Food! Glorious Food!

As does any capital city, London has a plethora of food to offer.  Street vendors, high end and fast food, there is access to all kinds and costs for food. The old beliefs that the UK had terrible food has been put to rest with chefs upping their game and using traditional foods and fusions in restaurants across the UK. In London, Indian food used to be the biggest focus. When I was here 6 years ago, the prevalence was Turkish or Arabian and other middle eastern foods were king. This visit I can easily say that  that there isn't a single type of food here. With a Pret a Manger and Utsu on every corner, take away food for the ever busy Londoner is omni-present. I had heard that they were going to buy out EAT--their rival. That would make them even more obvious. Starbucks is still very present but Costa and Nero take up at least every other block. There is no lack of food types. 

And some of the ice cream is getting really creative!

gelato rose

saffron, tahini and candy floss?

ice cream cone top

This particular amazing find is in The Burrough, where these amazing donuts were tempting us to near the street food entrances of the market place. Bread Ahead is who makes these lovelies...also holds a donut making workshop and is an amazing bakery and baking school. Check out more about them at this link. Bread Ahead Classes and oh--my

The Burrough Market, just like all the many other markets in London, has row upon row of food carts and stands of fresh food, fresh fruit and an amazing display of cooking on large surfaces...my favorite was the paella stand (with samples!) and this grain and the creative arrangement awaiting hungry visitors.

Fresh mushrooms festoon this display--the smell was amazing

Fresh vegetables and fruit are always present as well. I also spied this lovely display of fresh uni.

Who knew there could be so many kinds of Scotch eggs?

This line of possibilities is near The Globe and Tate right beside the Thames.

 Desserts are everywhere! Those of you Keto diet folks will despair, between ice cream tempting you every few feet to window displays of spectacular pastries, sugar is everywhere. High Teas all compete with who has the coolest and yummiest...

American Fast Food chains are more prevalent than six years ago. I was curious to see the KFC--and it is a far better food establishment here than in the states. Chicken tenders are luscious, plump and original recipe with not too much breading. Interesting sides of a fried rice, and garden salad were nice options.

I saw a lot of this franchise but... ugh! Horrible name for me!

 This is one of my favorite places to eat in London. It is a contemporary spin on Mexican food and always has the best Agua Fresca. The most recent one is mango passion fruit. They have about 7 kinds of guacamole and are all amazing. This one Melissa and I ordered with pomegranate seeds and pineapple was amazing...but we didn't catch the note about the Serrano peppers in and and nearly died. There must have been 20 of those tiny, fresh, green and HOT peppers in that dish!

Yummy!

jicama and grapefruit salad with corgette

Japanese food has really blown up around London. Besides Pret opening a zillion Utizu's there are many places to get Japanese flavors and this little fast food place had the best katsudon chicken curry I've had since I was in Okinawa!!!

I didn't pour on the curry sauce for the pic

 My favorite experiences are usually in grocery stores in other countries. I always find cool items we don't have. I have been on the hunt for banoffee cakes. I became addicted to their banana/toffee mash up the last time I was here but I have not found any as of yet. Grocery stores of course can save their cooling sections for all the take away food--eggs are found in the middle of shelves canned goods or juices. No, refrigeration needed here.

Ireland was another food experience. The ever present potato was so much a part of meals that for the first time in my entire life, I am not looking forward to a French fry for maybe...10 years.  Almost all restaurants have the same menu: a steak, a lamb dish, a vegetarian dish, a chicken "supreme", a pie of some kind (lamb, beef, etc.), a fish dish--usually cod, haddock or hake and an Irish stew. 

We did have some good meals and for Scott, the free Irish Breakfast was always a hit. At the least  this included: at least 2 kinds of bangers (sausages--one almost always blood sausage), French pastries, porridge w/ fresh fruit, bacon (which is really our ham), salami, cheese, 4-6 types of cereals,  toast, black currant preserves (my favourite!), strawberry jam and marmalade, baked beans, scrambled eggs, soft boiled eggs, fire roasted tomatoes, fresh whole fruit, coffee, tea, orange juice, apple juice, and at our last hotel...an entire panel of fresh honeycomb!

Overall, food is plentiful...drinks are a problem for this ice tea drinking girl--but coke, Diet Coke and Fanta orange are everywhere. Orange Fanta there actually has real OJ in it. I am not a fan of fizz and hate to waste calories on a drink but almost every drink I had was a soda or a juice. Juices, like in Europe, are very popular. At the end. I just ordered hot tea and a cup a ice. :) 

Ice cream is everywhere in the UK and most notable in every single block in London. Iced lollies, ice creams and gelato are everywhere.

Don't have the time to write about all the emails so I'll end this post with a Brit from Oxford...

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” 
― J.R.R. Tolkien