repas anglais

[Patf]

The fete committee here have come up with the idea of an english evening. There are 3 english families here and we've been asked for suggestions for a menu. We wouldn't have to cook, this will be done by caterers.

My friend has suggested sausages mash and baked beans, then apple crumble and custard.

Any other suggestions?

We also need to think of some music, and decorations, but that can wait for another time. It's not until September.

[LBV Charente]

Surely you should introduce them to a nice bit of ROSBIF!!! [;-)]

 

[Russethouse]

Shepherds or Cottage Pie ? Trifle ?

Every combination I think of is what I call 'sinker' you don't want to move for a week afterwards !

[Richard51]

Lancashire hotpot and lemon meringue pie went down well with our neighbours.

[nectarine]

Toad in the Hole - that will utterly confuse them as they look for the hidden frog !!! How about putting together a Morris dancing act to go with the music ... now that will be something they've not seen before!

[NormanH]

Crumbles are very popular in France, but the problem with an apple one is that it is hard to get cooking apples here.

How about a rhubarb one?

Roast beef with horseradish sauce,  Yorkshire pudding , real roast potatoes and roast parsnips..

The problem is that a caterer will serve a 'frenchified' version

[woolybanana]

Decent curry perhaps followed by deep fried mars bar?

[Gemonimo]

I guess it all depends upon where you have the meal.  If it is in the local Salle de Fete then be prepared for lukewarm food which might not present english food in its best light!

[Clair]

Prawn cocktail + steak and kidney pie + treacle tart

[:P]

[Patf]

Some good ideas here. I thought of toad-in -the-hole too Nectarine.

I agree something with meat would be best but a) it might come out too expensive and b)as Norman says the french caterer would probabaly make it french style ie no thick brown gravy.

Clair, as a french person, is that the kind of menu you would enjoy? We don't want people leaving  loads on their plate.

ps canada apples plus lemon juice are a fair substitute for bramleys.

[5-element]

If I was to speak as a French person, and if there were no restrictions as to expense and cooking facilities for large numbers, my favourite British meal would be

 

no need for first course, but then

- Lamb roast with mint sauce, roast potatoes, and other veg AND gravy

or Roasted beef with horseradish or Roasted Pork with apple sauce (not if dessert is apple crumble, of course)

 

(many French have heard of sauce a la menthe, but often they seem to think it goes with Beef!!! Even those French shopkeepers who sell the stuff and specialise in produits exotiques!)

If you really can't make a roast, I would go for a cottage pie, that should be well received.

I would not make a steak and kidney pie or other kind of pie, if there is some kind of pastry or flour-based top for dessert.

 

then a sherry trifle (!!!) or Pavlova (I know, it's really Australian) or even apple pie or a good apple crumble. Crumbles are all the rage now in France, except that many people have no idea how to make them and seem to think that the crumble is made by breaking up biscuits on top of fruit[:'(]. AND I would serve it with hot custard (Birdseye is fine).

 

I use the ubiquitous Golden Delicious for any apple dessert, and it works well. I just don't add any sugar, and might add a little lemon when cooking.

 

 

[mint]

When my French friends ask me what I would give them to eat that was typically Brit, I always say, mais le rosbif, bien sûr!

Given that the Yorkshire pud might be difficult and I certainly have very variable results with Yorkshire pud myself, how about the following:

Soup (not necessarily Brown Windsor!)

Chicken Pie, mashed pots and 2 veg

Jelly & blancmange or trifle or what's wrong with tinned fruit and evaporated milk or custard (goodness knows, I've eaten enough of that to last a lifetime)

then, a nice cup of tea and After 8 mints!

[5-element]

[quote user="sweet 17"]

 what's wrong with tinned fruit and evaporated milk or custard (goodness knows, I've eaten enough of that to last a lifetime)

[/quote]

I hate to say it, but if I was a French person who has never eaten British food, and if I was given tinned fruit with custard, it would confirm all the worst I have ever heard about la cuisine anglaise!

Just because you have had lots of it Sweet, does it mean it should in turn be inflicted on unsuspecting French guests?[:P]

[Gemonimo]

I'm with 5e on this one.  Remember that Patf is in the Gers, home of foie gras, poulets fermiers, confits, etc. To give people who have grown up eating (and I'm generalising here) quality products the opportunity of trying english cuisine, they have got to be offered the best available and unfortunately baked beans, tinned fruit, birds custard and bisto don't fall into that category.  Call me a food snob if you like but there are so many good english dishes that to serve english food in all its post-war glory is just an insult.

Simple steak and kidney (not as a pie or pudding) with mashed potatoes and vegetables would be nice and wouldn't frighten the locals as it is a bit like a daube with kidneys!I wouldn't bother with a roast - they eat them all the time and if mint sauce was served I'm sure you'd end up scraping it off the plates after the meal. And Clair's suggestion of treacle tart is brilliant.

[mint]

Ok, les filles, I take your point.  On the other hand, "typical" for me means the good old staples as served in schools, hospitals and many English homes [:P]  Stodge, stodge and more stodge....

After all, if it's a themed meal, then it's got to be something before Chicken Tikka Masala became the national dish of choice!

Personally, I adore chicken pie or steak and kidney pie or cottage pie or casseroles (in the English sense) though I must admit that tinned fruit and Bird's Eye Custard was my idea of a joke and not meant to be taken seriously.

I'm not a great dessert person but I might do an apple charlotte or a chocolate sponge and chocolate sauce or jam sponge and custard might not go amiss.

Dunno know what wine you'd served with the meal though...........bearing in mind that Tesco's finest range might not be readily available [;-)] 

[5-element]

"I'm not a great dessert person but I might do an apple charlotte or a chocolate sponge and chocolate sauce or jam sponge and custard might not go amiss"

 

Who are you kidding????[Www] If you are not a great dessert person with above, then bring on the really good ones!!![:'(]

 

As for wine, a local one of course, for the terroir touch, so that they are not too dépaysés. Unless people are invited to bring their own....

[Gemonimo]

You are right, Sweets about 'typical' British food as opposed to 'traditional' British food.  In France, a 'typical' French meal would be jambon/frite or jambon/pâtes whereas a traditional meal would be quite different. When my son was in college here in the sud ouest, the menus were posted in front of the school so that the parents knew what their children were eating.  I was amazed to find that 'pâtes' were classed as a vegetable[blink]

[mint]

Do you think the French eat any other vegetables than pâtes and Batavia?

[Gemonimo]

And Sweets, next time I chow down chez toi.... IWANNACHICKENPIE!!!!

[Gardengirl]

I'd go for a proper cottage pie, with the recipe and method given to the people who were to make it. It can keep hot if things are running a bit late (don't they always?), and would be fairly familiar to many. Roasts etc can be so dependant on the oven, timing etc. I reckon to make a pretty good family version, which has been passed as good by French visitors! [:)]

I like the idea of treacle tart and custard for pudding; I think a pudding rather than a dessert would be a good idea. If a dessert is preferred, a proper trifle would be good.

It's interesting how 'le crumble' has become so popular; I'm not too keen on those I've had in France, but enjoy home made apple crumble, especially made with apples from my own garden in UK.

[Russethouse]

Ah GG if it was treacle tat a la Mya, I'd be there ! I think the chef puts finely grated lemon peel in the pastry for extra zest.

As for wine,  if you are going down the post war eating route I wouldn't bother. I found a photo of the family enjoying Christmas lunch in the mid 50's and in pride of place was a jug of orange squash !

Alcohol was reserved for the evening...[;-)]

[Judith]

Apple pie (not tart or crumble) with light pastry with a top on, and Wensleydale or Lancashire cheese.  Works well cold if necessary.  And saves the problem of real custard au lieu de creme anglaise.

Shepherd's pie, well you get that here, of sorts.  I prefer the idea of a good hotpot of some sort (lamb, beef or ??) with mashed spuds (proper ones), at least two types of veg (one green, one another colour) not over cooked, and dumplings perhaps would be easier??

I think you could definitely dispense with a starter.

If you really wanted to - have a cheese course (Stilton and other harder cheeses) after the meal and serve with port.  That is very English.

[5-element]

I am with Gardengirl all the way.

I am a bit skeptical about cheese after the meal with port. That might be a bit TOO English for most French I know. The idea of cheese after dessert is anathema for most French people, it really is. They are horrified. Unless you could get them very drunk first....

You want to surprise them, not reinforce stereotypes.[:D] Remember that many people here think they can't stand "sucré-salé" and have to be gently eased into it....[geek]

 

 

 

[mint]

Anyway, I am now going to enjoy that most English of teatime treats, the VICTORIA SPONGE!

Speak to you all later, gotta go eat my cake and have a cup of tea.....[:D]

[Patf]

It does look as if cottage pie might be the best choice. I'll have to negotiate with my sausage&mash friend.

And for afters, something with Birds Custard.

I'm interested to see that you like english gravy, 5E. Even I've gone off it lately. I just reduce the meat juices and use them as they are - no flour.