“I still think it’s essential for a parent to cook with their children. Weighing out the ingredients and learning where the food comes from is educational, but it also helps to place meal times at the heart of family life.”
Mary Berry, previously a judge
of the popular Great British Bake Off, hit the nail on the head. Mealtimes are
significant times for the family to come together. Memories of specific foods,
family meals, and recipes are often intertwined with memories of gathering and
family.
Even beyond your immediate
memories, your food heritage tells a story of your ancestors. The meals your
parents cooked may have been passed down for generations.
Share your family recipes with your relatives. Or try making some of the English recipes below to find out how your ancestors enjoyed their food.
11 Traditional English Dishes
These traditional dishes are characteristic of
English food. While known for hearty dishes of stews and meats, people in
England enjoy a variety of foods.
Yorkshire Pudding
This light and airy bread is a true staple in
English cuisine. The trick is to get the mixture to puff up just right in the
oven.
Fish and Chips
This classic combination of breaded fish and
fried potatoes has been made popular around the world, but it originated in
England.
English Pancakes
English pancakes are a thin pancake comparable
to the French crêpe. They are traditionally rolled up and eaten with sugar and
lemon.
Shepherd’s Pie
Made with lamb and topped with mashed potatoes,
shepherd’s pie is a hearty dish that is popular throughout the United Kingdom.
Black Pudding
Black pudding is actually a sausage made with
onion, pork fat, oatmeal, and congealed blood. Don’t think too hard about how
it’s made, because it is delicious.
Trifle
A traditional English trifle has layers of
fruit, cream, and cake to make an eye-catching dessert.
Full English Breakfast
This dish is aptly named the “full English
breakfast.” Enjoy a full platter for the most important meal of the day, with
bacon, sausage, eggs, beans, toast, mushrooms, and tomatoes.
Toad in the Hole
Yorkshire pudding is made all the tastier by
adding sausages to the batter and serving it with gravy. The name apparently comes
from the way the sausages poke out of the batter like a toad poking its head
out of a hole.
Steak and Kidney Pie
Steak and kidney pie is a known British comfort
food. It is a traditional pastry crust filled with kidney, chunks of steak, and
gravy.
Scotch Egg
In this dish, a hard-boiled egg is traditionally
wrapped in sausage and coated in breadcrumbs before being cooked.
Lancashire Hot Pot
Lancashire hot pot is a casserole of meat and
vegetables topped with sliced potatoes.
What Influenced Traditional British Cooking?
Traditional English food has a rich history,
with influences from around the world. Groups such as the Romans, Saxons, and
Vikings colonized England at different times. Each added new tastes or skills
to England’s culinary traditions.
When the Romans conquered England, they brought with them modern staples. Cherries, cabbages, peas, and wine were all new to England thanks to the Romans.
The Saxons, a Germanic tribe, were skilled
farmers. They grew a variety of herbs, which added flavor to existing dishes.
The Vikings unsurprisingly introduced the
tradition of smoking meats. Smoked fish quickly became a staple in Great
Britain.
Aside from these three main groups, England’s
food has influences from around the world, thanks to trade. Foreign spices
particularly have had a huge impact on English flavors and cuisines; widely
used spices include ginger, cinnamon, pepper, and vanilla. England’s flavor
profile as it is known today results from a world of resources.
Source: Family Search
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