The coronation of Charles III is putting of British produce in the spotlight

PARIS, April 27 — In the UK, celebrating the crowning of Charles III will be synonymous with celebrating the country’s culinary identity.

From the waters of Scotland, where scallops and lobsters are caught, to the English countryside, where sheep and Wagyu cattle graze on lush, green grass, the British culinary landscape is rich and diverse, yet it is often overshadowed by clichés and misconceptions.

The UK is known as the home of Big Ben and Harry Potter, but above all fish and chips! This dish tops the list of things that make British people most proud, according to a Milk & More study reported by the Daily Mail.

The typically British dish of battered fish and French fries sprinkled generously with vinegar scored 61 per cent of the vote in a poll of the places and things that make people feel most proud to be British.

In fact, fish and chips comes ahead of the country’s National Health Service (NHS; 56 per cent), Queen Elizabeth II (49 per cent) and James Bond (42 per cent).

But there’s more to the UK’s culinary culture than fish and chips or the legendary afternoon tea.

Beyond the clichés, which often suggest that the UK knows nothing about food, celebrations for the coronation of the future King Charles III serve as a timely reminder that the country’s culinary scene is rich in fine local produce.

One of the first products to have benefitted from a protected designation of origin was Jersey Royal potatoes, which have been grown on the British Isle since the late 19th century. The creamy texture and nutty taste of this prime variety has won over many British chefs.

Star seafood

In London, the Michelin-starred chef Clare Smyth — formerly of Gordon Ramsay’s triple-starred restaurant — has been showcasing British produce for some time.

As the gourmet dishes roll out of the kitchen at her Core by Clare Smyth restaurant, diners are told where the ingredients come from and the story of their producers.

On the menu are scallops from the Scottish island of Harris and Morecambe Bay shrimps from the north-west of England.

Then, there are Porthilly oysters, originating from the estuary of the River Camel in Cornwall.

The UK’s rich marine produce didn’t escape the attention of the triple-Michelin-starred chef Anne-Sophie Pic, either, when she opened her La Dame de Pic restaurant in London’s Ten Trinity Square in 2017.

At its launch, the eatery served up Cornish crab, for example. Now, the menu features the flavors of Cornish mackerel and Scottish lobster

From quality meat to tasty cheese

The UK’s agricultural model is not as culturally rooted as in countries like France, for example, especially since the United Kingdom is very reliant on imports.

The agricultural sector represents only 0.7 per cent of the country’s GDP, while 20 per cent of farms use nearly three quarters of available agricultural land.

British agriculture has also struggled to overcome the impacts of sanitary crises, such as the BSE outbreak of the 1990s.

While, in the east of the UK, the focus is on crops, the west is home to more livestock.

This gives rise to some highly sought-after meats, such as salt-marsh lamb raised on the coasts of Wales, in the Gower Peninsula, and benefiting from a protected designation of origin.

The animals feed on sea fennel, sea lavender or sorrel, which makes their meat particularly delicious.

Elsewhere, the prized Gloucestershire Old Spot pig is said to be the world’s oldest spotted pedigree breed, dating back to 1790, and giving rise to succulent cuts. While in the pork department, don’t miss Cumberland sausages, which also have a protected designation of origin.

Finally, in London, Clare Smyth’s restaurant serves Wagyu beef raised on Scottish soil. In Perthshire, a couple operates a 10,000 hectare farm for their herd, established in 2011.

British produce also includes a diverse selection of cheeses. While France might boast more than 1,200 varieties, the UK makes a respectable 700 or so.

Indeed, there’s more to British cheese than cheddar. In fact, the UK countryside is conducive to the production of various blue cheeses, including the legendary Stilton, not to mention Exmoor Blue produced in Somerset, and Buxton Blue. — ETX Studio