into the wild
Reading Amy’s Blog post about her trip to Africa and all the wild game she saw, not only in the wild but also on her plate, brought back some great culinary memories for me of my own trip to the UK. Why you ask? The Brits are best known for their Fish and Chips, right?
That’s what I’d assumed too, until I arrived there in the midst of the “Mad Cow” scare. You remember that, don’t you? Back in the 90’s when some tainted beef turned the entire country away from eating anything cow for months. It may or may not have been a real danger to the public, all I know is I bought into the hype for awhile and avoided beef like it would cause the plague and 3 weeks of that time period were spent touring England, Scotland and Wales.
I have to say, I am most grateful I was there during the Mad Cow thing, because it forced me to order things I never would have considered otherwise. I had some of the best meals of my life during those 3 weeks. The medieval city of York turned out to be a culinary mecca. I still remember the meal I ate in Edinburgh. The Grenadier in London is a hidden gem.
Yes we indulged in the traditional fish and chips (served for take-out in newspaper with vinegar on the side). But I also ate rabbit, venison, game pie, Ploughman’s Lunch and haggis. We hit up tiny food storefronts and purchased Double Gloucester and Derby cheese, bread and Scotch Eggs for a picnic enjoyed while sitting on the ruins of Tintagel Castle in Cornwall. A traditional English Breakfast is not to be missed and will keep you full for hours.
It was a trip I will never forget for so many reasons but mainly because I was pushed out of my culinary comfort zone. An American forced to eat like a Brit for a short period of time. We should all be so lucky to have that experience.
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