Good British food... does it exists?

[Zykon TheLich_v1legacy]

Of course not, everyone here eats coal and dead rats.

When you arrive watch out for London fogs, feral children pickpockets and being oppressed by the royal family. You will also have surveillance camera surgically grafted to your head to make sure the government (i.e. the Queen) knows what you're doing at all times.

Finally, remember to leave you six shooters at home and you'll really stand out in a crowd if you wear your spurs and stetson around the place. We don't really have any saloons to tie up your horse outside either, so that might get a bit tricky. Plus it might get stolen and put in a cheap frozen burger. Best leave him behind too.

 

[Netrigan]

Louisiana food is pretty uniquely its own. It's a mix of French, Creole, Soul Food, TexMex, and a few other things.

In Europe there's a name for that, fusion cooking. You'll find it a LOT in London's better restaurants. Of course no-one would claim it as British cooking, that would be rude, it might be British-inspired, or French-inspired, but it is fusion cooking.

Louisiana food is delicious, and quite probably some of the finer examples of fusion cooking. I definitely want to visit and give it a try. I've eaten food in over a dozen countries, and the only time I've ever refused something was the deep-fried tarantula in Cambodia (in my defence I'm allergic to some types of spider venom and I didn't feel like chancing my luck that there was a tiny amount of residual venom).

But then the U.S. is pretty much a mix of other cultures to begin with, so I don't see that as meaning we don't have a culture of our own.

America has a culture, but it is strongly influenced by a number of other cultures. It didn't spring from nothing. In fact it is mostly European culture, with the same gestures, taboos, etc. If Americans would stop trying to pretend that they were unique and separate, and instead embrace the fact that they share fellowship with most of Europe I think that U.S. foreign relations would make a massive leap forward.

I kind of subscribe to the "we're all special snowflakes... just like everyone else" attitude.

Even though we share tons of things with our European cousins, there is still something uniquely American, just as there's something uniquely British and French and Spanish and so on. Such as we can't escape the influence of the Royal Class System, but it's really not a thing here. Our ancestors were more likely the commoners who said "screw this", wandered off, stole some land from the native people, and gained position by starting up a profitable company. And from this, Society was created much along the lines of the old Royal Class System where New Money was something to be shunned and people brag about their ancestors being the displaced wretches that came over on the Mayflower.

Louisiana cooking is very much tied to the wildlife of the region. Take those same influences and have them spring up somewhere else and it would be something different because they'll be using different ingredients. If you want to dismiss it as fusion cooking, then so be it; but it's a central part of our culture and one that couldn't be found anywhere else... at least until everyone else realized how awesome it was.

And Louisiana food isn't a vindication of American food, so much as us wondering why the rest of the nation can't make good food.

Now that's a little unfair. I've eaten at some pretty good restaurants in the U.S. and there was some really excellent food. One of my Jewish friends took me to sample some of the local delis and the food was amazingly good, with some nice local variations on foods I'd eaten elsewhere. There are also a lot of bloody awful places in the U.S. I think the same can be said of any country.

Honestly, I don't need to get down on American food to feel good about what I'm eating, and this another huge American mistake, the feeling that they need belittle everyone else's food and culture to feel good about their own. It is only necessary if you're completely insecure. At the end of the day I don't care what people in the U.S. think about English food, or Japanese food, or Polish food. The less they eat the more I get to eat. Let them enjoy their Big Macs and Segways.

I thought the whole point of this thread was to be unfair

I'm just defending my little piece of turf.

The basic problem of American food is any national brand has to be bland enough to appeal to everyone in the nation. It's why American beer is piss water. Pilsner beer being suitably mild to appeal to the taste of the widest variety of beer drinkers, whereas stronger brews would be rejected by regions used to blander fair. Those crappy little McDonalds hamburgers are just good enough to be enjoyed by everyone in the U.S., whereas more inventive fair runs afoul of regional tastes.

 

[The White Hunter]

Now my only direct experience with an american misunderstanding me (I'm from Kendal and have a fairly broad cumbrian accent withs ome Scottish overtones) and being rude was in a bar in Aberdeen where an american bloke asked me if I spoke fucking english after a short exchange of mixed verbal abuse over a spilled drink (his fault, wouldn't replace the spilled nectar).

Like I said before, getting an apology out of an American is like getting blood from a stone. ... and him asking you if you spoke English when he's speaking Americanese (it isn't English) is a bloody cheek.

It duly resulted in fisticuffs. [small]Highland fisticuffs at that. So basically he punched me in the face, and being the dignified brit I am I retorted with a swift punch in the throat and a headbutt.[/small]

Thankfully being a pub in Aberdeen such things are expected and ignored under circumstance.

Ah, the famous Scots handshake. Very appropriate under the circumstances. I've been on the receiving end of one once (now I know to keep my bloody distance), and I was bleeding from a scalp wound for a good half hour. Nice chap though once we had a couple of drinks afterwards.

Also guiness with no head!? This is an outrage! I'm no irishman but that's disgraceful. It's almost as bad as TOO MUCH head.

There is no such thing as too much head... oh, wait, we're talking about guinness not umm... oh well, never mind...

I do speak differently to different people though and I soak up accents and adapt to them quickly, so often times my accent is fairly amiguous but distinctly from somewhere in the UK if you get what I mean. There's no need to be unpleasant over such silly things, though if you come here to work I would expect you to at least try learn some English as it does make the work place more efficient if everyone is on the same page and I don't wish to learn 12 different eastern european languages.

I grew up all over the place and I tend to shift accents quite quickly too.

As for speaking English in the workplace, well fair enough. But if someone walked up to an Pakistani in London and admonished them to speak English... yeah, if they got stabbed I'd help them to a hospital, but the entire way I'd be telling them what a tosser they were and how they deserved it.

Aye, scottish greeting, glasgow kiss and such. I'm thankful for my heritage being entirely scottish and norse, it gives me a supernatural ability to brawl drunkenly and what have you. Coughing up blood? Tis but a flesh wound until the foe is vanquished! I can also do that thing where you tap a guy on the shoulder and immediately send him a good 5 or 6 feet back on his arse. Being irish I'm sure you know a thing or two about a good scrap.

To his due he did replace my pint afterwards and apologised. Very gentlemanly.

I grew up in one place but I was used to a lot of different accents, which is odd considering I grew up in the stix, |I plan to travel a lot when I get my life sorted out a bit more though, I just adapt quickly and pick up new speech patterns and colloquialisms quickly. For a while after I worked in a laundry factory (like for hotels and shit) I interjected the polish word "kurwa" (courva) into things because I picked it up off the immigrants.

 

[The White Hunter]

(not so much the french - 'coat it in Garlic' is not the same as having a great culture of food)

Way to generalise

soo naive

Because no one else in this thread has generalised at all.

Incidentally, having been to France and eaten your food. Yeah, 'coat it in garlic' does seem to be the order of the day. Yeah I'm sure it isn't, but I'll be honest and say that you were never going to get good marks from me - I'm a stereotypical Brit with a pointless grudge against France over conflicts that took place centuries ago.

So don't take it to heart, k? Just enjoy the wooden spoon you'll be getting when the 6 nations is over.

I gotta agree with you german beer is a vastly overated thing, I've never had a bad one but the vast majority are just okay, they do the job and are refreshing and inoffensive but nothing I've had from Germany has ever been spectacular.

Thats part of why I love Germany though - they're ruthlessly efficient at getting things done right. They don't do things amazing, but they get it done right.

I've had some poor british beer though, mostly extremely pale ales stuffed full of hops which to me are just sour disgusting things (Wychcraft comes to mind immediately). I prefer darker beers and ales such as Dark Lord, Old Tom, Riggwelter, McEwans Champion, etc. We have a lot of breweries around the lake district and a lot of them make some very nice beer, lots of beer festivals to celebrate it too.

You and I should drink together some time. I feel we would get along quite well.

I've had some truly appalling beers in this country, to the point that I can see why many people steer clear of ale altogether - It's often not helped by chains such as weatherspoons where the Staff don't know how to keep their pipes clean or store the casks properly, so even a good beer can result in a poor pint.

As for lager... meh... I don't mind a nice well iced Carling but I'm no huge supporter of larger. If I must drink canned beer then I must drink the canned beer of champions:

Shame it's a touch expensive in England.

I do like a bit of McEwans when I head north of the border. As I say though, Lager tends not to be my thing.

France? Cheese eating surrender monkeys, as a Brit my instinct tells me to invade them as a failsafe/joke.

Germany is a very efficient and lovely place with nice people, it's just not one of those places that sticks to your memory and stands out at all for better or worse. I suppose that's a good thing. Now the Dutch, they stick to your memory, never met a sane Dutchman.

Yeah if you're ever in the Lakes drop me a PM and we'll go drinking. I'm by no means a booze snob but I like my ale and I like my whisky. Also games and anime being the gigantic nerd I am, but this being the escapist I assume thats common ground for conversation.

McEwans is good stuff, affordable delicious ale, rich and hearty but not complex enough to feel you're wasting it by getting rather pissed on it. Have you partaken of their Champion ale? It's a mighty brew to say the least, simple but that brilliant kind of simple where it's just a magnificent beer that does what it does exquisitely well.

Edit: Speaking of ale I just went out and bought some, had an Old Speckled Hen which was tasty and took the edge off and now just setting into a deliciously dark Riggwelter.

 

[Fullmetalfan]

London can be really expensive if you want to want to eat something nice. I am from the North East of England which has AMAZING food. I do not know London well but I guess that I can advise you to try and stick to the more local places and if you can, head up North to Whitby for the best fish and chips of your life.

I live in the North East too and the fish and chips here are probably the best you'll ever have. Where about are you in the North East Bluepilot? I live near South Shields, which is about 20 minutes away from Newcastle if you don't know the area. Bacon sandwiches are really nice here too, if made correctly.

 

[Frungy]

I thought the whole point of this thread was to be unfair

Don't be logical ruins the whole discussion!

The basic problem of American food is any national brand has to be bland enough to appeal to everyone in the nation. It's why American beer is piss water. Pilsner beer being suitably mild to appeal to the taste of the widest variety of beer drinkers, whereas stronger brews would be rejected by regions used to blander fair. Those crappy little McDonalds hamburgers are just good enough to be enjoyed by everyone in the U.S., whereas more inventive fair runs afoul of regional tastes.

Fair enough comment. The fast food industry in the U.K. is equally insipid. There is hope for American beers though, I hear from a lot of my friends in the U.S. that microbreweries are taking off nicely.

I'm thankful for my heritage being entirely scottish and norse, it gives me a supernatural ability to brawl drunkenly and what have you. Coughing up blood? Tis but a flesh wound until the foe is vanquished! I can also do that thing where you tap a guy on the shoulder and immediately send him a good 5 or 6 feet back on his arse. Being irish I'm sure you know a thing or two about a good scrap.

I'm a bloody disgrace to my heritage. I barely drink alcohol (green tea is my standard drink), I don't brawl if I can avoid it (living in Japan where it is frowned on culturally), and even if I did get into a brawl I'd probably just leave (too many years of studying martial arts... I KNOW I can put anyone down, so I've long since lost any interest in doing it).

My sole redeeming feature in Ireland is my ability to bear a grudge for an ungodly amount of time. Ahh, Ireland, the land where family feuds are cherised as something to pass down to your grandchildren. Hell, I wouldn't have a drink with a Stuart and that's because of a grudge our clan had with the Stuarts six hundred years ago.

[Edit: Okay, I would have a drink with a Stuart is he was buying because... well, family feuds are one thing, but free drink... I mean really, it would be a sin to let it go to waste]

I grew up in one place but I was used to a lot of different accents, which is odd considering I grew up in the stix, |I plan to travel a lot when I get my life sorted out a bit more though, I just adapt quickly and pick up new speech patterns and colloquialisms quickly. For a while after I worked in a laundry factory (like for hotels and shit) I interjected the polish word "kurwa" (courva) into things because I picked it up off the immigrants.

As a kid I lived most of my year in the colonies, stayed in Europe for a good 3 months of the year (my mother loves summer... so I didn't know that there WAS a winter until I was 10 because we used to go to the northern hemisphere for the summer, then head back to the southern hemisphere for spring, summer and autumn, then repeat). ... Ironically enough it turns out that I love winter and walk around in short-sleeves proclaiming what a lovely brisk morning it is while the snow collects on my head.

 

[Frungy]

Frankly the U.S. has nothing to boast about in terms of cuisine itself, and a lot to apologise for. ... but getting an apology out of an American is like getting blood from a stone.

You know, you really should have simply stopped at your counterpoint, now I have all the reason I need to dismiss you as a racist who hates Americans. Good day.

Oh get over yourself. I have American friends, but their inability to apologise does sometimes drive me a bit crazy. Europeans will apologise as a reflex action, which can come across as quite insincere, while those from the U.S. just seem completely unable to do it at all, and that comes across as arrogant and prideful.

If you're so blinkered you can't see that some things in your culture might, conceivable, possibly, maybe, irritate others, then I hope you never leave your country, or you'll be experiencing a lot of Scottish handshakes and Glasgow kisses.

I also find it ironic that you feel free to criticise other cultures, but can't take a dose of the same medicine yourself.

 

[Callate]

There was a comment in a Hitchcock film about the English liking to eat breakfast three meals a day. There's some truth to that.

I haven't spent huge amounts of my time in England, but my experience was that the food was perfectly decent. It doesn't tend towards complexity or spiciness, but things like shepherd's pie, fish and chips, and bangers & mash tend to be wholesome, filling, and tasty. And if you're craving something more complicated, England has taken to curry in a huge way.

Oh, and there are plenty of good English cheeses, too.

 

[Subscriptism]

It's a stupid stereotype, there is excellent food to be found in England.

 

[The White Hunter]

Snip

Snip

I'm a bloody disgrace to my heritage. I barely drink alcohol (green tea is my standard drink), I don't brawl if I can avoid it (living in Japan where it is frowned on culturally), and even if I did get into a brawl I'd probably just leave (too many years of studying martial arts... I KNOW I can put anyone down, so I've long since lost any interest in doing it).

My sole redeeming feature in Ireland is my ability to bear a grudge for an ungodly amount of time. Ahh, Ireland, the land where family feuds are cherised as something to pass down to your grandchildren. Hell, I wouldn't have a drink with a Stuart and that's because of a grudge our clan had with the Stuarts six hundred years ago.

As a kid I lived most of my year in the colonies, stayed in Europe for a good 3 months of the year (my mother loves summer... so I didn't know that there WAS a winter until I was 10 because we used to go to the northern hemisphere for the summer, then head back to the southern hemisphere for spring, summer and autumn, then repeat). ... Ironically enough it turns out that I love winter and walk around in short-sleeves proclaiming what a lovely brisk morning it is while the snow collects on my head.

I drink a lot less than I once did and don't fight very often at all now. I generally won't bother, I adopt the Shanks approach now, I don't care if yous pill my drink, slag me off or even spit on me, but if you hurt my friend I will be putting you down.

I've never trained in any martial art really but due to various difficulties with school (bi-sexual, pale, blood-red hair, etc) I learned to fight and fast, also learned to just fight dirty as it was often the fastest route to getting out of it.

I admire your grudging skills. I can manage a number of years of ignoring anyone but my first boyfriend, who I can't bring myself to hate because I'm a bit of a retard.

Ah now we were pretty damn poor so we couldn't afford that kind of lifestyle. I mean we were really below that breadline until I was a teenager. I personally do prefer winter, it's much easier to put extra layers on and I'm built to tank the cold and snow anyway, the summer is just so sticky and uncomfortable. D: I mean dude I sometimes sweat in summer! It's awful!

 

[Private Custard]

I really don't know where the idea that British food is terrible came from.

Around where I am, I can get Michelin starred cuisine, made from fresh, locally grow/killed produce, for what would amount to only slightly more than a meal at Pizza Express.

People complain about soggy chips and bad battered fish, using it as a totally worn out stereotype. What do they expect from shitholes like Blackpool or Skegness?? As with every country, you have to choose wisely and avoid the dives.

Just the other week, I had venison three ways, with three-times fried chips and an amazing reduction sauce.....in a pub!!

 

[Ryotknife]

With the blending of many ethnicities, the food in various western countries are probably pretty similiar to one another. Hell "american" cuisine is merely a mashup of dozens of different countries, about the only aspect that is unique is Cajun (louisiana) and the deep fry/BBQ style notorious in the South. cajun food is really good, unfortunately it seems to be hard to find outside of Louisiana. Like everything american, it is usually just a combination of the world in one place. That, and america hasnt been around for very long.

Although dear lord did this thread bring out the racists in force, over FOOD no less. This is as asinine as rioting over a sport.

 

[Frungy]

With the blending of many ethnicities, the food in various western countries are probably pretty similiar to one another. Hell "american" cuisine is merely a mashup of dozens of different countries, about the only aspect that is unique is Cajun (louisiana) and the deep fry/BBQ style notorious in the South. cajun food is really good, unfortunately it seems to be hard to find outside of Louisiana. Like everything american, it is usually just a combination of the world in one place. That, and america hasnt been around for very long.

Although dear lord did this thread bring out the racists in force, over FOOD no less. This is as asinine as rioting over a sport.

Cajun is originally a French type of cooking. Just so you know.

... and how racist! Don't criticise a fine U.K. tradition! (rioting over sport)

 

[Lord Penney]

Well, I was going to provide a defence of our lovely British cuisine but it seems you chaps have beaten me to the punch. Good show!

Tea anyone?

 

[Netrigan]

With the blending of many ethnicities, the food in various western countries are probably pretty similiar to one another. Hell "american" cuisine is merely a mashup of dozens of different countries, about the only aspect that is unique is Cajun (louisiana) and the deep fry/BBQ style notorious in the South. cajun food is really good, unfortunately it seems to be hard to find outside of Louisiana. Like everything american, it is usually just a combination of the world in one place. That, and america hasnt been around for very long.

Although dear lord did this thread bring out the racists in force, over FOOD no less. This is as asinine as rioting over a sport.

It's sort of like oldsters complaining about today's music being derivative, when it's simply a case of them not realizing how much was being stolen from previous generations. The Beatles and Led Zeppelin are two of the greatest bands and bigger thieves you'll not meet. But they stole from a wide variety of sources and crafted something which is identifiably their own, yet "Come Together" and "Dazed & Confused" are no less plagiarized.

All cultures are mash-ups of other cultures, which is in turn influenced by their experiences. America is simply a nation which came about after the invention of proper record keeping, so it's pretty easy to plot our influences; but I know enough about English history to know that a lot of uniquely British traditions are bastardization of influences from the nations which had invaded them over their long history. The French, Vikings, and Romans all left their mark.

I like to joke that something is as American as Schwarzenegger and General Tso's Chicken, because it's so easy to internalize the influences of a foreign culture. There's nothing more English than a curry.

I also accused a co-worker for being un-American for not like James Bond

Captain Darling: I'm as British as Queen Victoria!
Captain Blackadder: So your father's German, you're half German, and you married a German!

 

[AwesomeDave]

Of course not, everyone here eats coal and dead rats.

When you arrive watch out for London fogs, feral children pickpockets and being oppressed by the royal family. You will also have surveillance camera surgically grafted to your head to make sure the government (i.e. the Queen) knows what you're doing at all times.

Finally, remember to leave you six shooters at home and you'll really stand out in a crowd if you wear your spurs and stetson around the place. We don't really have any saloons to tie up your horse outside either, so that might get a bit tricky. Plus it might get stolen and put in a cheap frozen burger. Best leave him behind too.

Hahahahaha... this had me chuckling for quite a few minutes. You win some award I have yet to cleverly name, but I'll be sure to let you know when I come up with one...

 

[Pink Gregory]

Well don't go to a takeaway and expect the damn Cordon Bleu...

 

[Ryotknife]

With the blending of many ethnicities, the food in various western countries are probably pretty similiar to one another. Hell "american" cuisine is merely a mashup of dozens of different countries, about the only aspect that is unique is Cajun (louisiana) and the deep fry/BBQ style notorious in the South. cajun food is really good, unfortunately it seems to be hard to find outside of Louisiana. Like everything american, it is usually just a combination of the world in one place. That, and america hasnt been around for very long.

Although dear lord did this thread bring out the racists in force, over FOOD no less. This is as asinine as rioting over a sport.

Cajun is originally a French type of cooking. Just so you know.

... and how racist! Don't criticise a fine U.K. tradition! (rioting over sport)

UK is not the only ones that riot over sports <_<. Canada had a bad one a few years back.

Seems to be popular with a few European and even South American countries. In fact it is kinda unusual that the US doesnt riot over sports considering how wrapped up in our ego some sports are. But that may be because the sports we like are not exactly international sports.

As for the Cajun....ehhh. Virtually anything that is american can be broken down into its basic non-american parts. About the only thing that is ACTUALLY american are native americans, which are a minority now (less than 1%). It is kinda like the English language, technically it is merely a mashup of about a dozen other languages right? If you break it down to its individual components, it loses its uniqueness. Cajun was developed by french immigrants but it was developed for a specific reason in America. It was developed to mask the smell and taste of rotten meat (since Louisiana is so hot, humid, and kinda swampish getting fresh meat is hard to find and it doesnt last). If these people were not in that location and were not in that situation, would cajun food exist?

It wasnt "hey I have a great idea for a food" like say...adding flour to soup to make stew. Plus, while cajuns were originally French, they have created a unique identity for themselves not just with food, but culture and architexture as well (yes, it uses france as a base). Hell, technically the French or even the English draw upon older cultures/civilizations as well.

Even among Americans, Cajun is pretty unique.

 

[rob_simple]

If you're feeling homesick during your stay, come visit Glasgow: we will deep-fry literally any fucking thing you ask for.

Try our deep-fried Mars bars, you'll actually feel your heart slowing down; it's like a legal high.

 

[Netrigan]

In fact it is kinda unusual that the US doesnt riot over sports considering how wrapped up in our ego some sports are.

We riot over sports, but we have the decency to wait until the game is over... and usually after we won a championship.

But then we also have a tendency to ban stuff like the vuvuzela, so maybe that explains the lack of in-game rioting