As promised, let’s explore some traditional Brit food!  Food that you must try (at least once!) whether you’re here for a visit or have decided to relocate! 

Some of the more traditional Brit foods are described below. Which ones sound appetizing for you?!

Mushy peas—Mushy peas are dried marrow fat peas which are first soaked overnight in baking soda and then rinsed in fresh water, after which the peas are gathered in a saucepan, covered with water, and brought to a boil, and then simmered until the peas are softened. The mush is seasoned with salt and pepper.  They are generally served as a side with fish and chips but can also be found on the menu with other main courses!  I’m not sure why they are served “mushed”, but my husband says they are so much easier to eat mushed, because then they don’t roll around on your plate and you don’t have to chase them!

The traditional Brit food everyone knows and most adore!

Fish and Chips—There are about 10,500 fish and chip shops in the UK, compared to about 1,200 McDonald’s restaurants (In the state of California alone there are about 1165 McDonald’s and in the whole of Yank country there are about 13, 270!).  So, for a country as small as England, in comparison to the size of the U.S., that’s a lot of Fish and Chip shops!!  The “chippy” shops can be found everywhere!  The fish is usually cod, but sometimes haddock, and is fried (usually in a beer batter) and served with salted fat chips (fries), malt vinegar and tartar sauce.  You can see people sitting outside by the beach or on a bench, munching their “to go” fish and chips.  This is a def must try traditional Brit food!

And a few more traditional Brit foods for your taste buds to try!

Cottage Pie—This is a big traditional Brit staple meal here in Brit country.  Back in the New England we call this Shepherd’s Pie.  Pretty much made the same way as here in Brit country.  Hamburg (minced beef) sauteed with onions, layered in the bottom of a casserole dish, with corn mixed into the meat and onion mixture and topped with mashed potatoes.  My mum used to use creamed corn to add to the beef, but I have not been able to find creamed corn here, so I add some gravy to the hamburg (minced beef) mixture so it’s not so dry and to add some extra flavor.   I also add some marmite to the gravy to beef it up!!  I top the casserole dish with some grated cheese to add texture and flavor and sprinkle some paprika on the top as well.  Voila!!

Bangers and Mash—Yes, another Brit staple.  This is a simple dish with sausages and mashed potatoes, served with a rich onion gravy.  The sausages are usually Cumberland sausages (from the county of Cumberland in the Northwest of England) and are made from pork, kind of bland, but “stodgy”, and will fill up your belly.

And then there’s Christmas Pudding!

Christmas Pudding—This is a seasonal dessert (pudding) and reminds of me our Yank fruit cakes, very similar.  It is made from a combination of dried fruit, candied fruit peel, and citrus zests baked in a dense sponge cake.  Often it is flavored with brandy or rum and set ablaze!!!

My husbands favorite meal~ the Full English Breakfast

Full English Breakfast—A full English breakfast is definitely a traditional classic.  It usually consists of 2 eggs, 2 sausages, some bacon, a halved grilled tomato, grilled mushrooms, and black (blood) pudding. Sometimes breaks is served with baked beans, a side of toast, and oftentimes roasted potatoes or possibly even fries (chips)!   However, the bacon in Brit country is not traditional Yank bacon. Sometimes the Yank style bacon is offered, but in Brit it’s called “streaky bacon”.  The bacon generally served here in Brit country I compare to Canadian bacon ~ larger pieces, less fat, and not crispy.

A Brit Sunday lunch is always tasty traditional Brit food!

Sunday Roast—Yes, we are back to Sunday roast!  Take a look at some of my previous posts on this delish Sunday Brit tradition!!  Served in restaurants, cafes, pubs, and at family Sunday afternoon gatherings, this tasty tradition will include some sort of roast (beef, pork, lamb, turkey, etc.) with too many veggies to mention, along with traditional Yorkshire Pudding and a yummy pudding!  

https://yankeebrit.blog/2023/01/22/sunday-roast/(opens in a new tab)

https://yankeebrit.blog/2023/01/26/things-the-brits-do-well-enjoy/(opens in a new tab)

And a couple more for you to add to your “try me” list:

Steak and Kidney Pie—Steak and kidney pie is a traditional British dish consisting of diced steak, onion, and kidney (typically from a lamb or pig), cooked in a brown gravy and then wrapped in a pastry and baked. Mushrooms and bacon are sometimes included, and oftentimes local ales or stout is added to the gravy for a little extra flavor.  I haven’t tried this yet, so if you have, send me your thoughts!

Eggs and Chips— Egg and chips became popular in England and the U.K. during World War I due to a shortage of meat.  Egg and chips are associated with a working-class diet.  This is a simple and quick to make meal or can be an easy treat for late night or mid-afternoon!  Served with a side of toast and your belly is sated!

And Marmite – another traditional brit food. Love it or hate it?!

Marmite— Marmite is a dark, rich spread.  It’s ingredient list includes yeast extract (which contains barley), wheat, oats, and rye, salt, vegetable juice concentrate and is supplemented with vitamins.  The Brits use it on toast and bread products as a spread (like how we Yanks would use peanut butter!).  Marmite has a very distinctive flavor and is very difficult to describe in words.   But think of a yeasty, salty, “soy saucey” flavor with the consistency of a deep and thick syrup.  I think you either love it or hate it – but you must at least TRY it!  One thing I do use it for is to add some kick to gravies!  And the one thing I have learned about Marmite is to NEVER put it in the fridge, you’ll end up with tasty cement!!

Yorkshire pudding—To start with, even though this is called a “pudding”, it is not a dessert!!  

In my translation, Yorkshire Pudding is a bread roll.  Usually, in Brit country, the Yorkshire Puddings are served with the main meal, with gravy drizzled over it.  Sometimes, they can be served prior to the meal, as we would generally serve rolls and butter.   Yorkshire Puddings can be made a bit larger and filled with bangers and mash. Some folks fill it with a sausage and then it’s called “Toad in the Hole”!  For us Yanks, think of it like a bread bowl with taco salad, or a bread bowl filled with Chowdah!!

Black (Blood) Pudding—This dish is made from pork or beef blood, with pork fat or beef suet, spices, and a cereal, usually oatmeal, oat groats, or barley groats.  Black pudding is usually sliced and fried and served at breakfast, but the pudding can also be crumbled and included in other dishes such as mashed potatoes or gravy.  I’ve not tried this either, but feel free to comment your thoughts!!

So….what do you think?  What will you try?  

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