Food for thought: british Cuisine
A few summers ago whilst on vacation in Portugal, I was sitting on a U shaped table at the back of a small quaint restaurant just off a main street, for a friend’s birthday. People were sitting on both sides of the curve which is always fun in my eyes, yes a few of us had to crawl under the table to get out, but it was part of the fun.
During a conversation with a friend of a friend who had randomly sat in front of me, he asked ‘but what is so special about British cuisine?’ At that point I was offended! I didn’t know this person, where was this coming from? He went on to explain how he’d lived just outside of London, for a few years prior to returning home in Portugal. But in the short time he was there British cuisine wasn’t clear to him apart from fish and chips or cream teas. Which at the time I don’t think I was able to answer very well.
I’ve lived in England for my whole life and I’d never thought about that question before. It dawned on me that maybe it is true. In the past five years I’ve worked in the hospitality industry serving dish after dish of beautifully executed foods but I guess the origin of each dish or which cuisine it had been inspired by was never at the front of my mind. How many of them were truly British dishes? Probably under half.
Just like other countries Britain has many dishes which originated here and have become a staple; cottage pie, Lancashire hotpot and steak & kidney pudding. Yet many of these were altered or became difficult to make thanks to war rations during world war two and for most this continued for almost the decade which followed. Many argue that is one of the reasons for British dishes being so under the radar and small in making a mark outside of the UK. There was never the chance to push the dishes further in creativity and popularity. Then by the time the sixties had started new foods were being introduced and items which were limited before became accessible and affordable to all. Leading to new recipes and quicker meals.
Today’s English culinary mark is strong and over the past 30 years British chefs have become some of the best in the world. Taking old recipes and giving them a new lease for life in fine dining, in bistro-pubs and small restaurants. These dishes are on menus to capture the young and the old across the country, like bubble and squeak, shepherd’s pie or fish and chips. Last winter the iconic meal, bangers and mash (a banger is a sausage in case you’re unfamiliar) were on the menu at my place of work. It seemed a little below the level of our style and price range, but it completely surprised me in the number of sales. The classic was altered to match our style of dining. Maybe that’s what great about other British dishes are, their adaptability in any scenario. The simple scotch egg is another one we see at children’s party buffets, we take on picnics but are now being recreated and redefined by world renowned chefs.
Do not get it wrong that the classics unaltered aren’t still thriving in homes, because they are. I grew up on fish and chips at the seaside, beef stew and suet dumplings on Sundays with my grandparents and toad in the hole at friend’s houses. Yet I do have a confession to make though, I was such a fussy child! Pasta couldn’t have sauces, mash was disgusting (although I still agree with this) and cooked vegetables were a no! Therefore my experiences are probably a little different to others.
What I find so interesting about our food palette in Britain is how it is so worldly. Over the years the country has been inspired by cuisines from around the world and this isn’t news to us. Our supermarkets show it, even more our love for take-aways shows it. Most popular are either Mediterranean base, Asian or American style take outs. Not forgetting the people who brought these recipes to the UK, now make a large impact on all areas of our culture, not just it’s food scene.
Through generations recipes have been passed down, each time something new is added or something different is replaced which results in dynamic hybrids. For example in Birmingham there is now the ‘Birmingham Balti’. A twist on the traditional dish, created by locals whose heritage is Indian but they may now be two generations or more, as British citizens. The diversity which can be created through food is vast and shall forever be something that continues to grow.
I rarely cook anything that’s part of British cuisine, apart from a roast or a Victoria sponge cake on occasion. So for me being thrown this question was tough because I don’t eat what I call traditional british dishes all that often. But that doesn’t mean they do not exist and they may not be vastly popular but they are classics. Each one has its place as a favourite in homes across the country and that’s what is important, the transition of recipes from generation to generation. Also as the restaurant scene continues to expand with independent places opening up across the country with excellent chefs from Great Britain I am sure British cuisine will thrive, even if it is not quite the traditional path that so many other countries have taken. More and more chefs are creating dishes which represent the UK in different ways, but all using locally sourced produce to leave a different style of british cooking. And it is these dishes which I love to enjoy time after time.
