Share your bad food experience in the UK
Jul 24th, 2006, 04:30 AM
#101
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And coincidentally, here's a highly relevant article from today's Guardian:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/britain/ar...827440,00.html
I have to say, even an oldie like me hasn't heard of some of this stuff ("Bath chaps" sounds like something from quite another context), but I have actually made Sussex pond pudding, and it was delicious.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/britain/ar...827440,00.html
I have to say, even an oldie like me hasn't heard of some of this stuff ("Bath chaps" sounds like something from quite another context), but I have actually made Sussex pond pudding, and it was delicious.
Jul 24th, 2006, 04:37 AM
#102
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audere_est_facere
Don't go away (again) I agree with your post totally.
I can honestly say that I don't think the food is too bad here in the UK.
Sure some restaurants are better than others but that is the same everywhere.
The thing that p*sses me off is the mark up on the wine grrrrrrr.
Muck
Don't go away (again) I agree with your post totally.
I can honestly say that I don't think the food is too bad here in the UK.
Sure some restaurants are better than others but that is the same everywhere.
The thing that p*sses me off is the mark up on the wine grrrrrrr.
Muck
Jul 24th, 2006, 04:40 AM
#103
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Patrick, intesting post! I had never heard of most of those. Although can't say I'm itching to try them either. It's the same thing with the Pennsylvania Dutch heritage--you'd catch few kids in central and eastern Pennsylvania eating souse, knowing what it was, or having any desire to eat it once they knew the ingredients.
We noticed in France that there aren't that many squirrels around, even though they're pictured frequently in paintings, tapestries and sculptures from centuries ago. We wonder if the deprivations of WW II sent squirrels into the cooking pot, greatly reducing their numbers even today.
We noticed in France that there aren't that many squirrels around, even though they're pictured frequently in paintings, tapestries and sculptures from centuries ago. We wonder if the deprivations of WW II sent squirrels into the cooking pot, greatly reducing their numbers even today.
Jul 24th, 2006, 04:42 AM
#104
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I thought a Bath Chap was a bacon thing...
But i think they're having a laugh with some of the others. Here's the top 10 endangered foods...
· Bath chaps
· Jugged hare (this is quite common on traditional restaurant menus. I wouldn't have thought it was particularly rare)
· Brawn (sold in my local supermarkets deli counter)
· Squirrel casserole (Now they really are having a laugh. If there was ever such a thing then it would have been for red squirrels which are very endangered)
· Bedfordshire clanger (scrag end of mutton with kidneys). (Oh come on.)
· Pan haggerty (fried onions and potatoes) (This is a sort of bubble and squeak which is hardly on it's last legs)
· Hogs pudding (I don't like to ask)
· Tripe and onion (there is only one tripe dresser left in britain (I heard this on R4s Foood programme, but it is a food that has died out here - all their production went abroad)
· Faggots (Mr Brain's faggots are endangered? Tell that to iceland, sainsburys etc who all sell them)
· Bread and dripping. (Really? Not in my house)
"HotSpurs"....deary deary me.
But i think they're having a laugh with some of the others. Here's the top 10 endangered foods...
· Bath chaps
· Jugged hare (this is quite common on traditional restaurant menus. I wouldn't have thought it was particularly rare)
· Brawn (sold in my local supermarkets deli counter)
· Squirrel casserole (Now they really are having a laugh. If there was ever such a thing then it would have been for red squirrels which are very endangered)
· Bedfordshire clanger (scrag end of mutton with kidneys). (Oh come on.)
· Pan haggerty (fried onions and potatoes) (This is a sort of bubble and squeak which is hardly on it's last legs)
· Hogs pudding (I don't like to ask)
· Tripe and onion (there is only one tripe dresser left in britain (I heard this on R4s Foood programme, but it is a food that has died out here - all their production went abroad)
· Faggots (Mr Brain's faggots are endangered? Tell that to iceland, sainsburys etc who all sell them)
· Bread and dripping. (Really? Not in my house)
"HotSpurs"....deary deary me.
Jul 24th, 2006, 04:57 AM
#106
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Yes. What's wrong with haggis. If it were french you'd rave about it. Frankly most of this is quite simply snobbery.
"Mushy peas" - Horrid
"Puree des pois, facon paysan" - great culinary heritage experience.
"Mushy peas" - Horrid
"Puree des pois, facon paysan" - great culinary heritage experience.
Jul 24th, 2006, 04:59 AM
#107
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David, I made a typing mistake. Big deal. You've already made several in your new posts. I apologized. I also welcomed you back, sincerely I might add. Yet here you are, pitching another fit over a simple typing mistake AND making a vast generalization about Americans because of it. Calm down.
Jul 24th, 2006, 05:11 AM
#108
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Barbera,
Whats the point? I mean really is there any point in even trying?
The thing is... The thread that pissed me off to high-doh was about football with Americans pontificating about football. This is something that really gives me the pip in all situations, because basically they don't know anything about it. Then I see the worst offender, in another thread, use the phrase "The Tottenham HotSpurs".
In fact there are FOUR errors in that phrase. I was being polite, and I thought light-hearted.
It is a standing joke that yanks always mangle football names and terms. I was merely referring to that (If you doubt it, try a search for the "MU Rowdies" on the Guardian's site - it's how they refer to MUFC since the yankee takeover)
Yours,
Harry Hotspur (who's birthday it was Yesterday (Harry's that is, not mine).
Now we return to your usual programming.....
(and Barbera if you want to carry this discussion on,you have my email - I think others would find it dull)
Whats the point? I mean really is there any point in even trying?
The thing is... The thread that pissed me off to high-doh was about football with Americans pontificating about football. This is something that really gives me the pip in all situations, because basically they don't know anything about it. Then I see the worst offender, in another thread, use the phrase "The Tottenham HotSpurs".
In fact there are FOUR errors in that phrase. I was being polite, and I thought light-hearted.
It is a standing joke that yanks always mangle football names and terms. I was merely referring to that (If you doubt it, try a search for the "MU Rowdies" on the Guardian's site - it's how they refer to MUFC since the yankee takeover)
Yours,
Harry Hotspur (who's birthday it was Yesterday (Harry's that is, not mine).
Now we return to your usual programming.....
(and Barbera if you want to carry this discussion on,you have my email - I think others would find it dull)
Jul 24th, 2006, 05:22 AM
#110
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a) my name is not Barbera or Barbara or Barb or Babs. However, I suppose that is better than being called a pustule 
b) As for Tottenham Hotspurs, I remembered the name from this link (which is British, not American):
http://www.londonticketshop.co.uk/to...all-ticket.htm
I accept responsibility for the inadvertent "the" and capital S.
b) As for Tottenham Hotspurs, I remembered the name from this link (which is British, not American):http://www.londonticketshop.co.uk/to...all-ticket.htm
I accept responsibility for the inadvertent "the" and capital S.
Jul 24th, 2006, 05:32 AM
#111
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Barbera, (although I have to admit to thinking of you as more of a Margot Ledbetter), theres no "The", no Capital S and it's singular for God's sake. (You also missed off the FC).
And as for that link - it must be aimed at daft yanks. No one else would pay £300 to watch the front wheel skids play football.
But a good effort otherwise.
And as for that link - it must be aimed at daft yanks. No one else would pay £300 to watch the front wheel skids play football.
But a good effort otherwise.
Jul 24th, 2006, 05:49 AM
#113
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Why are Americans so silly about haggis?
It's a kind of sausage, for heaven's sake and can be quite delicious.
If I get the chance, I opt for the full Scottish breakfast with haggis and black pudding.
The F Plan diet was popular in the early 80s
There's a bit about it at http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk...high_fibre.htm
It made people eat a lot of fibre and was actually quite good for you.
The down side was that it produced a lot of wind ;-)
It's a kind of sausage, for heaven's sake and can be quite delicious.
If I get the chance, I opt for the full Scottish breakfast with haggis and black pudding.
The F Plan diet was popular in the early 80s
There's a bit about it at http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk...high_fibre.htm
It made people eat a lot of fibre and was actually quite good for you.
The down side was that it produced a lot of wind ;-)
Jul 24th, 2006, 06:08 AM
#115
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The UK pizza chain "Pizza Express" once had as their daily special a sweet corn and tunafish pizza. I had a plain cheese pizza instead but instead of tomato sauce they must have used ketchup - it was too sweet, salty, and smooth to be anything else.
Jul 24th, 2006, 06:10 AM
#116
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<<The F Plan diet was popular in the early 80s>>
I remember a scene from the film Shirley Valentine, where she mentioned about going to Greece for the F diet, I don't think it was fibre she was after
Geordie
I remember a scene from the film Shirley Valentine, where she mentioned about going to Greece for the F diet, I don't think it was fibre she was after
Geordie
Jul 24th, 2006, 06:13 AM
#117
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I wonder if Haggis taste/tastes (don't want to make any language errors here) tastes anything like Scrapple or has some of the same ingredients.
Does anyone know? (I know you don't CARE...I just want to know if anybody KNOWS LOL!)
Does anyone know? (I know you don't CARE...I just want to know if anybody KNOWS LOL!)
Jul 24th, 2006, 06:23 AM
#118
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Haggis is grains and chopped up leftover bits of lamb with spices, encased in sheep intestines like sausage, as I recall. I've had it when I was in Skye and quite enjoyed it. The spices were strong and I love strong spices
Scrapple is similar, but not the same. It has leftover bits of pig, mixed with cornmeal and flour, and shaped into a loaf. I've had it, too, and much prefer the haggis.
Both were for using up the leftover bits, different animals, different additives, same idea.
Scrapple is similar, but not the same. It has leftover bits of pig, mixed with cornmeal and flour, and shaped into a loaf. I've had it, too, and much prefer the haggis.
Both were for using up the leftover bits, different animals, different additives, same idea.
Jul 24th, 2006, 06:25 AM
#120
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First, I think that the quality of food in Britain has improved a lot over the last number of years -- just as it has in the U.S., in some parts. It is pretty easy to dine well in many parts, at many price ranges, but you still have to choose carefully. It still has a ways to go to improve my confidence, given two incidents that stand out in my mind from recent years:
1. At the Hilton Hotel in Blackpool,* we went to the dining room on our first night. We were only offered the buffet, which included one old, dried out, mangy looking piece of a duck wing in a large tray, among other things. Any other decent restaurant would have just removed the tray. The rest of the food was mediocre at best -- overcooked; gray vegetables; dried out meat. We late found out that there was a menu to order from, but that seemed like it might be too much work for the staff at that hour. It was not terribly late -- 8:30 p.m. or so -- and large dining room was almost empty. Still, the few other couples there were seated near the wait station, not near the buffet that might have been more convenient to CUSTOMERS. Also: tables were pre-set for four. You had to ASK them to remove the extra settings if you were only a party of two. This Hilton felt little better than dining in a bus station.
The funny thing is that England is considering developing Blackpool as a gambling destination of the north. From my experience, the overlal food quality in Blackpool has to go up enormously to attract any kind of higher-end crowd, never mind all the other details. (Even the "innovative" bistro-like place we were recommended to was only average anywehre else. Other places for "better dining" were similarly disappointing - and I'm a person who CAN appreciate a good fish & chips!)
*I know that Blackpool not the jet-set capital of cuisine. However, one expected A LOT better of a Hilton, especially since it seems to be the center of business conference, lunches, etc. in the area. Why were we in Blackpool? We like to go ballroom dancing, and HAD to visit the historic ballroom there.
2. It's hard to trust the pizza anywhere that isn't an Italian restaurant. It seems like one place we ordered it came out of a frozen pizza box. I have better luck with other ethnic cuisines in Britain.
1. At the Hilton Hotel in Blackpool,* we went to the dining room on our first night. We were only offered the buffet, which included one old, dried out, mangy looking piece of a duck wing in a large tray, among other things. Any other decent restaurant would have just removed the tray. The rest of the food was mediocre at best -- overcooked; gray vegetables; dried out meat. We late found out that there was a menu to order from, but that seemed like it might be too much work for the staff at that hour. It was not terribly late -- 8:30 p.m. or so -- and large dining room was almost empty. Still, the few other couples there were seated near the wait station, not near the buffet that might have been more convenient to CUSTOMERS. Also: tables were pre-set for four. You had to ASK them to remove the extra settings if you were only a party of two. This Hilton felt little better than dining in a bus station.
The funny thing is that England is considering developing Blackpool as a gambling destination of the north. From my experience, the overlal food quality in Blackpool has to go up enormously to attract any kind of higher-end crowd, never mind all the other details. (Even the "innovative" bistro-like place we were recommended to was only average anywehre else. Other places for "better dining" were similarly disappointing - and I'm a person who CAN appreciate a good fish & chips!)
*I know that Blackpool not the jet-set capital of cuisine. However, one expected A LOT better of a Hilton, especially since it seems to be the center of business conference, lunches, etc. in the area. Why were we in Blackpool? We like to go ballroom dancing, and HAD to visit the historic ballroom there.
2. It's hard to trust the pizza anywhere that isn't an Italian restaurant. It seems like one place we ordered it came out of a frozen pizza box. I have better luck with other ethnic cuisines in Britain.
