In March I will be traveling to England and France. I will probably spend one week in England and one week in France. I do plan to visit Scotland and Wales also.
I want to really take advantage of this experience by eating things that I would not normally see here. By this I don’t only mean “national dishes” and other such things, but also unique novelty foods which you simply wouldn’t find in a store in the US.
I already intend to eat Haggis, and dick pudding in England (I’ve had it already and it was pretty good.) Yorkshire pudding, faggots, Scotch eggs, and various Indian foods that are sold from street vendors. In France I intend to eat snails, oysters, and foie gras.
I’m trying to figure out what other foods to eat. Obviously I can play it by ear once I’m over there but I’d at least like to have some kind of list so I don’t miss anything. I would like to know about the various regional cuisines of England and of northern France, and what I should eat when I am there. I am a great lover of seafood, roasted meats, fluffy breads with a slightly sweet taste, and very heavy, thick cream sauces.
I think some spotted dick and faggotsshould be on the menu. Maybe a toad in a holeas well. Or you could just go for a more pedestrian haggis. Or you might want to stick with a curry instead.
All I can say is, one of the best meals I’ve ever had in my life was at a restaurant called La Maison d’a Cote, a couple miles from the great Loire Valley chateau of Chambord. You’ll be sure to eat unusual, regional, delicious things. (It’s also a small hotel.)
Curries and other Sub-Con foods are now positively national in England (and Haggis ain’t an English dish mate, for fuck’s sake), wonderful nativised Indo-Pak foods all across London and most major cities. Avoid bangers.
I’m not sure about “dick pudding” and faggots and such like. Probably the best way to get an idea of what English people actually eat would be either (a) to find a few pubs that serve decent food -“pub grub” in Britain fills the niche that is served by affordable restaurants in the US. A typical menu will include British staples such as roast beef alongside attempts of varying quality at ethnic cuisine such as Thai, Indian, Italian and even Mexican (although you will probably want to avoid the latter if you have ever been within 2,000 miles of Mexico itself); or (b) wander around a supermarket and goggle at the strange variety of crisps (potato chips) and biscuits and so forth. This always seems to fascinate tourists.
How about cream cakes? Try to find a local bakery and ask for Lardy Cake (does not contain real lard) Most if not all British bakeries will contain Lardy Cake. I’ve just found out that Lardy Cake also goes by the name of Dripping Cake. What other sweet breads, erm, there’s Chelsea Buns, Eccles Cake, not spongy but is a cake. Bakewell Tart! Try custard!
In *every supermarket there will be Birds Custard.
I wouldn’t trust any street vendors in England. Mind you the only ones I can think of are a few very dodgy hot-dog stalls and they seem to be a dying race. I have never seen Indian food sold that way.
Here’s something I’ve done, with generally positive results: Tell the waiter you want something local, that you can’t get at home. Chances are, you’ll get something you’ve never even heard of, and you’ll love it.
Also, check out farmers’ markets, and ask for samples of anything unfamiliar. And for snacks, look around in a supermarket; they have lots of things we don’t have.
Avoid eating in English pubs unless they come with a good recommendation, or are obviously gastro-pubs (i.e. focused on food) and aren’t part of a commercial chain. Conversely don’t avoid sausages (‘bangers’), just avoid cheap, rubbish sausages. Most supermarkets, delis and decent restaurants now sell very good/excellent examples of traditional types. Seafood and roasted meats are central parts of English cuisine so you should be well suited. Obviously try a good Sunday lunch with roast potatoes and Yorkshire pudding. Any descent fish monger will sell a variety of seafood worth trying, and look out for traditional, properly smoked forms of salmon or kippers, found in dishes like Kedgeree. Delicatessens are the best places to buy traditional English cuisine, rather than poorer supermarket forms, and don’t be afraid to ask what they would recommend. If you like thick cream be sure to have a go with clotted Cornish cream, dolloped on top of a scone with jam, and accompanied with Early Grey tea. Definitely try a proper English bitter, or if you prefer cider, (most supermarkets have a ‘real ale’ section in bottles, and numerous pubs do too), and Stilton cheese. The idea that English food is bad is an unfortunate hangover from the early-mid 20th century, due to obvious reasons.
ETA: ‘Spotted dick pudding’ might save a few blushes.
If you’re going to Paris hit Rue Moufftard for a huge selection of restaurants, cheese shops and a lovely market. Rue Moufftard is near the Jardin des Plantes and the Pantheon.
It is also a great idea to go to a full sized grocery to say, buy a bottle of water or coke as it is 1/3 the price you pay at a cart of convenience store. Just a little tip.
I second the recommendation to go to a gastro-pub. The quality of pub food varies widely in the UK, and sadly the majority are pretty poor - the profit in running a pub is mostly in food these days, and a lot don’t put enough effort it. There are exceptions, but without solid recommendations you are more likely to miss than hit. Gastro-pubs, otoh, specialise in serving restaurant-quality food, often gourmet versions of ‘traditional pub food’, and are probably the best place to eat bona fide British cooking. I’d also suggest posting which cities you intend to visit and get some tips from the locals
Without doubt, the British are world class at cheese, sausages, beer (i.e. ‘real ale’), and whisky. Astounding variety of all of these, and very much a quality-driven market.
Don’t be tempted to try the Scottish ‘delicacy’ of deep-fried Mars bar. Just don’t.
I really liked Cullen Skink when I was in Glasgow for work, along with a baked tatie or two.
In London, recommend a trip to Borough Market, which is also close by Neals Yard Dairy - a great place to try lots of fantastic English cheeses (cheddar, Stilton), and the market has lots of fresh regional produce. Brick Lane is meant to be good for Indian/Pakistani food, although a mite touristy now.
In Paris I went to a restaurant that has no menu - they simply ask how you want your steak done, and serve it up to you with frites and a mystery green sauce (beautiful). When you’re done, they bring you the other half of your steak. And that’s before the fab tart au citron. It’s called Le Relais de L’Entrecote. Even as a vegetarian now, still rates as one of the best meals I’ve eaten.
Breakfast at Le Pain Quotidien (it’s a Belgian chain, but fantastic bread) - which you can top with a range of chocolate and nutella like spreads. Or seek out bread from Poliane.
A wander around Place de la Madeleine, which has some of top gourmet food stores (Hediard, Fauchon) is well worth it. And if you like sweets, an overpriced afternoon tea at Laduree is still fun.
And don’t avoid the good Moroccan food which can be found in parts of Paris.
