Sirloin Steak

[Chancer]

A good point made regarding the mediatisation of food, chefs etc, this was never necessary in France to whet the appetites of the populace, good food has always been of the highest importance as witnessed by the respect given to the title chef.

I dont buy into the French/English/nimporte quoi food is better than any other, why cant we celebrate all the good food that god has provided us with? Those that wish to champion modern day British food are doing just that when they cite the diverse influences, I would have more respect for them if they had a real appreciation of and a wish to protect and promote genuine British food.

Those French eateries that never change their menus or always offer the same choice of safe traditional dishes may not actually be run by chefs, we have one near us, very cheap and very popular with routiers and tourists, there is a choice of dishes but they are always the same dishes day after day, always tasty but somehow too consistent like Macdonalds, I prefer to eat where there is not a carte but the constantly changing menu du jour.

A chocolate and meat combination for you to try Frenchie

Make a  hot (and I dont mean french hot!) chilli con carne ideally with equal measures of steak haché and real steak, and near the end of cooking add the best dark chocolate that you can afford. It tempers the spiciness in the same way that yoghurt does but really enhances the taste and texture.

 

[Frenchie]

[quote user="J.R gone native"]

A good point made regarding the mediatisation of food, chefs etc, this was never necessary in France to whet the appetites of the populace, good food has always been of the highest importance as witnessed by the respect given to the title chef.

 Those that wish to champion modern day British food are doing just that when they cite the diverse influences, I would have more respect for them if they had a real appreciation of and a wish to protect and promote genuine British food.

I AGREE

 chocolate and meat combination for you to try Frenchie

Make a  hot (and I dont mean french hot!) chilli con carne ideally with equal measures of steak haché and real steak, and near the end of cooking add the best dark chocolate that you can afford. It tempers the spiciness in the same way that yoghurt does but really enhances the taste and texture.

[blink][:-))]Ok, soyons fous !!!! (as we say in French )  [:D]

 

[/quote]

[Scooby]

[quote user="J.Rs gone native"]

Those that wish to champion modern day British food are doing just that when they cite the diverse influences, I would have more respect for them if they had a real appreciation of and a wish to protect and promote genuine British food.

[/quote]

It's a little presumptious of you to presume that just because someone enjoys the new diversity of dishes in the UK that they don't also appreciate good 'old fashioned' British food.

[Chancer]

Perhaps Scooby but I have yet to hear the chicken tikka or sweet chilli sauce brigade blowing the trumpet for real British food.

 

[sunny]

I am neither British nor French, but must admit that I do prefer eating out in UK than France.  Loads of mediocre food in both places, but I think there is more of a focus on where the food comes from and innovative cooking in UK.  I absolutely love light,  fusion-style cooking, and am more likely to find that it in the UK.

And not sure what is wrong with spicy food - some great Indian, Sri Landan, Thai curries are burning hot.  These don't dull the taste buds, but rather heighten the senses.  i am not against cream and cheese in foods, but these are more likely to dull and coat the taste buds, no...?

[Sprogster]

McDonald's biggest and fastest growing market in the world after Amwrica, is France!

I find it depressing that the traditional family run French restaurant is in fast decline, being replaced by hamburger and pizza restaurants.

Not surprisingly France now has the fastest growing obesity problem in Europe.

[Frenchie]

[quote user="sunny"]I am neither British nor French, but must admit that I do prefer eating out in UK than France.  Loads of mediocre food in both places, but I think there is more of a focus on where the food comes from and innovative cooking in UK.  I absolutely love light,  fusion-style cooking, and am more likely to find that it in the UK.

Honest to God, I prefer eating out in France, and no, I'm not being patriotic. [:P]

When I'm in the UK, I love going to a real Chinese restaurant , because we mainly have Vietnamese in France . Or of course, a good country pub or an Indian.

And not sure what is wrong with spicy food - some great Indian, Sri Landan, Thai curries are burning hot.  These don't dull the taste buds, but rather heighten the senses.  i am not against cream and cheese in foods, but these are more likely to dull and coat the taste buds, no...?
[/quote]

I love mild spicy food, when it enhances the taste of the ingredients , but to me really hot is  just burning my mouth , I don't feel the taste of food and I hate that feeling of having fire in my mouth. I was invited in a British family, they had cooked a Thai curry, I couldn't finish it..

We have lots of spicy food in France, especially in Provence /Côte d'azur, where I come from. I use safran, curry, curcuma, Raz el hanout , even harissa, etc in my cooking, But never too hot.

Once I had cooked a " daube à la provençale " for UK friends, there are herbes de provence, a wine sauce , etc... It is spicy, but the spices and herbs enhance the taste of meat.. Well, they just asked for chili sauce............. I was disappointed.... because it really ruined the subtle taste of the mixing of the ingredients. Let's say " cultural difference " [Www]

 

[buelligan]

You may have a point Frenchie, as they say in Britain; "...one man's meat is another man's poison...".  I am just glad that a significant number of humans are able to open their minds and hearts to accept the culture and taste of other nations.  Their lives are all the richer for it I am sure.  [:D]

[Frenchie]

I am definitely one of those !![:P]

[Benjamin]

[quote user="Frenchie"]

 even harissa,

[/quote]

Says it all really when as a Nation we Brits have opened our doors to culinary experiences from all around the World.