A country with a strong sports heritage, England is referred to by FIFA as the ‘home of football’. In fact, the national men’s team is considered to be the joint oldest in the world—formed at the same time as Scotland. The country hosted the World Cup in 1966 and won the tournament that same year by beating Germany 4-2 in the final.
Food-wise, quintessential British dishes are simple in their approach. Traditional dishes include the Sunday roast, pies, fish and chips and the full English breakfast. Black pudding, sausages and pasties are other prominent food staples.
English Summer Pudding
Serves 6
Ingredients
225g cranberries
110g blueberries
450g raspberries
150g caster sugar
Butter
7 slices white bread, crusts removed
Preparation
1. Place all fruits in a large pan with the sugar. Cook on a medium heat for 5 minutes, or until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat.
2. Lightly butter a pudding basin and line it with 4 slices of bread, making sure the individual pieces are well sealed together. Plug any gaps so that no juice can get through.
3. Pour the fruit and juice in—apart from approximately 1 cup—cover the pudding with the remaining bread. Place a small plate on top and a weighty object on top of that. Leave in the fridge overnight.
4. Before serving, loosen the pudding all around the basin and turn it out on a dish. Pour the reserved fruit all over. Serve cut into wedges with cream.
