Traditional English Cuisine - Past and Present
It is probably premature to talk about the direct dependence of linguistics and phonetics on foods used in food - I did not find any intelligible scientific research on this topic. But traditional national cuisine, as an important part of the general national culture, undoubtedly affects all of its (culture) aspects, including the development of the language. Therefore, the appearance of a “culinary” article on this blog is quite natural.
The main factors that shaped the traditional cuisine were the island position of England and the culinary preferences of numerous conquerors - from Roman legionnaires and North Germanic tribes to the harsh knights of William of Normandy.
Fish and seafood, meat of game and livestock, bread and cheese, vegetables and fruits - these are simple and satisfying ingredients that have been the daily diet for many centuries.
Unlike continental cuisine with its many sauces, seasonings, complex flavoring bouquets, the British always preferred the natural taste and smell of fresh food. Proof of this is the cookbook "Forme of Cury", written in the 14th century by the chef of King Richard II.
Along with the transformation of England into the British Empire, "culinary ideas" from China, India, and North America began to influence national cuisine.
Fried potatoes with fish became the island's hallmark, as did "Sunday Sundries" (mashed potatoes accompanied by fried meat - beef, lamb, pork, or chicken).
A variety of pies with meat and fish filling are very popular: “Shepherd's” (minced meat with sage and onions in pastry), “Beef Wellington” (a whole piece of beef tenderloin, baked in puff pastry), chicken pie with mushrooms, etc.
The goose of the Christmas dinner, traditional from the time of Dickens, was replaced after the Second World War by a roast turkey.
English sausages are most often made from fresh meat (unlike smoked and dried mainland sausages). Sometimes the stuffing for sausages is game - venison and wild boar meat.
Of the seasonings, the most famous are tomato sauce, horseradish, English mustard, Worcestershire sauce, malt vinegar. Various varieties of local cheeses are popular - Cheddar, red Leicester, spicy Cheshire.
The basis for soups and sauces are vegetable and meat broths.
Fish and seafood are characteristic components of the island cuisine. In the coastal cities, numerous fish markets still sell freshly caught mollusks, crab, shrimp, mussels, and various varieties of commercial fish.
The British are big lovers of a variety of desserts. Their daily menu includes familiar sweet puddings and muffins, fruit and berry pies, creams and dried fruits with nuts.
Drinks popular in Britain are an extensive topic that requires a separate article.
It is interesting that the person whose name is most often associated with English cooking did not have anything to do with the high art of cooking. Of course, this is the world famous John Montague, 4th Earl of Sandwich (1718 - 1792), who is undeservedly credited with the invention of a sandwich (sandwich in English - sandwich).
The fact is that John Montague, who held high military and political posts of the empire (General Postmaster, First Lord of the Admiralty), at leisure liked to entertain himself with a card game in the company of his friends.
During the game, hungry, he often asked the footmen to bring him a quick snack - for example, a piece of meat between two slices of bread, which allowed him to eat without smearing his hands and cards with grease. His friends jokingly called this his habit “the birth of a sandwich,” which served as the legend for the invention of the count.
As the first lord of the admiralty, Earl Sandwich provided comprehensive support and patronage to the great English navigator James Cook.
Cook, in gratitude, named after the Count Sandwich Islands (now Hawaiian Islands) in the Pacific and the South Sandwich Islands in the Atlantic.
By the way - according to one of the persistent and popular myths, the brave and noble discoverer James Cook was eaten by ungrateful aborigines, which makes him part of the world’s culinary history :)).
Numerous television shows of recent years have made the process of preparing traditional English dishes accessible to the wide international community. In this educational field, the famous chef of Scottish descent Gordon Ramsay and his young colleague Jamie Oliver were especially popular.