To anyone who is living or has ever lived in England

[Goat Starer]

I'm sorry but i must strenuously object, a chip butty does not involve "french fries". These are pale thin imitations of the British chip. a chip butty is a healthy dose of lard and carbohydrate and if the americans had BOTHERED to enter the second world war when it STARTED rather than when we and the russians had basically won it for you we would never had had to make such meals our staple diet. Even given that we are still miles behind you in the obesity rankings so please remove the stye from your eye before looking at ours.

very irate goat tramping on a bridge you overprivelaged living off the poor of the world lets have another salami and emmenthal on rye hypocrites!

baaaaa!

[AwenchnamedRitchie]

This thread seems to have been left a while ago, but I just can't resist defending my fantastic English culinary past.
Firstly, meat in pies: A fabulous invention which leads me to question whether the only thing Americans put in pies are sweet fillings? Because that's weird. Something that fills me full of glee is whenever I see the words 'meat and potato pie' (mainly because of its undisclosed meat content - it's a surprise!).
Secondly, undisclosed meat under a crust: a) see above and b) what's in them there 'all American' fast food burgers you're scoffing there matey? Is it in fact 'all American', or are you sneaking in some of those Mexican immigrants we hear you complain about?
Thirdly, toast racks: they're to stop the toast from getting soggy when it's laid down. Admittedly I don't own a toast rack as it does in fact make the toast cold and normally I scoff it too fast for the aforesaid toast to get soggy.
Fourthly, things to put on toast: many a student would have DIED without beans on toast (although eating them cold is one step too far for me). Also, everything goes on toast, people used to use bread as a plate so it's designed to go with everything (even peanut butter and strawberry jam, which strikes me as repulsive). Which leads me neatly to the fifth point, chip butties: as Goat Starer rightly points out, so called 'french fries' are a poor sustitute for a real chip (and incidentally, because french fries' larger surface area, they will absorb more oil) and when you're poor/hungry/drunk, a chip butty will let you carry on just a little bit longer. I'm sure the FSM would approve.

And as for deep-fried pizzas...well the people who invented them were Scottish. It's freezing up there and you need some kind of protection when you fall asleep on a park bench*


*For those who may be offended, this is a JOKE, intended for humour only and not a reflection of my actual opinions. They're all high on heroin aren't they? :-p

[Warlord of Elephants]

(even peanut butter and strawberry jam, which strikes me as repulsive).

Not offended at all; that leaves more peanut butter (extra crunchy please) and strawberry preserve sandwiches for ME! But you gots to have 'Fritos' corn chips with it..... Mmmm fritos..... Sincerely the Warlord of Elephants

[AwenchnamedRitchie]

Hey, I was trying not to offend the crazy Scots, not peanut-butter and jam eating weirdos

[Warlord of Elephants]

Hey! The Crazy Scots make Scotch and are therefore sacrosanct. And it's strawberry preserves not the pale pretender jam. I'm still not offended ;but can I eat your sandwich seeing as how I made it for you and you don't want it? Sincerely the Warlord of Elephants

[AwenchnamedRitchie]

Jam jam jam jam jam.

You can have the sandwich though.

[NeoDude]

Fray Bentos FTW!!!!



(Us Crazy scots also deep-fry mars bars BTW!)

[SauceBeUponYe]

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Meat Pies

Soooo good.
I bet His Noodly Appendage loves meatpies.


I had a rather unfortunate experiance with a steak and kidney pies once, i was heading of to a wedding and decided to have a bit of steak and kidney at a pub on the way there and ended up spilling the gravy on my trousers. oh the shame.
but 'tis alright as i felt His Noodly Appendage and all worry passed from me.

on the subject of Jam which should be enjoyed on a regular basis by any Brit, especially in the summer with Cream Teas and Jam.

Toast racks are another necessity that made Britain great along with other such inventions as democracy, television, the phone, the internet, the car, the moon, spaceships etc.

The Great British Chip is far superior to your lowly fries, in a fight a single chip would take an entire packet of fries to the cleaners. and they taste delicious, i bet that in the Heaven of His Noodly Appendage with Beer Volcanoes and Stripper Factories that Chip Butties are readily avaliable.

[Baggy]

Does anyone know what "figgy pudding" is? I hear it on American shows now and then and apparently we eat it.

[SauceBeUponYe]

Does anyone know what "figgy pudding" is? I hear it on American shows now and then and apparently we eat it.

Figgy Pudding is very similar to christmas pudding but with figs and more of other types of food. like apricots, dates and apples.

for a recipe check out http://thefoody.com/pudding/figgypudding.html

[Occam]

American views on British life are based almost entirely on the stories of returning soldiers from the 40's. Warm beer? THERE WAS A WAR ON!

I am off down to Cardiff tomorrow to watch rugby and get royally drunk (on cold beer). In preparation I have made two dozen sausage rolls: Seasoned minced pork wrapped in pastry. There is no finer savoury food IMO. The sop bought ones vary in quality from entrails all the way up to the edible entrails. That's why I make my own.

I have heard americans call them ... pigs in blankets? Now there is a nation full of food experts!

[zensho]

I am from the UK. I do not really undertsand the original question - what is wrong with meat in pies? Anyway, as long as the pastry is good, then the pie is good. Hme-made is by the far the best, as lng as the pastry is good. Thick, slightlty golden brown, thick and soft infused with meat gravy at the bottom.

Mind you, KIDNEY????!!!!! Yuk!

Keep the liver out as well. Urggghhhhhh!!!!

[Occam]

I am from the UK. I do not really undertsand the original question - what is wrong with meat in pies?

I think they would rather have pumpkin or pecan nuts in their pies than meat. Nation of vegetarians you see. They are all fad diets and no substance. Even when they eat too much meat it is so badly served that they get obese AND malnourished ... actually that is happening here now but I blame American food.

[zensho]

Actually, I think California probably has the best food in the world. Amaing restaurants.

[Occam]

Actually, I think California probably has the best food in the world. Amaing restaurants.

Not the best but certainy amazingly good. if I am in the states for extended period I start to look like one of them. I was once in LA for four weeks and I had to wear a muumuu.

But do they serve American in their best restaurants? Hardly. Thomas Keller at the best restaurant in the US (The French Laundry, 4th best in the world) does not sell many barbecued ribs! I bet they'd be good though.

In fairness London has some of the best restaurants in the world and only a few serve exclusively English food. England’s best restaurant Fat Duck sells uniquely insane food so that doesn’t count.

I trained as a chef and while I cook mostly English food I am heavily influenced from abroad. E.g. when I make chicken pie (YES, MEAT IN A PIE DAMN YOU) I cook the filling with leeks, white wine and tarragon. Not authentically English but really tasty.