# ISO ideas for "English" meal/dessert.



## Cherry-Rasberry (Feb 7, 2012)

Hi! I’m new to this forum. I’m a French student and I would like to do a meal typically English, when my friends will go at home. I would introduce some culinary specialties from England to them. Have you got an idea of dish and of dessert?  I would like recipes, easy does it and cheap.  We will be 6 persons.


Thanks!


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## salt and pepper (Feb 7, 2012)

Fish & chips with malt vinegar.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Feb 7, 2012)

Cornish Pasties;
Make a basic pastry dough with 6 cups of all purpose flour, and about 2 cups of lard or shortening, and 3 tsp. salt.  mix with pastry cutter, or finger tips until the fat and flour combine to make little pea-sized nuggets of dough.  Add more flour or fat as needed to achieve this consistancy.  When the dough has reached the pea-gravel stage, add 6 tbs. ice water and form into 6 equal balls.  Place these into the refrigerator to rest.

Peel six potatoes and 2 rutabeggas (sweades), and two onions, then dice into small cubes, as for a hash.  Season with salt and pepper and a tablespoon of garlic powder.

Dice 1 1/2 pounds of beef chuck.  Combine the meat and vegetables together in a large bowl.  Toss with spoon to mix.

Flour a working surface and roll out 1 dough ball until it makes a thin and round crust.  Place 1/2 cup of the filling onto one side of the crust.  Fold the crust in half and roll the edges toward the center, pinching as you roll.  Do this with all of the dough until you have made 6 pasties.  Bake at 375 dgrees F. for 1 hour.  Remove and serve with beef gravy.

Or, you could always make your freinds some gruel.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Addie (Feb 7, 2012)

I had a pastie at a pub/restaurant that was owned by two men from Scotland. It was delicious. It is in Vermont. I went there a few times and each time I had something different. I was never disappointed. True English pub fare. To bad my first husband wasn't alive to enjoy it. He was from Cockermouth, England in the Lakes District. He always talked about the food he ate as a child. Thanks for the memory.


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## SharonT (Feb 7, 2012)

Fish & Chips mentioned above is a great choice, IMO.
Shepherd's Pie is easy and fairly inexpensive.  
English Trifle for dessert?
Use the search feature at the top right of the page to find recipes.  Meanwhile, I have a good one for English Trifle and will post it.


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## SharonT (Feb 7, 2012)

See also:  English Toffee Dessert (easier than the trifle).


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## Cherry-Rasberry (Feb 7, 2012)

[FONT=&quot]Thank you very much[/FONT] Chief Longwind Of The North[FONT=&quot]  ! I didn’t know the Cornish pasties, I’m looking an image of this dish, and that looks very nice. Along, the recipe seems to me easy to make. I will make this recipe most probably. Thanks![/FONT]


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## Cherry-Rasberry (Feb 7, 2012)

I hesitate between fish and chips and cornish pasties. And you, which one do you prefer?


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## Cherry-Rasberry (Feb 7, 2012)

*Thanks !*

Thank you very much everybody, for yours ideas and yours councels !


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Feb 7, 2012)

I prefer to eat freshly caught brook trout, cleaned and dredged in unseasoned flour.  Then pan fry in a couple in a couple inches of oil, until golden brown on both sides, and salt.  Serve only with properly cooked, home made french fries (chips), and a bit of ketchip.  I'm not crazy about heavy batters on my fish.  I want the skin crispy and light, with the tails to be eaten like potato chips.

Most fish & chips that I've had were heavily battered, usually with a beer batter, and were sometimes soggy with grease.  A good battered piece of fish is something I can enjoy.  But I won't go out of my way to find it.  I was spoiled living next to the greates lake of them all, Lake Superior.  And my dad could fry trout like only his father before him could.

Now pasties, the ingredients are easier to come by, and are absolutely deliscious.  I make them often enough.  So for this dinner that you are making, if it were me, I'd be making pasties.  Plus, some people just aren't crazy about fish. I've met a good number of people that don't like fish.  I've never met anyone who doesn't like pasties.  The pasties are a safer pick.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## jennyema (Feb 7, 2012)

Roast Beef and Yorkshire pudding is really easy


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## Cherry-Rasberry (Feb 7, 2012)

Thanks for yours ideas ! Between the English Trifle and the English Tofee Dessert, what is the dessert the most popular ?  


SharonT said:


> Fish & Chips mentioned above is a great choice, IMO.
> Shepherd's Pie is easy and fairly inexpensive.
> English Trifle for dessert?
> Use the search feature at the top right of the page to find recipes.  Meanwhile, I have a good one for English Trifle and will post it.


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## Dawgluver (Feb 7, 2012)

Hmm.  Why not both?

Steak and kidney pie was popular when I went to London.  I didn't care for the kidney part, but the rest was good.

Two Fat Ladies had a marvelous cooking show, with lots of great ideas.  Google them.  They were on Food Network, as I recall, and should have some stuff on YouTube.


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## Cherry-Rasberry (Feb 7, 2012)

I have to leave, because tomorrow I will have classes very early. But tomorrow afternoon, I will answer to you. Thanks ! You have given me very good ideas!


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## buckytom (Feb 7, 2012)

hmm, it seems we have no anglophiles about.

oddly enough, THE most popular dish in england is curry chicken, tikka masala being the most common.


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## SharonT (Feb 7, 2012)

Cherry-Rasberry said:


> Thanks for yours ideas ! Between the English Trifle and the English Tofee Dessert, what is the dessert the most popular ?


 
The trifle is probably more authentic as far as having a dessert of distinctly English origin (maybe?).  The other dessert is probably called English Toffee Dessert because the Toffee is English... not the dessert.     It is very easy to do, though, and incredibly good.


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## SharonT (Feb 7, 2012)

buckytom said:


> hmm, it seems we have no anglophiles about.
> 
> oddly enough, THE most popular dish in england is curry chicken, tikka masala being the most common.


 
huh. I wouldn't say no anglophiles... The guy (or gal) has gotten several responses. He might confuse his friends my presenting tikka masala as a culinary specialty from England.


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## buckytom (Feb 7, 2012)

all of the previous respinses were good. i'm sorry you were offended, sharont. 
i was pointing out that they were more of an american view of english food.

where's bolas or tatt when you need them?


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## SharonT (Feb 7, 2012)

buckytom said:


> all of the previous respinses were good. i'm sorry you were offended, sharont.
> i was pointing out that they were more of an american view of english food.
> 
> where's bolas or tatt when you need them?


 
Nah, nah -- not offended.   Just wanted credit for my fabulous (American) English Trifle... and all those hours watching Upstairs, Downstairs and Downton Abbey. 

>>where's bolas or tatt when you need them?
        where indeed.


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## chrisbrooks (Feb 7, 2012)

*Sticky Toffee*

I think you might be referring to sticky toffee pudding. 

Another great and easy traditional pub dish is bangers and mash. Simply sausages, mashed potatoes and usually served with peas.


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## SharonT (Feb 7, 2012)

chrisbrooks said:


> I think you might be referring to sticky toffee pudding.



Is that the same thing as Treacle Tart?   I only know about that from Harry Potter.


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## Cherry-Rasberry (Feb 8, 2012)

I have chosen the meal’s menu. I will make the Cornish pasties, and the English Toffee Dessert. I think I will make others recipes next time. Thanks to you, I know some English specialties, other than the Fish and Chips, the English dish the most famous. 
  I look for English activities too, that we can do with my friends. In England, how do you liven up a meal? I would like to have yours counsels so that my party on the English theme is a success.


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## Greg Who Cooks (Feb 8, 2012)

Cherry-Rasberry said:


> In England, how do you liven up a meal? I would like to have yours counsels so that my party on the English theme is a success.



Okay I'm from California/US and haven't been to England, but I'd suggest you discuss the Royal family! Guessing from English tabloid newspapers that's probably a favorite topic in England. 

You will serve English tea, right?


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## buckytom (Feb 8, 2012)

Cherry-Rasberry said:


> In England, how do you liven up a meal?


 
invite the french, german, and irish...


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## Cherry-Rasberry (Feb 9, 2012)

It's a good idea to discuss the Royal family ! I have chosen to do a quiz about the English personality too.




Gourmet Greg said:


> Okay I'm from California/US and haven't been to England, but I'd suggest you discuss the Royal family! Guessing from English tabloid newspapers that's probably a favorite topic in England.
> 
> You will serve English tea, right?


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## Cherry-Rasberry (Feb 9, 2012)

For my party, I have planed the meal, the activities and I would like to do the table decoration, on the English theme. Have you got ideas?


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## buckytom (Feb 9, 2012)

when doing a country's theme, flags are common. you could do the 3 flags of england, with the union jack in the center showing the overlapping stripes of st. george, st. andrew, and st. patrick.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Feb 25, 2012)

So how did the party go?  We all want to know.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Gravy Queen (Mar 9, 2012)

Sorry am too late probs with the advice but here I am anyway. 

Fish and Chips is ok, not cooked that much I would say at home, its more of a take away treat, you get it from the chippy. Fine to cook at home if you want to though. 

Someone mentioned Roast beef and yorkshire pud, excellent.  A proper english roast dinner would be beef or lamb (can be chicken if you want), with roast potatoes, vegetables and of course gorgeous gravy (but enough about me).  

Other main meals are the likes of Shepherd Pie, Cottage Pie, Toad in the Hole, Bangers and Mash (and gravy), Liver and Onions, Steak and Kidney Pudding.

Pudding would be yes, trifle, not familiar with a toffee dessert though, sherry trifle is more english, steamed pudding with custard (such as jam roly poly or spotted dick), apple pie with custard, bakewell tart, rice pudding, wobbly jelly and ice cream. 

Table decorations - well the union jack of course, the more the merrier. As its the Queens diamond jubilee this year you can buy lots of lovely flag waving stuff. 

Entertainment ? Lordy give me a glass of wine and I'll entertain you.  Anything really, we like a jolly old sing song and a bit of a boogie oogie oogie.

Much as we love our traditions and we do eat all this stuff, but we embrace all foods and cultures.  I personally love italian, indian, chinese and jamaican cuisine. 

Looking forward to your feedback!


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## Greg Who Cooks (Mar 9, 2012)

Gravy Queen said:


> Other main meals are the likes of Shepherd Pie, Cottage Pie, *Toad in the Hole*, Bangers and Mash (and gravy), Liver and Onions, Steak and Kidney Pudding.



It's always so much fun to discuss cooking with folks and get exposed to new foods and cuisine I haven't tried. I Googled Toad in the Hole and came up with the following delicious looking recipe:


> *Classic English Toad-in-the-Hole*
> by Elaine Lemm, About.com Guide
> 
> No other British dish shows the British idiosyncrasy of calling a savory  dish a pudding than Steak and Kidney Pudding. A Steak and Kidney  Pudding recipe may at first look a little daunting, but don’t be put  off, it is actually quite straightforward and all the efforts are well  worth it.
> ...


One  thing that surprised me a bit, thinking of how you make Yorkshire  Pudding, I'm a bit surprised that some of the grease from browning the  bangers wasn't stirred into the batter before pouring it over the  bangers and baking the result.


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## Gravy Queen (Mar 10, 2012)

Oh yes Toad in the Hole is lovely. I do Delia Smiths recipe with a delicious onion gravy.  Stick to your ribs stuff.

Had second thoughts on the decorations. No flags. Nay nay and thrice nay.

Would use flags for a party theme or a barbecue.

For a meal though, we need decorum , elegance and finesse. A beautifully laid table, I would either go for crisp white linen or perhaps a damask table cloth with napkins (in proper napkin rings mind). Best china, best wine glasses and polished cutlery.  Or, for a pretty old fashioned "vintage" look, florals as in a Cath Kidson style, sort of 50's retro. Very popular now.

Happy Cooking !


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## jonnyjonny_uk (Mar 10, 2012)

Gravy Queen said:


> For a meal though, we need decorum , elegance and finesse. A beautifully laid table, I would either go for crisp white linen or perhaps a damask table cloth with napkins (in proper napkin rings mind). Best china, best wine glasses and polished cutlery.  Or, for a pretty old fashioned "vintage" look, florals as in a Cath Kidson style, sort of 50's retro. Very popular now.
> 
> Happy Cooking !



Or in true English style down to the local curry house for chicken tikka masala, pilau rice, naan and a bhajee, washed down with Kingfisher lager

Seriously though:-

Bangers and mash
Roast dinner(Meat,potato,veg and gravy)
Pies and pasties
Steak & Ale Pie
Fish & Chips
Toad in the hole
English breakfast(won't get much more traditional than that)
Ploughmans lunch
Bread & Butter pudding
Rhubarb crumble
Bakewell tart
Lancashire hot pot
Pie and mash
Cumberland sauage
Beef cobbler
Beef Wellington
Gypsy tart


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## Gravy Queen (Mar 10, 2012)

Nice one Jonny. How could I forget Lancashire Hot Pot !! Me a good northern lass an all!!


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## jonnyjonny_uk (Mar 10, 2012)

Gravy Queen said:


> Nice one Jonny. How could I forget Lancashire Hot Pot !! Me a good northern lass an all!!



Tut tut GQ...................It's still early so I'll let you off

I only remember so many because I crave most of them Still, I've got around to being able to create most of them after sourcing all the ingredients here.


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## Gravy Queen (Mar 10, 2012)

Rookie mistake Jonny old chap. Put me in detention next time


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