Marzipan and Other Unexpected Delights

Hell is where:

The police are German
The mechanics are French
The cooks are British
The lovers are Swiss
And the whole thing is organized by the Italians...

Heaven is where:

The police are British
The mechanics are German
The cooks are French
The lovers are Italian
And the whole thing is organized by the Swiss.

So goes the joke, but kidding aside I am been pleasantly surprised by British food.
Sure they have come up with some doozies like this and this, but allow me to list just a few items that I really enjoy.

Chicken Pie--As a kid I always loved the nights when we popped the little tins in the oven and out came deliciousness with a crispy delicious crust. At university I graduated to these (10 for $1 at Jewel if you were lucky). Now I have entered pot-pie heaven over here. Jamie Oliver has a great recipe that we use.

Cornish Pasties--Its a reoccurring theme over here, put meat and pastry together and it is hard to go wrong. Now I know you can make them yourself, but in all reality these are the best.

Marzipan--No, not her. Granted, marzipan is not British, but it is all over the place here, and I love it! This is kinda weird, but this is just tasty!

Cider--We arrived in Britain in the autumn and saw signs for cider all over the place. Wow just like home! Well, not quite. Note, if you want to try some British cider don't buy Strongbow, just a hint, they sell it by the 2 liter bottle over her. Instead try to find a Cornish brand or skip the British part and try to find a local cider. Alternatively, come visit, and we'll give you some of the stuff we just made.

One last note, fish and chips. I have been bitterly disappointed. The best fish and chips I have ever had are still located here. If anyone is in Chicago please stop by. In my day it was only $9 on Friday nights for all you can eat, but now they do it on Wednesdays and Fridays and it's only $10.25.