English cooking

My father's mom would make Sunday dinner and have the family over, at least once a month. Dad said that his Mom cooked "typical" English food, it was bland. I don't remember it being all that bad, though. She had a wonderful homemade baked macaroni and cheese. The best part was the top because it was lightly browned and crispy. She served it with sliced tomatoes from the garden, it was so good. Often we had lamb, brussel sprouts, boiled onions, and potatoes. Grandpa made homemade marmalades and trifle.

Is English cookery typically bland, or was that just one man's opinion?

Re: English cooking

DM I think some people's cooking was and is bland but some is excellent

Re: English cooking

That must be it. I guess Grandma cooked on the plain side for my Dad's taste. Why he called it "English" cooking, I don't know. Wasn't James Beard an Englishman, or am I mistaken?

Re: English cooking

my lobbies is to die for!

Re: English cooking

What are lobbies?

Re: English cooking

here's one description but it can vary slightly by adding your favourite veg, I use carrots, corned beef, potatoes and onions with lashings of worcester sauce, delish!

Re: English cooking

I tend to agree about the blandness, but I was bought up on Italian food which had garlic in it. I also love Indian food which nobody could call bland. Most people I know don't use salt in their food which makes it virtually tasteless, and for me all meat with the exception of lamb tastes pretty much of nothing. I don't know if my taste buds have altered as I've become older but for me that Goodness Gracious Me sketch in the English restaurant pretty much sums it up!

Re: English cooking

Some people like spicier fare I guess, I can't say I find English cooking bland at all when done properly. Something I have found over the years though coming from the South, the further North I have travelled the saltier, sugarier and greasier some foods become.

Nothing beats vegetables simply steamed no salt or anything added, they each have a unique often subtle taste of their own, something some people don't seem able to appreciate. Not judging anyone for that but it seems sad they have lost or never had the taste buds to feel it.

Re: English cooking

I like our food - not into spicy stuff or funny bits put in a pie

Re: English cooking

I think some people are probably bland cooks. I like plain fayre. Mince, tatties and turnip and the likes