When you travel to a new country, trying the local food is a must. Although British food is not very acclaimed by tourists, there are certain products or recipes that you must try if you travel to the country.
I spent two summers living as an Au Pair in London and in those almost 6 months I learnt two great things: how to travel for 1€ in the UK and how to get to know these products of British cuisine that I love.
9 products you should try in England
Full English Breakfast
A full breakfast is synonymous with starting the day with energy and a couple of extra pounds. This term is used to differentiate it from the continental breakfast (consisting of tea, coffee and juice with croissants or pastries).
Breakfast includes orange juice, coffee or tea with eggs, white beans, sausage, bacon, tomatoes, mushrooms and toast.
On a day-to-day basis it is unusual to have this dish for breakfast. When I lived in London as an Au Pair we rarely had it for breakfast. But if you want to try it you will find it in most hotels and bed and breakfasts first thing in the morning, and even in most cafes and pubs you can find it throughout the day.
Porridge
If you use Instagram you will have seen millions of pictures of it. It can be eaten on its own or accompanied with nuts, seasonal fruits, honey, syrup or cinnamon. As well as being healthy, it can be made in 10 minutes, which makes it a great breakfast and an ally for those of us who are always running late.
Tea
Tea time is a ritual in England, with origins dating back to the 18th century.
The English drink tea all the time, it’s true. It is therefore not unusual to find a wide variety of teas to suit all tastes in the UK, the best known brand being PG Tips.
Most homes have an electronic kettle and it is very common – if you visit – to be offered a cup of tea. However, if you are going to drink it, it should be with a splash of milk and no sugar.
An authentic afternoon tea experience is a must on your trip to the UK. The price varies depending on the place; it can be hotels, restaurants or even churches.
Yorkshire pudding
A baked, bowl-shaped wafer of dough made with eggs, flour, milk or water. It is the perfect accompaniment to roast beef along with gravy, a sauce made from extracts of the cooking juices of meats and vegetables.
Pimm’s
With the first rays of summer sunshine, the parks are filled with picnics and Pimm’s beer gardens. As a light and refreshing drink, it’s perfect for this time of year. And it’s always a good excuse to go out for a drink with friends on a terrace.
It is a drink made with gin and fruit liqueurs. It is usually served with numerous fruits and, sometimes, cucumber and mint. Although the first time you try it you may not be too impressed by it (for me, it was a bit like beer), you should give it a second chance to convince yourself.
Fish and chips
This is the most famous dish par excellence.
It is a white fish fry served with chips. It is battered in a mixture of flour, egg and beer and can sometimes be served with mashed peas, curry sauce, ketchup or mayonnaise.
It is perfect for lunchtime. It can be easily found in any city, especially in restaurants or pubs near the sea.
If you’re travelling to Belfast, try Fish and Chips from Fish City. It’s considered to be the best in Northern Ireland 😋.
Cheese on toast
This is a very common snack in the UK. It is a melted cheese toast. The cheese usually used is Cheddar, which has its roots in a small Somerset county town of the same name.
Sunday Roast
It is a typical British dish. As its name suggests, it is usually eaten on Sundays.
It consists of roasted meat (chicken, beef, pork or turkey), Yorkshire pudding, gravy, vegetables and potatoes.