LCC Broadcast News Room

British Traditional Foods 

You may already have several ideas about typical British food, but the most popular dish in England at the moment is... curry! 

British food has traditionally been based on beef, lamb, pork, chicken and fish and generally served with potatoes and one other vegetable.

Jellied eels are a traditional dish from the East End of London. As the name suggests, jellied eels are stewed eels in a spiced jelly that is made from the stewing juices.

It's a food that is sold by street vendors, although it can more usually be found in 'pie and mash' shops, and can be bought throughout London and Essex due to the migration of the East London population.

It is commonly eaten with another East End delicacy, 'pie, mash and liquor' - which used to be made with eel fat. Beef or lard is more common nowadays.

This dish, either delicious or disgusting, depending on your point of view, finds its roots in the muddy Thames estuary, which is a good habitat for eels.

They were easy to catch locally, and it was easy to keep them alive in barrels for long enough to bring them to market, so the supply was easier than that of other kinds of fish.

They were common, cheap and easily transportable, making them a favourite in the East End. Unlike oysters, which were once a cheap and common sight in the East End, jellied eels haven't gained a widespread popularity.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_cuisine