Food
Lots have people have asked what the food is like here, and what I've been eating, so here you have it...
I'm not at all what you would call adventurous when it comes to food (did you read the bit about me having a peanut butter and honey sandwich everyday since who knows when?). I had applied to go and teach in some other places like Czech Republic and Hungary, and countries like Mexico and India are also on the Fulbright Teacher Exchange program. If I had been placed in one of those countries, I probably would have been much more anxious and cautious about food, but I wasn't nervous at all about the food here in England, and it has been great!
The food is not all too different: there are hamburgers, hot dogs, french fries (chips), pizza, etc. There is fruit and vegetables galore, and I was even able to find okra that was grown in Jordan. There is not as much Mexican food, but there is some, and there are lots more Indian restaurants. They actually eat baked beans a lot, and the beans are often included in a large traditional English breakfast. There is a much wider array of meat, as it is common to see duck and rabbit on the menu which is much more rare at home, and there are SO many types of sausages!
And course there is fish and chips. We in the south now how to fry our catfish, and in all honesty, this isn't too different, but there is something about fish and chips.... Perhaps it is the fact that it comes in a cardboard box covered with chips (french fries) and doused with salt. When I was in New Zealand, one of the families I lived with had fish and chips every Friday. It was never the actual food that was the fun part of the evening, but rather the experience of it all. The fact that we walked to the corner to pick up fish that was given to us wrapped up in newspaper and then lined the coffee table with newspaper, spreading all of the fish and chips around and then dotting the table with mounds of ketchup.
The food I'm enjoying the most here though are meat pies. I know that doesn't really sound appetizing, but stop and let it settle for a minute. It is meat and gravy inside a pie crust (not a cookie-crumble, more like a crescent roll). Really, I mean how could that ever be bad? Many a nights for dinner, I will have a meat pie from the grocery store and a salad (to have something somewhat healthy).
I'm really enjoying the food, and haven't found much to miss as I'm able to find most of it here, but I guess one of these days I'll have to learn how to make a meat pie so I can continue to enjoy them after I return home!
I'm not at all what you would call adventurous when it comes to food (did you read the bit about me having a peanut butter and honey sandwich everyday since who knows when?). I had applied to go and teach in some other places like Czech Republic and Hungary, and countries like Mexico and India are also on the Fulbright Teacher Exchange program. If I had been placed in one of those countries, I probably would have been much more anxious and cautious about food, but I wasn't nervous at all about the food here in England, and it has been great!
The food is not all too different: there are hamburgers, hot dogs, french fries (chips), pizza, etc. There is fruit and vegetables galore, and I was even able to find okra that was grown in Jordan. There is not as much Mexican food, but there is some, and there are lots more Indian restaurants. They actually eat baked beans a lot, and the beans are often included in a large traditional English breakfast. There is a much wider array of meat, as it is common to see duck and rabbit on the menu which is much more rare at home, and there are SO many types of sausages!
And course there is fish and chips. We in the south now how to fry our catfish, and in all honesty, this isn't too different, but there is something about fish and chips.... Perhaps it is the fact that it comes in a cardboard box covered with chips (french fries) and doused with salt. When I was in New Zealand, one of the families I lived with had fish and chips every Friday. It was never the actual food that was the fun part of the evening, but rather the experience of it all. The fact that we walked to the corner to pick up fish that was given to us wrapped up in newspaper and then lined the coffee table with newspaper, spreading all of the fish and chips around and then dotting the table with mounds of ketchup.
The food I'm enjoying the most here though are meat pies. I know that doesn't really sound appetizing, but stop and let it settle for a minute. It is meat and gravy inside a pie crust (not a cookie-crumble, more like a crescent roll). Really, I mean how could that ever be bad? Many a nights for dinner, I will have a meat pie from the grocery store and a salad (to have something somewhat healthy).
I'm really enjoying the food, and haven't found much to miss as I'm able to find most of it here, but I guess one of these days I'll have to learn how to make a meat pie so I can continue to enjoy them after I return home!
I'm missing pork pies here in the US. Have you tried one? If not, ask someone reliable to direct you towards a reputable outlet. Local / independent butchers are usually a good bet. I'm glad to hear that you seem to like the beans - they're a great part of the Full English breakfast. Henry, Colorado
ReplyDeleteI haven't had a pork pie yet, but I will be on the lookout for one! Thanks for the tip!
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