Universitatea ,,tefan cel Mare Suceava

Facultatea de litere i tiine ale comunicarii

Cultura si civilizatie britanica in contextul globalizarii

LUCRARE DE DISERTAIE

Profesor coordonator :
Conf. Dr. Luminia-Elena Turcu

Absolvent :
Uscatu Alexandra

Suceava
2016

CUISINE THROUGHOUT AGESAn in depth analysis of what tantalizes

the British taste buds

Table of Contents

Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 4
Chapter l. Overview of the British cuisine throughout time ..................................................... 7
Chapter ll. Indian Food in the British space ............................................................................ 12
Chapter lll. Chinese Food in the British space ......................................................................... 16
Chapter IV. Mediteranean Food in the British space ............................................................. 19
Chapter V. American and Oriental Food in the British space- Fast Food phenomenon ..... 23
Chapter VI. Famous British chefs throughout history............................................................ 28
Chapter VII. The Victorian eccentricity In British Food ....................................................... 33
Chapter VIII. Food connected with media in the British space ............................................. 37
Chapter IX. Super-foods craze and the extent of this phenomenon in the British space..... 42
Chapter X. TOP 10 strangest British recipes ........................................................................... 46
Conclusion ................................................................................................................................... 53
Bibliography ................................................................................................................................ 55

Introduction

The title of our work is Cuisine throughout ages an in depht analysis of what tantalizes
the British taste buds as it aims to analyse the origins and the develpment of the British cuisine .
What does food mean ? Why is it so important for us ? Because food means more than
the things that people or animal eat 1 and it has more than survival function.It has been used
in rituals to guarantee fertility, prosperity, a good marriage, and an afterlife .It has been used to
display the power and wealth of the state, the church, corporations, a person.2 It developed and
changed at the same time humanity did. For example people are often cataloged as civilized
because now they use ustensiles as forks , knives and spoons , instead of using their hands like
they did before. The food is also an important feature to consider when we talk about the national
identity and religion . There comes the Jewish and Muslim taboo on pork and Buddhist refusing
to eat beef. So the food area is very present when talk about national identity , culture and
civilization of a certain country because it reveals important information about the people who
cook and eat that.
As Charles Pierre Monselet said once Gastronomy has been the joy of peoples through
the age.It produces beauty and wit and goes hand in hand with goodness of heart and a
consideration of others.

It is an important thing

to be discussed when we talk about a nation , it

reveals culture , mentality , identity of people who
inhabit a certain country.
The traditional British Food is not a key
element when we talk about its culture as it has had
its ups and downs. It does not distinguished by

Bullon, Stephen, Carey, Stan, Macmillan Dictionary ,London , 2010 , p. 274

Civitello , Linda , Cuisine and Culture, A history of Food and People, second edition , New Jersey , 2008 , p. 13
3
https://foodimentary.com/best-food-quotes-list/art-2/
2

something special as Italy and France do. The British cuisine has gathered the cultural influence
of those who have settled in Britain hybrid dishes , a mixture of cultures due to historical events
in time. As the brand manager of Cauldron Foods said for The Telegraph: While some
people may bemoan the lock of strong national culinary heritage in Britain , its clear that we
Brits are actually some of the most adventurous and cosmopolitan foodies in the world.4 The
British interest in food seems to be rather directed to foreign cuisines ( Indian , Chinese , Italian ,
French , Spain ) than to a revival of what there might be a native tradition. According to a market
study , the chicken tikka masala , is the most-loved British food. It is an Indian dish that only
exist in Britain and is always present in the British restaurants. There is also an article in
Telegraph which draws atention on the fact that Six out of ten meals prepared in Britain are
inspired by foreign cuisine.5
Our work is structured into ten chapers, all of which attempt to offer information
related to the British cuisine explaining its provenance by historical facts. The traditional British
Food was seasoned with foreign ingredients to reach the form we all know. So we will discuss
some of the factors which contributed and improved the British gastronomy.
The first chapter deals with the question What is traditional British cuisine ? / What is
mere British cuisine without considering external influences? . We will offer an overview of the
British cuisine throughout time.
The second chapter explores the Indian Food in the British space. We will talk about
spice and flavour found in the British Food after their historical connections in the ancient times .
The third chapter focuses on the Chinese Food and reveals historical facts which explains
the Chinese culture on the British space.
The fourth chapter examines the Mediteranean inflences in the British space . We will
mention the Italian and Greek food and the historical events which have determined them.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/7738203/Majority-of-British-meals-are-nowforeign.html
5
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/7738203/Majority-of-British-meals-are-nowforeign.html

The fifth chapter deals with the Fast Food phenomenon in the British space which is due
to American and Oriental influences. We will also talk about the extension of this fact and its
consequences nowadays.
The sixth chapter gathers some famous British chefs throughout history . We will
mention their contributions and the facts that made them to deserve to be mentioned.
The seventh chapter discusses the Victorian eccentricity . We will write about sceince
and food combined during the Victorian period and the improvements which the British cusine
faces after this period.
The eight chapter deals with food connected with media . We will mention some
magazines,newspapers and TV shows about food , in the British space. We will also discuss
about the influence of the media in the people food style.
The ninth chaper focuses on super-foods craze and the extent of this phenomenon
nowadays. We will also expose the dark side of this food style so common among British people.
The last chaper offers us a TOP 10 strangest British recipes . It might seem misleading to
foreigners but it worth to be mentioned when we talk about the British gastronomic culture.
This paper thus aims to offer a general image of the British cusine but at the same time
detailed view of the its multiculturalist nature. It seems that the British history had a huge impact
on this area making some cultures to coexist on a sigle territory . We will motivate the
belonging of each culture with historical events from the ancient times.

Chapter l. Overview of the British cuisine throughout time

A tradition is, according to Macmillan Dictionary a very old custom , a belief or story
. It is an important part of a certain cultural group , revealing its lifestyle , its way of thinking , its
identity . The tradition is transmitted from generation to generation verbally or by written works
and it is enriched throughout he time by the inhabitants of a certain space.
We live in a technological world and we tend to forget about out roots , ancestors and
history. We are also overwhelmed by our daily duties that we forget to fulfil our mission as
citizens of a community . We are fascinated by American holidays , Italian food or French
accent, but what about our culture ? Do we honour our traditions as much as they deserve to be
honoured ? Do we attend the important religious or national events as much as our personal
events?
The British nation offers a variety of traditions which have been around for hundred of
years . Britain is known all over the world for its 5 oclock tea , for its fish and chips or its
bowler hats. The traditions explore more than sports , music or food , they deal with sayings ,
great figures and superstitions . What about the annual British Broadcast ? What about Changing
the Guard At Buckingham Palace? What about Shakespeare or Sherlock Holmes? They are all
traditions which reveal to us the British culture and civilisation . Are they still honoured by the
Englishmen ? It seems they are not . The small business man of the twenty-first century realises
that there is no free time for traditions in a cibernetic world.
Our work aims to analyse the British Food so this chapter deals with The Traditional
British Cuisine as it is known all over the world. It was never considered sofisticated , complex
or refined , but rather plain and tasty. People are very skeptical when they hear talking about the
British Food because it was characterized from ancient times as tasteless and boring . It is
traditionally based on beef, lamb , pork , chicken and fish served with vegetables. This made the
Englishman seek for more , borrow from others and to experience a decent meal .
The traditional British food is not a thing to be mentioned when we discuss about its
culture because it is very poor and it does not offer us a variety of authentic products. However,
7

it is worth to be mention fish and chips and the tea which are considered to be icons of England,
all over the world.
The fish has been a very common product in the British Cuisine from the ancient times . It
was an important dish which assured people daily food during the First and the Second World
War. It was a hot and tasty meal which played an important role in the mental and even physical
life of the Englishmen. A big part of the population dealt with fishing and soon it became an
important industry. The fish is a very consumed product in England and it is probably due to the
countrys position. The island provides opportunity for the Englishman to eat a lot of fish at low
prices , so the fish is a food all kinds of people afford to eat.

Fish and Chips is a traditional British food which began to be sold to the working class at the
beginning of Queen Victorias reign. During this time ,fried fish was served with bread and
baked potatoes. It became the packed lunch for workers and a cheap dish for families. It is served
without knife and fork and is the most loved take-away food of the British nation .
Some people consider that the first Fish and Chips shop was opened by Jewish immigrant
Josepf Malin in 1860 , in East London , while others consider that John Lees is the first who sold

fish and chips . As time went by , the fish and chips shops became more and more popular in
Britain . There was a fish and chips shop on most streets in the UK.
This dish was improved over time and it became tastier and tastier. During the social
change in 1960s, Chinese and Asians adopted this dish and offered their own version . Even
modern famous chains of fast-food restaurants like McDonalds or KFC took this meal and
prepared it in their own way.
The Fish and Chips dish is still considered the tastiest traditional British food. It
developed an important industry in London for hundreds of years.
Tea time became a kind of national tradition in
England due to the princess Catherine of Braganza.
She was the first who brought the cup of tea at the
English Court when she married Charles the Second
in 1662. Many secrets were told and many other
ammendments were signed at the tea time : it became
an important part in the lif of the authentic Englishman
. In the next century England was one of the world's
greatest tea consumers and it did not take long till it
was introduced in the coffeehouses of London. At the beginning the cup of tea was considered a
luxury but later , in the XVlllth century it replaced the famous beer so loved by the Englishmen .
In those times, there was a preference for the black tea instead of the green one and people
started to combine it with milk.
Nowadays ,the kettle is still present on some Englishmen's table but not at the same extent it
was in the XVlllth century . However this magical elixir made the Englishmen to be known all
over the world as the tea-drinking nation . It is served from the most expensive restaurants to the
the cheapest pubs so all people can drink a cup of tea at tea time .

The Apple Crumble pie is the most famous

British desert which is noted because of its
9

simplicity. It is an economical dish , very popular in Britain during World War ll and a hundred
years after. The Apple Crumble was the result of human creativity who, constrained by their
limited possibilities, tried a new dish. This pie is a desert which does not require a long time
cooking . It is a quick , simple dish involving ingredients such as flour , sugar , butter and apples
. Sometimes people use other fruits , but it is not considered traditional anymore. This desert is
served with topping to give the crumble a more extravagant taste .
Nowadays , Apple Crumble Pie is a dish we find on the menus of the traditional British
restaurants. It is a post-war must-eat that cannot be missed when you visit England.
Like all other countries , in England , we take three meals in a day : breakfast , lunch and
dinner , but there is also the tea time at 5 oclock. We will present what is typically British for
each meal of the day .
A typical British breakfast is bigger than in more countries. As W. Somerset Maugham
said: To eat in England you should have breakfast three times a day. They prefer to have a
fried breakfast consisting of eggs , sausages , toast , baked beans and mushrooms . There is also a
black pudding made of pork fat, blood and high proportion of oatmeal .
They usually have breakfast from 7 o'clock to 9 oclock.
As in many European countries , there are less and less people who have a break in the
middle of the day . The lunch is still the most important meal of the day so British people have
to introduce it among their daily activities . Many people are forced to take a packed lunch
consisting of a sandwich , a packet of crisps , a piece of fruit and a drink . The most popular
British sandwich is the humble cheese sandwich , followed by the ham and chicken sandwiches
for people who afford to spend more for their lunches.
There are also restaurants for people who can leave their work and take a break . They serve
sandwiches , but also salad and soup.
They usually have lunch from 12:30 to 13:30p.m.

10

A typical British dinner is a homemade one, a very classic one . It consists of a piece of
meat accompanied by different boiled vegetables. One of the vegetables is almost always
potatoes. They are covered by a sauce according to each person's preferences .
They usually have dinner between 6 oclock and 9 oclock.
In fact there is not something sparkling about British traditional food . It is classic , but
tasty and a must-have on the list of visitors to the UK. It has to be tasted in the friendly
atmosphere of the British restaurants and it will be an unforgettable memory for a foreigner .
There is a thing that a tourist in England must not forget : "On the Continent people have good
food; in England people have good table manners." (George Mikes, autor britanic, How to be an
Alien (1946)).

11

Chapter ll. Indian Food in the British space

It seems that no other two countries in the world are so interlinked as Great Britain and
India. Their tumultuous history, one of colonial origins, has given way in the recent years to a
new sort of relation: India is no longer the submissive colony, but a source of fascination for the
English people. Thus, the Indian gastronomy now holds a leading position amongst the melting
pot of flavours that come together within the British isles.
Historically speaking, the two great nations crossed paths as an endeavour to ease trade.
The 16th century Europe was just opening its eyes and taste buds to the new spices of Asia, so the
British East Indies Company was formed in 1599, as a means to ensure quiet trade. This was the
beginning of an almost 250 years colonial relationship, whose consequences still exist nowadays.
What started as merely a commercial understanding, progressed into a political one, as Great
Britain slowly took over India. The reasons were multiple: Portugal, the former European power
that had control over the Asian market was slowly losing its power; France started using India in
order to train soldiers; last but not least, the Mughal empire, a family that had reigned in India
peacefully for the past century, was starting to mistreat people.
So, the British East Indies Company began building more and more commercial positions
in India, until they were even entitled to chose their own candidate to the throne of the province
of Bengal. Economical issues within the Company meant that it had to finally give its power
over India to the British government and its governors, some of which abused the native
inhabitants of the country. India finally got its independence from Great Britain in 1947, but after
almost four centuries of political connections, the jewel of the British crown left unmissable
traces in its empires future.
That is why, nowadays, and for over two centuries now, Indian food is so popular in
Great Britain. Its exotic spices, its hotness and unusual ingredients, means that this food is not
only bought by the British, but also cooked by them. It has become a staple in the English diet,
alongside traditional recipes, such as Sheperds Pie or Fish and Chips. Every restaurant and pub
in England offers nowadays at least one Indian based dish.

12

So, what are the main elements of an Indian diet? The answer to this question is almost as
intricate as the history of this country. Indias cuisine is the result of 5000 years of history and
influences, as well as geographical factors. Indias cuisine is unique not just because of its tastes,
but also the cooking techniques.
Staple foods of this cuisine include pearl millet (bjra), rice, whole-wheat flour (aa), and
a variety of lentils, such as masoor (most often red lentils), toor (pigeon peas), urad (black gram),
and mong (mung beans). Lentils may be used whole, dehuskedfor example, dhuli moong or
dhuliurador split. This variety has also been noticed by professionals: The Asian Indian
cuisine has many interesting ways to prepare vegetables, (mainly stir-frying with different spices
and condiments), legumes and lentils-also known as dhals (or dals) in a variety ofgravies like
sambaar or rajma, and even ways to include low-fat milk and yogurt into the everyday meal
(khaddi, paneer or aviyal). 6as it also offers a healthy lifestyle.
Even if it seems that the resources of Indian food are limited, the combinations are
infinite. We will present the top five famous Indian dishes, that prove the creativity, as well as
the flexibility of the Indian diet.
The Indian curry is possibly the most famous dish that originated from the Indian subcontinent , as it is based on a variety of spices, as well as sauces. In fact, the word curry means
sauce in Tamil. Curries can contain meat, such as chicken, lamb, seafood, rabbit, fish, or can
be vegetarian, the most famous options being potato or lentil curry. As for the spices, turmeric,
cumin and saffron are the most famous, alongside the famous chilly. Curries are often served
with rice (sometimes lemon or jasmine infused) as well as naan bread, a special one that
resembles an Italian ciabatta and poppadums(Indian crisps). If people consider the curry to be
too hot, it can also be served with yoghurt, that makes it more mild. In Britain, the curry has
received a standing ovation ever since the first curry house, The Hindoostanee Coffee House was
opened in London in 1810.

Thompson, Antony ,Worrall , Peoples cookbook , Rankin Paul Infinite Ideas Limited, 2008 , p. 4

13

Dhoklas are savoury cakes made out of fermented rice and chickpea batter, served as a
snack or breakfast in India. They can be seasoned with salt, as well as the usual Indian spices
such as turmeric and coriander and are served with yoghurt. They resemble in consistency and
taste to the European, but are much more tastier and refined. Another good point about this dish
is that it is steamed, so that makes it healthy and nutritious.

This specific dish offers, just like the curry, a meat

and vegetarian option. Samosas are pastry parcels filled with
potatoes and either lamb or chicken for meat eaters, or
vegetables for the vegetarians. They are fried, usually in a lot
of oil, so their consumption needs to be reduced for those

14

suffering with heart problems. However, no one can deny the fact that they are delicious and the
equivalent of the European sandwiches.
The last two places of the top five are given to two Indian
deserts. Unlike regular Indian dishes, Indian deserts are not for
everyone, as their taste can be considered sickly by some.
GulabJaamun are balls made out of milk powder and boiled in sugar
syrup, sometimes rose scented. Other ingredients include: flour,
cardamom, ghee (clarified butter) and lots and lots of flour for
frying. The European equivalent to a GulabJaamun would be a doughnut.

The last desert is Jalebi, equally sweet and decadent if

we compare it to the GulabJaamun. Jalebi are sweets made by
deep- frying (how else?) batter that has been soaked into sugar
syrup. One important step is that the batter is first fermented,
then poured into hot oil for frying.

These five recipes offer a glimpse of the complexity and creativity of the Indian palate, a
complexity that people nowadays enjoy in the UK. The popularity of the Indian cuisine within
the British Isles is solid proof that the connection between the two countries will never disappear.
As SuneilKher said, I firmly believe that food can bring different cultures together. 7 No other
two cultures seemed to have been brought together more by food than the British and the Indian.

Thompson ,Antony ,Worrall , Peoples cookbook, Rankin Paul Infinite Ideas Limited, 2008 , p. 28

15

Chapter lll. Chinese Food in the British space

Wherever there is a historical immigrant Chinese population, the style of local food has
been adapted to new inhabitants. Thus the taste and ingredients modified British cuisine once the
Chinese settled on British land. Chinese food first arrived in the UK in the early 19 th century as a
result of a long relation between China and Britain.
The British-Chinese relations were not constant throughout history. The Cold War finds
the Peoples Republic of China and UK in opposing sides, while World War ll reveals an
alliance between them.
The trade between China and Britain had an unfavorable balance in the 19 th century. The
British wanted tea and the Chinese wanted silver for payment, so the British decided to sell
opium to China. The emperor objected to Queen Victoria and a war broke out. The Chinese navy
was no match for British steamship and guns and the Opium War forced China to give the island
of Hong Kong to British.
With a long history, unique feature, numerous styles and exquisite cooking, Chinese
cuisine is an important constituent part of the British cuisine , It is famous for its color , taste,
aroma , meaning and appearance .
The Chinese cuisine is seen all over the world as the richest and most diverse culinary
heritage. The first thing that comes into our minds when we hear about the Chinese cuisine is the
rice, but also noodles and steamed buns. But it is more than this, the Chinese cuisine means color
, spiciness and flavour and this is why the entire world appreciates it as much . It is also a
celebration of life and, as the cook Lin McKenzie says, whenever British people cook in a
Chinese style, east meets west on a plate 8Speaking about the cultural background , the
Chinese food on traditional beliefs as that farming animals are sacred and beef is for the highest

Thompson ,Antony, Worrall , Peoples cookbook , Rankin Paul Infinite Ideas Limited, 2008 , p. 35

16

ritual . There is also a famous Chinese idiom which says: "Fish brings heat, meat brings phlegm,
but vegetables, and tofu keep you well. 9
A large part of the UK has developed distinctive dishes based on originally Chinese
recipes. Their restaurants and takeaways are among the most popular in Britain. In fact Chinese
food is no longer just a restaurant or takeaway treat, but
British people are also cooking it at home .
Spring Rolls is a Chinese dish based on the principle we
mentioned above according to which the meat was sacred. It
follows an old Chinese idiom "Eat more vegetables, less meat."10It is created by using small
quantities of food mixed with vegetables. The taste could be either sweet or savory according to
the recipe. Spring Rolls win a golden yellow color by frying them in a roll wrappers form.

Sweet and Sour Pork is a famous

Chinese

dish

available

in

most

large

restaurants in the UK. It was improved over

time just to satisfy all tastes, At the beginning
, it was only sweet and sour pork , but in the
end the pork was substituted by other
ingredients like chicken or beef . It was
included in the Top eight foreign dishes you
must try in London .

http://www.eatingchina.com/articles
http://www.mamalisa.com/blog/food-wisdom-and-proverbs-around-the-world/

10

17

Gong Bae Chicken is a popular Chinese dish

and it is very present in the British menus . It has a
unmistakable color containing ingredients as diced
chicken, dried chili and fried peanuts. In Britain, there
is a British-style Gond Bae Chicken , for which the diced chicken is covered with cornstarch and
vegetables , sweet and sour sauce are added.

A study published by BBC shows that Chinese food became one of the countrys
dominant ethnic cuisine since it was popularised in the 50s and 60s11. Most of British people
declared that the spicy and the savoury of Chinese dishes made them to prefer it instead of any
other . So The Chinese influence on the British cookery proved to be helpful and enjoyed by the
British nation.

11

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/0/27164636

18

Chapter IV. Mediteranean Food in the British space

As we have mentioned before in our paper, British cuisine gathered the cultural influence
of those who have settled in UK . So the British menu offers us many hybrid dishes with flavors
from different parts of the world. Their presence in the British space is motivated by the
historical connections between them in the past.
The Mediterranean cuisine has an important place both in Europe and worldwide. It is
different from all others, as it is also considered a healthy diet by the use of ingredients such as:
olive oil, vegetables, pasta and rice, cheese and fish, so affordable in Mediterranean countries .
The Mediterranean cuisine is known as being tasty but at the same cheap and accessible
so we will find it also on Londons streets. Our paper will talk about what is Italian and Greek in
the British cuisine and will give some historical references to explain the cultural connection
between them.
The Anglo-Indian relations and the diplomatic exchanges between the Papas States and
the Kingston of England developed during the investiture disputes between William and John
and their archbishops of Canterbury Anselm and Langton. The quarrels between them were
finalized with Johns excommunication to the papacy. In 1801, The Unites Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland hosted ambassadors from the Italian peninsula . Italy and United Kingdom
strengthened their relationships when they signed the London Pact and entered a formally
alliance on 26 April 1915 and won the First World War.

Throughout the war, British

intelligence supported Benito Mussolini with the Hoare-Laval Pact between Italy and Germany.
In the second war Italy stayed on the side of Britain and Germany till the Allied invasion
of Sicily ended with Italys defeat and finally the restauration of democracy.
The British historical background regarding Italy explains the existence of a huge number
of Italian citizens and residents in Britain . Elements of their culture can easily be found on
Londons streets in Italian restaurants or even in British menus. The British chef borrowed
Italian dished and adapted them according to the products available on the British market .

19

We will focus on famous Italian dishes as rissoto , pizza and spaghetti . As time went,
each population turned these dishes according to their specific ingredients so we can find them in
each parts of the world .
As we already have found the British cuisine needed some sources to vary its poor menu
so the Italian influence was one of them. This influence went so far that Irish farmers now
produce dairy following a Mediterranean recipe, as author Rachel Allen observes in her book
Coast: Our sheep and cattle provide us with milk for delicious artisan cheeses with traditional
flavors, but Ireland is also at the cutting edge of food production, with Mediterranean-style
cheeses being produced from buffalos and goats milk.
12
Risotto is an Italian dish which may be cooked in
different ways including fish , chicken , eel , mushrooms
and many more besides. It was flavored and seasoned
according to the British tastes and nowadays it enjoys a
good reputation among the British population.

Pizza is an Italian dish very famous on

Londons streets in restaurants but also in fastfoods
serving slices . It varies from place to place in terms
of topping so it may contain chicken ,beef , pork , fish
, seafood according to each one tastes .

12

Somerville ,Christopher ,Coast , A Celebration of Britain's Coastal Heritage , Harpercollins Publishers , New York ,
2000 , p. 4

20

Spaghetti are also very popular Italian dishes in

Britain. They vary being modified according to the British
taste .Authentic recipes offer us simple choices involving
just olive oil and garlic while the British restaurants contain
also some sophisticated dishes based on spaghetti and clams , sardines , anchovies or buffalo
mozzarela .
Italian food has become so famous that the most posh and expensive restaurants in the
UK have Italian origins: Zazza, Prezzo, Luna Nuova are just some of them.
Past relations between Greece and United Kingdom were consolidated during the First
and the Second World War. The United Kingdom also offered military assistance to Greece
during the Greek War of Independence from the Ottoman Empire in the 1820s.
Such connections made that both countries maintained relations with 40 -45 thousands
Greeks residing permanently in the UK. Their presence in the British space involves their culture
which we will remember through the Greek menu in Britain .
Greek cookery is distinguished by the presence of olive oil so accessible in the
Mediterranean space. It adds a distinctive taste to the Greek food which British nation seems to
enjoy. Greek cuisine is also known for some flavourings as oregano , mint , garlic , onion , dill or
bay laurel leaves .
Greek cuisine is known all over the world for its tasty fastfood dishes including souvlaki ,
gyro or spanakopita.
Souvlaki is a Greek product consisting in meat
and vegetables served in a pita wrap. It is seasoned and
served with a variety of sauces difficult to reproduce
by a foreign chef.

21

Gyro is also a fastfood dish which consists of

meat, feta cheese and vegetables, all wrapped in a pita.
It is also dominated by the taste of the Greek sauce
tzatziki, made out of yoghurt, garlic, cucumber and olive
oil, so refreshing and tasty.

Spanakopita is a Greek pie which contains spinach, feta,

cheese and onion . It is seasoned and wrapped in phyllo pastry. It has
also a vegan version with tofu instead of feta. Spanakopita can be
eaten as a hot or cold snack.

All three dishes described above are so present on London streets and testify the presence
of a huge number of Greeks in the British space. There are a lot of Greek fast-foods restaurants
which offer cheap and tasty dishes to the British nation. Most often they are cooked by authentic
Greeks who inherited the recipes from their families.
The Mediterranean side of the British cuisine has been appreciated and still is nowadays
because of the facilities it provides. First of all it is cheap so all people can afford to eat a kebab
or a pizza instead of spending time cooking. It is also very accessible being present everywhere
on London streets. So from this point of view the UK gain a plus thus enriching its gastronomy
with a variety of easy, cheap and tasty recipes. As Rachel Allen says, Mediterranean cuisine
tastes like a warm sunny day somewhere very exotic..13

13

, Somerville ,Christopher , Coast , A Celebration of Britain's Coastal Heritage ,Harpercollins Publishers , New York ,
2000 , p.27

22

Chapter V. American and Oriental Food in the British space- Fast

Food phenomenon

The fast food technique is very

familiar to us today . It is defined as a massproduced food, in a quick way at low
prices,also known as quick service. The fastfood became, in a relatively short time, a strong
industry which has monopolized the entire
world.It is ironically known as providing
obesity among people and fat profits in the food
industry.

The Industrial Revolution forced the meek farmer to leave his duties and to move
in the city for emancipation. The man power did not count so much in those times because it was
replaced by all kinds of machines and the British nation faced urbanization. The fast food
phenomenon was one of the consequences of this process; people were forced to relieve of their
domestic duties in order to get a job. The new circumstances led the emancipated Englishman to
a new lifestyle to which he was forced to adapt to a different environment. Regarding our subject
in matter, the Englishman also approached a new menu according to his time and financial
resources and schedule.
Thus, the old inns and coffee houses where British society used to spend its free
time have been replaced by take away restaurants, where people do not talk to each other, but eat
and then return to their duties. As time went on, people transformed the idea of eating out into a
habit and the consumption of fast food increased substantially. Sheri Torelli, one of the victims,
wrote that : Had someone asked me why we were to drive-thru so much , I wouldve said that it

23

is easier , quicker and more economical to buy dinner than to prepare it .14. It soon became a
global phenomenon which has been continuing to expand since then.
The extension of this phenomenon seems to be motivated by several advantages. It
provides quickly a variety of meals to the busy estate agent who can eat on his way to work. It
also offers very cheap products to the student who can consume his pre-packed lunch in a break
.The fast food can be served without knife and fork so the driver can eat while is working. It is
also more accessible:you can have a fast foodat every street corner in major cities. Current times
changed peoples priorities, they look for fast and consistent quality of food at low prices. Their
needs seem to be satisfied by the American phenomenon called fast food.It is known as being
American but soon adopted worldwide. They promoted an easy lifestyle by spreading the
advantages of eating more at low prices.
Beside advantages, there are also inconveniences that people considered only
later. Years after, in 1990s, people started to think at fast-food as a destructive type of food. The
American nations health problems are known all over the world. The obesity issues which are
due to their disorderly lifestyle and especially to their eating lifestyle are more and more disputed
for several years now. The United States nation is the fattest developed with a rate double than in
the European countries. Once asked, Michelle Obama said that: The problem is when that stuff
becomes the habit . And I thinkthats what happened in our culture. Fast food has become the
everyday meal.15Thus, if actions are not taken, it is feared that the UK nation will be the next
one touched by a huge rate of obesity.
The Scientist revealed a strong relationships between fast food and obesity but
people did not consider the impacts of this this kind of eating lifestylefrom the very beginning .It
is indeed a tasty food , but it has many negative effects on our bodies .
There are also deadly consequences regarding the fast foods people do not
consider. Fatty acids increase people risk for cardio muscular diseases, high blood pressure or
diabetes.

14

Torelli , Sheri , The Fast Food Kitchen More than 100 Fast and Healthy Recipes . Ed. Harvest House
Publishers, Oregon , 2011
15
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/michelleob415519.html

24

The good news is that we can notice people became more and more concerned
about the fast food effect in their lives. They have never taken it more seriously than today.
The fast foods became forbidden in schools because the government tried to
encourage healthy eating among children. They see burgers and fries in their environment,
everybody consuming fast foods and they do not think about an alternative. Lately,programshave
been introduced in schools to inform students about the healthier choice they have. Why in
schools? Because we are perpetuating a culture of junk food that is literally making kids sick.
Children are inspired by their parents who consider easier and cheaper to grab a Happy Meal
with the awaited toy. It is unbelievable how many calories are containedin only one sandwich.
The first such menu was limited consisting in hamburgers at high speed and low
costs, but the area flourished during the next centuries around the world and now it is based on
processed foods, sugary foods, deep fried foods, heavy sauces, high calories and tasty aspect. A
variety of products centered on inexpensive and quickly prepared meals.
Brands like McDonalds, Pizza Hot, KFC, Subway or Burger
King were multiplied and have been still operating for decades in
majority of civilized countries. Fast food phenomenon became a global
very soon one and conquered the world. Like cars and computers they
seem to be everywhere, on the street corners, in malls, railway stations or
airports.
We will mention McDonalds chain of restaurants,the largest franchises nowadays which
was founded by two brothers, Richard and Maurice McDonald in San Bernardino , California , in
1940 . It is just an example of American fast food in the British space and all over the world.
There was a period when the British nation felt the need for new and this new was
found by looking outside England for inspiration. The western influences were unstoppable since
they have arrived in the European space and they are on a continuous increase. They have made
that the American fast-food mentality alsotouch the British society. Englishmeneasilyreplaced
the fresh food with the pre-packaged products and in a very short time we notice a strong fastfood industry in the British space. It reveals a rapid expansion because the business man found it
more convenient.
25

The fast food industry starts in England as a food for the working class, for poor
people who did not afford to spend money on their meal. Once touched by the fast-food virus,
they began to personalize it by using their own resources. It took little time to the first fish and
chips shop in 1860. They used sea-foods, especially oysters and eels served on the street corners.
Turkish fast foods in the kebab houses are also very present on the British streets.
It seems to be noticed mainly for its unmistakable kebabs so loved by the British nation, who
was quickly conquered by the oriental sauces and spices. The kebabs date back to the times when
the nomadic Turks learned to grill and roast their meat over their camp fires. They had been
feeding generations since then until they finally arrived also in the British space.
Englishmenhave never intervened by changing the traditional recipes in their own way, but
consumed the authentic Turkish fast foods made by Turkish chefs. The kebab enjoys a good
reputation in the British space by offering caloric bombs to the rushed Englishman who sets his
priorities by forgetting what is really important: HIS BODY.
Turkish fast foods are
filling products which costs a
little compared to a fresh healthy
salad. They are easy to prepare
and do not take long time. The
Englishman enjoys this delicious
heavy food despite of the impact
it has on their bodies. A kebab
consists in a lot of fatty, heavy
sauces and deep fried ingredients.

As we have already seen the British streets are invaded by different cultures with only
one purpose: to sell junk foods to the nation. The companies aim to win as much as possible by
feeding people with unhealthy food. The Englishman loses the essence and forgets what is his
purpose: to live as long as possible. The society is invaded by new technologies and loaded
programs of work which make people neglect their own lives. The 21st century man continues to
26

make uninspired choices regarding his eatinglifestyle by forgetting the old adage: We are what
we eat!
There is nothing wrong with going to a fast food restaurant once in a while, it is wrong
to make it a habit. Producers enjoys the situation and develop more and more to destroy the
human species. They promote junk foods in the most accessible places and offer a tricky
alternative to people.

27

Chapter VI. Famous British chefs throughout history

Since the oldest times, people have manifested a big interest in their daily meals. It is a
necessity and no matter what happens, people need to eat. Starting with the street vendors who
took advantage of this, people found a practical and comfortable alternative to satisfy hunger:
eating out. This area developed pretty soon and now fast food restaurants all over the world
represent an important industry .
A chef is the engine which makes a restaurant good or badly ranked. . He is responsible
of making orders, supervising the kitchen staff , food preparation , but also planning menus.
According to the definition , there is a big difference between cook and chef . In
Longman Dictionary the word cook is defined as someone who prepares and cooks food as
their jobs while the term chef appears as a skilled cook , especially the main cook in a hotel ,
restaurant. Both of them represent kitchen workers , but the difference consists in their
experience and culinary education .
A chef owns a culinary degree obtained after an extensive training under a supervised
experienced chef . It has managerial roles in the kitchen including creation and implementation
of personal menus. His dishes must be tasty , but also good looking so he has to consider every
detail by following some intricate steps.
Chefs have turned their profession in art over time. They cook with love and
professionalism so their job exceeds the limits of a simple profession.
To perform as a chef is also important to study the culture and the civilization of those
whose cuisine they represent . They need to know about Chinese when they cook Gong Bao
Chicken , but also about Indians when they spice their specific foods.
Leaving the kitchen they are also accredited to publish personal
recipes and cook books. The first woman who published such a book was
Mrs Isabella Beeton . She is a famous British figure who is known
mainly for her first book: Mrs. Beetons Book of Household
28

Management . Her work was considered admirable during the Victorian era when it was
published and so it is today. She gathered recipes from her readers and published them as
supplements to The Englishwomans Domestic Magazine.

The 20th century is marked by the famous British chef Heston Blumenthal. He is known
as the pioneer of molecular gastronomy and won many degrees for scientific approach to
cooking. He was called Doctor of Science for his scientific approach to food.

Heston Blumenthal developed a long passion forthe kitchen environment since he visited
a three star restaurant in his childhood. He has worked with enthusiasm and professionalism
from his first day in a professional kitchen. He has soon conquered the British public with his
avant-garde techniques he applied in the culinary space. His first dish triple cooked chips
became one of the most famous British plates. Although it sounds complex, this dish simply
requires potatoes to be parboiled, fried and then roasted.

29

The result of his efforts materialized in a restaurant which he named The Fat Duck,
considered the best restaurant in the world. He had no experience as a chef before opening his
own business.
There are also some valuable works which Heston Blumenthal published during his
career. They had a huge impact on the British public and were awarded prizesmany years after.
So he won awards as Best Children Cookbook for Family Food -a new approach to cooking" in
2004, Best Cookbook of the year Worldwide for Family Food " the same book, as well asWinner
of Design Award for The Big Fat Duck Cookbook in 2009.
Thus, his important contributions and innovations to the British cuisine have made him
deserving to be mentioned when we talk about great figures of culinary field.
The British kitchen of the next period was marked by great chefs as Gordon Ramsay and
Jamie Oliver. They are still working in the field nowadays and it is impossible not to mention
them when we talk about cookery.
Gordon Ramsay is known as an amazing chef with unique culinary talents who focuses
on French, Italian and British cuisine. In the past years, he has spread his activity to America,
where he presents a show called Gordon Ramsays kitchen nightmares USA, in which he visits
and helps rescue restaurants on the verge of bankruptcy.
He appeared in the public eye as a footballer, but later he found his passion and followed
it with devotion. Firstly, he had to do with the British cuisine and later he decided to move to
Paris to interact with the French identity and their culture. So he approached the French cuisine
and worked in their space for three years.
Back in London, Gordon Ramsay accepted the position of
head chef in a high ranked restaurant . There he performed for four
years until he opened his own restaurant.
Beside his culinary talents, Gordon Ramsay is also a famous
public figure because of his TV programs on food and competitive
cookery. He is known as the meanest chef who does not avoid to
express his thoughts and opinions during his programs.
30

Over his career, Ramsay won three Catey awards for Independent Restauteur of the
Year . He was also called the Officer of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elisabeth ll.
Because of his activity and the contributions he bought in the British cuisine, Gordon
Ramsay deserves to be mentioned when we talk about great figures of the cuisine in United
Kingdom .
Jamie Oliver is still present
on our screens and his every
appearance makes a splash.
He gained experience by
cooking Italian food and soon
became an important figure of the
British

cookery.

He

made

it

exciting by reviving traditional

cuisine in his own way.
Oliver started his activity as a TV personality in 1997. He became more and more famous
all over the world throughout his television programs. He is known in the British space as The
Naked Chef even if he does not appreciate this nickname.
He also published some cookbooks and one of them became a bestseller in the United
Kingdom.The book enjoyed a huge success all over the world being translated in 30 languages.
During his career, he won several awards including Emmy Award for Best Reality Series,
the TED Prize, IACAP Cook book award , the Observer Food Monthly Food Personality of the
Year award .
So Jamie Oliver deserves his place in the top of chefs by contributing to the world cuisine
throughout his cook books, his food television shows and lately for his campaign against
fastfood.
Even if United Kingdom does not offer us very sophisticated dishes , it gives us great
culinary talents who are worth to be mentioned . They have proved passion and devotion over
31

their career and turned gastronomic culture into art. We just mentioned four chefs, but the list
could continue because UK has valuable people in this chapter.

32

Chapter VII. The Victorian eccentricity In British Food

The Victorian Era represented the reign of Queen

Victoria (20thJune 1837 22ndJanuary 1901), a peaceful
period when Britain flourished in all areas: social,
economical, political and cultural. It promoted democracy,
socialism and feminism when people started to develop a
new mentality and a national self-confidence.
There was also a shocking industrial and
technological change which the British nation enjoyed.The
Industrial Revolution transformed Great Britain because
the railways made mobility much easier:Men could leave
the village and seek work elsewhere.

16

Most of them left their cottages and agricultural duties

and moved into the cities to perform labour for low daily or weekly wages. It caused a rapid
urbanization, new attitudes and habits according to Victorian tendencies and outside influences.
This was a period with a clear system which splitthe British populations in poor, middleclass and rich. Each of them occupied different places in the society having different
preoccupations and occupations according to their status.
The difference in eating habits was substantial: the Victorian kitchen revealed various
products The quality and still more the quantity of the food was a distinguishing feature of the
way of life to which Self-help might lead otherwise there was the unskilled labourers
unwholesome and unvaried died of white bread, margarine, cheap jam, tea and potatoes. The
skilled artisan and the shop-keeper ate meat (including breakfast bacon) to an extent which
astonished the thrifty foreigner; they favoured rich, often indigestible puddings and cakes and
something tastywould commonly be cooked for supper.17. For the rich people, the food was a
way to expose wealth. They organized sumptuous meals to impress guests On Sundays and
16

Deac, Livia ,Nicolescu . Adrian , British and Life and Civilization , Ed. DidacticasiPedagogica , Bucuresti . 1983,
p.230
17
Deac, Livia ,Nicolescu . Adrian , British and Life and Civilization , Ed. DidacticasiPedagogica , Bucuresti . 1983,
p.235

33

other festive occasions hospitality was often the excuse for what we should nowadays regard as
gluttony18. They experienced sophisticated French dishes spending huge sums.
Regarding women, there was a fashion which involved starving: In Victorian England
an appetite for food was......a taboo19. This rigid diet, the lack of vitamins and minerals,
malnutrition unbalanced metabolism caused anorexia and bulimia and it provoked huge disasters
among people.
On the other side there was the population, recently urbanized, looking for cheap shelters
and often more than one family lived in an apartment to split the costs. In big, once handsome
houses, thirty or more people of all ages may inhabit a single room20.This was one of the
reasons why people chose cheap street-foods to appease their hunger. Most Victorians did not
have such refrigerator 21to keep the food for a long time or proper conditions to cook their own
dishes.
People still involved in farming industry tended to have much meat than the others,
whose volume of vegetables was huge. They also possessed fresh milk, so important for growth
and development of children. Thus, people living on a farm enjoyed better diet than those from
the city.
The trade is another feature to consider when we talk about Victorian eating style. The
industrialization of food influenced also the culinary values. Again, the speed and low rates of
railway transport enabled fruit , vegetables , and milk to be set safely , and there were special
trains for bringing fish from the fishing ports to land towns.

22

Their choices began to increase

and the nation started to replace the local products with imported ones.
Analyzing Victorians eating lifestyle we will met a variety of dishes sold by FoodVendors on the London streets .The powerty of people left its marks on peoples eating lifestyle .
18

Deac, Livia ,Nicolescu . Adrian , British and Life and Civilization , Ed. DidacticasiPedagogica , Bucuresti . 1983,
p.236
19
Civitello , Linda , Cuisine and Culture- A History of Food and People , second edition , Published by John Wiley and
Sons , New Jersey , 2008 , p.230
20
https://prezi.com/qhrzppvoxcdq/oliver-twistpoverty-and-children-in-the-victorian-era/
21
Broomfield , Andrea , Food and Cooking in Victorian England : A History , Greenwood Publishing Group ,
Conneticut , 2007 , p.140
22
Deac, Livia ,Nicolescu . Adrian , British and Life and Civilization , Ed. DidacticasiPedagogica , Bucuresti . 1983, p.
231

34

They needed a job and their despair allowed the owners to keep wages down and people did not
afford basic human needs. Most of money were spent on food: bread , milk , cheese and potatoes
and they saved some for the Sunday lunch , the only meal of the week which consisted in meat often tinned meat because it was less expensive than fresh meat .The poor peoples diet was soon
responsible in causing illnesses and death among Englishmen.The farmers who had left their
cottages behind , were forced to live
in tenements without any possibility
to cook the daily food. So they had
no choice but to eat on their way to
work even thought there were
obviously not hygienic conditions.
They were forced to eat in cups
which had to be returned to be used
again by others. Thus, food vendors
enjoyed flourishing times by selling
cold and hot dishes to the hungry
nation which did not afford more.
The foods were cooked very quickly, in large quantities by the vendors themselves. We will
mention only four dishes very popular in Victorian times: Pickled Oysters,Whilks and
Perwinkles, Rice Milk , Meat Pies and Meat Pudding.
Pickled Oysters, Whilks and Perwinkles enjoyed a good reputation among Victorian
Londoners. It could be bought for practically nothing because the fish was widely available
then.They were served raw or boiled and people seemed to like them a lot .
Rice Milk was also very fashionable at the time. It was cheap to produce it by boiling rice
in milk in a metal basin over a charcoal fire. The dish was served in bowls which had to be
returned to be used again. People consumed the portion while they were standing on the streets.
Meat Pies were hugely popular in London in Victorian times. British people could serve a
hot dish there or to take it home. The meat consisted of beef, mutton, kidneys or eels.

35

Meat puddings were also very consumed by the British nation. They were cheap meals,
very accessible, which Londoners enjoyed in the period. Meat puddings consisted in steak and
kidney, cooked in huge quantities and miserable conditions to be sold on streets.
The Victorian period represented an important period in English history marking all areas
including the cuisine which had dramatically changed. The food varied hugely according to the
social status of British people, the rich ate sophisticated dishes consisting in high volume of meat
while the poor people had been forced to limit to cheap products because of low wages they
received. The choices began to increase once the industrial revolution broke out. Because of
railways development and and the advancements of the sea trade British nation started to import
more and more. The lack of space for cooking or refrigeration was a real problem in those times
so people were forced to look for solutions. Thus, the local Vendors became very famous and
gain huge sums by selling a number of different foods cooked by themselves in miserable
conditions and cheap ingredients. It caused damages among people because of the lack of
vitamins and minerals.
So the Victorian cuisine changed dramatically in the period, as the whole England did.
The development of industry caused difference in eating habits and people were affected
according to their social status. We mentioned above some reasons why people started to eat
differentlike advancement of industry, low wages, or lack of conditions for cooking and we also
gave examples of popular dishes during the period. The chapter also introduced popular dishes
among poor people, trends among the rich and shared some culinary curiosities during the
Victorian era .

36

Chapter VIII. Food connected with media in the British space

Mass-media is a phenomenon which grows increasingly faster nowadays, covering a
variety of topics and areas. We can observe a spectacular achievement of propaganda nowadays
by media . As Jess C. Scott once said :People are sheep. TV is the shepherd.23The audience
becomes noticeably addicted to the products offered by media in everyday life. It turned out to
have a huge impact on the entire society dealing with topics such as politics, sports,
entertainment , lifestyle and many more.
Mass-media consists of digital media through televisions and radio, but also of printed
media when the information is delivered via paper in newspapers or magazines.
We will discuss the section about lifestyle which has been more and more present on our
screens since people realized its necessity. Starting with

thefast-food phenomenon and its

consequences, humans began being very concerned about their health and lifestyle . There are
increasingly more ill people because of their messy lifestyle in our modern society. The man of
the 21st century is in a continuous searching of success and fame, but he forgets about himself.
His job does not allow him to enjoy a healthy lunch and late dinners provoke damages during the
night. Thus, the modern Englishman looks for solutions regarding his unhealthy lifestyle and
mass-media seems to be his best advisor for quick tips which often do not give any results.
Without delay, mass-media took advantage and developed a huge diet industry considering this
issue of humanity .
The food soon becomes one of the
most debated subjects on our screens,hundreds of
recipes being delivered every day , tens of
nutritionists offer us tips and diets for a healthy
lifestyle daily . Ordinary people enjoy to receive
free advice without seeing a doctor to prescribe a
well- balanced diet according to their organism.
There are a lot of myths which they consider and are disappointed later because it did not work.

23

http://viewfrommypew.blogspot.ro/2015/02/people-are-sheep-tv-is-shepherd-jess-c.html

37

There is also a second category in the same section which people seem to enjoy a
lot . These are programs which gives us a variety of recipes and enrich us with the gastronomic
culture, with dishes all over the world. Thus, we can discover different cultures through spices
and flavour. So Italians prove to be balanced people with their famous colazione , while
Chinese prefer carbohydrates by cooking a lot of rice and noodles ;French people are famous for
a variety of cheeses, while the Turkish are known for their baklava and kebab. The fame of this
category proves the truthfulness of a famous quote which says that: There is no sincerer love
than the love of food. Through their programs, the producers manage to lead the viewers
around the world and to inform them about gastronomic features of each civilization .
Returning to the first category mentioned we will bring into discussion some massmedia products which deal with a proper daily administration of food for a healthy lifestyle. It is
important to build a diet according to some realistic tips. There are all over the internet dramatic
measures for losing weight but we must see some professional supervisors who own knowledge
about the topic. We will mention two British television programs which deal with healthy diets
for quick results : Super Size vs Super Skinny and How to lose weight well.
The first one, Super Size vs Super Skinny is a TV production , presented by Dr.
Christian Jessen, which offers healthy tips about dieting , having as subject two guests : an
overweight person and an underweight one. They experience different professional methods to
solve their issue in a healthy way. The two contestants swap the eating lifestyle and find a way to
deal with the new menu.
The TV show has gathered much better than expected ratings because the public hope to
find in solutions for their disorders. The program offers information about what each guest ate
and the results of the diet are reported at the end of theweek .
How to lose weight well is another famous British TV program which deals with
professional tactics for overweight people . It offers tested healthy diets for quick results . The
diets consist of drastic changes regarding the eating lifestyle . The doctor insist all over the
program about the importance of eating better and exercise , stressing the idea of health diets
and practicing sports instead of starving for temporary results .

38

It is important to know that the diet has to be adapted depending on each organism.
People have to consider the need of seeing a doctor when they decide to lose weight. The
consequences of an inappropriate diet can be deadly so we have to care about this issue with
responsibility. In case we opt for a healthy eating lifestyle we have to consider the fresh food ,
low in terms of calories and to exclude processed foods and sweets .
The second category targets the programs which deal with culinary matters
worldwide. It reveals cultures and civilizations by their way of cooking over time . The Italian
scientist Carlo Petrinisaid :"Food history is as important as the baroque church. Governments
recognize shouldnt cultural heritage and protect traditional foods. A cheese is as worthy of
preserving as a Sixteenth-century building. " People seem to be attracted to this side regarding
these type of programs from two perspectives : gastronomic and cultural .
We will mention two TV shows which tickle the taste buds of the gourmet by
offering recipes and curiosities around the world : Come dine with me and Master Chef.
The first one Come and dine with me is a popular British television show narrated
by Dave Lamb . The broadcast consists in a competition between chefs hosting a dinner party for
the contestants. The dishes are very diversified in terms of origins , consistency and composition.
Each chef choses a theme according to which he organizes an entire dinner party. The menu
consists of traditional dishes served in an specific environment arranged by the chef according to
the habits of the country he chose. All contestants aim to introduce the audience to as much
information as possible about the food of the country they represent.
The British public proved to be fascinated by this cooking program because it recorded
huge rating over time .People travel all over the world with their favourite chefs and gather
priceless information about cultures and civilizations.
The second famous British TV show is Master Chef:,which lately experienced a
spreading in different countries of the world . It is a culinary competition in which participants
improve their cooking skills during a certain period of time. They are subjected to different tests
regarding dishes from the entire world. They are prepared to be the best chefs by learning
cooking tips but also by gathering cultural information about the food of different civilizations.

39

The TV show seems to be highly appreciated by the British public because it has been
broadcast since 2006 and still goes on recording huge ratings compared to other TV programs.
Regarding the printed media,there are also sections concerning the cooking area. The
Englishman can find cooking advice and recipes in great newspapers as The Timesor The
Telegraph each weekend but also in magazines which
deal only with the cooking area.
The Good Food magazine is one of the most
famous in the British space. It offers over 80 recipes in
each volume and also cooking tips for its readers. It is a
must in every kitchen,helping the housewives cook a tasty
dinner for their families . The recipes are accompanied by
professional instructions every step of the way. All of
them are tested and tasted by the Goof Food cookery
team so the reader cannot have a bad experience if they follow carefully the instructions.It also
provides beautiful photography to attract the viewer and to lead him into his kitchen.
It is nominated as the UKs best-selling magazine, delivering new recipes month
after month. It has been working for 25 years so the Good Food team seems to reach the
housewives hearts by offering them new recipes which have ever had food feedback.
The Food and Travel is also a British famous magazine which enjoys a good
reputation among Englishmen . It deals with a variety of recipes considering also their origins.
So the reader will travel the world and discover flavours and spices which he will certainly
experiencelater.He can explore a different country each week in a fantastic culinary adventure
.The magazine covers a diversified range of recipes from the best international cuisine and also
tips to impress dinner our guests.
It proves to be an always present aid in the British cuisine because it has recorded high
sales every month . People enjoy to discovernews and the cooking area is one of the most
experienced one in terms of novelty.

40

The internet is another source for people to

obtain

information

about

cookingand

eating

lifestyle. It provides millions of articles daily about

weight loss but many of them are not approved by
someone, they are simply posts

shared by

anonimous in order to achieve audience. Most of

them are not reliable sources which do not have to
be considered. There are also articles signed by
doctors and supervisors of nutrition which also have to be adapted to our bodies.

So, the mass-media phenomenon provides advantages and disadvantages regarding its
impact on the society. It is really important for us to be informed, but it is our job to sort the
information we find out on the internet or to change the TV channel if we are not interested in
the topic debated. Mass-media offers us information, sometimes plausible, sometimes erroneos
and we are those responsible to filter them out according to our interest.
For several years, the population faces increasingly more obesity issues in the fast-food
era and and mass-media takes advantage by feeding people with its products regarding the
subject just to ensure high ratings . The public is not informed properly and then they do not
conceive that each person has a unique body
and it has to be treated correctly.
On the other hand there are advantages
and the most important one of them is the
improvement in the cooking area since people
have faced the international cuisine. The
exchanges of dishes between countries make
them to work together as a family in order to
obtain best products ever. It is an important development in the cooking field which enjoys the
contemporary society.

41

Chapter IX. Super-foods craze and the extent of this phenomenon in

the British space

The superfood appears nowadays as an avant-garde reaction against the fast food phenomenon.
The manufacturers noticed the peoples need for new and introduced a different type of food
which soon became a craze amongst people of the 21st century. Thus, it represented a marketing
device which helped producers to win huge sums from the naive consumers. If these products
were initially thought for health benefits, they quickly tuned into financial benefits for their
producers.
The phenomenon broke out in America and it was a real success so the market
extended worldwide. It was received with enthusiasm because people found it as a solution for
all their health issues. The superfoods range consists of a variety of exotic and anti-oxidant super
fruits originating from South America , China , Oceania or South-East Asia .

42

The public reacted immediately to the good-sounding exotic names pledging miraculous effects
in the treatment of diseases and soon words like chia seeds or goji berries were all in the air
.It was firstly introduced via juices or fruits and soon proved to be a very fruitful business:
people were spending money on superfood and waiting for miracles.
The superfood phenomenon was initially introduced as innovative products with
supposedly health benefits. According to Macmillan Dictionary superfood is a food that is
considered to be very good for your health and that may even help some medical conditions. 24 It
fact these are foods marketed as superfoods or healthy foods , so-called because someone out
there is trying to sell them . People were fascinated by the advertising strategy and soon it
became a powerful industry. Mass- media started to deliver information concerning the
superfood topic and it did not take long time to become an elixir of health. They encouraged
people to eat these exotic and expensive foods which proved not to be so super after all.
The enthusiasm of the society tormented by the fast food damages, enjoyed the suppliers
and the manufacturers and thousands of new products were introduced in a short period of time
.In fact it was an advantage , to replace the junk food with superfood which is not unhealthy
,there is nothing wrong to eat it in a proper way.
In this section we will talk about superfoods like Goji , Chia seeds and Aai . They all are
introduced as having power against cholesterol, protecting against cancer and heart disease and
improving digestive health. They are promoted and sustained by media ,because there is no
scientificevidence to sustain them , but articles written by a person who was not accredited to do
it. We would be surprised if we asked the scientists about the claims made for Goji juice or
spirulina . There are other fruits that are more available and cheaper to achieve and have the
same benefits. For example, the scientists have proven that there are more anti-oxidants in an
apple than any other superfood.
Goji juice is among the latest healthy trends in UK.
Goji berries are Chinese fruits known for the health
benefits they provide. It consists in improvements
regarding the vision, heart health and sleep quality,
24

Bullon, Stephen , Carey , Stan , Macmillan Dictionary , London , 2010 , pag. 734.

43

treatments regarding cancer , depression , anti-ageing or life extension. We will find all this
benefits on the label of these products which certainly are written by companies that sell them .
They are anti-oxidants indeed , but so are most berries , so are a lot of the fruits grow in our local
woods being more accessible and cheaper . We will not see doctors or nutritionist prescribing
this kind of medicines because they are not scientifically proven to be useful in a treatment.
Chia is a plant, originating from Mexico,
whose seeds are used for nutritious drinks and
as a food source in UK and all over the world .
It is also a marketing tool popular for its
seemingly health benefits of heart and brain and
its anti-inflammatory proprieties. The Chia
seeds seem to stabilize blood sugar, to improve
energy , mood , sleep quality , but also to fight cancer , treat depression and colon soothing. It
became a trend amongst Englishmen and promoting them raised huge amounts from selling them
in single-served packets for mixing into smoothies or in different combinations. Scientifically,
Chia seeds are a rich source of vitamins which people buy hoping that it will heal all diseases.
The Aaipalm is cultivated for its fruits in Brasil where it enjoys
popularity like all over the world . It is promoted as having weight
loss benefits and alter diseases riskfactors on the British market .
Aaiis known as afruit which stops ageing, promotes skin health ,
helps digestive upsets; it also improves mental functions and
immunity , fights cancer and protects the heart. Like all
superfoods it is misleading by people who experiment it on their
bodies without considering the side effects.
In fact, superfoods are medicines which people do not have to take if they are not ill .If
they are there, it is necessary to see a doctor or a herbalist, to prescribe you the right one, to help
and to guide them to use them wisely. The wrong medicine may give bad reactions on the body
because people are not informed about the side effects. They do not know how to combine this
superfoods and how to take it. They make their bodies their science experiment instead of
consuming local products from their garden.
44

The effects of the superfoods have not delayed to be debated and lately people began skeptical
concerning the superfoods industry. Their wrongful administration of these fruits proved to
increase risk of cancer and liver damage but the markets have continued to record big sales while
people still neglect bananas and carrots.
Eating a lot of fruits and vitamins can prevent a variety of diseases. Scientifically. It is
proven that anti-oxidants supplements may increase cancer risks so we have to see a doctor when
we decide to take them. We have to be join a balanced diet supplementing only with necessary
vitamins.
There is nothing wrong about super foods if they are properly taken under the guidance
of a doctor. They are food supplements known as superfoods which in fact are just super
marketing with colored packages and big prices. The industry promises incredible health benefits
including prevention of cancer and heart disease and people pay for that. They are not advised to
take them slowly , regularly and notice how their body react , they are encouraged to use them
more and more often in order to spend a wealth for a fake idea.

45

Chapter X. TOP 10 strangest British recipes

The last chapter of our work is reserved for some curiosities about the British
gastronomic cuture. It offers us a list of ten recipes with apparently odd-sounding names
which hide an interesting history explaining them. Some of them sound disgusting posing a
challenge for even the most keen gourmet, while others sound delicious and make us look
forward to tasting them. It needs to be mentioned that the names chosen for these recipes they
have little to do with the dishes themselves . Thus, the British humor decided that a toast bread
should be called Welsh Rabbit and a sweet pudding called Dead Mans Arm, which might
seem extremely misleading to foreigners. We will list ten such oddities and will make
references to some events in order to explain the etimology of each name. It is a well known
fact that Britain has developed an entire gastronomic branch to odd-sounding foods and it has
a reputation from the ancient times until today.
We will start with the most famous British dish which sounds really unappetising to a
foreigner who wants to taste something British. It is Toad in the Hole , a classic British dish
which despite of its odd name is an ordinary food , a dish of sausages in Yorkshire pudding
batter. The final result can explain the strange name of this dish by its aspect because it looks

46

like toads smacking their heads from a hole . It is certainly the least appetising named dish
which enjoys a good reputation being served in traditional British restaurants and cooked in
every home in Britain .
If the first dish does not sound
approachable to a foreigner , the second
one will certainly do . It might sound
shocking but it is even tastier than the
last one . It is the Bubble and Squeak , a
very popular British food which a
foreigner will surely find in a traditional
British menu. It is really strange

to

mention the squeak term when we

name a dish , but the British ingenuity
found a place for it in the gastronomic
area . It is something that the Englishman has on Monday because over the weekend he has had
his roast dinner. Bubble and Squeak basically consists in all the leftovers from it , left over
vegetables , mashed potatoes and some bacon . All the ingredients are mixed together and
baked in the shape of a burger .
We will ask then where is the bubble and squeak coming from ? . It is apparently
the sizzling noise the vegetables make in the pan . It is one of the moments when the well
known British humor causes smiles to foreigners.
Another really simple dish with a strange-sounding name is Sheperds Pie or
Cottage Pie. It is a very present meal
on the British menu which all
foreigners should taste once they find
themselves in England . As we have
already pointed out, the Englishman
has never wasted the leftover food so
he invented some different recipes to

47

save the "scraps". Sheperds Pie or Cottage Pie is in fact leftover roasted meat with mashed
potato which British people appreciate a lot . According to the recipes , the Stepherds Pie
consists of lamb , while The Cottage Pie is made of beef .
The odd-sounding name is linked to the consumers of this product. It seems
that there were hard times in England when people had no choice but to spend as little as
possible on food. They were forced to look for recipes they could afford and the dish we
described above was one of them . It seems to be very popular among people who lived in
cottages and had no resources or time for cooking .
Another classic dish with a strange name in our list is the Singing hinnies , a food
which comes from the north of England and has become very popular in the British space. It is
a dessert , a cake , which has been fried in animal fats.

Its name is also related to the sound while cooking , to the sizzling hiss it provides
during it. The hinny is a word that comes from the dialect of those living near Newcastle in the
North of England.

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Pigs in Blankets is also a weird

name we will hear if we visit a British
restaurant . It is nothing else than little
sausages wrapped in bacon or dough and
baked in an oven . It explains the oddsounding name which reveals the process
of wrapping sausages . They are very
popular in England , especially for parties,
as well as the Christmas dinner.

Another traditional British dish for this holy evening is Angels on horseback . It is
also a really strange name from the semantic point of view , but very British in terms of style .
This is a traditional food always present in the Englishmen's homes on Christmas day,
conceived in Victorian times . It consists in oysters wrapped in bacon and grilled in the oven ,
and it is served as an appetizer.

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The etimology of the name is still vague because no one knows exactly where it
comes from . It appears for the first time in 1880 in a cookbook and it seems to be related with
the poor mans food of those times . Its first occurrence, according to the Oxford English
Dictionary and other sources, is in 1888, in Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.25
Stargazey pie also sounds very quaint . It is a
Cornish dish of pilchards which are baked under a crust . It
traditionally consists in fish heads poking through the crust , so
they seem to be gazing up the sky.
It apparently has noting to do with its name ,
but the Englishman has his own explanation for that . The
legend says that the dish is conceived in Monsehole where a
brave fisherman , Tom Bowcock , saved his fellow from
starvation. He sailed out into a storm and returned with seven types of fish which were baked.
They poked out of the pies to prove to everyone that there were fish inside.

Jam Roly Poly is another

strange-sounding food in British restaurants .
It is a traditional children's dessert, which
enjoys a good reputation in the British space .
Making it involves rolling up a sweet dough
that is spread with jam .
The charmingly childish name
obviously has to do with the process of rolling
up which makes it looks like a Swiss Roll . Usually it is wrapped up to steam in an old shirt
sleeve and served in this way, a procedure that led to an alternative name : Dead Mans Arm.

25

Breeton , Isabella , The Book of Household Management , Volume 1 , Ed. The Ex-classics Project , 2009
http://www.exclassics.com/

50

Another mind-blowing British recipe is Welsh Rarebit , a dish that has nothing to
do with the rabbit. In fact it is a little more than a gourmet version of cheese on toast , a dish
that combines savory sauce and melted cheese on a toasted bread.

The name of the dish is explained by an English joke which dates from the 18th
century and even then never used rabbit. The Welsh were so poor in those times so they could
not afford a cheap meat like a rabbit . The British humor tried to minimize the Welsh inabillity
by naming a cheap toasted bread Welsh Rabbit .
The last mystery dish of the British menu
mentioned here is Love in disguise . It took this
fancy romantic-sounding name because of its
ingredient : lambs' , pigs' or calves' hearts. It is
pretty obviously why it is called love in disguise
even if this combination is odd indeed . In fact this
dish was originally a calfs heart stuffed with
mincemeat, then rolled in vermicelli and baked in the oven .

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To conclude , the list above consists of some strange-sounding food names which
achieved a certain popularity to outsiders. In fact, the British have an entire collection of
strange named foods that foreigners find intriguing. Black Pudding , Mince pies or Spotted
Dick are further examples that are meant to draw a foody's attention, as they will surely
surprise, but definitely not disappoint. Each meal has its own story which explains the unusual
combination found in its name . But more than that, each dish proves once again the humour
and cleverness of the British, as well as giving us a glimpse of the historical context in which it
was invented. Each dish represents a bit of the British spirit, that adores food and demonstrates
that even the simplest recipe can rise from anonymity. Even melted cheese in toast.

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Conclusion

This paper aimed to show the great diversity and flexibility that the British Cuisine
offers. Even if, throughout time, the origins of English food became a gastronomic joke, because
what is best in England has foreign marks, it is precisely this openness to foreign influences that
makes it outstanding. Nowhere else but in England is the variety of food so diverse and eclectic,
and this only goes to reinforce the saying "You are what you eat". The English people, so open to
gastronomic indulgences from all over the world are as open when it comes to welcoming
different nations in their midst. Even if the recent referendum that decided Britain's exit from the
EU might prove otherwise, the English are still one of the most welcomong spaces, Europe's
"melting pot of cultures ".
Its food menus seem to be dictated by foreigners (Indians , Chinese , Italian , French ,
Spain ). The benefit of having an empire is that they learned quite a bit from colonies . From
China they adopted tea and from India the curry .
The British cuisine is a mixture of cultures and what it makes it interesting is its
cosmopolitan nature . British dishes are described as hybrid and each one of them hides a
historical event. So to explain the current form of the British cuisine we have to consider its
history . It is easy to find out why so there is so much curry in British dishes just by looking in
the past .
Our work divides the British dishes according to their belonging and develops a work by
making reference to the history .
The originality of our work consists in gathering several cultures to explain the British
gastronomy . Each chapter deals with a different country and argues its presence in our work by
historical facts .
We also mentioned some famous British chefs because paradoxically, even if the cuisine
is not remarkable ,famous chefs exist all over the British space.

53

To conclude, we do have a wide and varied cuisine in Britain today, and after years of
people saying that British food is bad, Britain now has an enviable reputation. This reputation
has been changed since the 1980s. In fact some of the great chefs now come from Britain.
Traditional British cuisine is substantial, yet simple and wholesome. It has also been influenced
by the traditions and tastes from different parts of the British Empire.The food industry in Britain
is now undergoing major changes so we are waiting for more to discuss .

54

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