3 foods to change someone's opinion about British food

[Flakeisanakedtwirl]

I've heard it for years, and whenever I start to believe that actually it's a myth and we've got some really decent food in the UK, I find out about some comedian or other minor celebrity who's just visited and cried their hungry stomachs around our country.

Surely we have something that people would love? As title says, if you could choose 3 foods / meals that'd hope to change someones opinion about our food, what would it be?

Obviously I have to do my own list so I think....

1. Extra mature Cheddar
2. Beef and guiness stew in giant Yorkshire puds
3. Crumpets

Noooo......Mr Whippy with a flake (aka a 99) is the best.
Although I was wrong and soft serve ice cream was invented by an American 🙁
Not sure if we invented the 99 though.....

It's lovely in summer for refreshment and sugar hit but overall bit underwhelming soft serve (which are common in many, many countries and I believe Canadian origin....)
Not a height of British food imho

There's a really good programme on the Food Channel called Adam Richman Eats Britain which highlights our foodie achievements.

Crumpets are a huge hit with the Portuguese side of the family, and they love a Terry's Chocolate orange too.

My Swiss colleagues love a Welshcake, and are happily munching through my leftover tin of Quality street at the moment.

In the last election my sister received a leaflet for the person standing for the (I think) Monster Raving Loony Party.
One of his election promises was to make a law that 99 Ice Creams should only cost 99p.
Unfortunately my sister couldn't vote for him because he wasn't in her constituency 🙁
You can't get much more British than that really 😂😂😂

Isn't Guinness Irish?

Yes. And Ireland is part of the British Isles.

You might want to ask the Irish if they agree with you.

(And yes, I know, geographically, you are correct).

Baked gammon with parsley sauce and mashed potato, 😋.

The trouble with fish and chips in France, is that they’re not chips, they’re ‘fries’. A world of difference!

Re cheese, a dd’s big wedding do was in France. Evening snacks included a cheese ‘cake’ - several rounds of different UK cheeses, base was a West Country mature cheddar. One of the caterers who came to clear up the day after was helping herself, and asked me what this fromage was - it was tres bon!

"Walking down any British high street, you can see half a dozen food cultures represented (...) That's just not the case anywhere else"

I don't really agree with that. You go to any big city in Western Europe and you'll find Italian, French, Chinese, Indian, Thai, etc. even if those aren't cooked at home.

That's not the average Tesco Express though. My local one quite often didn't even have aubergines and while the Tesco Extra had a wide variety of cheeses the Express had three or four types of Cheddar.

Irrelevant anyway as the OP is about 'British food' so whether you call them the British Isles, which many Irish people find offensive, or not, Guiness still wouldn't come under British, which is an adjective for Great Britain or the UK.

I'm not asking anyone to agree or disagree with me, or any opinions I have on historical geography.

The discussion is about how we are perceived by the rest of world, who may refer to the UK and Ireland collectively as the British Isles.

In all honesty, I have only ever heard English people use that term.

My Icelandic husband loves shepherd's pie and all kinds of British food - mind you traditional Icelandic food is mostly terrible so it's probably easier to impress them.

I think the UK has the best cheeses, sausages and pies. And simply nowhere else makes proper cider, if we can count a drink rather than a food - actually it's only small pockets of the UK that make proper cider!

Icelandic lamb is best in the world, though.

I think @InternationalColossus has nailed it, sadly.

Having said that

Scones straight from the oven with home made jam and clotted cream

A really good expertly cooked roast dinner where the meat is not over cooked. Must include roast potatoes in goose fat

Some of our best farmhouse cheeses

Rhubarb crumble and pouring cream.

Oh goodness yes

Salt marsh lamb ( divine)
Bakewell pudding

"The discussion is about how we are perceived by the rest of world, who may refer to the UK and Ireland collectively as the British Isles."

Irrelevant because the term "British food" wouldn't cover Ireland (except possible northern Ireland).

I've lived overseas for over 25 years now, I've had people ask me what part of England Wales is in, and that they thought Welsh was just English in a different accent, a dialect.

I've had conversations with plenty of Americans referring to both as the British Isles, and have even been grouped together in German language classes with an Irish guy for the same reason.

"British" people on here are actually listing Irish Stew and Guinness as "British food" aren't they? So if they are doing it, what makes you think others aren't?

Oh, I know that it is hardly very healthy but seaside rock with lettering inside is quite unique to Britain and Australia.

It's a very interesting process and a fun concept. I once took a school trip to a Blackpool rock factory where you could watch the rock being made and the children were all mesmerised. I was as well.

USA can hardly call itself a culinary powerhouse.

Right??

Oh, proper jam doughnuts. Not sure if that's a British thing but I've never seen them quite like that anywhere else I've been.

Some British people may forget Ireland is another country, the rest of the world tends not to.

Do you think anyone ever listens to traditional Irish music and thinks, oh what lovely British music? Or thinks of St Patrick's Day as a British holiday, or an Irish pub as a British pub?

Not really different for food, obviously there's similarities but you can't just say British food includes all Irish food

Steak and kidney pudding from a proper bakery

Proper pork pie from a bakery with a good chutney

Lancashire hot pot

edited:
. . . and serve them up on a cold, dark, drizzly day in the middle of a long British winter