British restaurant declared best in world

[kskiska]

LONDON (AFP) - A British restaurant emerged as the best in the world in an annual list that also revealed Britain -- a country often laughed at for its poor food -- is home to the largest number of top eateries.

The Fat Duck, in a village in Berkshire, west of London, won the coveted title of top dining spot at The World's 50 Best Restaurant's 2005 awards on Monday night, which also featured 13 other restaurants in Britain alone.

Critics, however, argued that the annual list -- compiled by the magazine Restaurant and chosen by more than 500 chefs and experts -- was more of a guide on good places to eat rather than the best the world has to offer.

Comprising entries from mainly developed countries, France had eight restaurants inside the top 50, while the United States only had six.

more…
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20050419/wl_uk_afp/afplifestyleworld_050419010729

[donco6]

1. Breaking: France launches nuclear attack against GB.

Central target appears to be Berkshire, W London.

[burrowowl]

3. LOL!

:rofl:

[Minstrel Boy]

2. in case anyone's interested (or hungry):

http://www.fatduck.co.uk/menu.html

[DustMolecule]

9. Ehm, did anyone actually LOOK at that menu?

I call bullshit too! It's a gag or something. Take a look under "Degustation Menu":

:rofl:

MENU SAMPLE FOR TASTING MENU
NINETY-SEVEN POUNDS AND FIFTY PENCE

NITRO-GREEN TEA AND LIME MOUSSE
ORANGE AND BEETROOT JELLY
OYSTER, PASSION FRUIT JELLY, HORSERADISH CREAM, LAVENDER
POMMERY GRAIN MUSTARD ICE CREAM, RED CABBAGE GAZPACHO
JELLY OF QUAIL, LANGOUSTINE CREAM, PARFAIT OF FOIE GRAS

SNAIL PORRIDGE
Jabugo Ham, shaved fennel

ROAST FOIE GRAS
Almond fluid gel, cherry and chamomile

SARDINE ON TOAST SORBET
Ballotine of mackerel ‘invertebrate’, marinated daikon

SALMON POACHED WITH LIQUORICE
Asparagus, pink grapefruit, "Manni" olive oil

POACHED BREAST OF ANJOU PIGEON PANCETTA
Pastilla of its leg, pistachio, cocoa and quatre épices

WHITE CHOCOLATE AND CAVIAR
MRS MARSHALL’S MARGARET CORNET
PINE SHERBET FOUNTAIN

MANGO AND D0UGLAS FIR PUREE
Bavarois of lychee and mango, blackcurrant sorbet

CARROT AND ORANGE TUILE,
BAVAROIS OF BASIL
BEETROOT JELLY

SMOKED BACON AND EGG ICE CREAM
Pain perdu, tea jelly

LEATHER, OAK AND TOBACCO CHOCOLATES
PRALINE ROSE TARTLET

A selection of wines by the glass to accompany this menu £67.50
A selection of Champagne Taittinger by the glass to accompany this menu £90.00

An optional 12.5 per cent service charge will be added to your bill

[Mizmoon]

22. I've had me some tasty UK food

or what we claim is british food in my family, like popovers and pot roast (we've been away from "The Old Country" for 200 years - give us a break).

However, snail pudding is simply beyond my capacity. I think the mere sight of it would cause me to collapse and die.

[kydo]

23. what, no spam or baked beans? nt

[muriel_volestrangler]

42. They're both American (n/t)

[kydo]

53. um, I know they are both american ....

that wasn't the point.... um, ever see monty python, (I know they are brits), and the spam skit? if not then well I feel sorry for you as the joke went over your head and you missed a hilarious skit.

besides, spam and bake beans are favs of the brits.

[muriel_volestrangler]

54. Oh yes, I know the MP sketch

But it's actually not a favourite in the UK at all. Back in the war and just after it, when any meat was welcome, perhaps, but not now (and not really when MP did the sketch either).

[SweetLeftFoot]

84. I live in Britain

and have never ever seen anyone eat Spam. baked beans however ...

[shanti]

95. i wondered where that spam reference

came from myself....now hawaii - that's where you'll find lots of spam! spam omelets, spam sushi, etc. etc.

[AnneD]

72. LOL LOL LOL

Are you sure this was not an April fools joke still making the rounds. I'll never forget my first breakfast in England. The beans were more of an eye opener than the coffee. The bacon was great though. Mash---whirled peas at last. But my fav was the spotted dick :evilgrin:

[Spider Jerusalem]

41. Not a gag...that's haute cuisine.

Which rather frequently seems pretty goddamned weird to those used to more pedestrian fare. The goal of such food is not just to feed, but to produce often unexpected effects with flavour and texture (hence things like bacon & egg ice cream, or caviar and white chocolate...which, incidentally, are AMAZING together).

[Arugula Latte]

62. You're right.

I made fun of the Douglas fir puree, but I wouldn't mind trying most of what's on that menu. I'll pass on the snail porridge, though.

[d.l.Green]

47. Yechhhh! Being the "best" obviously doesn't involve avoiding obesity

or respect for animals. And "leather, oak and tobacco chocolates", "mango and douglas fir puree"??? Guess this is geared towards the termite crowd... and "snail porridge"? Just the thought of that texture is repulsive.
:puke:

[Arugula Latte]

61. "Douglas Fir puree"

You have GOT to be kidding me.

That reminds me of that old Yule(sp) Gibbons commercial for Grape Nuts: "Ever eat a pine tree? Many parts are edible."

We've got no shortage of Doug Firs here in the N.W. Maybe I'll go out to the yard for some chow.

[smirkymonkey]

99. How can anyone even begin to choke most of that stuff down,

let alone praise it as the finest in all the land?!

I consider myself very adventurous and a fan of gourmet dining, but most of what is on that menu is just ridiculous - "Smoked Bacon & Egg Ice Cream;" "Leather, Oak & Tobacco Chocolates;" "Snail Porridge?"

This must be a joke, right??

[Athame]

10. Ummm, I like my eggs, but

smoked bacon and egg ice cream just does nothing for me. I'm just sayin'. :puke:

[shanti]

55. "smoked bacon and egg ice cream"????

yech! the rest of the menu sounds revolting too! oh well, whatever floats yer boat!

[rocktivity]

4. The ONLY bad dining experience I had in London was at a McDonald's

and that was only because I came to realize I'd paid the equivalent of nine american dollars for it...

x(
rocknation

[Cha]

8. I remember in "Pulp Fiction"..John

Travolta said in England at mcdonald's they call a 1/4 pounder ..a "royale"..or something like that.

That a heckava lot of money for a mcdonald's hamburger!

[Oggy]

18. It was in France

a 1/4 pounder is just a 1/4 pounder here in the UK.

[Cha]

79. Sorry, I was just thinking before I

came on here again that maybe it was France! :silly:

[trackfan]

5. I call BULLSHIT

and I'm no food snob, nor do I subscribe to the "English can't cook" nostrum. Yet, I still call BULLSHIT.

[DS1]

45. Ok, what is your reasoning?

I'm hungry for your answer :shrug:

[da_chimperor]

64. So you're calling 'BULLSHIT' for the hell of it?

:shrug:

[Coconut Buddha Ape]

6. Will Rudi be awaiting my foundation?

eom

[ahem]

7. That was such a great skit!

[Richard Steele]

11. Any restaurant that serves Bacon and Egg ICE CREAM...

..can get along fine without me. The Emperor has no clothes!

Sounds like just another pretentious elitist Chef whose "Cancer of the Imagination" has spread into their taste buds.

I've seen it before; it's not pretty.

[Voltaire99]

12. Great McGovern quote, btw.

Had to mention it. :-)

[Rockholm]

93. That is just plain gross.

I now have no appetite.

[wildflower]

103. Where did you get that picture in your sig?

I am still laughing...

-wildflower

[SKKY]

13. If you like everything boiled, England is your place.

YUK! British food is the worst, IMHO.

[ikri]

14. I don't want to flame

But you apparently have very little idea of what food is like in the UK if you think that everything is boiled.

[termo]

16. what makes London food great is foreign cuisines...

Royal China in Queensway, Maroosh (many) in Edgware Road, etc...
But it is certainly not the Yorkshire pudding :puke:

[Arugula Latte]

63. I like some of their sweets a lot.

Toffee, "puddings" (not what we'd consider pudding), custards, crumbles. I love creme anglaise (French name...)

I've never had spotted dick, though. It looks not bad -- a "cake" (pudding in their terminology) with custard sauce on top. Yum.

[JoFerret]

77. ...and primarily the best CURRY

and Indian sub-continent cuisine in the world

[smirkymonkey]

100. Even the foreign cuisine in London is "watered down" for the

English palate. I was surprised at how bland some of the Asian, Indian and other ethnic foods were.

[Oggy]

19. Next time you're over here

I would be happy to dispel your opinion of our food, especially the idea we boil all our food. The worst food you can get here is fast food, McDonalds, Burger King, KFC...... now where were these food outlets from again?

[SKKY]

21. Check out this goody. Sounds yummy to me.

http://thefoody.com/poultry/juggedhare.html

I believe I rest my case.

[Oggy]

34. I'll take your hare and raise you

one Lancashire Hotpot:-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/traditionallancashir_70908.shtml

and one stafforshire Oatcake:-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/stoke/local_heroes/n_s/oatcake_recipe.shtml

[SKKY]

37. Foul. Just plain foul.

[mainer]

65. Spotted dick and vegemite.

I think that's all one need say about English food.

[muriel_volestrangler]

67. Except that vegemite is Australian

Nice try, though. What are your views on spotted dick?

[mainer]

69. Ah yes, you're correct. I was thinking of marmite.

Spotted Dick? bland, bland, bland.

Toad in a hole? Gross.

The only good food I had in the UK, I'm afraid, was at ethnic restaurants.

[AnneD]

73. little did I know....

that in England, home cooking was Indian take away. I had some of the best Indian food I had every had in England (and the best Chinese food I ever had was in India- go figure). I wish I could get those curry flavoured Pringles potato chips here in the US. The tea really was the best.

[SweetLeftFoot]

86. Vegemite

Is proudly Australian.

Now, let's talk beef jerky shall we?

[mainer]

97. Not to praise American cuisine, either!

The best of American cuisine is actually variations of imports from other countries. When we talk about the tastiest "native" cuisine, I would have to vote for Italy, Vietnam, China, and France!

[SillyGoose]

43. I'm sorry, but some of food in the UK sucks beyond belief.

When I was there, I was given a ham sandwich on buttered bread...yuk.

They pan fried a steak my father ordered in a restaurant. Another night a restaurant had no clue how to make a manhattan. My father had to go behind the bar and make his own drink that night.

I like the UK but I would never rank their cuisine very high on my list. Sorry.

(add Wimpy's to your list of bad fast food outlets, even though its not American)



edited for typo

[Pert_UK]

48. WTF???

"When I was there, I was given a ham sandwich on buttered bread...yuk."

This doesn't sound like the culinary crime of the century to me - what did you order?

"They pan fried a steak my father ordered in a restaurant."

Are you INSANE? What on earth is wrong with that? Steaks are, as a general rule, pan fried in restaurants, so you're going to have to do a little better than that.

"Another night a restaurant had no clue how to make a manhattan."

Well you see, that's because not all restaurants are cocktail bars - I bet you were gutted that the ice-cream parlour you visited didn't serve omelettes as well.

I am consistently astonished by people who say, "I went to some really shit restaurants in the UK and the food was shit."

Newsflash - there are shit restaurants everywhere in the world and if you choose to visit them then you deserve everything you get. Spend 5 minutes finding a half-decent (not necessarily expensive) restaurant and you'll be laughing.

[SKKY]

76. No my friend, spam is pan fried. Steaks are grilled. Unless of course...

...you're in the UK.

[Pert_UK]

81. Culinary idiocy.......

Yep, a griddle pan, grill, oven or barbecue CAN be used but there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with using a frying pan....why would there be?

I'm afraid that your are talking absolute nonsense and merely underlining your own ignorance on the subject of food in general.

And WTF has SPAM got to do with anything??? Congratulations on talking about the state of British cooking 20 years ago, you're really making yourself look well-informed.

"How to Cook the Perfect Steak...if using a pan, it should be heavy based...Cooking very thick steaks brown all sides in a hot pan"

http://www.dcb.net.au/methods_grill.html



From:

http://www.iabeef.org/Recipes/cts/Pan.aspx

"Dry-heat cookery

For the most tender cuts, such as:
ribs, short loin, and sirloin
chuck or round steaks
Takes place in the oven, on the grill, or in a pan....

Frying
Pan frying is good for steaks, patties, or thin beef"

http://www.bestbeef.com/choosing_best/C5_Page.html

[SKKY]

87. Perhaps I am a "Culinary Idiot", but we're not talking about me...

...we're talking about British Food. Which, IMHO Blows.

[Pert_UK]

88. But that's precisely my point............

You're NOT talking about British food.

You say that you hate British food and the example you give for this hatred is that the British pan fry steaks.

I'm merely pointing out that:

-frying steaks is a legitimate way of cooking them, even if you don't like it
-frying is not a "British" way of cooking steaks, it is one method for cooking steaks used all round the world
-the British also cook steaks in other ways

So basically, you're choosing to criticise British cooking for doing something that's neither wrong, nor limited to Britain, nor the only method used in Britain.

I'm not saying that you have to like pan fried steak, but I am saying it's idiotic to write off an entire country's cuisine based on a pan fried steak you had there.

[SKKY]

89. Actually, it wasn't pan-fried steaks that started this...

...if you read #21, that is what started this. Pan-fried steaks just became an emerging target after the fact. But, point well taken, I guess I shouldn't write off all British food. I mean, I really do like Fish 'n Chips. That's British, right?

[Pert_UK]

90. Well fair enough...I'm not saying ALL Brit food is nice....

but then again, I don't know anybody who has ever had jugged hare.

I love Chinese food and wouldn't right it all off just because they happen to eat snakes or turtles, neither of which really appeals.

What I'm saying is, it's wrong to take an extreme or outdated recipe from a nation's cuisine and then reject the rest of the cuisine based on that.

Sorry if I was a bit harsh - I'm rather passionate about British food. I don't mind fair criticism, but when people start saying, "Oh, it's all boiled isn't it, and they eat jugged hare" then I get a little cross - it's hardly representative.

And anybody who rejects British food because their dad couldn't get a Manhatten in a restaurant is clearly as mad as a March hare, jugged or otherwise.....

[SKKY]

91. Just as a side note...

I bet you're a riot to throw down pints with.

[Pert_UK]

92. Not sure whether you're being sarcastic or not....

I wouldn't blame you if you were!

I'm going whitewater rafting and whisky distillery visiting in Scotland next weekend - I can put you in touch with some of the mates I'm going with if you need objective feedback!

For what it's worth, 13 pints of Guinness in one day is my personal best, but I was younger and in better shape!

:toast:

P.

[D-Notice]

51. I don't understand the objection

"When I was there, I was given a ham sandwich on buttered bread...yuk"

Are you saying that you eat sandwiches without butter/margarine? Dry bread? Ew!

Subway are worse - all those pointless heart-attack causing, artery-congesting sauces they have - a plain sandwich with marg is preferable

[shanti]

56. ham sandwiches

are generally made with mayo or mustard, NOT butter! good thing that the uk has a lot of foreign restaurants....:eyes:

[muriel_volestrangler]

68. Would that be English mustard, which has a bite to it

or American mustard, which is a fluorescent spread with no taste at all? Any butter would be preferable to American mustard ... :P

[shanti]

70. the yellow kind

:-)

[Pert_UK]

82. No no no no no........

Ham sandwiches IN THE USA might be generally made with mayo or mustard. In the UK, sandwiches are traditionally made with butter or margerine spread on them. However, it is perfectly normal to request a sandwich with no butter but with mayo or mustard instead.

Congratulations on assuming that the US Way is the ONLY way.

WTF is wrong with people on here that they just decide to slate an entire nation's food, ESPECIALLY given the reputation that US food has around the world? I don't get it.

Are you somehow all far more well-informed than the majority of food critics? Or are you just oddly bigoted against UK food for no logical reason?

[shanti]

94. take a chill pill, dude

it's not that deep!

again, if i was to visit the u.k. (which i plan to do next year), i'd stick with ethnic foods, rather than variations of things i eat here. i'm in california and need that extra "spice", ya know? traditional british food has never been characterized as spicy.

[Pert_UK]

96. Well that is an entirely different kettle of (boiled) fish!

A preference for spicy food is one thing.....

Writing off all British food because it's not exactly how you like it is another.

For what it's worth, I'm a big fan of spice myself and have practically killed myself with heat in Indian, Chinese and Thai restaurants (in the UK and in China/Thailand) over the years. Mind you, I like subtle food too....

Having said that, contemporary British food can be a million miles away from "traditional" British food and I would highly recommend that you sample at least one or two quality "British" restaurants - they don't have to be expensive!

Let me know if you need any recommendations when you come over, I'd be happy to point you in the direction of a few decent eateries.

Peace.

P.

[shanti]

98. seen.....

peace to you too!

[Carni]

101. You can probably thank the two fat ladies for the British food paranoia

I am not dissing Britain's food because I have never been there...and I would assume that like anywhere else in the world there is really good food and then there is really bad food.

I agree with you 100% that there is nothing wrong with "pan frying" a steak--as long as the pan is hot enough that the meat sears on both sides what the hell is the difference between that and a grilled steak? (except the char marks)

I did used to cringe watching the two fat ladies show--I think out of many episodes I watched, maybe one or two dishes looked tolerable but often times they seemed to be preparing dishes from the 1400's or something of the sort that weren't necessarily British in origin.

I have read several times over the last few years that Britain's culinary scene seems to be exploding-- all the food critics can't be lying.

I will admit however that the menu featured in the original post does not float my boat but my tastes run to the less exotic.

[SweetLeftFoot]

85. Exactly

Give the food in a decent British curry house or gastro pub over the vast genetically engineered mountains of food they shovel at you in American restaurants. Similarly, at least in British restauarants you don't have thw aiting staff hanging around like farts in a lift waiting for their tip.

However, I am Australian. If you want real food, go to melbourne or Sydney. That's how it's done.

[Pert_UK]

33. And your opinion is worth precisely nothing because...

you know nothing about the subject.

But thanks for your comment anyway, it's good to see people trotting out the same old ill-informed nonsense.

I hear all Americans drive Cadillacs whilst wearing Stetsons and shooting each other.

[GCP]

35. Pert UK I love you!

LOL :loveya:

[Pert_UK]

39. Thank you very kindly!

Anybody who says British food is rubbish clearly hasn't had dinner round at my place!

:toast:

[northzax]

58. well duh!

we do. You forgot the BBQ...

[JoFerret]

78. You are out of touch and

out of date.

[RogueTrooper]

15. American food critics

Why are people from the US so critical of British cusine? The idea of a country that gave the world McDonalds, Burger King and gross obesity feeling itself capable of critising another country's cuisine. I have not even mentioned some of those disgusting things southeners eat :puke:

British cuisine is a lot better than people realise. The food you think of as British was infact all that was available post second world war. Much has changed since then.

[Richard Steele]

17. Please see post #9, and get back to us at your leisure.

There are a few items on that menu which are,
in all honesty,
LESS appealing than DOGSHIT.

And,
if I were allowed to control what the dog ATE for 2 days...

then there are MORE than 'a few'.

I hate McDonald's as much as anyone...but even THEY don't charge money for 'snail pudding'.

[ikri]

20. That menu is designed to be unusual and extreme

This is the A La Carte Menu:

MENU SAMPLE FOR A LA CARTE
SIXTY-SEVEN POUNDS AND FIFTY PENCE FOR THREE COURSES
CRAB BISCUIT
Roast foie gras, crystallised seaweed, rhubarb and oyster vinaigrette
CAULIFLOWER RISOTTO
Carpaccio of cauliflower, chocolate jelly
RADISH RAVIOLI OF OYSTER
Goats cheese and truffle,
rissole of fromage de tête
BALLOTINE OF FOIE GRAS
Jelly of mead and Sichuan peppercorn
LASAGNE OF LANGOUSTINE
Pig's trotter and truffle
(Eight pounds fifty supplement)
BEST END OF LAMB
Gratin of potato and confit lamb shoulder, jellied lamb consommé
SADDLE OF VENISON
Celeriac, marron glace, sauce poivrade
POT ROAST BEST END OF PORK
Gratin of truffled macaroni
(Ten pounds supplement per person)
SOLE VERONIQUE
Pont-Neuf potatoes
POACHED SEABASS
Velouté of Borlotti beans with rosemary and vanilla, "Manni" olive oil
(Truffle option, eight pounds fifty supplement)
DÉLICE OF CHOCOLATE
Chocolate sorbet, cumin caramel
TART TATIN
Vanilla ice cream
CHOCOLATE FONDANT
Cardamom, dried apricot yoghurt and harissa ice cream
SMOKED BACON AND EGG ICE CREAM
Pain perdu, tea jelly
MANGO AND DOUGLAS FIR PUREE
Bavarois of lychee and mango, blackcurrant sorbet, blackcurrant and green peppercorn jelly
CHEESE
(available as an additional course at fourteen pounds)
COFFEE, TEAS, TISANES AND PETITS FOURS
£ 4.75

The only unusual food on that menu is the Smoked bacon & egg ice cream and the crab biscuits with rhubarb. Other than those items I'd happily eat most of the items on that menu.

[Richard Steele]

30. Ok, I'll agree that THAT menu looks alot like good food, ikri!

But I have serious doubts about any restuarant that feels the NEED for a "Novelty Menu".

If I ever want "unusual and extreme", I'll eat a Happy-Meal in my underwear while I watch Fox PrimeTime.

[RogueTrooper]

26. It is a novelty menu

Probably designed to grab the attention rather than be eaten: Rather like a fashion show - there are the dresses that get the attention and pull in the business; then there are the dresses than people spend their money on. In that vain I believe that they also have a mainstream menu as well.

It is not just that Americans think British cuisine is bad it is the fact that Americans seem to go out of their way to find the badness; meanwhile, conveinently ingnoring the poisonous mediocrity of their own fayre. It is offensive and boring in the way that a family member, who keeps repeating the same joke over and over again, is grating.

Of the top ten restuarants done by the survey four of them are in the UK. Three restuarants are from the US. Here is the list.

1 The Fat Duck Bray, Berkshire, UK
2 El Bulli Montjoi Spain
3 The French Laundry Yountville California, US
4 Tetsuya's Sydney, Australia
5 Gordon Ramsay London, UK
6 Pierre Gagnaire Paris, France
7 Per Se New York, US
8 Tom Aikens London, UK
9 Jean Georges New York, US
10 St John London, UK

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/berkshire/4458819.stm

[BuddhaGirl]

46. Interesting list - I believe the French Laundry (#3)

and Per Se (#7) are owned by the same person, Thomas Keller. Quite an accomplishment.

[Pert_UK]

29. It is a very innovative and unusual menu....

but he's been cooking this kind of thing for a few years and people always say, "It sounds bizarre but it works really, really well".

It may be a little gimmicky, but this experimental food has been judged to be superb by a huge number of real people and critics.

You might not be a very adventurous eater, but that doesn't mean that this food doesn't taste good.

[T_i_B]

36. That's exactly what you keep hearing...

...about Heston Blumenthal. Some people think he's little more then a glorified chemist but those who do visit the Fat Duck often come back singing the praises of his weird and wonderful cuisine. I guess you have to taste his food to appreciate it rather then gawp at a menu over the internet.

[Turley]

24. American Food in London

I highly recommend Ashbell's in Notting Hill (if it's still there). Went a year or so ago. Awesome Southern Food with a twist. And Nanner Puddin' too.

Turley sez: Go there.

[xchrom]

25. i've had great food in england.

they seem to be having a renaissance -- and with all the great ethnic restaurants it's a virtual world deli.

and the fat duck sounds interesting to me -- i'd eat there.

[oscar111]

27. dupe by glitch

dupe

[oscar111]

28. 9 million starving: no one should spend excessively on food

money wasted on luxury food should be sent to Oxfam, famine relief, instead... and eat cheap at home.

Precisely, those nine million are dying of hunger and the effects of hunger.. lower resistance.


Every dollar wasted on luxury food means more hunger in poverty areas, that is not being combated with that dollar.

The guilt is obvious

Lets get our act together.

Sad to see .....

that even here in DU, i am the first to speak up for the hungry, and against wasteful luxuries,

..... after about twenty other replies.

The fact that humans still starve should be near the front of every democrat's mind. Till hunger is ended. Even in the US, 12 million are going hungry. Bush's current Budget cuts food stamps, to add another million of us to the hungry.

[Pert_UK]

31. Errrr.......what?

I take your point that there are indeed people starving to death in this world, but I find it rather bizarre that you choose to focus on the diners in a restaurant enjoying an expensive treat. How about giant agricultural companies, corrupt governments, hopelessly ill-organised organisations like the EU and its mountains of waste food?

I'm now supposed to give up all non-essentials, stay in my house eating only the basics and send all my spare money to charity now?

Get a grip.

P.

[Danmel]

32. Kinda kills the old joke

What is the difference between heaven and hell?

In Heaven, the GGrench are the chefs, the British are the Police and the Germans are the mechanics

In Hell, the British are the chefs, the French are the mechanics and the Germans are the Police

[smirkymonkey]

102. There's more to that joke....

In Heaven: The French are the chefs, British are the police, Germans are the mechanics, the Italians are the lovers and the Swiss run the place....

In Hell: The British are the chefs, Germans the police, French are the mechanics, the Swiss are the lovers, and the Italians run the place. :)

[Pert_UK]

38. The problem with British food is.......

as soon as a British chef cooks something nice, people start saying, "Oh, that's not British food it's French/Thai-European fusion/influenced by communist Eastern Europe."

Basically, a lot of people have the default position that if food is good it can't possibly be British.

Has nobody seen Jamie Oliver? I don't like him, but he does cook some decent British food.

What about Rick Stein - he cooks some of the best seafood in the world!

[mtnester]

40. Hubby and I are adventurous eaters, so we would love to try

some of the things on the menu. As of this writing the only foods (so far) we have agreed we will never eat are balut and black licorice.:puke:


There may be others out there, we have just not found them yet. Yes, we would try the Bacon and Egg ice cream...it is probably pretty good...I mean, it has to have sugar and milk/cream to make it ice cream...

maybe the only ice creams we will never try are balut and black licorice flavored.:puke:

[SillyGoose]

44. I find this to be preposterous.

Snail pudding, smoked bacon and egg ice cream? Come on...anyone who would eat that shit has rocks in their head. That chef is laughing all the way to the bank at all the phony "gourmets" actually eating this crap. Do they think I am going to believe that this "cuisine" (if you can call it that) outranks French or Italian cuisine?? I think not.


:eyes:


edited for typo

[RogueTrooper]

49. Of course it does

and if, rather than rushing to condemnation, you read the article you would see why. And yes, at the higher end, British cuisine kicks her continental cousins' assess.

[Pert_UK]

50. Yes, and I'm 100% convinced that you know better than....

the writers of the Michelin Guide, Restaurant Magazine, the judges from the other competitions The Fat Duck has won and the hundreds of people who dine there every week.

:eyes:

The restaurant is famous for experimental and ususual dishes that push back the boundaries of cooking, but it also has a more "traditional" menu.

Whichever menu you choose from, it is universally acknowledged amongst critics to be of the very highest standard.

But of course, you know best......

[FlaGranny]

52. Do you ever find

some Americans to be boorish? Some here seem to think if it isn't French it isn't right or good for liberal Americans. Elitist, ya think? Not that I'd want to try some of the things on that menu. ;)

[HamdenRice]

57. Remember yesterday's when were you hungriest thread? for me London ...

Yesterday someone started a long thread asking basically, what's the hungriest you've ever been.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3498916

I replied, basically, when I was living in Liberia and the village I was in experienced a rice shortage for about a week.

I forgot to mention the second hungriest I ever was, was when I had to work in London for two months, back in 1996. The first night, I tried to order a kind of steak/hamburger. The waitress asked me about four times what I wanted and then called over a manager and said she couldn't understand my American accent.

The second night, I went to a somewhat fancy place and had chicken with "white sauce," which turned out to be (my guess) corn starch and black pepper and water.

By three weeks, I would salivate when passing McDonalds, even though I hate that stuff here in the US.

I got by on Indian food (which though in London really isn't English food), great food at a Spanish restaurant on my block and the occasional sandwich from a Portuguese shop. And also the occasional shepherd's pie, which was the only English food that was edible.

Fortunately I was able to cook for myself in my temp apartment, but was working such long hours that I only had a decent home cooked meal on the weekends.

[Stella_Artois]

66. No quite true

"I got by on Indian food (which though in London really isn't English food),"

Many dishes found in "Indian" resturants in the UK were developed on the UK for UK consumption and cannot be found in India. Tikka Massala for example, also Phal and IIRC Vindaloo.

[HamdenRice]

71. Well let's just say ...

they weren't created by englishmen and women and do not involve boiling, nor grinding brains, fat and lungs together, and therefore are not english in spirit.

[ikri]

74. brains, fat and lungs together

Sounds like a bad description of Haggis to me.

That's a traditional Scottish food and definitely not english in spirit.

Unless you had some other food in mind?

[AnneD]

75. What????

You can get those dishes in Houston. As far a Tikka Massala, etc in India.....trust me on this. You don't want to eat ANY meat in India. It's tropical and electricity is spotty some times. My favorite breakfast dish in India, the mac and cheese I brought with me. Curry just is not my idea of the breakfact of champions. I am adventurous when I am on the road and have had some interesting dishes. Hubby is a vegetarian and I am a food buddhist(what ever falls into the begging bowl). My fav food place so far was France and Switzerland (haven't hit Italy or Greece yet). I love cheese so I was in heaven. I didn't know there were so many ways to age milk (and make chocolate).

[northzax]

59. for anyone in the DC area

Eric Zeibold the chef de cuisine at French Laundry (#2) is the executive Chef at CityZen (down at the Mandarin Oriental) it'll kill your AMEX, but a good night (I've been there twice once was over the top, and the other just insanely good) will teach you new things about food.

and yes, you'll pay 250+ with wine for the prix fixe menu.

[booksenkatz]

60. Mixed marriage here

My Brit hubby despises my American southern deep-fried-everything WTF is that? cuisine and I despise his pudding-y currant-y WTF is that? cuisine. He won't eat fried catfish. I won't eat stilton. And yet we've somehow been married 20 years as of May 4th, LOL!

He'll enjoy reading this thread.

[ovidsen]

80. The last word

at least from me. Hey, Im a newbie. Food in Britain has improved vastly since my first visit in 1969, when it was horrible. Almost everything WAS boiled. My breakfast bacon had gristle in it for god's sake. Eggs and dairy products were good, though, and the fish and chips were great. Chosen wisely, pub food was okay, but pubs then were only open early afternoons and evenings (closing bell 10pm). But that was it. Just about everything else was inedible.

I've visited many times since then and what a difference!! The changes took place gradually, but food today in Britain bears no resemblance to what I had 36 years ago. London ranks as a top foodie paradise. Up there with Paris (also visited lots) and NYC (lived there). Bottom line? I would visit The Fat Duck in a heartbeat, and will, next time.

But for consistently good food no matter where you go, my choice is Italy. In all my visits there, I have never had a bad meal. Some better than others, but never EVER a bad one. Except for the time I went to McDonalds.

[Pert_UK]

83. Big up yourself!!!

Nice work!

:toast:

P.