What is traditional British cuisine?

The UK may not be renowned for its

gastronomy, but England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have
several national dishes to be proud of, and some of them are even popular
in the rest of the world.
Always remember to pair a savoury dish with beer or whisky, and
pudding with a cup of tea, of course.

England

The ‘roast beef of old England’ appeared on the tables of the wealthy as
far back as the sixteenth century and established the reputation of
England as a meat eating nation and as a producer of high quality beef.
Although we don’t consume the same vast quantities of beef as our
ancestors, we still have a healthy appetite for roast beef which is so well
known throughout the world, our French neighbours have nicknamed us
‘Les Rosbifs.’
Modern twists to plain roast beef include marinating in red wine, spices
or treacle before cooking.

Roast beef is traditionally accompanied by roast potatoes, vegetables and

Yorkshire pudding. The first written recipe for ‘A Dripping Pudding’
appeared in ‘The Whole Duty of Woman’ by an anonymous author in
1737.
The mixture of flour, eggs and milk was placed under the joint of meat,
so that the juices from the meat, dripped onto the baking pudding. It was
first named ‘Yorkshire Pudding’ by Hannah Glasse in 1747 in her famous
cookbook ‘The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy’ and was a popular
choice in Yorkshire coaching inns. Originally the pudding was eaten on
its own with gravy before the main course, to curb appetites for the
expensive meat. Modern additions to the basic recipe flavour the batter
with chillis, herbs, cheese, or use beer instead of milk for the batter.

Fish and chips, a national favourite, has been hugely popular ever since
the first shop to sell it opened in the 1860s, although whether this was in
London or Lancashire is disputed.
White fish coated in batter and fried until crisp with chipped potatoes,
then sprinkled liberally with salt and vinegar is convenient to eat straight
from their paper wrapping outside or served at home.
The nation’s best loved takeaway was one of the few foods that weren’t
rationed in World War II and every English town has at least one
‘chippy’.
The famous English sweet tooth is evident in an enormous variety of
puddings and desserts, such as hearty steamed and baked puddings,
jellies, milk puddings, fruit fools and trifle.

Quintessentially English, a properly made trifle is a luxurious dessert and

has remained a well-loved classic since the eighteenth century. Consisting
of layers of sponge cake soaked in sherry, rich custard, jam or fruit and
whipped cream, topped with a sprinkling of toasted flaked almonds; later
toppings include glacé cherries colourful ‘Hundreds and Thousands’ or
silver balls.

Today, sticky toffee pudding is the nation’s favourite and has become a
modern classic, featuring on restaurant and pub menus throughout the
country. A fluffy baked sponge containing dates, it’s accompanied by rich
toffee sauce and often served with ice cream or whipped cream. The
origins of this delicious pudding are unclear, but ever since its creation in
the late 1960s–1970s, it has remained much in demand.

Northern Ireland

The number one and best known national dish is Ulster fry. While not
originally specifically associated with breakfast, lately it’s been promoted
as Northern Ireland’s version of an English cooked breakfast.
What makes it unique is the addition of potato bread and soda bread,
(fried or grilled until crisp and golden) to the bacon, sausages, black
pudding and egg. Traditionally, the fry must not contain anything that
cannot be fried in bacon fat, and there is much discussion about what can
and cannot be included. Baked beans, potatoes, tomato, mushrooms and
white pudding are rejected by traditionalists, but are sometimes added as
optional extras. As people are more health conscious nowadays, grilling
instead of frying is becoming popular.

Another celebrated speciality is Irish stew and there are several variations
– in Northern Ireland pork spare ribs were used. Originally it was made
with just mutton, potatoes and onions, simmered slowly until thick and
rich. Nowadays lamb is frequently used instead of mutton.
Other ingredients may include carrots and pearl barley, although these are
disdained by purists who maintain they spoil the authentic flavour.