All My Exes Live In Texas.....

...No they don't actually. If they did that would be bloody awkward now wouldn't it since I've moved here to begin a new life away from the old one. (which was very dark and gloomy and involved lots and lots of beer and girls of no fixed abode, not really)

NO! This isn't a post railing against annoying things I have come across while here! (Sales Tax being one of them, what is THAT all about?)

People would say I would have done well during the Napoleonic Wars. I very much doubt it unless I had been in the Royal Navy actually fighting the wars with my British Pomp and Pageantry and a John E Keane score to back me up. (He did the Hornblower series, look him up!) and challenging various men to "a Duel at Dawn, sir!"

No this is about why sometimes at a restaurant when somebody recognizes my accent (and doesn't say "Hey! I LOVE Australia! I go to Outback Steakhouse all the time!" So many wrongs there....So many...) or is talking to me they look at me all wide eyed and go


"What do you guys EAT in the UK?!"

I've encountered the whole "British food is bad" stereotype a lot out here and I've probably posted about this before but this needs to be cleared up.

British food is not really known for one specific dish. I am aware that Fish & Chips, Black/Blood Pudding and Haggis get bandied about over here all the time but Haggis is a Scottish dish that is not my favourite and Black Pudding I DON'T like with my full English breakfast. Fish & Chips (Chips meaning French Fries) is equivalent to Hamburgers over here, it's our fast food.

What Americans call 'Homestyle" food is close to what is eaten in Britain regularly as a "Sunday Roast" which is a Roast Meat (usually beef or pork) Roast Potatoes, Vegetables (Usually Carrots, Peas, Parsnips and such) & Yorkshire Pudding (which is not a Dessert, it's more like what's known as a Popover)

You guessed it, America. Brits eat the same food as you!

I'm guessing that the "bad food" stereotype comes from World War II when the GI's came over, seen the bombed out, no money Brits eating Powdered Egg and last weeks Eggs and Bacon. No wonder they came home to their Sirloin Steaks and Muffins and thought "Jesus Christ! Their food is so awful!"

Then in the 70's processed food was a big thing with lean cuisines being all the rage and then there's the names we give our dishes.....

Bangers & Mash (Sausage & Mashed Potato) - Confuses Americans as to what it actually is.

Toad In The Hole (Sausage in Yorkshire Pudding) - Another delicious sounding Dish to the Americans

Bubble & Squeak (Fried Potatoes and Cabbage) - "What the hell is that?!"

Spotted Dick (A Spongey/Cakey dessert in syrup with currants) - "Oh! Hell No!"

There's more I'm sure..

Really though, the most popular dish in Britain is an Indian Curry. Chicken Tikka Masala has probably knocked Fish & Chips off the top spot.

Well.....that's it now. Rant over.