Some people in our group love English meals. They consider it comfort food -- lots of potatoes, roast meat and dairy products. So why are there so many jokes about bad British food? Maybe it's the lack of interesting seasonings, the limp vegetables, the grease, the pale french fries (or "chips") and the unassuming presentation. However, things are getting better all the time, thanks to the wide variety of immigrant groups who all seem to open restaurants; to a growing appreciation for good cooking by Brits who travel a lot; and the availability of seasonal produce all year. Some historians argue that Britain suffered food-wise more than any other country during WWII, and that a whole generation of chefs were lost. They were the only European country still rationing food in the mid-50s. When you're on a survival diet, it's hard to be creative.
The one immigrant group that far outnumbers every other and that has contributed the most to variety in English cuisine is, of course, East Indians. As our waiter told us Saturday when we ate at The Eastern Eye in Bath, there are approximately 8000 Indian restaurants in Great Britain. In fact, my British friends tell me that curry is considered the national dish of Great Britain!
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