India faced its own food shortages during the war in part due to imperial diversion of resources but, even though millions died of starvation, the food didn't end up as flavorless as the pictured dish. Some of it just comes down to taste.
Because of the massive inflow of spices in the early colonial period via [x] east India trading company, (relatively) bland food became a status symbol in many European localities. Spice (even just pepper) was a luxury item for most of European history. When the royals and bourgeoisie saw plebs beginning to enjoy it, they went back to bland foods to set themselves apart.
As a British person, I found out that the rest of the world doesn't know what "brown sauce" is when I sat down for breakfast in America and asked the black lady server if I could get some brown sauce.
I was jet lagged. I kept asking in different ways. She got gradually more freaked out by the weird British guy. Neither of us had a clue what was going on.
Yeah, the closest we get is some of our steak sauces, but even then, it would really only be brought out for steak. You could get a plate of sausage, chips and mushy peas in a nominally "British" restaurant here, and probably still get weird looks if you you asked for brown sauce. And god help you if you have a strong preference for something like the YR Sauce over HP.
Ironically enough, the English are somewhat dependent upon Irish enclaves around here for getting their fix of those sorts of things. So long as you can put up with some ball breaking, your best bet for consistently finding brown sauce is to find an Irish bar or restaurant that advertise showing GAA games. If they commit enough to be showing hurling matches, they'll probably have at least some Chef's and/or HP sauce.
Like if you tried to recreate A1 sauce from memory and your memory was really poor and you also had a lot of vinegar that needed used. That's basically it. I found it in the imported foods aisle, tried it with every intention of using it, and ended up throwing away the bottle. Not my cup of tea.
HP is nice because its intended to be used sparingly, and hence why you found it strong in the vinegar respect.
Its meant for putting a light drizzel on an egg sandwich, or a dab on a bite of steak. Its not for using in quantity on something.
In this case I'm guessing it's to conpensate for those super plain potatoes in place of herbs and butter... Not my recommendation for getting a taste of it, for sure. But HP sauce is more popular in Canada. We have A1, but I never see anyone use it.
the first recipe i looked at is mostly tomato, onion, and vinegar. but then there’s exciting shit like apples and apricots and juniper berries in there. reckon i’ll try making some!
I keep being told that their national dish is Tikka Masala but whenever I see like "regular" UK food, I find it hard to believe they like spice on anything and that whole thing is just a marketing campaign for Indian food.
this may surprise you, but the Indians who moved to the island due to the empire's surprising immigration laws prior to its end are capable of tailoring their cuisine to the palates of their colonizers. You can find some exceptionally bland butter chicken over there.
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I mean, I like beans; but could you not crisp up the potatoes a bit, or make a colcannon? Could you not buy better bread, or even lightly toast it?
That's why this looks like prison food. Its not the food, its the prep and care.
Poor choice of bread but toasting ruins the soak
I get that, hence a light toasting, crisped around the edges but otherwise just warmed.
Its not hard either... even just tossing them with salted butter and pepper would be enough.
Willing to bet that wonderbread is "buttered" with margerine to boot. Even less flavour.
If you stay ready, you don't gotta get ready.
I still like scones!
Brits love Indian food in spite of the seasoning…they prefer it because it’s brown mush like they’re used to
India faced its own food shortages during the war in part due to imperial diversion of resources but, even though millions died of starvation, the food didn't end up as flavorless as the pictured dish. Some of it just comes down to taste.
Because of the massive inflow of spices in the early colonial period via [x] east India trading company, (relatively) bland food became a status symbol in many European localities. Spice (even just pepper) was a luxury item for most of European history. When the royals and bourgeoisie saw plebs beginning to enjoy it, they went back to bland foods to set themselves apart.
https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/03/26/394339284/how-snobbery-helped-take-the-spice-out-of-european-cooking
That's like cutting your nose off to spite your face
What I don't get is the American Midwest eats the exact same foods, it just doesn't look like a divorced dad made it
Needs a pound more cheese per plate to qualify as midwestern.
Untrue, am from the Midwest and here we put all of that into a dish, cover it in cheese and call it a casserole.
The casseroles look decidedly less bachelor or "divorced dad" is all I'm sayin
googled hp sauce to figure out wtf it is
sure, why not
As a British person, I found out that the rest of the world doesn't know what "brown sauce" is when I sat down for breakfast in America and asked the black lady server if I could get some brown sauce.
I was jet lagged. I kept asking in different ways. She got gradually more freaked out by the weird British guy. Neither of us had a clue what was going on.
Yeah, the closest we get is some of our steak sauces, but even then, it would really only be brought out for steak. You could get a plate of sausage, chips and mushy peas in a nominally "British" restaurant here, and probably still get weird looks if you you asked for brown sauce. And god help you if you have a strong preference for something like the YR Sauce over HP.
Ironically enough, the English are somewhat dependent upon Irish enclaves around here for getting their fix of those sorts of things. So long as you can put up with some ball breaking, your best bet for consistently finding brown sauce is to find an Irish bar or restaurant that advertise showing GAA games. If they commit enough to be showing hurling matches, they'll probably have at least some Chef's and/or HP sauce.
Oddly specific. 🤔
It's highly relevant to the anecdote. Do I really need to explain? I'm cringing enough already and this happened over 10 years ago.
Like if you tried to recreate A1 sauce from memory and your memory was really poor and you also had a lot of vinegar that needed used. That's basically it. I found it in the imported foods aisle, tried it with every intention of using it, and ended up throwing away the bottle. Not my cup of tea.
HP sauce is so much better than A1.
A1 tastes like someone mixed HP sauce with Ketchup.
Well that's not how you convince me to hate A1. And given A1 is tomato based while HP is not, that makes sense anyway.
I really dislike ketchup.
HP is nice because its intended to be used sparingly, and hence why you found it strong in the vinegar respect.
Its meant for putting a light drizzel on an egg sandwich, or a dab on a bite of steak. Its not for using in quantity on something.
In this case I'm guessing it's to conpensate for those super plain potatoes in place of herbs and butter... Not my recommendation for getting a taste of it, for sure. But HP sauce is more popular in Canada. We have A1, but I never see anyone use it.
A1 sauce also British.
So is worstershire sauce. I cook with it all the time. Some British foods are good. Some I could do without.
It's the nectar of the gods is what it is
It is in fairness a very odd thing to try to describe. It's like BBQ sauce and worcestershire sauce had a baby sauce. Delicious on bacon.
Sounds like A1 steak sauce.
I have only tried A1 once, I don't think they tasted very similar.
Brown Sauce is amazing. No fucking idea what's in it, mind.
And it certainly doesn't go with whatever the hell that is. Probably best on a fry up.
the first recipe i looked at is mostly tomato, onion, and vinegar. but then there’s exciting shit like apples and apricots and juniper berries in there. reckon i’ll try making some!
"is british food really that bad?" "if made properly, yes."
They haven't met a meat or veg that can't be boiled. Fuck they even have boiled cakes, for Christ sake.
A wild HP potion?
La Sauce HP!!!
That looks fucking delicious!!!
All that conquering and murder for spice, only to never use it DX
Nah, London is home to the largest assortment of international restaurants in the world. Otherwise they'd have to eat their own cuisine.
The infighting is funny too. Scottish people will act like their food is better with a cup of bovril in their hand.
that's not much of a redaction job
I think it's generational trauma.
Idk where Planet X is but it sounds awful.
It's what Elon is going to name his Mars colony.
OOP is right. The culinary legacy of UK's boomers are war ration foods.
I keep being told that their national dish is Tikka Masala but whenever I see like "regular" UK food, I find it hard to believe they like spice on anything and that whole thing is just a marketing campaign for Indian food.
this may surprise you, but the Indians who moved to the island due to the empire's surprising immigration laws prior to its end are capable of tailoring their cuisine to the palates of their colonizers. You can find some exceptionally bland butter chicken over there.
Most of them are Bangladeshi
You know, I suspected that this might be the case... Bummer
Incredible