English Eats

The British have some distinctive fare, so as I trooped through the English countryside I decided to sample several staples for the first time, including:

Scotch Egg: A hard-boiled egg, wrapped in sausage meat, rolled in bread crumbs and fried. Wow – heart-attack waiting to happen, and yet pretty tasty. Tried my first one at a BBQ in the London burb of Highgate = fancy!

Devon Cream Tea: A particular version of extra-rich cream to eat with your scones and jam. My friend Barbara and I had a traditional Devon Cream Tea sitting in the garden at our friend Arabela’s hotel in the Devon countryside, a beautiful lodge called Hazelwood. Delightful!

Cornish Pasty: Since I was in Cornwall, I had to try one. Originally the pie was prepared for men working in the tin mines, with the hard thick crust providing an easy handle for their dirty hands to hold onto the pie.

Filled with meat and potatoes, I was warned not to get one with too many onions. I admit, I grabbed these a few times as I ran for the bus. Hot, filling and no utensils needed!

Yorkshire Pudding: A type of popover that accompanied a nut loaf, roasted vegetables and gravy. I ate my first Yorkshire pudding in a small restaurant in Glastonbury with my friend Felicity and her family. Her husband John was playing the harp. Lovely!

Bangers & Mash: I ate my first plateful in a local pub in Bath while watching French Open tennis on a rainy day. I have to say, it was pretty ideal. Who doesn’t like mashed potatoes and grilled sausages (I chose the Lincolnshires) and a side of fresh green peas. A pint of the local brew topped it all off. Winner!

Did I miss any specialties? Which is your favorite English eat?!

p.s. I didn’t include iconic fish and chips, because I have had these before. That said, I ate a pretty tasty version at a sea-side joint in Devon. Yum!

Tags: British, food, pasty

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 3rd, 2012 and is filed under Food & Drink.