Great Biritish Menu
Discussion
Lefty said:
That and the fact that anybody cooking with a french influence gets a b
king for not making British food but it's ok to cook Indian food, "cause it's british too".
The historical justification would be that India was in the Empire, but France wasn't (not for want of trying though!). Apparently Queen Victoria liked currys, so there's quite a history there, Raj and all that. But I would agree roast beef is infinitely more British king for not making British food but it's ok to cook Indian food, "cause it's british too".
Simpo Two said:
The historical justification would be that India was in the Empire, but France wasn't (not for want of trying though!). Apparently Queen Victoria liked currys, so there's quite a history there, Raj and all that. But I would agree roast beef is infinitely more British
Hmmm, my memory of history is vague, but wasn't there something around 1066 involving the French ? They certainly brought spices, and beef/boeuf may give us a clue Interestingly, the 1748 Art of cooking by Hannah Glasse gives one of the earliest recipes for Yorkshire Pudding and also ..."how to make a currey the Indian way". Commercial spice mixtures seem to have been available sometime after this. And the East India Company predates this by at least 100 years.
So, whilst we may have been spit-roasting cows since before Chelsea existed, curry has been with us for a long time !
Noger said:
Hmmm, my memory of history is vague, but wasn't there something around 1066 involving the French ? They certainly brought spices, and beef/boeuf may give us a clue
Interestingly, the 1748 Art of cooking by Hannah Glasse gives one of the earliest recipes for Yorkshire Pudding and also ..."how to make a currey the Indian way". Commercial spice mixtures seem to have been available sometime after this. And the East India Company predates this by at least 100 years.
I think you're assuming that anything spiced is a curry. There was a burgeoning and well-documented trade with the Spice Islands (Indonesia) in the 17th century and the Dutch fought us like dogs over it (and won) - but that was mainly pepper and cloves. Get a ship-load of cloves to London and you were a millionaire! But the East India Company originally meant 'East Indies' (Indonesia), an era before the Raj, though they later effectively 'ran' India and brought the ingredients for curry back from there. But that was the time of British rule, not before.Interestingly, the 1748 Art of cooking by Hannah Glasse gives one of the earliest recipes for Yorkshire Pudding and also ..."how to make a currey the Indian way". Commercial spice mixtures seem to have been available sometime after this. And the East India Company predates this by at least 100 years.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_India_Company
I suppose the debate is - is anythig derived from the British Empire 'british cuisine?' Hence kangaroo steaks are included too!
We're a bit of a mongrel nation really. I'd say just about any dish could have originated abroad if you go into it in any depth... we've been invaded plenty of times (by Celts, Normans, Romans, Vikings, Dutch, Anglo-Saxons) so what really defines "British"?
I find it quite funny when BNP supporters say they are Anglo-Saxon and proud, when it technically means they are of German origin
On the food front though... Any food which the average person would describe as Chinese, Indian, French etc should be excluded. I'd say that a British dish should be primarily local dishes (such as those explored in the Hairy Bikers programme) or national dishes (fish & chips, roast beef, haggis, cawl, bangers & mash, (northern) Irish stew).
And of course, not forgetting the full English breakfast, now THAT's a British dish that wins every time
I find it quite funny when BNP supporters say they are Anglo-Saxon and proud, when it technically means they are of German origin
On the food front though... Any food which the average person would describe as Chinese, Indian, French etc should be excluded. I'd say that a British dish should be primarily local dishes (such as those explored in the Hairy Bikers programme) or national dishes (fish & chips, roast beef, haggis, cawl, bangers & mash, (northern) Irish stew).
And of course, not forgetting the full English breakfast, now THAT's a British dish that wins every time
Anyone else not that impressed with this week's offerings so far.
The ones that are the most interesting would be a complete sod to serve up for 100 people.
And Aktar wossname, late to the pass three nights running. Not good enough, on your bike. Should have marks deducted no matter how good, though Andy Capp's ox cheek cottage pie looked mega.
The ones that are the most interesting would be a complete sod to serve up for 100 people.
And Aktar wossname, late to the pass three nights running. Not good enough, on your bike. Should have marks deducted no matter how good, though Andy Capp's ox cheek cottage pie looked mega.
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