Away Days in London

Since arriving back in the UK last February, I’ve been engrossed in compiling a lovely little list of some of the nicest English pubs you could ever wish to visit.

Over the years, many foodies I’ve met tell the same ill-researched tale of how bland English food is.

Well, allow me to totally disagree and let you know that English ‘pub grub’ is a delight that’s up there with some of the very, very best.

Whether it be on a cold wintery day, huddled around a big open log fire in a bar, or a summer’s day sitting in a pub’s flower-filled garden - often bordered by a small stream or river, sampling traditional English fare is a delight not to be missed.

Most know of their iconic roast dinners: lamb or beef, oven-cooked medium rare, complemented by potatoes roasted in beef dripping, along with fresh Brussel sprouts, garden peas, baby carrots and, of course, the famous Yorkshire puddings. These are all-time favourites and definitely not to be missed.

No doubt, many have also heard of the famous Ploughman’s Lunch. This traditional meal began life as a lump of plain cheese and a chunk of bread. This was the daytime meal of those like farmers working in the fields and tending the land and livestock.

Today’s Ploughman’s is a far cry from those days and now a culinary delight; a hearty plate of Cheddar cheese, Wiltshire cured ham, tomatoes, boiled egg, pickles and fresh salad. This tasty dish is a real summertime favourite of many lunchtime diners, myself included. The flavours blend remarkably well, and this colourful dish has become top of my list of pub grub.

Both of the above are suitably washed down with a pint of English-brewed cider or ale. Forget the wines when it comes to pub food.

These are amongst the ‘Mains’ on most pub menus, but of course, no English pub worth its name would be complete without serving Fish & Chips. I find that Cod or Haddock are the best, especially when coated in a crisp beer batter and sprinkled with some squeezed lemon juice and a little malt vinegar. It seems popular in pubs now to serve this smashing dish with mushy or garden peas, which also works, not for me, but it works.

Other traditional dishes like Steak & Kidney pie and Bangers & Mash (pork sausages, mash potatoes and onion gravy) are all-time favourites, and a hearty delight in their own right.

Desserts are popular in England also, but the traditional ones like Apple Pie, Spotted Dick, Eton Mess or Bread Pudding appear to have given way to the likes of Tiramisu and Creme Brûlée…

The ambience and warm feeling of comfort and friendliness in English pubs is also something that I find intriguing and have not experienced elsewhere around the world.

I guess that’s what makes them so famous and popular...