Very British Dishes You Need To Try

When it comes to food, the UK has both weird and wonderful concoctions on offer. Whether you want comfort food, something fancy, or a takeaway to end a night out, you can’t deny that Britain knows its stuff when it comes to grub.

This is why we have our own fortnight of celebrating the food of the UK. British Food Fortnight (September 23 to October 6th) is all about enjoying the best foods in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, whether it’s local ingredients, regional favourites or food traditions.

We thought it was also the perfect opportunity to celebrate all things British when it comes to food, including some of the dinnertime habits the rest of the world might find a little bit weird. To celebrate the fortnight, here are some of the foods that make the UK what it is:

It’s not just the rest of the world that might find this a bit of an odd combination, as there is a bit of a north and south divide about it in the UK too. The north of England loves its gravy, making it the perfect thing for pouring over chip shop chips. Throw some grated cheese on there and you’re apparently onto a winner – at least if you’re in Yorkshire.

Yes, this really is a thing. Not only is it real, cullen skink is also absolutely delicious. This Scottish dish is a soup made of smoked haddock and it is just the thing on a cold day. Super creamy, filling and ideal for a touch of everyday decadence, cullen skink is much better than the US’ chowder – which is definitely a pale imitation.

What could be better than having a dessert at the ready to follow your main? How about your dinner and pudding being housed in the same piece of pastry so you can go seamlessly from one to the other?

This is exactly what the Bedfordshire Clanger allows you to do, as one end is full of meaty – or veggie – goodness, while the other is filled with fruit. Don’t worry, the two don’t have to mix as you can employ a pastry divider, allowing you to enjoy both sides quite happily.

To be fair, the whole world seems to find our obsession with putting anything on toast – from cheese to spaghetti hoops – a little bit weird, but beans are what really gets them scratching their heads. Maybe it’s the fact that we can enjoy beans on toast for breakfast, lunch and dinner – although probably not all on the same day. Of course, it could be the whole topping your beans with tomato ketchup or brown sauce that gets them wondering what we’re doing.

For some, this is the meal to end a night on the town with. For others, it’s the perfect option when eating out at a restaurant. Either way, there’s no denying that the Middlesbrough parmo is one of the UK’s many food wonders.

If you’ve never had a parmo, it’s breaded chicken topped with bechamel sauce and melted cheese, and needs to be served with chips and salad. We have it on good authority that garlic dip is the proverbial cherry on top of this particular dish.

Who doesn’t want a pie served up with fish heads poking out the top? Sounds appetising. But this is exactly what you get with this Cornish dish – you might want to stick with a pasty if you’re squeamish.

While it may look a bit weird, there is actually a reason for the unusual presentation, namely that the oils from the fish are better able to infuse the pie and improve the flavour.

just found out Americans don't have stargazy pie. wtf. where do you put all your disgusting whole fish that haven't been cleaned at all?? pic.twitter.com/dwatGaoHrH

— jitka (@jitka) July 10, 2017

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a single recipe for scouse, as this Liverpudlian dish changes depending on who is making it and what they have to hand. The flavourful stew features meat and vegetables – which ones totally depends on you – and is the ideal choice for feeding a lot of people, or using up all the odds and ends in your fridge.