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| Fish cutlet, poached egg with hollandaise sauce |
I spent a week in Britain and had multiple opportunities to sample the local cuisine in restaurants as well as people's homes. Our breakfast go-to included "smashed avocado toast", poached eggs with hollandaise sauce, sausage, potatoes - all cooked with minimal seasoning that allowed us to add condiments to our taste. These portions were typically accompanied with a modest pot of tea which seemed to be an integral part of all their meals. Most of the restaurant cooked meals felt like a welcoming diversion from the typical restaurant experience in the U.S., which is characterized by large meals laden with salt and sugar.
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| Fish and chips |
Of course, I tried the fish and chips - batter fried cod fish with fries and vinegar dressing. There was an option to add tartar sauce, mushy peas or beans to the order. Fish was fresh on both the occasions I had it. It can be a heavy meal - so best eaten early in the day. We also tried several of their baked fare like the Cornwall pastries, scones and quiche. While I wont say I absolutely loved the fish and chips (a bit bland for my Indian palate), it is something I would fancy once in a while. We also visited a tea-shop, where the tea was served tea in a modestly sized teapot along with cakes, tarts and pastries. The ambience of these shops felt very cozy and welcoming.
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| Homemade Eaton Mess (with rhubarb syrup) |
I loved the experience of going to a local pub for a beer or two. It seemed like an activity that most of the locals partook in and consequently I felt a sense of community. I visited two villages which had a pub or two that served a full dinner along with a range of beers. Our dinners were comprised of meats cooked with minimal or no spices and served with boiled or baked veggies. My favorite was the roasted slow-cooked lamb with home-made mint sauce that a family member prepared one evening.
Finally, we tried several homemade English desserts including puddings, apple crumble pie, Eaton mess and absolutely devoured them. While not overly sweet, the integration of some fruit felt refreshing.
