English Food 汉译

English food has a bad reputation abroad. This is most probably because foreigners in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />England are often obliged to eat in the more “popular” type of restaurant. Here it is necessary to prepare food rapidly in large quantities, and the taste of the food inevitably suffers, though its quality, from the point of view of nourishment, is quite satisfactory. Still, it is rather dull and not always attractively presented. Moreover, the Englishman eating in cheap or medium price restaurant is usually in a hurry—at least at lunch—and a meal eaten in a leisurely manner in pleasant surroundings is always far more enjoyable than a meal taken hastily in a business-like atmosphere. In general, it is possible to get an adequate meal at a reasonable price; in fact, such a meal may be less expensive than similar food abroad. For those with money to spare, there are restaurants that compare favourably with the best in any country.

In many countries breakfast is a snack rather than a meal, but the traditional English breakfast is a full meal. Some people have a cereal or porridge to begin with. If porridge is prepared from coarse oatmeal (in the proper Scottish manner) it is a tasty, economical, and nourishing dish, especially when it is eaten with milk or cream, and sugar or salt. Then comes a substantial, usually cooked, course such as bacon and eggs, sausages and bacon or, sometimes, haddock or kippers. Yorkshire ham is also a breakfast speciality. Afterwards comes toast, with butter and mamalade, and perhaps some fruit. Tea or coffee is drunk with the meal. Many English people now take such a full breakfast only on Sunday morning.

The traditional English meal (lunch or dinner, lunch generally being the lighter meal) is based on plain, simply-cooked food. British beefsteak is unsurpassed (with the best steaks coming from the Scotch Angus cattle) and is accompanied by roast potatoes; a second vegetable (probably cabbage or carrots), and Yorkshire pudding (baked batter, a mixture of flour, egg, milk and salt).

English lamb chops, best when grilled, make a very tasty dish, particularly when eaten with fresh spring peas, new potatoes and mint sauce. English pork is good, but English veal is sometimes disappointing.

As regards fish, Dover soles are a delicacy. So are British trout and salmon. Unfortunately, they are not cheap!

Apple pie is a favourite sweet, and English puddings, of which there are various types, are an excellent ending to a meal, especially in winter.

English cheeses deserve to be better known than they are. The “king” of cheeses is Stilton, a blue-veined cheese both smooth and strong, and at its best when port is drunk with it. Cheddar, Cheshire, and Lancashire cheeses are all pleasing to the palate, and cream cheeses are to be had in various parts of the country. In Devon, excellent clotted cream is made, which goes well with English strawberries and raspberries.

But what, you may say, shall we drink with our meal? Many will say English beer, preferably bitter or pale ale, or cider. If it is real Devonshire country cider, be careful—it is stronger than you think when you first taste it!

In recent years the British have become more cosmopolitan in their eating habits, and many families frequently sit down to meals whose ingredients or recipes may come from India (curry is a well-liked dish), China, or anywhere in the world.