especially anything made with puff pastry. I got sausage rolls for a pound sixty from under the heat lamps at Tesco that were as good as entrees I’ve had in US restaurants.
My grandma’s Yorkshire Puddings
Mine too. She was from Canada.
Haggis and cock a leekie soup. Mince and tatties are a close second.
Tbh haggis was the one thing that disappointed me. But the quality varied hugely from place to place. I brought home a canned one the shopkeeper highly recommended as one of the better brands. Meh.
I don’t have much to add to the actual question asked, I’m generally pro British food done right. I do want to mention that recently I found a British restaurant near my house in the US, and I’ve been watching too much GBBO so I had to get the apple pie, and it was the saddest thing I’ve ever eaten.
The apple pie was essentially an orb of wonder bread with a few slices of limp apple in the middle, and the whole thing was smothered in custard until soggy. Not one bit of sugar or anything resembling flavor to be found anywhere in the three ingredients. The apples were extremely gritty for some reason, it definitely wasn’t cinnamon.
I wanted to go full Karen and call the chef out to apologize for this food crime, but I’m not confident enough in my understanding of British food to say that isn’t authentic. If someone had made that on GBBO I’m sure they would have sent them home without even trying the rest of the food. I can imagine Paul going “Why is it so gritty?!”
Made with wrong kind of apples and kind of not enough thought into it is what i would say. But also i think you went in expecting american pie (xd) American Apple Pie, that is, which i guess holds togehter better than british apple pies.
BUT since it’s a restaurant they maybe should have made it a bit better - i’m sure british patrons would also scoff at that because they could just buy one from a supermarket that is functionally the same.
Your analysis is totally correct, they could have used cinnammon for instance to make it nicer, and i’ll repeat that they either used the wrong type of apples or cooked them wrong entirely.
More specifically, I went in hoping for the kind of pie I saw in Great British Bakeoff. Or, at least, a pastry of some sort. I think what I saw was less of an example of British cooking, and more of a chef who actively disdained humanity as a whole.
I’ve had a lot of good food in Scotland, but one of the most memorable meals was in the Crinan Hotel’s seafood bar - a big plate of langoustines that had been caught that morning, served with perfect chips and aoli. On the menu they were called Loch Crinan jumbo prawns.
That image is playing major perspective tricks on me, lol. They look giant
Vindaloo.
Classic. Also a fun one to say to troll people who don’t know much about british food.
Fish n chips hands down 100% final answer lock it in.
To anyone whos been to both places can you get “proper” fish n chips the world over? I’ve asked a few americans on xbox a few times and they tell me that its “fish and steak fries” and its basically the same thing, but it doesnt sound like it will be the same.
Chippy chips are a very specific thing and its incredibly difficult to explain that to someone who hasn’t experienced it and just understands.
You’re right, US fish and steak fries are not in the same league as authentic UK fish and chips.
Oddly enough, the fast food Greek place here (not a chain) gets the closest to what I had in England.
My grandmother was British, and she’d cook the most amazing roast potatoes I’ve ever had. Its just a shame she made them by sacrificing the roast beef…
I’m a Brit, and personally, I think a lot of the staples we are weirdly defensive of are not that exciting. A Sunday roast? Sure, it’s probably associated with family and comfort or whatever, but give me Thai, Mexican, Italian, Japanese food, etc., over it any day.
That said, the two I will defend to the grave are a decent fish and chip supper and an English/Scottish breakfast.
Nothing beats a proper English breakfast
Also, beef wellington is pretty great if done right.
Had beef wellington for the first time recently, and it was way tastier and less gimmicky than I expected. The mushroom mixture does a lot more work than you would expect from pictures.
Nothing beats a proper English breakfast
English Breakfast is a brilliantly balanced meal and it helped me get comfortable with eating a wider range of things (mushrooms, ratatouille, tomatoes) when I was younger. Love it.
Also, beef wellington is pretty great if done right.
I’ve never actually had one - always been told it is more effort than it’s worth. Looks good though - one day I’ll have my prize
I’ve never actually had one - always been told it is more effort than it’s worth.
Beef Wellington isn’t even English, it started as a French dish and was refined and popularized in the US. And yes it’s way too much work to cook.
Maybe the French disowned it then. “Too much pastry and too much meat, this meal is practically English!” They seem to like more fancy-shaped pastries in France.
OMG
Having a proper Full English at a farm-stay, on the way down to Cornwall, was a standout lifetime meal.
The same exact one cooked by the wife for the farmer, to last him all day out in the field. Glor-i-ous.
Frying the toast slices in the bacon oil was next level.
OMG IT’S A SPINOFF POST I LOVE YOU TOO
Yeah because boring old me was going to comment “well I’ve only been abroad once, but…” 😅
We’re reviving AskLemmy with these spinoff posts 🔥
I’ve literally never traveled more than a few states away and I hated every second…
fr though traveling is sooooo stressful to me but people worldwide fascinate me. So different but so similar at the same time. Instructions unclear I now want strippers at my funeral.
Honestly fish and chips in terms of a meal.
As part of a meal, Yorkshire pudding is unlike anything I’ve had in America, and nothing like what it evokes in the typical American.
More like popovers almost.
Got to be either a full English breakfast or a Cornish pasty.
Grilled salmon from the Lune river served with roasted potatoes, honey glazed parsnips and grilled green beans.
Spotted Dick
