What "savory" to bring to English brunch?
Apr 9th, 2007, 02:09 AM
#21
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I can't imagine eating half that stuff at 'brunch' (although we don't really do brunch much in the UK, so perhaps it is more of a meal in the US? Here, it's pretty much just a late breakfast after a lie-in at the weekend!
I'd take bacon sarnies (sandwiches) if I were going - fits in nicely as something a Brit eats for 'brunch' and very appropriate for an Eastenders theme. Tasty too...
I'd take bacon sarnies (sandwiches) if I were going - fits in nicely as something a Brit eats for 'brunch' and very appropriate for an Eastenders theme. Tasty too...
Apr 9th, 2007, 02:23 AM
#22
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I'm not sure what brunch is....
However "typical Eastender food" would be jellied eels; cockles, whelks,etc.
I found a jar of cockles here (and they have shiphams fish paste):
http://www.britishcornershop.co.uk/
However "typical Eastender food" would be jellied eels; cockles, whelks,etc.
I found a jar of cockles here (and they have shiphams fish paste):
http://www.britishcornershop.co.uk/
Apr 9th, 2007, 03:18 AM
#24
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What on earth are you planning?
Brunch does exist in Britain, but it's a relatively recent innovation and in my experience is always a sit-down affair, based loosely on breakfast. Kedgeree, corned beef hash made with what we call corned beef, omelette Arnold Bennett, proper sausages or decent black pudding might be good, easily reheatable in a microwave, ingredients to add to what's often a "sideboard" affair: a collection of warm dishes you might select for yourself, but then sit down round a large collective table (the most important single ingredient of a brunch) to eat with a knife and fork.
You'd never find at any brunch I've ever been to the kind of finger food usually served at the do after Auntie Marge's funeral.
These days, ten minutes at M+S or Waitrose usually gets you all the mini scotch eggs, onion bhajis and Peking duck wraps you could possibly want if the event isn't actually what we'd call a brunch but is just a cold spread. But they don't operate in the US, and Tesco (who are going to set up a chain selling British ready to eat food in the US West) are struggling to get the real estate.
Some traditional cold spread ingredients in publand you could make might include:
- if you can't find meat or fish paste, tinned salmon sandwishes (you mash the salmon up and add a bit of malt vinegar. If you can't get malt vinegar, balsamic or sherry vinegar has a similar effect)
- corned beef sandwiches, using tinned corned beef if you can get it
- make your own Cornish pasties, scotch eggs or sausage rolls (just google)
Brunch does exist in Britain, but it's a relatively recent innovation and in my experience is always a sit-down affair, based loosely on breakfast. Kedgeree, corned beef hash made with what we call corned beef, omelette Arnold Bennett, proper sausages or decent black pudding might be good, easily reheatable in a microwave, ingredients to add to what's often a "sideboard" affair: a collection of warm dishes you might select for yourself, but then sit down round a large collective table (the most important single ingredient of a brunch) to eat with a knife and fork.
You'd never find at any brunch I've ever been to the kind of finger food usually served at the do after Auntie Marge's funeral.
These days, ten minutes at M+S or Waitrose usually gets you all the mini scotch eggs, onion bhajis and Peking duck wraps you could possibly want if the event isn't actually what we'd call a brunch but is just a cold spread. But they don't operate in the US, and Tesco (who are going to set up a chain selling British ready to eat food in the US West) are struggling to get the real estate.
Some traditional cold spread ingredients in publand you could make might include:
- if you can't find meat or fish paste, tinned salmon sandwishes (you mash the salmon up and add a bit of malt vinegar. If you can't get malt vinegar, balsamic or sherry vinegar has a similar effect)
- corned beef sandwiches, using tinned corned beef if you can get it
- make your own Cornish pasties, scotch eggs or sausage rolls (just google)
Apr 9th, 2007, 04:06 AM
#25
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I guess it's the brunch thing that is throwing us, it's not really an English meal.
If people have 'brunch' what they mean is they got up late and are eating breakfast at around 11am ish. Later than that and you are just eating lunch...
So we are not sure what sort of time of day/type of meal you are talking about to make it different from just a normal lunch, or a late breakfast (who eats cucumber sandwiches for breakfast?)
Are you looking for English breakfast type foods or English lunch type foods? Hot or cold? Give us a clue here...
If people have 'brunch' what they mean is they got up late and are eating breakfast at around 11am ish. Later than that and you are just eating lunch...
So we are not sure what sort of time of day/type of meal you are talking about to make it different from just a normal lunch, or a late breakfast (who eats cucumber sandwiches for breakfast?)
Are you looking for English breakfast type foods or English lunch type foods? Hot or cold? Give us a clue here...
Apr 9th, 2007, 05:13 AM
#26
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Nona and others: Here is the deal. The invite says brunch from noon until 2pm. The last event was from 2-4 and was mainly a buffet with finger foods and other easy to put on the plate foods. I think this will be the same thing but at an earlier time. It will not be a sit down meal as there are to be at least 50 people there. So we will fill a small plate and eat it standing or casually sitting somewhere. I would think something like quiche would be easy to eat and would be the thing. BTW-how do you fix bacon sarnies?
Primarily, the idea at the brunch is to have fun and talk to others here in DC who watch EE. We all try to guess what the EastEnders would be eating--don't know about the jellied eels though. Margo
Primarily, the idea at the brunch is to have fun and talk to others here in DC who watch EE. We all try to guess what the EastEnders would be eating--don't know about the jellied eels though. Margo
Apr 9th, 2007, 05:35 AM
#27
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Since brunch is an omnibus meal that takes the place of two lesser meals (breakfast and lunch), the English meal that is most similar is high tea (and I do mean high tea), which takes the place of tea and supper. So what would Eastenders have for high tea--apart from jellied eels, whelks, fish paste sandwiches, fish sticks, egg and bacon pie, cakes ...
Apr 9th, 2007, 05:42 AM
#28
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Don't even think about bacon sarnies.
Few Americans can cope with bacon unless it's been carbonised to a point where you could sell it as bacon-flavoured crisps. A bacon sandwich has to have hot bacon, still soft (think of it as rare) just out of the frying pan (or if you're a health nut, grillpan) with its juices running so they melt the butter and it's still melted as you're eating it.
Requires individual cooking and immediate consumption.
Few Americans can cope with bacon unless it's been carbonised to a point where you could sell it as bacon-flavoured crisps. A bacon sandwich has to have hot bacon, still soft (think of it as rare) just out of the frying pan (or if you're a health nut, grillpan) with its juices running so they melt the butter and it's still melted as you're eating it.
Requires individual cooking and immediate consumption.
Apr 9th, 2007, 04:45 PM
#30
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An interesting article on todays' BBC:
Scientists' 'perfect' bacon butty http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/e...re/6538643.stm.
Scientists' 'perfect' bacon butty http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/e...re/6538643.stm.
Apr 9th, 2007, 06:22 PM
#31
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Is a bacon butty the same as a bacon sarnie? I don't think we have such a thing in the US. We do have a BLT but then the bacon has to be "carbonized"!
And I thought I spoke and understood the English language. LOL
And I thought I spoke and understood the English language. LOL
Apr 9th, 2007, 06:26 PM
#32
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Not wishing to offend anyone, but is this an April Fool thread?! Some of the suggestions are just insane!
Brunch isn't a very common meal in the UK, but when we eat it, it's pretty much the same as brunch food anywhere - ie a combination of breakfast and lunch (not tea!) - so think things with eggs, bacon or ham in, pancakes, breads, pastries and muffins. Hot dishes like kedgeree, eggs benedict or kidneys (yuk!) are also appropriate.
Flanner's suggestion of bacon sarnies was probably about the best one and the easiest. Or how about some muffins, or a banana loaf?
Brunch isn't a very common meal in the UK, but when we eat it, it's pretty much the same as brunch food anywhere - ie a combination of breakfast and lunch (not tea!) - so think things with eggs, bacon or ham in, pancakes, breads, pastries and muffins. Hot dishes like kedgeree, eggs benedict or kidneys (yuk!) are also appropriate.
Flanner's suggestion of bacon sarnies was probably about the best one and the easiest. Or how about some muffins, or a banana loaf?
Apr 9th, 2007, 11:21 PM
#33
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I'd stick with the breakfasty theme rather than a 'tea' theme. (I'm still confused as to why a meal served at this time isn't just lunch, but ok, never mind!)
I still think proper bacon sarnies would be the best thing but it sounds as though it needs to be cold stuff.
Ooh, new thought - can you find roll-mops in the US? (rolls of herring in vinegar). Very 'Eastenders' and a cold finger food. Jellied eels and the like are rather an acquired taste (and a bit of a stereotype rather than being all that popular in reality) so I'd avoid them.
Another popular brunchy type thing in the east end is bagels as there is a big Jewish community. My ex-husband, a genuine Cockney chappie, used to go for bagel and lox every Sunday morning as a kid and the shop was extremely popular with all sorts of locals. Easy for you to buy/make and yes, it is an authentic 'Eastenders' thing.
Little hash browns? Cold sausages? Fried mushrooms on a little square of toast? This is breakfast stuff that can survive being served cold.
I still think proper bacon sarnies would be the best thing but it sounds as though it needs to be cold stuff.
Ooh, new thought - can you find roll-mops in the US? (rolls of herring in vinegar). Very 'Eastenders' and a cold finger food. Jellied eels and the like are rather an acquired taste (and a bit of a stereotype rather than being all that popular in reality) so I'd avoid them.
Another popular brunchy type thing in the east end is bagels as there is a big Jewish community. My ex-husband, a genuine Cockney chappie, used to go for bagel and lox every Sunday morning as a kid and the shop was extremely popular with all sorts of locals. Easy for you to buy/make and yes, it is an authentic 'Eastenders' thing.
Little hash browns? Cold sausages? Fried mushrooms on a little square of toast? This is breakfast stuff that can survive being served cold.
Apr 10th, 2007, 03:34 AM
#38
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Omelette AB:
We eat little else in the circles I move in. Delicious and also works when lukewarm or cold.
Unlike bacon sarnies, which are inedible unless piping hot, and so really don't lend themselves to buffet-style dos
We eat little else in the circles I move in. Delicious and also works when lukewarm or cold.
Unlike bacon sarnies, which are inedible unless piping hot, and so really don't lend themselves to buffet-style dos
Apr 10th, 2007, 04:30 AM
#39
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Flanner--What exactly is an Omelette AB?
To put all these suggestions to work, I plan to go to Balduccis and visit the British section to see what is available. I'll let you know what is sold there. Also might consider the cheese scones. What is put on the scones--Jam? I was considering scones as a sweet. Does cheese make it a savory?
To put all these suggestions to work, I plan to go to Balduccis and visit the British section to see what is available. I'll let you know what is sold there. Also might consider the cheese scones. What is put on the scones--Jam? I was considering scones as a sweet. Does cheese make it a savory?
