A trip to England means one thing (in
terms of food): It's time to gain back all the weight I lost with
mono. Yes, adults get mono, it was rather unpleasant, thanks. British
food gets a bad rap, but I disagree. I will say that some of the very
traditional British is under seasoned, but England's progression and
sheer diversity have brought London to the forefront of amazing food.
I had most of my meals figured out before I got there, because I'm
like that. I did miss out on a pretty great looking German pub
because we couldn't get a table, but some things should be saved for
another time.
The first step on my quest for obesity
was Borough Market. This is heaven for anyone who cares about food.
It's a goldmine of food booths, premade goodies, and fresh
product-meats, cheeses, produce, you name it-it's there. It's become
a landmark for food lovers who visit (or live in) London, and I urge
you to go there, and gorge yourself. Remember in Catching Fire
when the Capitol citizens drank vomit inducer to continue eating? I
felt like this would be a viable option, and seriously considered it,
until I remembered that I'm a fainter, and it was a very busy market,
so no need for public embarrassment.
(picture from travelstay.com)
Let me
tell you about your first stop. It's near the entrance from Park
Street, so you won't have to travel far. It's the Kappacasein booth.
They make Toasted Cheese Sandwiches and raclettes (a cheesy potato
dish) but the raclette we can discuss another time. We're going to
talk about the Toasted Cheese Sandwiches. I loved grilled cheese. Who
doesn't? Bread. Cheese. Butter. Other stuff. Vegans love it. I know
that somewhere Darryl Hannah is sitting in a dark room, slathered in
grilled cheese sandwich. And I wouldn't even judge her.
It's
made on Poilane sourdough bread, with Montgomery Cheddar, Ogleshield
Cheddar (not really cheddar, but a cheddar like cheese made with
Jersey Cow milk) and a leek, red onion, and garlic saute. Jersey cows
really do make the best dairy products. And let's be honest, there's
no cuter cow than a Jersey. I want one for my back yard. Curse you
no-farm-animals-in-the-city-law.
(picture from common.wikimedia.com)
This is a big seller at the market, and
the line is always long, and there are plenty of them ready to go.
They're pretty good at managing the crowd though. They have staff
weaving through the line giving out tickets for sandwiches and
raclettes, and the counter staff never stops cooking. You have to
wait a bit, but not enough to deter you. These sandwiches aren't made
on a flat top like a normal grilled cheese. They're put in a buttered
panini press that cooks it evenly, and the same every time. This is
important for any item that you need to make en masse. Nothing is
more annoying than ordering food twice and it being different. Ok,
maybe a few things, but the only two that come to mind are fictional
characters. Joffrey Baratheon and Delores Umbridge. Obviously. You'll
also notice that these sandwiches are made with shredded cheese,
instead of sliced. It helps, it gets gooey, and all the way through.
Gooey isn't a great adjective most of the time, but when it comes to
a sandwich, gooey is where you want it to be.
The result? A potentially perfect
sandwich. And as a sandwich expert, I don't use that lightly. The
perfect ratio of cheese to bread, with the delicious veggie mixture
just adding to the burst of flavor in your mouth. Would I fly to
England to eat this again? Possibly, but only if I got 2.
Sharp English cheddar makes me feel
like this
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