Comments on: Analyzing the Culinary Offerings of Our Former Colonial Overlords (with the Aid of My Comrade in Arms, Celebrity Chef Jamie Oliver)

By: OMGYeahYouKnowMe

OMGYeahYouKnowMe — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 22:49:17 +0000

p.s. you should have made fun of Oliver just a little for decorating his restaurant with “softly backlit pictures” of himself. I guess it really does take a ridiculous ego to be a top chef?

By: OMGYeahYouKnowMe

OMGYeahYouKnowMe — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 22:45:43 +0000

The British are one of the few groups that it’s totally okay to make fun of in America — we are afterall such anglophiles in general. I think you have the right of it: In the ways of food the English are infrerior to almost every place they colonized. Ahhh what justice!

By: Maids

Maids — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 20:14:25 +0000

@Brittania – I know I threw down the gauntlet with my post, but I wonder at your critique. If London, Bath and Oxford do not offer us Yanks a complete panorama of the English palate, what cities/regions do you suggest we visit on a culinary tour of your homeland? Are there culinary gems in England that are too often overlooked by touring Yanks? what is the food capital of England (the equivalent of Lyon in France)?

By: Nee Nee

Nee Nee — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:47:55 +0000

I wonder…wouldn’t some spicy heat help our colonial cousins have an easier time surviving cold Atlantic winters? Nothing says a cold winter evening more than a big helping of Vindaloo (the firey kind.) Though, I would agree that shepherd’s pie is also lovely.

NPR did a piece last spring on how the recession affected American tourism to Europe. They interviewed a restaurateur in Italy who said he was missing Americans’ adventuresome palates, as compared to his Northern European tourists. When I heard that, I puffed up my chest, thanked Obama for spreading good-will abroad, and shouted in agreement that we Yanks do have palates to be proud of.

By: Britannia

Britannia — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:29:12 +0000

I’ve lived here long enough to realize that my American friends will grab any opportunity at bashing English culinary fare- despite them only visiting London, Oxford, Bath… Did I miss anywhere?

I’ve heard Jamie’s “Fifteen” restaurant in London serves up a mean breakfast.

Oh, and I agree with you on the pub food, unless it’s non-chain then don’t bother.

By: Liza

Liza — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 14:02:05 +0000

Agree on the surprising lack of spiciness! when I was in London and went to an Indian restaurant it was not as spicy as I would have liked it to be.
Also, I am not impressed with the Jaime Oliver pasta you ordered – I would expect waaaay more. Pasta isn’t THAT hard to make look pretty and taste good!