After a trip to London, a hectic life at the office with the return of strikes and demonstrations of all kinds and, finally, a flooded Seine, we are back; happy to share with you our discoveries and our fork tips. In London, we tried out some of the well-known and little-known classics of British cuisine. And judge for ourselves whether or not we should trust what people say.
Take breakfast, for example. Eating beans early in the morning may seem strange, especially if they are sweet and accompanied by black pudding, tomatoes and roasted giant mushrooms, potatoes fried in sausage fat and bacon. All this accompanied by scrambled, poached or fried eggs, it’s your choice. Yes, fried. I’ve never had that one before! I didn’t have time to try it but I’ll think about it for my next brunch.
If you’re more of a savoury person in the morning, try the English Breakfast at least once. If the sausage is well cooked and the blood sausage is grilled, it’s worth a try. With such a feast you were ready to roam the streets of London until the end of the night.
For the sweet tooth, there was nothing like a mountain of pancakes with red fruit, cream and maple syrup.
But don’t be surprised if you are offered something other than the classic and clichéd.
The trend of the moment: a thick slice of toast, sliced guacamole, red pepper and its accompanying egg variant. A little spicy, but it’s a real treat. It’s balanced, nourishing and fresh, a great boost for the rest of the day.
Unlike in France, there are many places to eat breakfast, from the local pub, to the large, well-known restaurant chains or simply “The Breakfast Club”. Each shop has its own style.
Let’s talk about the famous fish and chips. There are now 10,500 establishments of all kinds that have made it their specialty. That’s half as many as in 1910 (25,000) and three times fewer than in 1927 (35,000). By comparison, McDonald’s has 1,200 shops across the country and KFC 840. It’s an institution, someone should think about putting it on the world cultural heritage list. After all, French gastronomy has been included. That would do justice to British food.
Its reputation is not at all overrated, but you still have to find the right address. So we forget about the pubs in the shopping streets and try a little google search to find some advice. We opted for the “Fish!” in Borough Market, a stone’s throw from London Bridge. The Fish, a treat! A fillet of boneless white fish, cooked to perfection and coated in a golden, crispy beer batter.
On the menu, there is a wide range of fishes: Haddock, Carrelet, Halibut, Hake, Cod, and even Skate Wing. Chips and the must-have Mushy Peas. It’s a kind of pea purée that will always amaze me, served plain or sometimes with mint.
If you don’t have time to rest, they also offer a Take Away to satisfy your “Fish Fix”, we love it!
The other little-known specialty that I love is Scotch Egg. It is ideal for picnics or for the office bento. Don’t think of it as Scottish, even if the name suggests it. It’s the perfect snack. It is a hard-boiled or soft-boiled egg coated with meat and then breaded. The meat is usually sausage meat. Personally, I prefer it with beef, spices and herb-flavoured breading.
Just imagine: a big dumpling that is crunchy on the outside and melting on the inside. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water, impossible to resist. “Scotchtails” offers a dozen different flavours, including vegetarian variants, enough to make everyone happy on the go.
So if you go to London, don’t skip the markets. Street food is at the forefront. In addition to English specialties, the cuisine is a reflection of England, imbued with the taste of the great explorers’ travels and the colours of those who have made their home here. Cosmopolitan and exotic.
