London Specialities
Former French President Jacques Chirac once called the cuisine of England “the second dullest in the world, just after that of Finland.” Truth be told, the culinary offering at traditional British restaurants hasn’t been very impressive. However, recent years have seen an increasing transformation in the traditional cuisine of central England, thanks to the ideas of the New British Cuisine. London specialties with a new twist are back on the culinary stage.
Bangers and Mash
Bangers and Mash is a British colloquial term for a dish consisting of mashed potatoes with sausage flavoured with such ingredients as pork and apple, tomato and beef. A very popular winter dish, it's usually accompanied by a thick onion gravy and a portion of vegetables, such as baked beans. One widespread variant is the Banger Clock, twelve sausages arranged on a large mound of mashed potatoes in a pattern that resembles a clock face.
Pie and Mash
Pie and Mash originally developed as one of the most popular working class meals. It consists of a minced beef pie and mashed potatoes. Normally, the potato mash is spread around one side of the plate and topped with a kind of parsley sauce called liquor, even though it doesn't contain alcohol. This dish is commonly sold in specialised Pie and Mash restaurants scattered around south and east London, offering a variety of other moderately-priced meals. These places are no longer frequented by just the working class, having become popular among people of all social standings and ages.
Jellied Eels
Jellied Eels are a traditional delicacy from London's East End, often sold at moderately-priced Pie and Mash restaurants. It consists of fresh eels cooked for around thirty minutes and then left to cool. The juice created during the cooking then solidifies, forming a layer of jelly. Often eaten as a cold appetiser and accompanied by hot chili vinegar sauce, Jellied Eels constituted a popular filling for pies before World War II. During the war, when fish was difficult to find, it was replaced by other kinds of meat.
Sunday Roast
The Sunday Roast is one of the oldest surviving British traditions, a classic main course served on Sundays, usually in the early afternoon. Pieces of roast meat (beef, pork, lamb or chicken) are accompanied by side dishes such as Yorkshire pudding, horseradish and apple sauce, vegetable stuffing, red currant jam, chipolata sausages or mustard. Both the meat and the accompanying vegetables can vary by the season. The only constant element is a hearty portion of roast potatoes. Leftovers from the Sunday Roast are used to prepare Shepherd's Pie or Bubbles and Squeak.
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