Are we in a retirement home?

This is me ranting about British cuisine. Because what do you mean that their most popular desserts consist of dried fruits, raisins and brandy? I’m appaled. As a proper visitor, I obviously wanted to try the most typical things for Great Britain. I was met with disappointment.

I started strongly by tasting scones. They are probably the best thing Brits came up with and the only thing that lives up to its name. Scones are butter pastries with a crumbly texture, usually served with clotted cream and jam. I liked them so much that I could eat them on my own.

Ironically, the second place is taken by a sheep’s stomach—and it’s not even English. It’s a Scottish national meal called haggis, and it’s a sheep’s stomach filled with a mixture of organs, oats, and vegetables. It was surprisingly tasty. I had it served with mashed potatoes and a whisky mustard sauce and liked it so much I ordered it as a filling of ciabatta the next day.

Here comes the disappointment. I had heard so much about Sunday roast, yet it didn’t please me as much as I expected. First, it costs about 18 pounds, which is 542 Czech crowns. Second, the meat was a bit dry, the Yorkshire pudding a bit stale, and the best part was the cooked radish. I wouldn't have believed you if you told me I would like the most cooked radish from a meal like this.

But the things taking us to the retirement home are mince pies and Christmas pudding. I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with mince pies. I bitch about them but eat them nonetheless. Christmas pudding is on another level, though. It´s like mince pie but without the pastry crust to dilute it. Imagine a bowl of soaked raisins with brandy, dried fruits, and god knows what else. Then think about the fact they sometimes leave it for two months to age. I had a really hard time finishing it.

All things considered, now I understand why they colonized so much. No wonder they were having the crusades; I would also try to get away from Christmas pudding as far as possible.

Love,

Book and Tea Girl