Why does British food have a bad reputation?

[Ryback on a Pole!]

I don't get people saying it's bland, bad, boring or horrible. I find English food to be lovely.

There's no breakfast better than a Full English and I love a Sunday Roast. Other English foods, like steak and kidney pie, Chicken and Mushroom Pie, Shepherd's Pie, Toad in the Hole, Black Pudding, Cumberland Sausage, Fish and Chips etc are all lovely too.

Honestly don't get why it's got such a bad reputation

[Push R Truth]

I didn't really think it had a bad reputation?

[The Ichi]

I doubt American knowledge extends further than fish and chips when it comes to English food, so I'd take it with a grain of salt anyway.

[Red Impact]

The only person I can recall criticizing British food recently was Nicolas Sarkozy, and he may be contractually obligated to do so, being French.

[SsnakeBite, the No1 Frenchman]

Jelly Pudding.

Any cuisine that includes this is automatically the worst.

[Deleted]

Kind of a long answer ahead but I think it answers the question.

What you guys would call streaky bacon is the popular breakfast meat here. Back bacon is very rarely eaten. Most people here despise the idea of a blood sausage/pudding. The closest thing we have to that is scrapple which doesn't use blood and is still seen as pretty revolting (I love it, myself). Virtually no American eats beans with their breakfast or with much of anything, unless it's part of either Tex-Mex or traditional Mexican cooking.

Fried fish is enjoyed by certain communities in the country but you guys have to remember that Britain is an island where shoals of fish are all over the place. Fish in this country has to be transported overland great distances and so most people don't have a really strong appetite for it. Instead, beef and chicken are preferred here. Fried chicken has a long and rich history in this country and it essentially occupies the same niche fish does.

The niche of the meat pie is occupied by burritos and hamburgers. Which are two foods that aren't going to be losing popularity any time soon. And this is kind of why a lot of British foods haven't taken off in the US. They're not similar enough to traditional American foods for people to eat them readily nor are they wildly different either. Sushi and stir-fry took off here because there's nothing analogous to them but as the example of the meat pie goes, burritos and hamburgers are a lot more portable and easy to make and so there's really nothing that it offers that those foods can't already do.

[SsnakeBite, the No1 Frenchman]

But seriously, for some reason, the British seem to have a fascination for boiling their meals, making it loose both its taste and its texture. I'm sure there must be very nice local dishes, but the fact is, for the most part, British food just isn't appealing, especially when you add the numerous oddities such as the aforementioned jelly pudding.

[frankincleveland]

Never having been to the UK, I can't say anything first hand about their food, but I do enjoy a Bass Ale.

[Zombie Mod]

Jan 22, 2013 12:31:02 GMT -5 SsnakeBite, the No1 Frenchman said:

But seriously, for some reason, the British seem to have a fascination for boiling their meals, making it loose both its taste and its texture. I'm sure there must be very nice local dishes, but the fact is, for the most part, British food just isn't appealing, especially when you add the numerous oddities such as the aforementioned jelly pudding.

i have to ask, what the hell is jelly pudding, never heard of it, unless you mean the fruit flavoured wobbly dessert.

[Deleted]

I have no clue - I mean, fish and chips yo. Fish and chips.

[Push R Truth]

Beans for breakfast is so good, cheap and easy... I can't believe it hasn't caught on here in the states.

I love bacon beans with toast and eggs on the weekend.

[Fiddleford H. McGucket]

Jan 22, 2013 12:52:06 GMT -5 Zombie Mod said:

Jan 22, 2013 12:31:02 GMT -5 SsnakeBite, the No1 Frenchman said:

But seriously, for some reason, the British seem to have a fascination for boiling their meals, making it loose both its taste and its texture. I'm sure there must be very nice local dishes, but the fact is, for the most part, British food just isn't appealing, especially when you add the numerous oddities such as the aforementioned jelly pudding.

i have to ask, what the hell is jelly pudding, never heard of it, unless you mean the fruit flavoured wobbly dessert.

From the looks of it....Yes.

Except most versions I've seen call for sweetened condensed milk to create the opaque, Creamy "Parfait-style" version.

It's actually quite delicious.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}Plus it adds opacity if you want to do any sort of Specialty molds

[SsnakeBite, the No1 Frenchman]

Jan 22, 2013 12:52:06 GMT -5 Zombie Mod said:

Jan 22, 2013 12:31:02 GMT -5 SsnakeBite, the No1 Frenchman said:

But seriously, for some reason, the British seem to have a fascination for boiling their meals, making it loose both its taste and its texture. I'm sure there must be very nice local dishes, but the fact is, for the most part, British food just isn't appealing, especially when you add the numerous oddities such as the aforementioned jelly pudding.

i have to ask, what the hell is jelly pudding, never heard of it, unless you mean the fruit flavoured wobbly dessert.

That is indeed what I was thinking about.

["Gentleman" AJ Powell]

Jan 22, 2013 13:38:51 GMT -5 SsnakeBite, the No1 Frenchman said:

Jan 22, 2013 12:52:06 GMT -5 Zombie Mod said:

i have to ask, what the hell is jelly pudding, never heard of it, unless you mean the fruit flavoured wobbly dessert.

That is indeed what I was thinking about.

What's wrong with Jelly? I mean, I'm pretty sure other countries have it.

Also, as far as gross American food, Biscuits and Gravy looks gnarly.

[Push R Truth]

Also, as far as gross American food, Biscuits and Gravy looks gnarly.

YOU MONSTER

[DrBackflipsHoffman]

Yeah, I can't get my head around Jelly being seen as an oddity as a dessert. That's the first i've heard of it.

[Fiddleford H. McGucket]

Jan 22, 2013 13:53:04 GMT -5 "Gentleman" AJ Powell said:

Jan 22, 2013 13:38:51 GMT -5 SsnakeBite, the No1 Frenchman said:

That is indeed what I was thinking about.

What's wrong with Jelly? I mean, I'm pretty sure other countries have it.

Also, as far as gross American food, Biscuits and Gravy looks gnarly.

Good.

More for Me!

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}In all seriousness Good Sausage/Sawmill gravy over a homemade biscuit...or even better Chicken Fried Steak WILL give you the strength of 25 men.

Yes it's a "Heavy" meal! That's the Effin' Point! It was meant to stay with you as you did actual WORK.

Perhaps I should clarify......

Biscuits in America are not "Biscuits" as most Brits know them, nor is "Gravy" exclusively "Brown Gravy".

Biscuits are Leavened Rolls made from Flour with fat Cut into it (Usually Butter/Shortening/Lard) similar to a Scone but fluffier.

The Gravy is either Red-Eye Gravy or Sawmill Gravy, made from Fat, Flour, spices, and a Cooking liquid.

Red-Eye is Made with Ham drippings (The Fat), Flour, and STRONG Black Coffee. It is good on Biscuits

Sawmill Gravy is made from a Roux (Butter/Flour mix), Milk, and Black Pepper. It is BETTER on Biscuits.....and jut about anything else.

[hassanchop]

Is Banoffee Pie British?

[Fiddleford H. McGucket]

Jan 22, 2013 14:07:26 GMT -5 hassanchop said:

Is Banoffee Pie British?

Officially Yes, but it's based off of an American Dessert A Coffee/Toffee Pie....

[Andrew is Good]

I never noticed. Their driving, yes, the food, no.