Monday, April 23, 2018

All Foods British

Today is a double day of celebration in England. It's not only St. George's Day, he of  dragon slaying but also celebrating the soon to be named prince, William and Kate's third child.Celebrate with tasty British food - and no  - that's not a joke. British  food has been transformed to rival that on the other side of the Channel.

One quintessentially British food is clotted cream. It's sometimes called Devonshire or Cornish cream and it's essentially cow's milk heated in a warm bath. Creamy curds then appear and these can be spread on scones and muffins.Amazon sells it but it can also be made at home by cooking whole cream i a very cool oven  175 degrees Farenheit for twelve hours. It's delicious on crumpets which is where our English muffins come from. Mixed with mustard it makes an excellent sauce for steak. It's also a part of a cream tea, Brits piled it onto scones along with a thick layer of strawberry or plum jams. Teas themselves are a lovely way to celebrate a new baby or as a light afternoon meal with friends. Start with a variety of teas for a lovely light beverage to wash down those scones , petit fours and some savory sandwiches such as egg salad and watercress.Another big English favorite is the picnic. It's not the dinky, wrapped sandwiches and a bag of chips. This is an elegant affair with a wicker hamper and china. The utensils are not plastic but actual metal. Food is usually a cold chicken with sausage rolls and potted shrimp on the side. The last is spiced shrimp, laced with paprika and a mix of ground ginger, mace and nutmeg.It's sealed with butter and served with crusty brown bread.

Our Sunday dinners of roast beef and ham originated with the early and wealthy English colonists. The big Sunday dinner still holds sway over most families.It's ususually roast beef served with the buttery yummy Yorkshire pudding,a kind of popover baked with the juices from the roast.along with eggs, flour and milk. A green vegetable such as broccoli or peas is also served with it to round out the meal. Dessert could be fresh strawberries in season or a Victoria sponge rich with strawberry preserves and whipped cream..Another well beloved British meal is breakfast  A breakfast fry up is usually bacon, sausages and blood  pudding, a type of sausage made with oatmeal and pig's blood. There are eggs with it, usually fried, poached or scrambled White bread also is fried in the bacon grease , although grilled  oatcakes replace it in the Midlands. Baked beans are also included along endless cups of milky tea.The countries of the former British Empire has impacted their diet as well. The most popular takeout or take -away is Indian food. A Friday or Sunday night treat might be curry or samosas with a cool lasse to drink. Chinese food is also a popular choice as well in the UK.

Celebrate Saint George's Day and the birth of Baby Cambridge with a cream tea or a Yorkshire pudding.The British know how to cook and produce delicious food.  Try a recipe  and enjoy the flavor of Britian.

No comments: