Cool Britannia - English Food That Rules

If you mentioned British cooking to most people, they'd grimace. This was just a scant decade ago but English cusine has changed. Drastically. British food is no longer that over boiled beef and suet pudding. Nor is it that beloved messy fry up of beans, eggs, bacon and tomatoes. It actually is good cooking using the best of Britain's farms and waters. It still reflects the English and their solid character but there's a new spin on it.

When did this culinary revolution happen in the UK? Was it always there, bubbling beneath the surface or did it just explode? My opinion is it started with The Two Fat Ladies in the late Nineties. Clarissa Dickson Wright and Jennifer Patterson opened up the world's eyes to traditional British cooking. They used eggs and produce bought fresh from roadside stands. They disregarded the current craze to count calories and infused dishes with real cream and butter as Victorian house cooks did. They made English cooking not only interesting but alluring. Another British chef, Nigella Lawson did the same, this time combining sensuality and good sense to her easy but tasty dishes. Not only that , she demonstrated how to make even the simplest dishes look complex and rich. A hipper version of the new Cool Britannia was and still is Jamie Oliver. This young wonder showed a worldwide audience how to take fresh and frozen meals and bang them together to create a memorable dinner. He gave us permission us to use pre made food stuffs to hurry along prep time , letting any novice chef look like a pro. He breathed new life to Brit staples such as mushy peas and fish and chips.

What exactly is English cuisine? That varies depending upon where you are. If you're along the coast fish is a big draw. There is the famous Cornish fish pie called stargazey where smelts' heads are poking through the crust. They're looking heavenwards or gazing towards the skies(hence the name) There is the traditional English country fare of roast partridge or jugged hare served with potatoes (a British staple no matter where you are in the UK). Britain also offers the upper class high teas with their watercress sandwiches and delicate cakes along with pub grub - hearty food that can stand up to a pint of ale or stout. If you're lucky to vacation in England this summer experience all of these. British cooking is surprisingly as varied as French or Italian cooking and as hearty as German.You can eat well in the UK no matter what you get.

Britain is usually known for its' well crafted literature, gifted actors and over the top rock stars. Yet it should also be famous for it's rich and varied cuisine. It definitely fits in with the rest of the country 's new Cool Britannia image.