Wayne Wen-Woei Jih
School: University of Nottingham
Course: MSc student at Information Technology

British Food

As George Bernard, a famous writer, stated " If the English can survive their food, they can survive anything." Is it really awful?

Generally speaking, there are up to six meals in one day; however, it is common for us to eat three meals in one day. First, the energy provider of day is breakfast. The breakfast may offer cereal with milk, bacon, sausage and toast. Then, at eleven o'clock is the coffee break which may offer biscuits, coffee or tea. It is widely believed that lunch is not so important and many British people disregard lunch. And then, at three or four o'clock in the afternoon is tea-time which may offer cakes, coffee or tea. The dinner is the most elaborate meal of each day. Usually, we can eat meat such as turkey, duck, veal, lamb and pork as well as fresh seafood including cod, lobster, herring and crab. Finally, it may be a supper which offers cheese or hot drink to resupply lost energy.

Although there are six meals a day in Britain, it doesn't mean that the British eat very much per day. The spirit of British food is that food is enjoyable time; therefore, I think it's time to study new culture and enjoy your food after you arrive the UK.

If you want to eat best British food, pub may be the best place. As you know, beer is the necessary material in the pub. However, as a foreigner, it is very difficult to distinguish what's different between these beers. Also, it is difficult to pronounce and understand these brands of beers, although I have memorised many vocabularies. Therefore, every time I go to pub, I always ask, "would you please recommend the beer for me". It may get the best characteristic beer in any stores.

I like going to pub with friends, because it may relax our feeling and meet many friends. One day, my friends will bring me to a pub that is the most characteristic pub in Nottingham. After a long trip, we came to a big ancient church. I asked my friends, why do you go to church at night? Before you enter pub, should you pray? They said, "no, this is pub." I really cannot believe that the British changed a big ancient church into a pub. After entering the pub, you will feel it is necessary to pray as the result of harmonious atmosphere. However, the pub doesn't prepare Bible for you.

Before I came to UK, many people suggested that you should bring some Chinese food or instant noodles in order to prevent yourself from starving. However, you should consider in details. The British food is the same old as British history. It is necessary to touch British food which may understand the details of UK. Moreover, the British food is really not so awful. After you feel that, you can say "I am Chinese and I can survive the British food; therefore, I can survive everything."