Wednesday, February 20, 2013

A Full English--Breakfast That Is


You haven't experienced a "real" breakfast, until you've enjoyed a Full English. Typically, nowadays, a weekend treat or the type of breakfast you might have on holiday, it's not a breakfast for the timid. A Full English would include several basics--eggs, of course--perhaps more often fried than scrambled, like the ones I enjoyed while on holiday in Lincoln. Grilled tomato and mushroom. I had a fried mushroom that day, but it often might be small button or field mushrooms.

Fried pork sausage and Back bacon. Back bacon is the most popular bacon you would eat in England, as opposed to streaky bacon from the pork belly like we buy in the States. Often referred to as Canadian bacon in the US, it consists of a slice that includes a piece of pork loin and a piece of pork belly combined into the same cut.

It would of course, be accompanied by baked beans, usually of the Heinz variety, and if you're "lucky" a slice of fried black pudding. I say that in jest, because I've never been brave enough to try it. Black pudding is a sausage made by cooking blood with a filler such as oatmeal and seasonings until it's thick enough to congeal when cooled. Quite a delicacy in England.



You might be offered a slice of fried  (are you seeing a trend here?) bread or more often than not, toast on the side which is served in a toast rack. That keeps it from soaking up all that bean juice!


And if you're staying in a fancy-schmancy hotel like we were, they might even offer you a croissant served with Marmite or marmalade. I'll be taking the marmalade, thank you very much.

Now considering all I had for breakfast in the US this morning was a fine delicacy here in the South that we call cheese grits, I'm wondering who's got the better plan!?!

What would be your breakfast of choice?

13 comments:

  1. Wow it all looks delish! Just found your blog and love it. We used to live in The Woodlands.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hard decision between those two choices. Being from the south I may have to go with the grits. haha
    Oh I can't believe I was so close to where you live over the weekend. You could of joined us.
    I have told them about you and your lovely blog.
    My friend Ruby has worked for a Dentist there for thirty years and loves it. Thats why we knew about the re-sale shops in the area.
    Now I am off to read about your weekend getaway to London.
    Love
    Maggie

    ReplyDelete
  3. Black pudding tastes pretty bland actually so you're not missing out! I do still love my full English breakfasts while here once in a while,but there is snobbery in Britain with black pudding, and the general rule is that it's for the lower classes - or 'northerner s ' ( I'm a northerner) Cumberland sausages are the finest! ;) hugs Sally x

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm a definite croissant and fresh fruit or yogurt parfait type gal with a nice cappuccino! Every once in awhile I will have eggs, roasted potatoes and toast too. The Full English breakfast is definitely not for me though! xxoo

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow, that was some mushroom! I'm with Sally, I prefer the cumberland sausages to black pudding.....but you can't beat buttery grits!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Loved this post. My British husband is always trying to get us to eat beans on toast for breakfast and my boys will not try it! Also, have yet to eat blood pudding and HATE Marmite! Thanks for a good laugh this am!
    Dena
    http://itsabouttakingthejourney.blogspot.de

    ReplyDelete
  7. Where was this breakfast .... Croissant with Marmite !!!! That is an insult ... I love both .. but never together ... give me jam, marmalade or Nutella LOL

    My youngest grandaughter LOVES HEINZ baked beans with cheese ... absolutely loves them, and if you add the potato out of a baked potato (she does not like the skin) you have given her her favourite meal.

    I see a comment from a Northener about black Pudding .... never has it been a class thing , well not in the south ... we have Black pudding now and again .. we have a very tasty one from our butcher ...

    The reason the toast is in a toast rack is that it is the posh way to serve it .. and you can eat it with anything you want .. ie jam , marmalade after or with your eggs .

    ReplyDelete
  8. I was always shocked at the huge breakfast buffets in Europe. At a hotel we stayed at in Florence (that Mike recommended, I believe) the concierge referred to the breakfast as a "Reech buffet, with the "t" pronounced." That's still a part of our family language.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hi, I like your blog, my name is Marina and i live in the south of Spain. A new follower!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Fun to see the customs and try them...so exotic! My breakfast was toast with cherry preserves and chai tea...mmmm, loved it. Even oatmeal is great with me!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Pretty! This has been a really wonderful article.
    Thanks for providing this information.

    My homepage flying airplane games

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thanks for your blog. It is most enjoyable and informative. Love the great photos and stories they tell.

    My husband and I are travelling to Europe for the first time for three months from mid-May - we live in Australia. I made sure we would have some free time to do our own thing and am very interested in your posts as it opens up new and tempting possibilities to think about.

    The British breakfast looks like a bit more than we are used to here. Hint about Marmite - it is a little like the Aussie Vegemite, but not nearly as nice as Vegemite (Sorry about that cousin Brits!). I couldn't stand either for years till I learned from my husband to spread it THINLY on buttered fresh bread as a 'side' to nibble on with salad. Also nice as a light snack spread THIN on toast or savoury biscuits topped with fresh tomato and ground pepper.
    I look forward to reading more of your posts.

    Thanks and best wishes Barb

    ReplyDelete
  13. $Bacon is the token for the Bacon Blockchain Lottery a token on the BNB Chain that gives 5% of all transactions into BNB Rewards. 100 Diamond Hands share 2% rewards every sunday. The Liquidity is locked until 2032 and no one person can own more than 3% of the Bacon tokens. If you agree it is time to finally "bring home the bacon" - then take a chance with the Bacon Blockchain Lottery!

    For more information visit our website:

    Bacon

    ReplyDelete