Hot British Buns
British Food Or Something Like It
Let’s face it, when you think of the United Kingdom, great food probably isn’t the first thing to come to mind. Tea, Haggis, Fish & Chips, and Shortbread aren’t all that is consumed there however, and not everything involves beans and sausage.
Man Can Not Live On Deep Fried Mars Bars Alone
When I’m traveling abroad, one of my favorite parts of the travel experience is trying new things, which includes the foods of whatever country it is that I’m visiting. Granted, traveling can sometimes be stressful and in those moments a familiar taste from home can go a long way toward calming anxiety, but as a general rule, I like to eat things that wouldn’t be typically available to me back home.
Enter the deep-fried mars bar.
On my very first trip abroad at the ripe old age of twenty-eight (I won’t tell you what year this was), my girlfriend and I flew to Scotland to visit a friend of mine that I had met while earning my undergraduate degree. Upon meeting us at the Edinburgh airport, the very first thing he did was take us to try a deep-fried mars bar. I was deeply skeptical at first but ultimately enjoyed this gooey goodness beloved by locals in Edinburgh, and while it wasn’t a very “high-brow” thing to try, it helped me to open the door to international food experiences.
Photo borrowed from wikimedia
Foods To Try The Next-Time You Visit The UK
Start with a cup of tea and all the yummies that typically come with a high-tea service!
Cakes, scones, finger sandwiches, and clotted cream…
Visit a Pub
I’m not really a beer drinker, but when in an actual English Pub… pass me a pint!
Pub Food Can Be Surprising
You MUST have Fish & Chips
I know it might sound weird, but don’t be shy with the vinegar!
British Scones
The scone has not traditionally been my favorite piece of pasty to consume with coffee, or really at any occasion. Dense, crumbly, overloaded with sugar or other fillings, my face gets tired of eating them after just a few bites. However, British scones are something entirely different, and are more like a buttermilk biscuit in texture, although slightly moister, and also slightly sweet without the addition of any sugar topping or extra “dressing.” I am obsessed with British scones and probably ate my weight in them while there.
Lunch is NOT optional
In the States, we’re used to being able to get what we want when we want it, but that’s not always the case elsewhere. On more than one occasion, we found ourselves immersed in a tour, or traveling from one destination to the next, and postponing in favor of a “late lunch.” Unfortunately, that’s not really a thing, at least not in Scotland. If you haven’t eaten by 2 pm, you’re basically out of luck and will have to make do with whatever you can find.
Exhibit A: The only thing left to purchase at 2:30 PM, was a tiny sandwich and carrot fingers as part of a child’s snack pack at local coffee shop.
Sticky Toffee Pudding
Among my favorite things about Scotland, is the miracle that is Sticky Toffee Pudding. What an American would describe as a “cake sitting in a sauce,” is a very moist Date Sponge Cake, set in a custard sauce, and covered in a warm toffee sauce. I had this years ago when I visited, and it was just as good as I remembered.
Top 5 Foods To Try in The United Kingdom
Sticky Toffee pudding
Fish and Chips w/vinegar
Deep-Fried Mars Bar
Meat Pies (I recommend the haggis)
British Scones
Have you tried any of the things on this list, and if so, what did you think?
Did I leave anything off that should make the top five?