After the insanity of last semester, I decided that I needed more, and so planned a trip to the UK and Scandinavia over winter break.The journey began in Southampton, where I was reminded of the true meaning of love with the best homemade full English breakfast the UK has ever seen. (See my prior post for details of what this consists of).
Stuart and I then made our way to Horsham, where Stuart's mother entirely outdid herself, and prepared a Hogwarts-scale Christmas dinner with all the English classics.
The centerpiece of the meal was a free range turkey from the local butcher. Beautifully cooked and absolutely splendid with gravy, roast potatoes, parsnips, and carrots. It was great to be able to have turkey both for Thanksgiving and for Christmas!
Desert is where things got really classically English, however. Homemade minced pies with vegetarian mincemeat. Mincemeat generally consists of dried fruit, spices, and brandy. Stuart's mother used Grand Marnier which embellished wonderfully upon the fruity flavor of the pies. These were a mere appetizer to the Christmas pudding that followed.
The Christmas pudding was, like the mince pies, replete with dried fruit and nuts. Soaked in brandy and warmed by a quick flambe, this was a gorgeously rich winter desert. It was only made better by the addition of clotted cream, custard, and brandy butter.My sister Becca flew over to join us in time for Boxing Day, and soon we were off to Wales with Stuart and friends! Wales is a truly beautiful place: Rolling green hills, castles, and pristine beaches. We were privileged enough to be able to explore the countryside; visiting the Holy Wells of Gumfreston, scaling the walls of Carew Castle, and gallivanting off to Tenby.
Of course all of these adventures made us hungry, and Will's mother was kind enough to feed us! The one bit of Welsh cuisine that is unforgettable is the cheese. In particular, a cheese from Snowdonia called Red Devil. This cheese is so sharp and spicey that it makes your mouth itch and your cheeks sweat...A truly welcome experience given the monotony of Wisconsin's mild cheddars.
After our sojourn to Wales, we headed off to London for New Years. After a night of revelry with Four Tet and Nathan Fake, Becca got to have her first ever full English breakfast. (Photo courtesy of Becca herself).
"It is an awesome feeling." She said. When asked how it compared to American diner food she responded, "It's much more of a unified vision of breakfast than American diner food. The variety is more subtle and dependent on location and chef rather than the elements themselves." In terms of its healing properties, she replied that, "It's excellent for recovery after a long night out...the lack of options is great...it's like 'yes, this is what will heal you!'"
Again, I really cannot comprehend why English cuisine has such a bad rap. Sure, some of it is a bit heavy, but isn't that what one craves for their physical fortitude winter? As an objective newcomer to English food, Becca offered her opinion, "I was surprised by how different than American food it is...It really is its own distinct cuisine. There are flavors you don't find at all in American cuisine. More emphasis on the savory, which is a good thing."
