its already started http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3273609.stm -- Steve Parry http://www.gwynfryn.co.uk http://wrexhamseals.tripod.com
Perhaps you're asking the wrong people in the wrong way then. I have heard "rosbif" used in a similar context to that which we use "frog" on many occasions. I even overheard someone use it during a conference call recently. That same someone was then mortified when I met him a week later and introduced myself as "Monsieur Rosbif" as the penny dropped that not only had we heard him, but understood it too. I seem to remember a conversation about this on IRC where you simply *refused* to get the point about this. The point was /NOT/ that English cuisine is supreme, [1] merely that the French find it very difficult to do anything other than French cuisine to a high standard. [2] ie That you can get good english food, good indian, good thai, good chinese, good pizza in almost every town in the uk. Head into the cities and you can to that list at least a dozen more nationalities of food available at very good standards. You cannot however argue that the same cannot be said for France. [1] for the hard of thinking this means that we were not declaring english food to be the best or indeed to be better than french food. [2] I for one actually like a good deal of french food and am of the belief that they can do it very well.
Good point. As ever, it's his complete refusal to acknowledge, ever, that me might be wrong which causes him to reside in so many killfiles.
Apart from the cuisine developed in the Royal courts of France[1] the standard of food was so bad that the British aristocracy would bring their own chefs and kitchen staff with them when staying in France especially Paris. The French custom of *not* taking wine with their meals, due to French laws prohibiting the sale of wine in an eating house or food where you could buy wine was overturned by the British nobility. The British set up the first restaurants of note in Paris specialising in the "English Breakfast" one notable one was the Cafe de Anglais (?) whose standard and style of cooking was copied by many others. Bringing good food to those outside of the royal courts of France was almost totally down to the Brits and the Italians. French cuisine is based on these examples. A synopsis from memory taken from Larousse Gastronomique. I've had some very good Vietnamese meals in France. [1] Considered to be the best available then and now.
What ? Those liitle cards everyone carries around with them that have their photo on , as proof of identity ? The things both my pen friends had, that cops always wanted to see if stopped on the mopeds ? Can someone define mandatory ?
During my 1st exchange visit (Circa '76) my cousins pen friends mother was vietnamese. It was a favorite place for us all to go and eat. My own pen friends mother was Italian, she was/is a fantastic chef.
There are a few basic meals I think would fit the bill. Toad in the hole with onion gravy. Steak and ale pie, with fresh vegetables. A ham[1] sandwich with english mustard. Full english breakfast. [1] Continental ham rarely tastes the same as a British ham carved off the bone. Not that I dislike either.
Top nosh Gone off it. Too greasy And you forgot "Fish Chips and peas" Going back to my French exchange days (again), they would murder fro English Chips, far better than the scrwny "Fren^H^H^H^ Freedom Fries they have to contend with.
IMO you are most likely to get traditional or 'British' meals in country pubs. Each area specialising (without knowing on many occasions) in the local specialities. The Crown at Gayton does some very fine British cuisine. (Wotcha Warren!) Tender beef hung properly for 4 or 8 weeks before being served to you. Cooked rare it melts in your mouth with an explosion of flavour.
There is a lot to be said for: Several slices of British ham carved off the bone, with some free range, lightly fried eggs on top plus some thick cut chips to go with it.
I can buy that - I hate overdone beef, then again I wouldn't class roast beef as a particularly English meal, so many nationalities have roast animal dishes as part of their standard fare.
