7 Traditional British Foods

The traditional food favourites in Great Britain may not be as well regarded as those of its neighbour across the Channel but they're more down to earth than the haute cuisine of France. Think family meals, comfort food and sustenance for the hard working man.

The Neighbourhood London Pub

1.  English Breakfast

This hearty breakfast of smoked back bacon, sausage, field mushroom, hogs pudding, plum tomato, baked beans, sautéed potatoes and scrambled eggs kept me well fuelled for a busy day of touring.

Traditional English Breakfast

2.  Fish and Chips

In times of rationing during two world wars, fish and chips kept the population of Britain well fed. Could this deep-fried classic be any fresher than in the seaside towns of Cornwall?

Fish and Chips

3.  Pie and Mash

The meat pies served today with a side of mashed potatoes were originally made with eels caught from the River Thames. I prefer mine with beef, thank you.

Pie and Mash

4.  Sunday Roast

A traditional roast dinner could be chicken, lamb or pork but if you're serving beef you can't leave out the Yorkshire Pudding. The savoury side dish made from a batter of eggs, flour and water was once called Dripping Pudding because it baked beneath the roast to catch the dripping fats and juices.

Sunday Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding

5.  Sticky Toffee Pudding

After Sunday roast I had another British staple for dessert. This pudding is actually a spiced sponge cake topped with toffee sauce and a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

6.  Cornish Pasty

As the name suggests, these pies filled with meat, potatoes and vegetables originated in Cornwall as a convenient lunch for tin miners. The crimped edges could be held by dirty hands and then discarded to avoid poisoning from arsenic in the ore.

Cornish Pasty

7.  Afternoon Tea

Afternoon tea in Britain comes with a selection of dainty sandwiches. This sampling includes chicken and grain mustard mayonnaise; Scottish smoked salmon with black pepper and lemon; ham and English mustard; egg mayonnaise and cress; and (my favourite) chive cream cheese and cucumber.

Afternoon Tea with Sandwiches

And speaking of tea, next time I'll look at five traditional British beverages.

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