What's your favorite delicacy? We're going to assume that it's Italian, Mexican, Chinese, or Thai, right? After all, these countries are known for their delicious food and their amazing foodie cultures. But we're also going to assume that British food is probably down at the bottom of your list - and we don't blame you. While we love the pomp and circumstance of England and its rich history, the food British people eat is a little strange. And if you don't believe us, check out these strange and unusual British foods that make us question their taste buds.
Scotch Eggs
What is a Scotch egg, we hear you ask? Well, it's essentially a boiled egg wrapped in sausage meat, coated in breadcrumbs, and then deep-fried, so it's crispy on the outside but still soft on the inside. Yeah, it's weird. But it seems as though Brits love this traditional British food, and you'll normally see it in everyone's picnic baskets during the warm-ish summer months. When it's not raining, anyway.
Of course, most Americans love eggs, they love sausage meat, and they love anything deep-fried. But mixing them all together and calling it a Scotch egg just seems a little over the line.
Baked Beans
Beans means Heinz, apparently. In fact, the people of England and their taste buds love baked beans so much there's even a popular song associated with it that goes, "Beans, beans, good for your heart. The more you eat, the more you fart!" But despite the fact that this song literally tells the British public they're going to suffer from gastrointestinal issues if they eat beans, they still have them with basically every meal.
Yes, baked beans are a staple addition to people's pantries. Brits have them with their full English breakfast, on top of their baked potatoes, or on toast with some grated cheese on top.
Jelly and Ice Cream
In the UK, Jelly is Jell-O - but we're not sure if that little clarification makes this British food better or worse. One thing we do know for sure is that Brits love this dessert combo, especially when they're younger. Go to any kids' birthday party in England and you'll no doubt find bowls and bowls of this stuff. We can't help but wonder about the strange textures going on here, though.
On the one hand, you have the strange gelatinous texture of the jelly. But on the other hand, you have the icy texture of the ice cream. Does it make sense? Well, apparently it does.
Chip Butty
You should know by now that British people love their fish and chips. But while there are some Brits who are content with having a plate full of fries, fish, and the dreaded mushy peas, a huge portion of the population loves to finish off their meal with a chip butty. And if you're wondering what that is, it's essentially a whole load of extra fries popped into a buttered bun!
In fact, it's very common to have buns on a fish-and-chip-shop menu, as so many people will buy these as a side to complete their meal. We guess they just really love carbs.
Cheese and Pickle Sandwich
Look, we love a sandwich as much as the next person (who really loves sandwiches). But there's no doubt about the fact that Brits do their sandwiches a bit differently. Take a cheese and pickle sandwich, for example. To the average American, the fact that someone would eat a sandwich with cheese and green pickles out of a jar is pretty weird. But what's even weirder is the fact that British pickles aren't like that at all!
Pickle in the UK is actually a real delicacy, and Branston Pickle is a huge brand that just can't be beaten, apparently. This brand offers chunks of diced vegetables in a black, spicy sauce.
Toad in the Hole
Toad in the hole may sound like an amphibians' worst nightmare, but this dish is actually a very famous British delicacy - even if it does look like their standard beige meal. That's because toad in the hole is essentially a few sausages sitting on a bed of Yorkshire puddings. And while it sounds very strange, the Brits absolutely love this dish, especially when it's topped with gravy and served with mashed potatoes.
You probably won't find toad in the hole anywhere else in the world, so we can't help but wonder if this picture intrigues you or puts you off? For us, we find it quite intriguing.
Custard Creams
For starters, let's just take a minute to understand the language barrier here. Brits consider custard cream to be a biscuit - but it's not the kind of biscuit that we have with gravy across the pond! In our terms, a custard cream is actually cookie (but don't get us started on what the Brits consider to be a cookie), and it's a very weird one at that. After all, just look at it!
We're not quite sure what the detailed pattern is all about, but what we do know is that this English biscuit features two cookies sandwiched together with a vanilla custard. Weird, right?
Prawn Cocktail Crisps
You might know it as a shrimp cocktail, but prawn cocktail is a huge deal in the UK. Not only Brits delight their taste buds with a literal shrimp cocktail as an appetizer, but popular crisp brand Walkers (the British equivalent of Lays) has also turned this appetizer into a chip flavor. And while the idea of having prawn cocktail-flavored crisps sounds pretty weird to most people, those across the pond absolutely love them.
In fact, prawn cocktail is the 5th most popular chip flavor in the UK! And as these chips don't actually have any prawns in them, they're also suitable for vegetarians - which is a major win.
Lasagna, Chips, and Garlic Bread
If you couldn't already tell, British people love carbs - especially when they're beige! And while some Italians may be looking at this picture and cursing up at the sky, it seems as though Brits have no problem merging different cuisines together onto one plate. In fact, they love eating their lasagna with garlic bread (okay, that's acceptable) and chips (okay, that's not acceptable). Why? Well, we're not sure why.
We can only assume that the carbs in the pasta and the garlic bread isn't enough for those Brits, which is why they decide to add some fries onto their plate, too.
Brown Sauce
What a creative name, right? We wonder if they call mustard the "yellow sauce" or mayonnaise the "white sauce" in the UK? Whatever the case, there's no doubt about the fact that brown sauce is an incredibly popular condiment across the pond. The British delicacy can be found in every single grocery store, and while there are a few different brands out there, the HP brand is definitely the top dog in the brown sauce race.
Brown sauce is a very rich tomato sauce that has a hint of spice to it thanks to added ingredients - including vinegar! And while Brits do dollop it on their full English breakfasts, they also put it in their sandwiches.
Vienetta
Depending on where you are in the world, you might actually be familiar with this British delicacy. That's because you can actually find Vienetta in many places in North America - but there's no doubt about the fact that it's nowhere near as popular in the US as it is in the UK. Brits absolutely love this ice cream log, and if you go into any British grocery store you'll see various different flavors in the freezer.
Families especially love this dessert, as they can pop this thing in the middle of the table and let their family members serve themselves like an ice cream cake! So, we guess it makes sense.
Fish Finger Sandwich
Frozen foods are great to have in the freezer for when you just can't be bothered to cook, and it seems as though Brits have the same idea. They stock up their freezer with all kinds of foods, from frozen chips (fries to the rest of the world), turkey dinosaurs, potato smileys, and even some fish fingers. Of course, that's not too uncommon. But what is uncommon is the fact that Brits eat these fish fingers in a sandwich!
Yes, they sandwich a few of these fish fingers between two slices of buttered bread and then top it off with some ketchup for good measure. Sometimes they even add mayo, too.
A Crisp Butty
It seems as though the Brits and their taste buds can't get enough of butties. They will shove anything in a sandwich, and that's probably why crisp butties have become so popular! When these guys settle down for their lunch, they'll either make a crisp butty from scratch with some bread and a packet of crisps, or they'll add the crisps into their already-prepared sandwich - which is pretty weird.
Apparently, there's even a favorite crisp sandwich amongst the British public. Out of all of the crisp sandwich options out there, they love cheese and onion crisps inside white buttered bread.
Corned Beef Sandwich
Corned beef isn't too uncommon, right? Made from beef brisket and cooked incredibly slowly so it's very tender, corned beef is a common food across the globe. But they do things a little differently in the UK with their corned beef. Instead of leaving the beef to do the hard work on its own, they add gelatine to the beef to make it more like a spread. Then, they spread it in their sandwiches.
Yes, this is just another example of how a British person will always find a way to shove some kind of food in between two slices of bread. They just can't get enough of sandwiches.
Worcestershire Sauce
There's a high chance that you've heard this name before, but have you ever been able to pronounce it properly? Well, the jury is still out on how on earth you make all of those consonants sound like an actual word, but the jury definitely isn't still out on a Brit's love for such a sauce. Often called Lea and Perrins, this sauce is a rather spicy, thin sauce that just can't be explained.
What we do know is that Brits love to put this sauce in their shepherd's pie and even on their cheese on toast (which is like a grilled cheese to the rest of us).
Curry and Chips
Ben & Jerry's, peanut butter and jelly, salt and pepper... these are all things that go together perfectly. But it seems as though English people also think that curry and chips are a match made in heaven. Not only do they slather their chip-shop chips with a thick curry sauce, but when they order a traditional Indian curry you'll always find chips on the menu, too. That's just the British way.
We do have to wonder whether this choice is very disrespectful to traditional Indian culture, but it seems as though Brits won't take no for an answer where beige food is concerned.
Full English Breakfast
No list of British food would be complete without a full English breakfast, right? This is perhaps one of the most famous British foods of all time, and it's safe to say that people in England take their breakfast very seriously. A full English breakfast has everything from sausages to bacon and baked beans on the plate, and in true beige-loving form some people even have chips (AKA fries) for breakfast, too.
Every Brit has their own variation of the best full English breakfast, though. Some keep it simple with the basics, while there are others who go the extra mile with the extra trimmings.
Battered Fish
We'd like to rename British people "beige-lovers," because it seems as though they'll only really eat something if it's been coated in some kind of beige addition. And this is certainly the case when it comes to fish. Instead of eating fish as it comes, they cover their fish in the batter mix and dunk it into the fryer so it becomes all crispy. And while probably makes it more delicious, it's definitely not healthy.
Nevertheless, fish and chip shops are all over England - and 9 times out of 10 someone will ask for their fish battered. And covered in salt and vinegar, of course.
Potato Bread
You probably don't need us to tell you that potatoes are extremely versatile. They can be fried, mashed, boiled, baked, and even made into waffles! But have you ever heard of potatoes being turned into bread? Well, it seems as though the carb-lovers in England have struck again. Potato bread is extremely popular in England, even if they do have very different names depending on where you are in the country.
Some people call them potato cakes, while others call them tattie scones or potato farls. Whatever the case, these cakes are full of bread and potato - and that makes our stomachs hurt just thinking about it.
Sealed Toasties
Let's be honest; grilled cheeses are the best. There are different iterations of this iconic food across the globe, and in true fashion the Brits always have to be different. Instead of making their grilled cheese in a pan, they make sealed toasties in a toastie maker. And what makes this so different is the fact that the edges are sealed - something we're not used to in the United States!
When you think about it, this is probably a good idea. By sealing the edges, you can ensure that none of the edges spills out. You do miss out on the crispy edges, though.
Turkey Dinosaurs
Despite the fact that the UK is famous for its root vegetables and fruits, it seems as though Brits prefer a different kind of British delicacy. And you can bet your bottom dollar that this delicacy is going to be beige! Yes, those across the pond can't get enough of turkey dinosaurs - and we can sort of understand why. Like turkey chicken nuggets in the shape of a dinosaur, this food is pretty fun.
They can also be stored in the freezer, which makes them perfect for quick and easy weeknight dinners. But no turkey dinosaur meal would be complete without some potato smileys, right?
Rarebit
Yes, Brits do eat rabbit - but rarebit is very different. Although you'll mostly find this dish served in Wales, there's no doubt that its popularity has also spread across the whole of the UK. It seems as though people can't get enough of the Welsh rarebit - but if you need a little clarification, rarebit is essentially a fancy grilled cheese. Of course, in the UK they'd call it "cheese on toast."
On the bottom, you have some regular cheese on top, but it's then topped and mixed with cayenne pepper, mustard, paprika, and Worcestershire sauce. Many people then serve it with bacon and a fried egg on top, too.
Crumbles
Most people are familiar with fruit pies. After all, these delicious desserts can be found across the globe, in so many different countries. And while there's no doubt about the fact that Brits can make a mean fruit pie, they've made another dessert to rival it. We'd like to introduce the fruit crumble! Similar to a fruit pie, it has stewed fruit at the bottom. But instead of a pastry top, this has a crumbled top made from float, sugar, butter, and oats.
Go into any pub in the UK and you'll no doubt find some kind of crumble on the menu. And while apple is a particular favorite, blackberry comes a close second, apparently!