Latest news with #BritishFood
Daily Mail
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
American in the UK reveals the 'scary' food that's a staple in British households - but do YOU agree?
An American woman living in the UK has stirred up an online storm after sharing a video calling out the everyday British foods she claims would 'send Americans into a coma' - with one so-called 'staple' branded downright 'scary.' Paige Wester, who moved from the U.S. to Newcastle in 2024 with her British partner and their two young sons, regularly posts lighthearted videos about her UK culture shocks to her 51,000 followers on TikTok. But her latest post, filmed during a routine shop at Sainsbury's, didn't go down quite so smoothly with British viewers. In the now-viral clip posted to her account @p_west_, the mother-of-two walks through the aisles, highlighting a number of British foods and habits she finds odd, fascinating, or just baffling. First up were eggs - unrefrigerated, and, to Paige's surprise, much cheaper than those sold in American supermarkets - as she pointed the camera at a box of ten eggs on offer for £1.64. Then it was on to breakfast cereal, as she pointed out the UK's version of Kellogg's Frosted Flakes: Frosties. The tea aisle, meanwhile, was overwhelming to the expat, as she confessed: 'The tea aisle is absolutely insane to me - it is an entire aisle just dedicated to different types of tea. I didn't even know this much tea existed in the world.' Paige also took aim at the British love of instant coffee, admitting she'd never tried it before moving to the UK - and wasn't sold. Another surprise was the sheer amount of pies on offer, such as steak pies, chicken pies and cheesy vegetable pies. Though she admitted she 'loves a good pie,' she added that 'not everything needs to be inside' of a pastry. But the biggest culture clash came when she discovered black pudding - an acquired breakfast item made from pig's blood. She said: 'This is where things get scary... black pudding is a staple in most people's households. It's pig's blood. People eat it for breakfast. The fact that this packaging says "from breakfast to fine dining" is absolutely absurd to me.' Paige went on to roast the produce section too - particularly the lack of plastic bags for fruits and vegetables. She also highlighted the nation's 'love' for baked beans, though she added she will 'never get on board' with the 'breakfast, lunch and dinner' staple. Finally, Paige expressed her frustration at having to pay for plastic bags at checkout - something she admits she regularly forgets. The video racked up thousands of views and over 2,000 comments - many from Brits who weren't thrilled with the mother's take, as one person wrote: 'Lol black pudding is not a staple in most British households. The video racked up thousands of views and over 2,000 comments - many from Brits who weren't thrilled with the mother's take Another defended, 'Most people think black pudding is rank' as a third commented, 'I only know one person who likes black pudding, and we all mock him for it.' A fourth wrote: 'It is absolutely NOT a staple in British households. it can be served as part of a full English, but absolutely not a staple. I don't know anyone who has it in their house.' Another person explained: 'Our eggs aren't refrigerated because we don't bleach them, pies are a British classic stemming back many years most areas have a pie filling popular to that area. 'Black pudding isn't a staple food unless on a fry up, beans got us through 2 world wars and one world cup and tea... babes tea is the king of beverages. and instant coffee because we don't all own a coffeemaker but most own a kettle.' Another viewer said, 'They're freaked out by an aisle of baked beans meanwhile I went into a Walmart and got freaked out by the KIOSK OF GUNS,' while a second added, 'Weird to have a whole aisle of tea but in America they do that for Pop Tarts.'
Telegraph
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
British food is taking over Paris. Here's why
There are lingering stereotypes about Parisian restaurants: haughty service; the decline of its bistros; a perception there's only French food. But Paris is full of magnificent immigrant cuisines, from Vietnamese and Cambodian to Tunisian and West African. Recently, I've noticed an unexpected interloper. Wandering its streets, I've realised just how British Paris has become. Fish and chips are on the rise and British food, whisper it, is becoming sexy. There's L'Entente, Le British Brasserie and the recently opened Public House. The Blossom Arms serves baked beans and deep-fried Mars bars, while Very French Beans is a very British deli offering cakes, pies and sandwiches. Cheesemongers stock artisan British cheeses, and last weekend, a pop-up called Britpop even celebrated English wine. Chefs such as Ollie Clarke and Matthew Ong are putting English flourishes on menus at Quedubon and Monaco. 'The old cliché about British food lingers on, especially among over-40s,' says Hélène Picken, an anglophile who runs an Instagram account combating the stereotype. But younger generations are discovering that British grub is 'much more than soggy fish and chips'. The boom stems from 'a real desire to break old stereotypes. British chefs are arriving with a refreshingly relaxed approach, often focused on top-quality ingredients, locally sourced French produce and everything homemade'. On a recent visit, I challenged myself to one day eating only British food – a busman's holiday, of sorts, but an illuminating one nonetheless.
Daily Mail
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Jeremy Clarkson's 100% British food Farmer's Dog pub criticised over surprising American element
Jeremy Clarkson has come under fire for a surprising American element to his pub which punters say is an affront to its '100% British' branding. The Farmer's Dog in Oxfordshire boasts of proudly backing UK farmers with its meat like lamb and venison all reared on home soil. But while the former Top Gear star quips on his website he has 'failed' to make a simple gin and tonic British and joked he 'can't run a pub that doesn't serve avocado or Coca-Cola' it seems these are not the only features to have broken tradition. Customers have taken to social media to voice their concerns about 'spending two hours listening to American themed music'. James Milligan said on X: 'Amazing birthday weekend in Cotswolds, visited Jeremy Clarkson's The Farmers Dog which prides itself on being 100% British. 'Food was unreal, but please change the music to suit. 'Spent the two hours I was there listening to American themed music.' Mr Milligan ended his complaint with the hashtag 'notbritish'. James Milligan said on X: 'Spent the two hours I was there listening to American themed music' Another comment read: 'No ketchup, no coffee but also no British artists/music playing. Plenty out there available. 'Will be returning though, food was amazing and well priced.' The Farmer's Dog brands itself as 'more than just a British pub' with its menu 'packed with ingredients produced on British farms'. Among the food on offer is gammon steak and Ham Hock Terrine. In 2007, Mr Clarkson famously drove a car around in Alabama with the slogan 'Country and western [music] is rubbish' plastered on the side of his car which had been painted by his co-presenters in a bid to antagonise locals. The Grand Tour host bought The Windmill in Asthall near Burford for around £1m. After renovating the spot he renamed the watering hole The Farmer's Dog in recognition of his pets and his nearby farm, Diddly Squat. News of the 'American music' comes after customers' wrath was also ignited yesterday as a visitor posted a picture of her bill to the social media site after a Sunday lunch at the establishment on June 8. The hearty family meal out came to £174.04 including five roasts, some drinks, sides and a service charge. Bravely defending the price of her feast at The Farmer's Dog, the customer gushed about her culinary experience once she had made it into the packed pub. 'Went to the farmers dog yesterday, what a lovely experience,' she said. 'Very busy but once we were in the pub for our meal it was a relaxed atmosphere, the food was delicious staff were brilliant. 'Great price for 6 roast dinners & drinks. Highly recommend.' Fans were left bitterly split when an inevitable debate over the pub's prices kicked off, with a group of critics picking holes in the receipt. One said: 'Why add a service charge. You can't get your food unless they serve it and walking from kitchen to table is the same whether cost of food is £10 or £100. Why can't restaurants just price the food including their overheads?' Another added: '£7 for a pint is a bit excessive.' A third posted: 'Looks great but £24 for a Sunday lunch should include the Yorkshire pud.'
