Typical English Meals That All Tourists Should Try
Typical English Meals
Enjoyed around the world, Fish and Chips are the most famous English dish. But if asked what other dishes is England known for, most people draw a blank. Sadly, not many people knew any other typical English meals.
How Many Meals Do You Know?
How much do you really know about English food? There are many wonderful dishes, both sweet and savoury in the British cookery repertoires that are being overlooked by the world. So Fish and Chips aside, here are 5 traditional English dishes that are revered and enjoyed by a nation of hungry Brits. However, will you try them on your next visit to England?
No.1: Yorkshire Pudding
It is surprising that most people outside of England do not know about this wonderful dish as it is a bit of an institution in England. Essentially it is a simple batter made using equal quantities of eggs, flour and milk with a little seasoning. They are then baked in the oven using a muffin tray filled with hot oil, the batter is ladled into each mould and they are baked until they have risen.
The bigger the Yorkshire ‘Pud’, the better they become; so much so that getting your Yorkshires to rise is a competitive business. They are traditionally served with roast beef, potatoes and all the traditional Sunday Roast trimmings. The end result is a giant batter dough, crunchy on the outside and light and airy on the inside and traditionally gravy is poured directly into the centre cavity making them a vehicle for your meaty gravy.
No.2: Toad in the hole
Fear ye not, no toads were harmed for this English classic! The ‘toads’ are actually juicy sausages of your choice, baked into a delicious batter similar to a pancake batter. Bake until the batter rises encasing the sausages – which is where the term ‘Toad in the hole’ comes from. It’s absolutely delicious and a national favourite comfort food. Great with English mustard or nice onion gravy.
No.3: Lancashire Hot Pot
A classic stew from the North-Western county of Lancashire. It is a wonderful example of simple, local ingredients brought together in a deliciously simple recipe. The tradition for making Lancashire hot pot came from the days of heavy industrialisation in the late 19th century. When times were tough and meals would need to be hearty and filling yet simple to prepare. The ‘hot pot’ refers to clay earthenware pots that were used as vessels to prepare stews. And this particular stew contains lamb (or mutton) and onion. Then simply topped with thinly sliced potatoes to seal in the meat and allow it to steam cook and release all its juices.
No.4: Cornish Pasty
Hailing from the picturesque coast of Cornwall. Cornish Pasties were the traditional meals of the tin miners and are large half-moon pastry pockets with a meat filling and a thick crimped crust. Legend has it that the reason the pasties came with such large crusts was that the tin that was being used often contained traces of arsenic poison. So their wives or mothers would bake these enormous pasties with a crust that could be held onto. Whilst the pasties were consumed to avoid any poisonous encounters. And once the main body of the pasty was consumed, the crusts would be discarded. Now enjoyed all over the country, these pasties are filled simply with beef, swede (rutabaga), turnip, potato and lots of black pepper all enrobed in flaky pastry.
No.5: Scotch Eggs
These delicious snacks are popular for picnics and lunch spreads and date back to 1738. When the fine food division of the London department store of Fortnum and Mason claimed to have created them to sell to clientele. The snack consists of whole boiled eggs, encased in pork sausagemeat and rolled in breadcrumbs and fried. Traditionally served with piccalilli (a cauliflower and mustard pickle). You can now find hundreds of versions using game such as venison as well as duck and quails eggs. They are so versatile and a perfect meaty snack any time of the day.
