A Few Things I Learned While Sharing A Camp With A Proper Londoner

[johnnyblues]

Call me crazy but whenever I’m around folks from England I feel as if there looking down at me. As if there better than me. Maybe it’s just my accent!

 

[LivingTheDream]

It's funny, when I graduated college at my first job we had to go to consulting school and it was a 2 week training with all the global new joiners. In our first group project we had to designated roles and we designated the English guy as our speaker, when asked why, I said because he is English and anything he says sounds way more intelligent than I say with my accent...the class agreed.

 

[MAdcox]

They have #9 exactly right. Hard yolk is nasty, its supposed to run all over the plate so you can sopp it up with sausage, bacon, or a biscuit. That said, there isn't much cooking advice I would take from London. I mean you don't exactly see British restaurants around the world. Fish and chips, meat pies, sausages and bacon- excellent. Cold beans for breakfast- come on.
I did love my stay in London on the way to Africa and can't wait to do it again though

 

[BRICKBURN]

Call me crazy but whenever I’m around folks from England I feel as if there looking down at me. As if there better than me. Maybe it’s just my accent!

You're just a little shorter.

 

[jduckhunter]

They have #9 exactly right. Hard yolk is nasty, its supposed to run all over the plate so you can sopp it up with sausage, bacon, or a biscuit. That said, there isn't much cooking advice I would take from London. I mean you don't exactly see British restaurants around the world. Fish and chips, meat pies, sausages and bacon- excellent. Cold beans for breakfast- come on.
I did love my stay in London on the way to Africa and can't wait to do it again though

I wasn't talking about over cooking the yoke, that part I get. But when they talk about barely warming up the egg, using a knife to knock the top of the shell off and then pouring the whole undercooked egg over your toast, that I can't do. To each their own I guess.

 

[Art Lambart II]

Just to be clear English Colonialism was an attempt to bring good tasting food to the British Isles.

 

[MAdcox]

I wasn't talking about over cooking the yoke, that part I get. But when they talk about barely warming up the egg, using a knife to knock the top of the shell off and then pouring the whole undercooked egg over your toast, that I can't do. To each their own I guess.

Oh yeah, forgot that one. Agree 100%! I enjoyed several pub dinners and Roast Beef and Yorkshire pudding for lunch. But I think I may have blocked the breakfasts from memory.

 

[spike.t]

Ok

They have #9 exactly right. Hard yolk is nasty, its supposed to run all over the plate so you can sopp it up with sausage, bacon, or a biscuit. That said, there isn't much cooking advice I would take from London. I mean you don't exactly see British restaurants around the world. Fish and chips, meat pies, sausages and bacon- excellent. Cold beans for breakfast- come on.
I did love my stay in London on the way to Africa and can't wait to do it again though

Well not sure what you mean about seeing British restaurants around the world..... I have seen plenty American ones...mc Donald...KFC...burger king....don't think I need to go on....In Uk i have eaten in great restaurants and pubs serving top class food....have eaten in a few American restaurants in upmarket areas with upmarket prices...and found them very average..... So.....and as for the usual yank take on winning both world wars.....yeah the industrial might and ramping up a large military brought them to a faster end.....but there were plenty of other countries and plenty of military personnel from those countries fighting all over the world...... So sorry you didn't win it all by yourself...... And the citizens back in the USA had no hardships to put up with compared to other countries basically on the front line or part of it.....or occupied but still fighting in any way possible...... So yeah those statements really get up my nose....

 

[norfolk shooter]

I grew up an American Southerner, of Welsh decent. I currently work for a firm that's based in London, and have been traveling to the UK for almost 25 years. Spend a load of time there. Have become a bit of an Anglophile over the years.

What I love about the UK:

• Strong black tea with milk.
• Black pudding.
• "Flat white" coffees. Had no idea what a "flat white" was the first time I ordered it, but I'm glad I did.
• The way they use utensils, which I've adopted. Except for peas. Which I suppose is why they like to eat them "mushy".
• The history - I've been in pubs that have operated continuously longer than the US has been a thing.
• English ale. Yep, the cellar temperature, flattish stuff.
• Needling them with the whole "Happy Treason Day, Ungrateful Colonials" every single 4th of July.
• The English countryside.
• Links-style golf.
• The English people.

What I don't love:

• No First Amendment.
• No Second Amendment.
• Cricket.
• Beans for breakfast.

I agree apart from the fact that I love beans for any meal and I dont mind cricket. When I visit you chaps for the DSC I shall try to refrain from looking down my nose at anyone. I must say I do hate it when people do that to me so i try not to do it to others. But with my height its rather difficult to look down anything let alone my nose.

 

[YancyW]

Anytime they give me shit for my redneck accent, I just mention how I have to buy a new safe every couple years to hold all my new freedom sticks.

I had a great time with an English couple in camp last year in Namibia, they were a ton of fun to be around.

 

[Alistair]

Ah, Americans insulting British food. A classic.

I don't know where you've been eating in London, but to clear a few pre-conceptions nd espond to the above:

- Baked beans for breakfast are fantastic as something to dip your toast in, but they should absolutely not be cold.
- Boiled eggs are excellent, but if you can pour it out of the shell, then you're doing it all wrong. Firm white, runny yolk. Always.
- English colonialism was indeed a shameless attempt to import good food from far flung lands and, by and large, we suceeded.
- 'Cold eggs in oil'. Probably pickled eggs. Hard boiled eggs preserved in malt vinegar. An odd texture and not one I personally enjoy, but many like them with fish n chips.
- We probably are looking down on you. Uppity colonials judging our food choices, pish!
- The last one is the beer and this is one area where even you savages are starting to see the light. Light American style lager = piss water (says the bloke who brews Coors Light in the UK), proper cask conditioned real ale served at cellar temp (5-8 degrees centigrade) in the same week as it finished fermenting = ambrosia of the gods. Try it sometime, even you yanks can manage a decent imitation over there now!

As for American food, the recipes are generally pretty good, but the mass market execution is invariably one dimensional, overly processed and far too sweet. Plus your greatest food export worldwide is McDonalds, which doesn't speak well to the overall quality of your cuisine as a whole.

 

[norfolk shooter]

Just to be clear English Colonialism was an attempt to bring good tasting food to the British Isles.

And it worked. Curry is the national dish of Britain. Mind you we have managed to screw that one up to. Well at least I know what a good curry should be like

 

[MAdcox]

Ah, Americans insulting British food. A classic.

I don't know where you've been eating in London, but to clear a few pre-conceptions nd espond to the above:

- Baked beans for breakfast are fantastic as something to dip your toast in, but they should absolutely not be cold.
- Boiled eggs are excellent, but if you can pour it out of the shell, then you're doing it all wrong. Firm white, runny yolk. Always.
- English colonialism was indeed a shameless attempt to import good food from far flung lands and, by and large, we suceeded.
- 'Cold eggs in oil'. Probably pickled eggs. Hard boiled eggs preserved in malt vinegar. An odd texture and not one I personally enjoy, but many like them with fish n chips.
- We probably are looking down on you. Uppity colonials judging our food choices, pish!
- The last one is the beer and this is one area where even you savages are starting to see the light. Light American style lager = piss water (says the bloke who brews Coors Light in the UK), proper cask conditioned real ale served at cellar temp (5-8 degrees centigrade) in the same week as it finished fermenting = ambrosia of the gods. Try it sometime, even you yanks can manage a decent imitation over there now!

As for American food, the recipes are generally pretty good, but the mass market execution is invariably one dimensional, overly processed and far too sweet. Plus your greatest food export worldwide is McDonalds, which doesn't speak well to the overall quality of your cuisine as a whole.

I agree with you and @spike.t on “American food” around the world. Most people only see crappy fast food as America’s menu.
When I eat out in the US, I eat Italian, Mexican, Asian food. All of my beloved American food comes from my mom and grandmother’s table.

 

[norfolk shooter]

I agree with you and @spike.t on “American food” around the world. Most people only see crappy fast food as America’s menu.
When I eat out in the US, I eat Italian, Mexican, Asian food. All of my beloved American food comes from my mom and grandmother’s table.

Just like that, a lot of british cooking is still stuck in the post war era. However like @spike.t said there are many exceptional places in the UK for amazing british food. My partner still cooks like its 1948 and boils the crap out of everything and then says thats what we ate as children.

 

[spike.t]

Just like that, a lot of british cooking is still stuck in the post war era. However like @spike.t said there are many exceptional places in the UK for amazing british food. My partner still cooks like its 1948 and boils the crap out of everything and then says thats what we ate as children.

Lodge a written complaint ......surely in UK now that comes under partnership torture..... Must be a law against it......

 

[Chukar]

mmmmm, Scotch egg!

Beans with breakfast, yes, thank you.

I did have my head twisted in the Bahamas when I was served tuna salad and grits for breakfast. After a minute or two of mental recalibration, it was actually pretty good. Cheap and filling fuel for a day on the water.

 

[MAdcox]

Just like that, a lot of british cooking is still stuck in the post war era. However like @spike.t said there are many exceptional places in the UK for amazing british food. My partner still cooks like its 1948 and boils the crap out of everything and then says thats what we ate as children.

I was only there for three days and had no idea where to go, so I’m sure I didn’t eat much that a true Brit would advise. We went to the Red Lion pub just a few blocks NE of Westminster Abbey and had fish and chips and a couple of different pints. They also served small meat pies for starters. It was all great. We also stopped at a little pub in the country on a trip to Bath and had a great lunch. Yorkshire pudding, lamb, roast beef and plenty of rich dark gravy. I struggled with breakfast some though. I also had the best pizza I’ve ever had at a little Italian place on the Thames.

 

[norfolk shooter]

Lodge a written complaint ......surely in UK now that comes under partnership torture..... Must be a law against it......

I shall look into that one. If there isn't a law I'm sure we can get one put in place

 

[wesheltonj]

Soft food for breakfast, I guess if you have dental issues it works.

I am just glad, that I don’t have to sit next to anyone that has beans for breakfast.

 

[JPbowhunter]

This banter reminds me of the time my mate from Montana visited here in Aus. I cooked mexican for tea one night and while I was cooking away he said "man you can't cook mexican here, if you want to try real mexican food come to America".

Visiting UK last time on a part holiday part unsuccessful roe deer hunt (still eats at me) I didn't mind the food at all. And as an all grain homebrewer/beer man I loved their beer.

Still an aussie day of vegemite on toast for breakfast, chiko roll and dim sims or snag in bread for lunch and maybe an anzac biscuit if I'mstill peckish, meat pie and chips for tea with a long neck of sparkling ale to wash it down and maybe a lamington or some pavlova for dessert is a day well spent!