English Foods............

Everyone seems to have an idea that British food is bland and uninspired. I have to say that I think that is wrong. There are so many things I miss. Some are probably not the same as I remember simply because things have changed. When I grew up in England the beef was farm raised in fields and ate good grass and proper food. The lamb was from New Zealand and the oranges came from Jaffa. We had an Empire then and the food was grown and delivered fresh from the milk man and baker. The village butchers did their own slaughtering and so the animals were treated humanely. The shops were clean and the meat was fresh.
So some amazing meals were cooked. The traditional Sunday dinner of roast beef with roast potatoes and mashed potatoes brussels or fresh greens. Its the sort of meal we now have only at Thanksgiving and Christmas, maybe Easter. Not every Sunday as we did back then. Yorkshire Pudding made the meal stretch and was great cold with jam.

We seldom had chicken back then. I have no idea why really. I never did like lamb or mutton but it was another roast dinner meal that we had in the Sping with mint jelly. New potatoes and peas.



Apart from the roast dinners visitors must try the Pork pies, the cheese, pickled onions, deviled eggs. Ploughmans lunch of Fresh crusty bread and thick creamy butter with cheese and pickled onions. Ummmmm nothing like that. I prefer creamy Cheddar cheese but Stilton or any other local tasty cheese would be good.




Pork pie with pickle relish like Branston or Picallily and maybe a piece of cheese. Some of the pork pies have a boiled egg inside. Awesome





Shepherds pie (lamb) or cottage pie (beef) is a really delicious meal. Quite simple using mince (hamburgher) meat and mix of vegetables baked with mashed potatoes on top. The gravy is what makes it so awesome.



Or how about Bangers and mash or a simple Beans on toast favourites of childhood. They dont make those sausages that good anywhere else.



I didnt even mention fish and chips. It used to be served in newspaper then the politically correct people said its not sanitary. well it never tastes as good as when it came from the newspaper. Still its one of the best know of English meals.



Then there are the extra's like Scotch Eggs and sausage rolls or what about Steak and Kidney pie?



Here are a couple of traditional breakfasts. You may be lucky to get something like this at a Bed and Breakfast. Just saying.





This is without even starting on deserts. That will have to be another time.

Remember Remember the 5th of November...................

Guy Fawkes Night or Bonfire night. In England the Gunpowder Plot. Try to kill our King and no one forgets. Treason is a serious thing to us Brits.
Remember remember the 5th of November,gunpowder treason and plot.
I see no reason why gunpowder, treason Should ever be forgot...




On the 5th November 1605 Guy Fawkes was caught in the cellars of the Houses of Parliament with several dozen barrels of gunpowder. He was subsequently tried as a traitor with his co-conspirators for plotting against the government.Judge Popham came to London specifically for the trial from his country manor Littlecote House in Gloucestershire. Guy Fawkes was sentenced to death and the form of the execution was one of the most horrendous which reflected the seriousness of the crime of treason.



The following year in 1606 it became an annual custom for the King and Parliament to commission a sermon to commemorate the event.This practice, together with the nursery rhyme it serves as a warning to each new generation that treason will never be forgotten.


Every year children celebrate by making a "Guy" with old clothes and stuffing it with paper. Then at the end of the evening he is burned on top of the bonfire. Children are allowed to go door to door singing "Guy guy stick him in the eye, hang him on the lamp post and there let him die" They receive admiration as they show off their guy and a few pennies to spend. There is a bonfire and fireworks in the evening and roasting of potatoes in the fire. Hot potatoes in their jackets never tasted so good. A great community get together was something to look forwards to for all the children and adults alike. I hope the tradition always continues for that reason alone. Far better than Halloween that seems to be taking over in England these days.