History behind British dish;Shepherd's pie,Yorkshire Pudding, and Fish N' Chips
When you are asked to name a few dishes originated from Britain,what dish do you name? Chances are, Fish N' Chips,Shepherd's pie and possibly Yorkshire Pudding.
In Japan, I have never had Shepherd's pie or Yorkshire Pudding. Those were new dishes to me. I have eaten deep fried fish and fried potato back in Japan though. Fish N' Chips are not normal combo meal in fast food restaurant in Japan. Deep fried fish will be usually come in part of burger. For example, if you go to McDonald there,you get fried potato (Chips) and you can have fish burger there. Not just deep fried fish and fried potato. At family table, you will see the deep fried fish is served as side dish along with other side dishes.
When I come over to the states, one of the thing I was surprised at was that how meal is served. Normally,if you dine at family table in Japan,what you see on the table is 3-4 kinds of side dish and maybe a cup of soup,salad,and bowl of rice. I have never had soup as main meal or just a few dish on table.
First time when I heard about Shepherd's pie and Yorkshire pudding was from Food network TV show. I love cooking,baking and love to cook different kinds of cuisine and experience all kinds of flavor.Food ,in my mind, is something that can tell you something about culture that originated from and each dish has its own story to tell. If you are the one to cook the meal, then cooking can become art for you because you can make a twist to basic recipe and can have fun with it.
3 popular British dishes I saw on TV looked so delicious and I have made all 3 popular British food here in the state, and I liked them all. These are my favorite British food.
So, what's the story behind those dishes? Here are what I have found.
Shepherd's Pie
When I first heard name of the dish, I was curious why the dish has funny name. Do you know why the dish is called Shepherd pie?? Do you know how this delicious dish is born??
According to Food Timeline site,this Shepherd's pie origin goes back to middle age when mutton pie,pot pie,and game pie was popular.Potato was first introduced to Europe in 1520, then Shepherd's pie (minced lamb with mashed potatoes on top) was born around 18th century by peasant wife who tied to be creative to use up all leftover meal. Dish name "Shepherd's pie was born around region where there were many sheep. I know Rachael Ray makes her version of Shepherd's pie with all kinds of meat;Turkey,beef,lamb etc but it seems if you make this dish with beef,the name of the dish is "Cottage pie". To read more on Shepherd's pie,please click here.
Similar dish to Shepherd's pie exist in many regions/countries. In Quebec, Pate chinois (ground beef on bottom with onion,second layer being corn,top layer being mashed potato sprinkled with paprika). In France, Hachis Parmenter ( mashed potatoes mixed with meat and lyonnaise sauce served on potato shell.). In USA, cowboy pie ( meat mixed with tacos seasoning and cheddar cheese,then, top it off with picante sauce then Corn bread on top). When I make my own version of Shepherd's pie, I like to cook meat with chopped onion,green/yellow/red peppers and like to add non alcohol beer called O'Doul. I don't drink but I love cooking with beer or wine. It enhance the flavor and I love them a lot. You may wonder why I use specific kind of beer. I have used Guinness beer or other stout beer but it leaves bitterness in the dish and I did not care for. If you use non alcohol beer "O'Doul", it gives enhanced flavor to the dish but does not give you strong bitterness in the dish. Budweiser is okay, does not leave bitterness, but I like O'Doul best.
Yorkshire Pudding
When I first heard the word "Yorkshire Pudding",I imagined Flan. Why? In Japanese,pudding is what you call "Flan" here. Rice pudding,tapioca pudding..that kind of things are not found in Japan. Pudding is "Pudding" in Japanese but final product is what you call "Flan".
So,what is Yorkshire Pudding? It is a puffed savory pastry made from milk,egg and flour and made in meat dripping,and according to Practically Edible site,it was born in Yorkshire in England. Much of this dish history seems unclear. The Yorkshire Pudding tastes like skin of cream puff if you will. According to about.com site,17th century cookbook seems to be the first book that similar recipe is appeared. The recipe was called "Dripping pudding" in the cook book. More on Yorkshire pudding at about.com site,please click here.To read more at food timeline site,please click here.
When I made one, I made with oil in muffin tin.It came out great but only problem was some of the bottom of Yorkshire Pudding got stuck with the non stick muffin tin. If any of you know how to make Yorkshire Pudding without bottom stuck on Muffin tin,please let me know. Oven temperature was high enough but it stuck in the tin.
Fish N' Chips
Fish N' Chips is not new thing to me although I was eating fish and potato separately as side dish back in Japan. Deep fried foods in US or Britain is different texture to the one in Japan. Reason why is that, we use coarse textured bread crumb called "Panko". It gives deep fried dish more crunch. I started seeing Panko at local American grocery store,and I think it is gaining popularity these days.
Here is a thing. If your store did not carry "Panko" (Japanese bread crumb), you can use bread ears. My mother chops bread ears to quarter dice size and use it as bread crumb for a change. It has different texture when it gets fried to Panko but result is good. Just as you do with any deep fried food preparation, dredge in flour,dip in beaten egg,and roll in the bread ear dice bath. There is all to it.
When I was a kid, mother used to make deep fried bread sprinkled with white table sugar. She just cut off bread ears,and chop to 2-3 inch long stick,then just deep fried them. When it came out from oil bath,she sprinkled white table sugar. It was our occasional snack. You can make the sprinkle with your favorite combo such as cinnamon and sugar and you made "Cinnamon sugar stick" or maybe you want to make it to savory and can use onion powder,garlic powder,and kosher salt. You maybe can sprinkle Parmesan cheese with garlic powder. You really can make any flavor you like. This is one kind of snack from old time memory.
So, Fish N' Chips were born in 19th century according to wikipedia site. It was cheap and easy preparation and especially popular among workers. Fish and chips were popped up separately but, it seems unclear how fish and chips combo became popular dish. To read more on Fish N' Chips,please click here.
When I make Fish N' Chips at home without using Panko, I tend to use beer or carbonated water. It gives light crispy outer result with moist fish inside and it really makes delicious deep fried fish.
As for Chips,I fry them twice. This is something I learned from Food network TV shows. You fry potato to the texture that bends over but not crispy enough, and pull out the potatoes,lay on paper towel and crank up the heat and fry the potato again with higher heat.This insure the crisp chips when it is done.
These 3 dishes are my favorite British dish. What are yours?
In Japan, I have never had Shepherd's pie or Yorkshire Pudding. Those were new dishes to me. I have eaten deep fried fish and fried potato back in Japan though. Fish N' Chips are not normal combo meal in fast food restaurant in Japan. Deep fried fish will be usually come in part of burger. For example, if you go to McDonald there,you get fried potato (Chips) and you can have fish burger there. Not just deep fried fish and fried potato. At family table, you will see the deep fried fish is served as side dish along with other side dishes.
When I come over to the states, one of the thing I was surprised at was that how meal is served. Normally,if you dine at family table in Japan,what you see on the table is 3-4 kinds of side dish and maybe a cup of soup,salad,and bowl of rice. I have never had soup as main meal or just a few dish on table.
First time when I heard about Shepherd's pie and Yorkshire pudding was from Food network TV show. I love cooking,baking and love to cook different kinds of cuisine and experience all kinds of flavor.Food ,in my mind, is something that can tell you something about culture that originated from and each dish has its own story to tell. If you are the one to cook the meal, then cooking can become art for you because you can make a twist to basic recipe and can have fun with it.
3 popular British dishes I saw on TV looked so delicious and I have made all 3 popular British food here in the state, and I liked them all. These are my favorite British food.
So, what's the story behind those dishes? Here are what I have found.
Shepherd's Pie
When I first heard name of the dish, I was curious why the dish has funny name. Do you know why the dish is called Shepherd pie?? Do you know how this delicious dish is born??
According to Food Timeline site,this Shepherd's pie origin goes back to middle age when mutton pie,pot pie,and game pie was popular.Potato was first introduced to Europe in 1520, then Shepherd's pie (minced lamb with mashed potatoes on top) was born around 18th century by peasant wife who tied to be creative to use up all leftover meal. Dish name "Shepherd's pie was born around region where there were many sheep. I know Rachael Ray makes her version of Shepherd's pie with all kinds of meat;Turkey,beef,lamb etc but it seems if you make this dish with beef,the name of the dish is "Cottage pie". To read more on Shepherd's pie,please click here.
Similar dish to Shepherd's pie exist in many regions/countries. In Quebec, Pate chinois (ground beef on bottom with onion,second layer being corn,top layer being mashed potato sprinkled with paprika). In France, Hachis Parmenter ( mashed potatoes mixed with meat and lyonnaise sauce served on potato shell.). In USA, cowboy pie ( meat mixed with tacos seasoning and cheddar cheese,then, top it off with picante sauce then Corn bread on top). When I make my own version of Shepherd's pie, I like to cook meat with chopped onion,green/yellow/red peppers and like to add non alcohol beer called O'Doul. I don't drink but I love cooking with beer or wine. It enhance the flavor and I love them a lot. You may wonder why I use specific kind of beer. I have used Guinness beer or other stout beer but it leaves bitterness in the dish and I did not care for. If you use non alcohol beer "O'Doul", it gives enhanced flavor to the dish but does not give you strong bitterness in the dish. Budweiser is okay, does not leave bitterness, but I like O'Doul best.
Yorkshire Pudding
When I first heard the word "Yorkshire Pudding",I imagined Flan. Why? In Japanese,pudding is what you call "Flan" here. Rice pudding,tapioca pudding..that kind of things are not found in Japan. Pudding is "Pudding" in Japanese but final product is what you call "Flan".
So,what is Yorkshire Pudding? It is a puffed savory pastry made from milk,egg and flour and made in meat dripping,and according to Practically Edible site,it was born in Yorkshire in England. Much of this dish history seems unclear. The Yorkshire Pudding tastes like skin of cream puff if you will. According to about.com site,17th century cookbook seems to be the first book that similar recipe is appeared. The recipe was called "Dripping pudding" in the cook book. More on Yorkshire pudding at about.com site,please click here.To read more at food timeline site,please click here.
When I made one, I made with oil in muffin tin.It came out great but only problem was some of the bottom of Yorkshire Pudding got stuck with the non stick muffin tin. If any of you know how to make Yorkshire Pudding without bottom stuck on Muffin tin,please let me know. Oven temperature was high enough but it stuck in the tin.
Fish N' Chips
Fish N' Chips is not new thing to me although I was eating fish and potato separately as side dish back in Japan. Deep fried foods in US or Britain is different texture to the one in Japan. Reason why is that, we use coarse textured bread crumb called "Panko". It gives deep fried dish more crunch. I started seeing Panko at local American grocery store,and I think it is gaining popularity these days.
Here is a thing. If your store did not carry "Panko" (Japanese bread crumb), you can use bread ears. My mother chops bread ears to quarter dice size and use it as bread crumb for a change. It has different texture when it gets fried to Panko but result is good. Just as you do with any deep fried food preparation, dredge in flour,dip in beaten egg,and roll in the bread ear dice bath. There is all to it.
When I was a kid, mother used to make deep fried bread sprinkled with white table sugar. She just cut off bread ears,and chop to 2-3 inch long stick,then just deep fried them. When it came out from oil bath,she sprinkled white table sugar. It was our occasional snack. You can make the sprinkle with your favorite combo such as cinnamon and sugar and you made "Cinnamon sugar stick" or maybe you want to make it to savory and can use onion powder,garlic powder,and kosher salt. You maybe can sprinkle Parmesan cheese with garlic powder. You really can make any flavor you like. This is one kind of snack from old time memory.
So, Fish N' Chips were born in 19th century according to wikipedia site. It was cheap and easy preparation and especially popular among workers. Fish and chips were popped up separately but, it seems unclear how fish and chips combo became popular dish. To read more on Fish N' Chips,please click here.
When I make Fish N' Chips at home without using Panko, I tend to use beer or carbonated water. It gives light crispy outer result with moist fish inside and it really makes delicious deep fried fish.
As for Chips,I fry them twice. This is something I learned from Food network TV shows. You fry potato to the texture that bends over but not crispy enough, and pull out the potatoes,lay on paper towel and crank up the heat and fry the potato again with higher heat.This insure the crisp chips when it is done.
These 3 dishes are my favorite British dish. What are yours?
Posted by yassy at 8/9/2009 2:08 PM 
Categories: Travel
Tags: yorkshire pudding fish n' chips british food shepherd's pie travel history
Categories: Travel
Tags: yorkshire pudding fish n' chips british food shepherd's pie travel history
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