Welcome to England!

This month, we’ll explore the island across the pond, England. England is a country in Europe that is about the size of New York state. A lot of people live in England, about 49,181,000! That is 2.5 times as many that live in New York.

Many of the things we enjoy in the United States came from Great Britain. In the 1600s, the original colonists came over from Britain. And even some of our food traditions were adopted from England’s.

Here are some fun food-related facts:

• 1756 Mayonnaise was invented in England.
• 1762 Sandwiches were invented by John Montagu, the Earl of Sandwich, who wanted a small meal that he could eat with one hand while gambling.
• Cheddar cheese takes its name from the Cheddar Gorge in Somerset, England, where, according to local legend, the creation of the original bit of Cheddar cheese happened by accident.
• Sausages are referred to as Bangers because, during World War II, they contained so much water that they tended to explode when fried.

One of England’s most traditional foods is the infamous Fish and Chips. The fish is a battered, deep-fried fish like cod, haddock, huss, or plaice. The chips are actually French fries! (What we think of as chips are called “crisps” in England.) Both the fish and “chips” would be covered in malt vinegar and salt. They are often served with something called Mushy Peas (mashed processed peas).

Other traditional foods in England have fun names. A few of these include:

• Bubble & Squeak: made from leftover potatoes, cabbage, bacon, ham, and onion fried together
• Bangers & Mash: mashed potatoes and sausages
• Toad-in-the-Hole: a sausage covered in batter and roasted
• Bacon Roly-Poly: made with a suet pastry
• Mushy Peas: dried marrowfat peas that have been soaked overnight and boiled
• Hasty Pudding: a simple pudding that got its name from being quick and easy to make

Another thing that is very popular in England is “take-away food” (fast food). Their take-away cuisines include Indian, Italian, Chinese, and Greek foods.

Many of you may have heard of the traditional Tea and Crumpets. But not as many people have their afternoon tea anymore because they are too busy with school or work. The tradition, however, is that the family would sit down for a small meal around 4 p.m., drink tea or coffee, and eat a small sandwich (usually cucumber and mayonnaise on white bread). The family would also eat sweet foods like cakes and sweet biscuits. Wouldn’t you like to have dessert in the afternoon?

Make a pot of tea and enjoy this delicious English treat:

• Dried Cherry Scones

In the Spirit of England, make a delicious sandwich for lunch (or dinner):

• CIA Club

Also try a related word search puzzle:

• Elementary K-2
• Elementary 3-5
• Middle School
• High School