British national cuisine British cuisine is the specific

British national cuisine British cuisine is the specific set of cooking traditions and practices associated with the United Kingdom. British cuisine has been described as "unfussy dishes made with quality local ingredients, matched with simple sauces to accentuate flavour, rather than disguise it. " However, British cuisine has absorbed the cultural influence of those who have settled in Britain, producing many hybrid dishes, such as the Anglo-Indian chicken tikka masala.

Traditional meals have ancient origins, such as bread and cheese, roasted and stewed meats, meat and game pies, boiled vegetables and broths, and freshwater and saltwater fish. The 14 th-century English cookbook, the Forme of Cury, contains recipes for these, and dates from the royal court of Richard II.

British dishes British cuisine has traditionally been limited in its international recognition to the full breakfast, fish and chips, and the Christmas dinner. Other British dishes include the Sunday roast, steak and kidney pie, shepherd's pie, and bangers and mash. British cuisine has many regional varieties within the broader categories of English, Scottish and Welsh cuisine. Each have developed their own regional or local dishes, many of which are geographically indicated food such as Cornish pasties, the Yorkshire pudding, Cumberland Sausage, Arbroath Smokie, and Welsh cakes.

International reputation English cuisine once suffered from a poor international reputation. Keith Arscott of Chawton House Library comments that "at one time people didn't think the English knew how to cook and yet these [eighteenth and nineteenth century] female writers were at the forefront of modern day cooking. "[81] In 2005, 600 food critics writing for the British Restaurant magazine named 14 British restaurants among the 50 best restaurants in the world, the number one being The Fat Duck in Bray, Berkshire and its chef Heston Blumenthal. The global reach of London has elevated it to the status of a leading centre of international cuisine.

Beef “Wellington” Beef Wellington is a preparation of filet steak coated with pâté (often pâté de foie gras) and duxelles, which is then wrapped in puff pastry and baked. Some recipes include wrapping the coated meat in a crêpe to retain the moisture and prevent it from making the pastry soggy. A whole tenderloin may be wrapped and baked, and then sliced for serving, or the tenderloin may be sliced into individual portions prior to wrapping and baking. Many spices may be added to enhance the flavour; some examples are allspice and ginger. Main ingredients: filet steak, pâté, puff pastry

Roast beef is a dish of beef which is roasted in an oven. Essentially prepared as a main meal, the leftovers can be and are often served within sandwiches and sometimes are used to make hash. In the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Ireland, and Australia, roast beef is one of the meats traditionally served at Sunday dinner, although it is also often served as a cold cut in delicatessen stores, usually in sandwiches. A traditional side dish to roast beef is Yorkshire pudding.

Yorkshire pudding Yorkshire pudding is an English side dish made from batter consisting of eggs, flour, and milk. The dish is sometimes served with beef and gravy and is a staple of the traditional British Sunday roast. It may also be served as a dessert. [1] Originally the Yorkshire pudding was eaten on its own as a first course with thick gravy to fill the stomach with the low cost ingredients so that one would not eat so much of the more expensive meat in the following course. [2] There is no special association with the county of Yorkshire. An early recipe appeared in William Kenrick's The Whole Duty of a Woman in 1737. « Make a good batter as for pancakes; put in a hot toss-pan over the fire with a bit of butter to fry the bottom a little then put the pan and butter under a shoulder of mutton, instead of a dripping pan, keeping frequently shaking it by the handle and it will be light and savoury, and fit to take up when your mutton is enough; then turn it in a dish and serve it hot. » Main Ingredients: Milk or water, flour and eggs.

Cornish pasties A pasty (/ˈpæsti/, Cornish: Hog en; Pasti), (sometimes known in the United States as a pastie or British pasty)[1] is a baked pastry, a traditional variety of which is particularly associated with Cornwall, in the UK The traditional Cornish pasty, which since 2011 has Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status in Europe, [2] is filled with beef, sliced or diced potato, swede (also known as yellow turnip or rutabaga – referred to in Cornwall as turnip) and onion, seasoned with salt and pepper, and is baked.

Cornish pasties are very popular with the working classes in this neighbourhood, and have lately been successfully introduced into some parts of Devonshire. They are made of small pieces of beef, and thin slices of potatoes, highly peppered, and enclosed in wrappers of paste Main Ingredients: a pastry case with variable fillings, usually beef and vegetables.

Lancashire hotpot Lancashire hotpot is a dish made traditionally from lamb or mutton and onion, topped with sliced potatoes, left to bake in the oven all day in a heavy pot and on a low heat. Originating in the days of heavy industrialisation in Lancashire in the North West of England, it requires a minimum of effort to prepare. There are many regional variations. (carrot, turnip, potatoes, onions or leeks) covered with sliced potato. Sometimes lamb kidneys are included in the dish. Modern variants may use beef or bacon chops instead of lamb, or have a pastry topping. The traditional recipe once included oysters, but increasing cost eliminated them from common usage. Pickled red cabbage or beetroot are often served as an accompaniment. In some areas Lancashire cheese is also served with the dish.

Food establishments of England In the United Kingdom, a "cafe", "working men's cafe", or "caff". /ˈkæf/ is a small, inexpensive eating place, roughly equivalent to a diner or greasy spoon in other cultures. They are usually independently owned, and unlicensed for alcohol. They typically open very early, at 6 am or 7 am, and close in the early afternoon, from 2 pm to 3 pm. The typical working men's cafe serves mainly fried or grilled food, such as fried eggs, bacon, black pudding, bubble and squeak, burgers, sausages, mushroomsand c hips. These are often accompanied by baked beans, cooked tomatoes, and fried bread. These are served in a variety of combinations and are generally referred to as "breakfast" even if they are available all day. Cafe A tea room is a small room or restaurant where beverages and light meals are served, often having a sedate or subdued atmosphere. A customer might expect to receive cream tea or Devonshire tea, often served from a china set, and a scone with jam and clotte d cream – alternatively a High tea may be served. Tea rooms

Fish and chip shops Fish and chips is a hot dish consisting of battered fish, commonly Atlantic cod or haddock, and chips. It is a common takeaway food. [47] Deep-fried chips (slices or pieces of potato) as a dish may have first appeared in England in about the same period: the Oxford English Dictionary notes as its earliest usage of "chips" in this sense the mention in Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities (published in 1859): "Husky chips of potatoes, fried with some reluctant drops of oil". The modern fish-and-chip shop ("chippy" or "chipper" in modern English slang) originated in the United Kingdom, although outlets selling fried food occurred commonly throughout Europe. Usually these consisted principally of a large cauldron of cooking fat, heated by a coal fire. The fish-and-chip shop later evolved into a fairly standard format, with the food served, in paper wrappings, to queuing customers, over a counter behind which the fryers are located. Fish-and-chips is usually eaten with salt and vinegar, and may be accompanied by gherkins or mushy peas. Chippies may serve other takeaway foods, such as burgers, sausages (particularly the kind known as a saveloy), Chinese spring rolls, pies and Doner kebabs.

Pub food The public house, or pub is a famous English institution. In the mid 20 th century, they were drinking establishments with little emphasis on the serving of food, other than "bar snacks", such as pork scratchings, [50] and pickled eggs, salted crisps and peanuts whi ch helped to increase beer sales. If a pub served meals these were usually basic cold dishes such as a ploughman's lunch In the 1950 s some British pubs would offer "a pie and a pint", with hot individual steak and ale pies made easily on the premises by the landlord's wife. In the 1960 s and 1970 s this developed into then-fashionable "chicken in a basket", a portion of roast chicken with chips, served on a napkin, in a wicker basket "Pub grub" expanded to include British food items such as steak and ale pie, steak and kidney pudding, shepherd's pie, fish and chips, bangers and mash, Sunday roast, ploughman's lunch, and pasties. In addition, dishes such as burgers, lasagne and chili con carne are often served. The gastropub movement, on the other hand, seeks to serve restaurant-quality food, cooked to order from fresh ingredients, in a pub setting.

Drinks Three of the major hot drinks popular in England, tea, coffee, and chocolate, originate from outside Europe and were already staple items by Victorian times. [71]

Coffee in England Introduced in the 16 th century, coffee became popular by the 17 th century, especially in the coffee houses, the first opening in Oxford in 1650. [72] Coffee is drunk in instant and percolated forms; Italian-style preparations such as espresso and cappuccino are increasingly popular, while sales of tea are falling (2013)

Tea in England Catherine of Braganza brought the Portuguese habit of tea to England around 1660. Initially, its expense restricted it to wealthy consumers, but the price gradually dropped, until by the 19 th century its use was widespread. In the United Kingdom, it is consumed daily and often by a majority of people across the country, and indeed is perceived as one of Britain's cultural beverages. In British homes, it is customary good manners for a host to offer tea to guests soon after their arrival. Tea is generally consumed at home or outside the home in cafés.

English 5 o’ clock tea. One of the well known English traditions is 5 o’clock tea. This tradition was introduced in England by Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, in the year 1840.

Tea with milk Even very slightly formal events can be a cause for cups and saucers to be used instead of mugs. A typical semi-formal British tea ritual might run as follows (the host performing all actions unless noted): [18] The kettle is brought to a rolling boil (with fresh water to ensure good oxygenation which is essential for proper diffusion of the tea leaves). [19] Enough boiling water is swirled around the teapot to warm it and then poured out. Add loose tea leaves, (usually black tea) or tea bags, always added before the boiled water. Fresh boiling water is poured over the tea in the pot and allowed to brew for 2 to 5 minutes while a tea cosy may be placed on the pot to keep the tea warm. [20] Milk must be added to the tea cup, the host asking the guest if milk is wanted, milk may never be added after the tea is poured. A tea strainer is placed over the top of the cup and the tea poured in, unless tea bags are used. Tea bags may be removed, if desired, once desired strength is attained. Fresh milk and white sugar is added according to individual taste. Most people have milk with their tea, but many without sugar. The pot will normally hold enough tea so as not to be empty after filling the cups of all the guests. If this is the case, the tea cosy is replaced after everyone has been served. Hot water may be provided in a separate pot, and is used only for topping up

Hot chocolate was a popular drink by the 17 th century. Hot chocolate, also known as hot cocoa, is a heated beverage consisting of shaved chocolate, melted chocolate or cocoa powder, heated milk or water, and often sugar. Hot chocolate made with melted chocolate is sometimes called drinking chocolate, characterized by less sweetness and a thicker consistency. [1]

Dandelion and burdock was originally a lightly fermented beverage similar to root beer. Later versions were more artificially made and alcohol-free. Soft ginger beer was popular from the late 19 th to mid 20 th century. Tizer and Lucozade are British carbonated drinks, the latter marketed as an energy drink. Lemonade generally refers to a clear, fizzy beverage in the UK.

Barley water Barley water, usually flavoured with lemon or other fruit, is a traditional British soft drink. It is made by boiling washed pearl barley, straining, then pouring the hot water over the rind or pulp of the fruit, and adding fruit juice and sugar to taste.