Cherished mostly for its delectable and mouthwatering desserts, including trifle, custard tart, and shortbread, British cuisine also has an incredible plethora of savoury dishes. These dishes include the crispy and succulent fish and chips, which is popular pub fare and now available all over the world, as well as the comforting Sunday roast, which is a fixture in British households during holidays and special events. As Britain is divided into four distinct regions, namely England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, British food cannot be considered a monolith.
British cuisine is geographically diverse, reflecting the cultures of its respective regions. This article will examine a total of eight British foods, two from each region of the country. These dishes, which will be explored in detail below, stand out for various reasons, such as their unconventional presentation, the adventurous ingredients they are made up of, or their offbeat names. Whether you love them or hate them, it is simply impossible to ignore these incredible dishes once you get to know them.
Here are eight incredible British foods to help you diversify your palate:
Black Pudding
An English delicacy, black pudding is essentially a sausage that is prepared using congealed pig blood and oatmeal. The inclusion of pig blood coupled with its sombre visual appearance frequently puts people off this dish; however, it is said to be remarkably delicious when fried, often emitting a strong earthy flavour and resembling foods like salami in texture. The dish, which is popularly consumed as a part of the iconic full English breakfast, can also be eaten raw.
Jellied Eels
Originating from the East End of London, this delicacy is prepared by boiling chopped eels in a spiced stock. After cooling, the dish takes on a gelatinous quality from the protein derived from the eels, making it “jellied.” The dish is typically served hot and harkens to the working-class history of East London, where it used to be a staple food among working-class people. The dish, which has a highly distinctive and mildly sweet flavour, is not for everyone; it is considered an acquired taste.
Haggis
Similar to the Loch Ness monster, haggis is deeply entrenched in the culture of Scotland. This specialty comprises the heart, lungs, and liver of sheep, along with an assortment of ingredients such as suet, onion, pepper, salt, and spices. These ingredients are encased in a sheep’s stomach and boiled for hours before they are ready to serve in the form of crumbly sausages. Served with mashed potatoes or mashed turnips, haggis is known to have a peppery taste and is usually praised by people who dare to taste the dish.
Stovies
Stovies is a lesser-known Scottish delicacy. It is a type of soupy mixture or stew made from corned beef, potatoes, and onions. Although the dish may sound bland and unappetizing, the flavours of the different ingredients come together to form a rich, wholesome, and comforting meal. The name of the dish is derived from its method of cooking; it is named “stovies” as it is cooked on the stove. It is recommended to add seasoning to a dish with brown sauce to give it an extra punch of flavour.
Image Credits: By AmadeusShiftwood - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0/Wikimedia Commons
Welsh Rarebit
Frequently mispronounced as Welsh “Rabbit,” rarebit is basically a fancy version of cheese on toast, with strong melted cheddar blended with a host of ingredients, such as mustard, pepper, paprika, salt, and pepper. One can say that this is Wales’ version of the classic Italian bruschetta. The dish’s origins go back to the 18th century; it is believed the Welsh invented this humble bread and cheese-based dish because they were too poor to afford a cut of meat.
Cawl
Dating back to the 14th century, cawl is widely considered the national dish of Wales. This wholesome dish is a broth prepared using lamb and seasonal vegetables, making it an ideal meal to brave the chilly Welsh winter. Typically served with a slab of fresh bread, the dish has different names across the different areas of Wales. For example, it is referred to as “lobscows” in Northern Wales.
Ulster Fry
Instead of being one dish, Ulster fry combines several dishes in breakfast form to create a Northern Irish specialty. Ulster fry is considered exceptional because it seamlessly blends sweet and savoury flavours on a single plate. Some of this feast’s most notable components include Irish sausages, Irish pancakes, baked beans, and porridge, which are washed off by a refreshing cup of Irish tea, coffee, or juice.
Image Credits: Wikipedia
The Bap
The bap is a bread that is native to the city of Belfast in Northern Ireland. Deeply entrenched in the region’s history and culture, a visit to this city would be incomplete without trying out this iconic bread. The bread holds sentimental value for the locals, as it was created by baker Bernard Hughes during the Great Famine to feed the poor and the needy. In this way, it is symbolic of the troubled past of the area and, therefore, holds special meaning for the people.