need suggestions for British themed get together....

[avenuebalum]

I'm hosting my book club in May and we're reading "Great Expectations." I'd like to offer a British themed menu. Any suggestions, welcome but I won't cook kidneys. Maybe a hunk of Stilton and bread (or Welsh rarebit) as an appetizer, but I'm drawing a blank after that. Any other suggestions welcome.

[DonShirer]

And a British cheese board with
Cheddar or Farmhouse Cheshire;
Stilton or Shopshire Blue or Cashel Blue or Lanark Blue,
and Caerphilly or Leicester or Malvern.
I've never run into a soft Brie-like cheese from Great Britain, but that doesn't mean there isn't one among the hundreds of British cheeses I haven't tried yet. In the meantime, I'll suggest for a dessert cheese: White Stilton with Mango and Ginger.

[smartie]

there is a Somerset Brie - maybe a little milder than French brie

[Harters]

Not necessarily milder when it's served at the right state of maturity. Had some at a restaurant last week that had a superbly kept cheese trolley - and all British or Irish.

[FrankD]

I've always found salmon mousse to be a killer dish..

[pasuga]

I'd actually suggest the Welsh rarebit for a main course - the way my English parent served it was to plate one or two pieces of good quality bread/toast with two pieces of bacon per piece and a handful of sliced tomatoes (good cherry tomatoes if big ones are out of season) on each piece and then pour over the cheese/beer sauce. Total comfort food. Also easy for company because you can make the bacon/toast ahead, keep warm in a low oven, and keep the rarebit warm in a double boiler over low heat. Serve that with a big salad with a good oil and vinegar dressing and you have a nice, good, simple meal.

"Pudding" is a next step which means all British desserts. Trifle is a classic one which combines lady fingers, fresh fruit, custard and jam. (I've never made it or eaten it, but I keep reading about it.) Or you could serve Cadbury Chocolates with tea.

Princess Diana and Prince Charles' cook published a fabulous book with pictures about the food he used to make for the royal family.... some great pictures. Unfortunately I can't post a link - computer a little dicey right now - and my copy was loaned out and I haven't gotten it back, but I bet you could find it through the library. But do a google search and I I think you'll find it and maybe get some ideas.

[rockycat]

My favorite dessert is Bakewell tart but the post on breakfast got me thinking. Many, many years ago I saw "Fried Bread" on a British breakfast menu. Must be a Britishism for French Toast, I remember thinking. Nope. It was simply a thick slab of deep-fried bread. And, of course, it came with tinned baked beans. Now there's a Dickensian meal for you, fried bread and baked beans.

[smartie]

years since I've had fried bread but it's not deep fried, its done in a pan.

[soupkitten]

it's a good pub breakfast. some pubs you can also get other vegetables besides the beans-- i usually got mushrooms on fried bread when i was living in london-- i was always broke and it was cheap. delicious. i can confirm it's done in a pan, as they cooked it right in front of us at the bar.

i know it's a breakfast food, but the op could maybe play on the beans on toast thing to make a tasty starter that wouldn't be too expensive? i think it might be fun.

[Harters]

"but the op could maybe play on the beans on toast thing to make a tasty starter that wouldn't be too expensive? i think it might be fun."

Agreed. Easily done - and cheap - and delicious. Take a tin of, say, cannellini beans. Make a tomato sauce. Mix. Top onto toasted bread (sourdough would be good). Although you've then got something much more like an Italianesque brushetta than a British beans on toast.

[Harters]

"Now there's a Dickensian meal for you, fried bread and baked beans"

Well, not really. The baked beans are a very recent addition to the British cooked breakfast - and you won't see them at all on "upmarket" breakfasts (or generally in the Harters household). And smartie's right - bread's fried in the pan till crisp (and very delicious).

[rockycat]

I didn't mean Dickensian so much in terms of authenticity to the era as much as how mean and bleak a meal like that seems. I don't doubt that it can be comfort food to someone who grew up on it, but to a bemused visitor it seems more like what you eat when you can barely scrape a few pence together.

[smartie]

wow in that case I would do boiled potatoes and some cabbage water! Maybe a little stale bread and gruel. And dare someone to ask for more.............

[CreativeFoodie42]

When I lived in England, my favorite meal was definitely breakfast from the beans to the fried tomatoes (although I never did enjoy black pudding). Breakfast might be kind of interesting, even if it is for dinner!

[jhbutash]

You can't go wrong with "bangers and mash"!

[beethoven]

Marmite :)

[Emme]

my mum would approve. especially if you served a side of English peas... very different than american peas.

[Harters]

Now that's interested me. How do American peas differ from what I would just call "peas" but, presumably, you call "English peas"?

[coney with everything]

Maybe Emme is referring to "mushy peas" which we simply don't do in the US.

[smartie]

canned and frozen peas are exactly the same, must be mushy peas.

[Emme]

i'm going to call Mum tomorrow and confirm, but i believe she DOES NOT do mushy peas :)

[smartie]

ah there are also marrow fat peas - which are really big tinned peas.

[Emme]

yup http://www.englishteastore.com/bamape... marrowfat peas are the ones that mum loves. they're not as sweet as garden or english peas. she's not a big fan of mushy peas.

[smartie]

bread and butter pudding is a cheap dessert.

I second cottage pie with cabbage and gravy.

[Harters]

"Maybe a hunk of Stilton and bread (or Welsh rarebit) as an appetizer".

No - either would be at the end of a meal. Welsh rarebit often figures amongst the desserts on restaurant menus these days but is, more traditionally, a savoury. But, certainly, it'd be a good way to finish the meal.

As you're short of funds (and presume you're not in the UK), then you may find minced beef to be cheaper than minced lamb - in which case cottage not shepherds pie.

[LauraGrace]

I remember a scene in a scrupulously-researched movie where the cook, preparing alternate dishes for a pushy American vegetarian, says she'll do a "Welsh rabbit for the game course." It was set in the 30s, though. Fascinating that y'all would have it at the end of a meal when I think of it as an open-faced grilled cheese! :)

[Harters]

Aww, that's a great story. As you obviously know, "rabbit" is the original name for this, but much more usually called "rarebit" nowadays. I guess people have been eating cheese on toast as long as there's been cheese and bread. It comes from the very odd way in which traditional British meals (by which I mean Victorian and Edwardian) were constructed - with cheese coming after the main course, then dessert, and the meal ending with a savoury. Other than the rarebit, it's very rare to see a savoury on menus - there are some really good ones about - like Scotch Woodcock or angels on horseback.

[bobjbkln]

For all food things British : Meyers of Keswick. Here's their Yelp link: http://www.yelp.com/biz/myers-of-kesw...

[avenuebalum]

thank you everybody. Since I am, like many people, low on funds, I must forego the oysters. I like the idea of shepherd's pie, though....thank you, all....

[heather27]

Thinking of hearty Victorian food...look up Mrs Beeton. Could start with a welsh rarebit, perhaps oysters or a nice soup. For main a steak and ale pie or a roast stuffed chicken with a selection of vegetables. For dessert anything with custard (creme anglais) bread and butter pudding, syrup pudding, jam roly poly, bakewell tart, ginger sponge - take your pick.

[leeblewb]

You could also go the high tea route. I had one for the church lady get together one time and everyone loved it. Buy a couple of china teapots if you don't have any (from goodwill or thrift stores). I offered several types of tea, crumpets, finger sandwiches etc.

[RGR]

I would suggest shepherd's pie and, for dessert, a trifle.