by Stephen Andrews (単語・表現リスト by Shigeri Nishide)
If you’re into* trying out* some of Britain’s traditional dishes, you’ll find lots to choose from, whether you fancy* a tasty main course or a delightful dessert. Here are some of the top favourites you’ll find served on British tables – quite a few have very interesting histories, not to mention* some very strange names!
Fish & Chips
Probably the most popular British dish. Wherever you go, you’ll find a fish & chip shop, often called a chippie. Possibly the first takeaway ever, fish & chips used to be served to go, wrapped in old newspapers. Fish & chips are great to eat by the seaside – just watch out for* hungry seagulls!
Curry
So what is curry – a traditional Indian dish – doing* in a list of British food? Well, since it was introduced to Britain by people from India and Pakistan in the 1960’s, the British have taken curry to their hearts* (and stomachs). In fact, people often joke that it is now Britain’s national dish! Brits have even taken to serving it with chips, so don’t be surprised to see curry & chips on a menu.
Bangers & Mash
Also known as sausages and mash, this dish consists of sausages and mashed potato, often accompanied with peas and gravy. It can usually be found on a menu in most pubs across the country, or you can make it very easily at home. Why ‘bangers’? Because of the way sausages sometimes make loud noises when they’re frying!
Full English Breakfast
A full English breakfast is a great way to start the day! It usually includes: bacon, sausages, eggs, baked beans, toast, mushrooms, tomatoes, hash browns and black pudding*. It’s called ‘full’ not just because it contains a lot of food, but, if you can manage to finish it, your tummy will be very full!
Sunday Roast
British people love their Sunday roast dinners. This is roasted meat (beef, chicken, lamb or pork), roast potato, Yorkshire pudding*, stuffing, vegetables (usually a selection of: roast parsnips, Brussels sprouts, peas, carrots, beans, broccoli and cauliflower) and gravy. It’s called a Sunday Roast because people put it in the oven to cook, while they went to church on Sunday – also called the ‘Sabbath’.
Toad in the Hole
Sausages baked in Yorkshire pudding batter*, served with gravy and vegetables. Don’t worry, it’s not actually made with a real toads*! But its name may refer to the way toads wait for their prey in their burrows*, making their heads visible in the earth, just like the sausages peep through* the batter.
Shepherd’s Pie/Cottage Pie
Made from meat and veg with a potato topping. These two dishes are very similar; the only difference is the choice of meat used in the dish. A shepherd’s pie is called that because it uses lamb – and a shepherd looks after sheep. In cottage pie you use beef – the name cottage pie was first used in the 18th century, when people who lived in farm cottages began cooking with potatoes.
Bubble & Squeak
A British breakfast dish made from leftover potatoes and cabbage. The dish is so named because the cabbage makes bubbling* and squeaking* sounds during cooking.
Cornish Pasty
Seasoned meat and vegetables wrapped in a pastry crust*. Originally made in Cornwall, it was popular with local miners who could carry the pasty easily in their pocket when they were working in the area’s tin mines.
And for afters….
Have you got room* for a mouth-watering British pudding*? Then try these delicious desserts.
Apple Pie & Custard
Usually made with beautiful English-grown Bramley apples, sliced and baked in pastry and served with lashings of* custard – another British favourite.
Jam Roly-Poly
Jam roly-poly was probably first created in the early 19th century. Originally, it was called ‘shirt-sleeve pudding’, ‘dead man's arm’ or ‘dead man's leg’ because of the way it looks. It is a flat-rolled suet pudding, which is then spread with jam and rolled up, similar to a Swiss roll, then steamed or baked.
Spotted Dick
Not someone called Dick who has spots! Spotted dick is made with suet and dried fruit and often served with custard, similar to make a sponge pudding or cake. The raisins, when cooked, stand out like dark spots.
Bread & Butter pudding
Invented as a way of using up old bread. It is made by layering slices of buttered bread scattered with raisins in an oven dish, over which an egg custard mixture is poured. This is made with milk or cream and normally seasoned with nutmeg, vanilla or other spices.
Eton Mess
Believed to originate from Eton College, the boys’ public school near London, and served at the annual cricket match against Harrow School. Eton mess consists of a mixture of strawberries, meringue, and whipped cream – which, when they’re served together, can look a bit of a mess!
単語・表現リスト:
本文に説明がないもの（*がついている）
be into : 興味がある、好き、凝っている
try out : 試してみて、良い（好き）かどうか判断する
fancy : wantと同じ意味。特にイギリス英語でよく使われる
not to mention … : 追加情報を加えるときに使う表現
watch out for … : 何かに注意を払う（本文は、かもめにfish & chipsを持っていかれないように気をつけてねという感じの意味 – 公園で何か食べていると鳩がよってくるように、海辺で何か食べているとかもめがよってくる）
what is … doing? : 人や物が、どうしてここにいる（ある）のか？どうしてそんな事をしているか？に驚いたりしたときに使う表現（本文では、伝統的なインド料理のカレーがどうして、British Foodのリストに入っているの？の意味）
take … to your heart : とても好き（本文は、the British have taken curry to their heartsで、「Britishの人たちはカレーが大好き」という意味）
black pudding : 豚の血（とその他の材料）で作ったソーセージ
Yorkshire pudding : ローストなどのお肉料理の付け合せによく使われる、シュウクリームの皮のようなもの。もちろん甘くないし、クリームも入っていない
batter : 天ぷらの衣などのように、小麦粉や卵を水で溶いたもの
toad : ヒキガエル
burrow : 動物が地中にほった住処・隠れ場用の穴
peep through : 少しだけ見える、ちょっとのぞく
bubble : ブクブクという音をたてる（お湯が沸騰したときなど）
squeak : 「キー」というような高い音をだす（ドアを開け閉めするときに出るような音）キャベツをフライパンで熱してもたまにそういう音がする（らしい）
crust : パイ、ピザなどの焼いたものの外側・皮（パンのみみもcrust）
room : ここで出てくるroomはspaceの意味。お腹にまだデザート用のスペース残ってる？という感じ
pudding : デザート
lashings of… : 沢山の（食べ物・飲み物）
本文に説明があるもの（斜体になっている）
chippie : Fish & chip shop
the Sabbath : 日曜日（宗教的な「お休み：Rest」の日という意味での）