English treats -- help, please!

[mercyme]

I'm sponsoring an "England" table for my university's International Night. (I'm a professor, and I'm taking a group of students to London after Christmas). Anyway, I need to make some English/British food for this table. I was thinking scones, maybe shortbread. Is there anything easier to make -- little treats -- that you think is quintessentially British? Im worried that I'll screw up scones Thanks for your help!

 

[onlyme]

Mmmm,scones sound good and they're not as hard as they seem to make. I guess cucumber sandwiches are stereotypically English though I don't know anyone who actually eats them!

 

[MummyJo]

I eat cucmber sandwiches! They're delicious, nom nom nom.

No ideas for English Treats though - crumpets was the first thing that sprung to mind but you'd need to toast them!

What about English muffins? Nice with jam

 

[lauraemily17]

Jam tarts? Think they're traditionally British & very easy to make!!

 

[tina_h75]

don't forget a big pot of tea !

 

[mercyme]

I looked up crumpets, looks like its easier to buy them. I have a test batch of cream scones in the oven. Fingers crossed! Ooh, jam tarts -- very Alice in wonderland! This event has about 700 attendees, so I need to make at least 100 of whatever. Lots of other food, too (jamaican, Greek, puerto rican, African, German, etc etc).

In my small seminar class I do a tea, pots of yummy hot tea (loose leaf), my china cups, the works. I teach 18th century and general surveys of Brit lit.

 

[KatieB]

Crumpets, toast, marmite, jam with the scones. How about making a fruit cake or victoria sponge cake to have with a pot of tea using either English Breakfast or Earl Grey tea?

 

[smokey]

Problem is there isnt much thats typicaly british anymore as we steal everyone elses food like curry, chinese and fajitas

If you want something that is traditionaly English then thats things like coronation chicken, tikka masala (not many know thats actualy a british invention) black pudding and you have the discusting things like jellied eels or you have the inpractical stuff like english fry ups, fish n chips, pork pies, steak n ale pies (easier to do a big pot of caserole and do some mini pastry tops seperatly if your feeding a load) dumplings.
Scones would be the easiest along with soda bread, triffles are typicaly English as well

Along with the food you can put little placecards of English food trivia ie why they are called sandwiches, what coronation chicken was invented for and why, what black pudding is made from (although that could put people off trying it)

This website could be helpfull
https://www.essentially-england.com/english-food.html

 

[Chaos]

Sausage rolls! So easy to make ...

1lb ground pork, breadcrumbs, season .. mix together
puff pastry .. roll out, cut in to 12 squares, brush thinly with mustard ... add a "cigar" of the meat in the middle .. egg edges of the pastry .. seal over the meat and place seam down on a greased baking sheet, Egg wash the tops and bake at 400 for about 15 mins (or until brown)

So delish ... they will go quick!

 

[mercyme]

These are great ideas. I know what you mean about the "typical" food, we're the same way in the States, taking from everywhere & making new combos.

Ok, my scones seem good. Kinda dry, is that normal? What do you put on them? Butter, kinds of jam? Is clotted cream still around?

All the food ideas sound yummy. Can't wait to visit England soon! Except that I have to leave little buddy for 12 days =gulp=

 

[marley2580]

Is it an England table or a United Kingdom table? remember that the UK is made up of 4 different countries and all have their own traditional foods.

 

[KIALea]

OMG yes! clotted cream is a MUST i have this fettish at the mo for fruit scone, clotted cream and tiptree strawberry jam. clotted cream is most def still arround, and in my tummy right now mmmm.

They are kinda of crumbly but still moist if that makes any sense. They should be fairly easy to make (we used to make then at school) the trick is to not over kneed the dough to keep them light and fluffy...sheesh im drooling again! Real cornish scones have cream first then jam on top i believe.

The top British meal has to be fish and chips doesnt it?? We went to a wedding where the canapes were miniture fish and chips in newspaper cones and mini yorkshire puddings with cocktail sausages in (toad in the whole) what about something like this? Yorkshire can be a bit tricky to get the hang of but again its one of those tips like making sure the oil is piping hot and your cocktail sausages would be premade and just need bunging in the oven.

xx

 

[pickleuk]

Add clotted cream and strawberry jam to the scones, leave on table for people to add what they want pure butter is also nice instead of cream.

Can also make savoury cheese scones, they are great with butter.

 

[MrsPoodle]

Scones with jam and clotted cream, yum yum!! Jam tarts are also a good idea.

 

[NuKe]

victoria sponge! super easy!

 

[mercyme]

Yummy yummy!
Love the descriptions of food! Its technically an England table but anything that smacks of britain wd be great. I have to premake the food, no onsite facilities or warming pans. Our VP is from Wales, actually, so I want to do a decent showing. Victoria sponge... Ummmmm! Clotted cream.... Mmmmm. Love the desserts in england -- sticky toffee pudding! Also love getting awesome sandwiches from Pret and M & S. Am now starving.

 

[smokey]

You cant forget a bit of spotted dick

 

[KIALea]

ooooh another really simple thing to do aswell (you have to buy it becasue i doubt youl venture into making any ) Set up an english only cheese board.

Lots of jacobs cream crackers and carrs water buscuits and a big bunch of red and green grapes and cheeses such as Good old English cheddar, Wensleydale, blue Stilton, Red Leicester, double Gloucester, Shropshire Blue to name a few...none of that french stuff

https://www.stiltoncheese.com/ mmmmmmmmmm

o oh ooh you could put them on a board shaped like a map of the uk and place them where they originate from!!!??

Then give me a shout once its set up and ill fly over and scoff it all haha!

 

[KittenKat]

Welsh cakes, Bara Brith (for you VP)


Welsh cakes Recipe

8 oz/ 225g self rising flour
4 oz/ 100g butter
1 tsp mixed spice
3 oz/ 75g fine or caster sugar
3 oz/75g mixed currants and sultanas
A pinch salt
Rind of half a lemon, grated
1 large egg, beaten
A little milk to blend if necessary

Preparation:

Sieve the flour, salt and spice into a mixing bowl. Rub in the fats until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Add the sugar, lemon rind and dried fruit. Pour in the beaten egg and stir to make a firm dough, add a tiny dash of milk should the dough be too dry. Add a tiny amount at a time to prevent creating a sloppy dough.
On a floured board, roll or press the dough to approximately 1/4"/5mm thick, approx the thickness of the little finger. Cut into discs with a 1 1/2" or 2" /4 or 5 cm cutter. Or, cut into squares.
Bake the Welsh Cakes on a medium hot griddle,for approx 3 mins per side turning once, until golden brown on both sides but still a little soft in the middle. Dust with fine/caster sugar while still hot. If you do not have a griddle use a lightly buttered heavy base frying pan.

 

[KittenKat]

Bara Brith Recipe

2 tea bags
330 ml (11 fl oz) boiling water
225 g (8 oz) mixed dried fruit
170 g (6 oz) self-raising white flour
170 g (6 oz) self-raising wholemeal flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground mixed spice
55 g (2 oz) light muscovado sugar
1 egg, beaten


Preparation method
Prep: 5 hours 10 mins | Cook: 1 hour 15 mins
1.
Place the tea bags in a heatproof measuring jug and pour in the boiling water. Stir, then leave to infuse for 3–4 minutes. Put the dried fruit in a bowl. Remove the tea bags, squeezing them over the jug, and pour the tea over the fruit. Cover and set aside to soak for at least 5 hours or overnight.
2.
Preheat the oven to 160ºC (325ºF, gas mark 3). Grease and line a 900 g (2 lb) loaf tin. Sift the white and wholemeal flours, baking powder and spice into a bowl, tipping in any bran left in the sieve. Stir in the sugar.
3.
Pour in the soaked dried fruit, scraping in all the liquid from the bowl, and add the beaten egg. Lightly mix the egg and fruit together, then stir in the dry ingredients until thoroughly combined. The mixture should be soft enough to drop easily off the spoon. Add 2–3 tsp more hot water if needed.
4.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and spread it out evenly. Bake for about 1 1/4 hours or until the loaf is well risen and firm, cracked along the middle and browned on top. Cover loosely with foil for the last 20 minutes of baking if it is becoming too brown.
5.
Leave to cool in the tin for about 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. This teabread tastes particularly good if it is left for 1–2 days before eating. It can be kept, in a polythene bag in a cool place, for about 5 days.