Arcadia England

As the UK entered a (thankfully fairly brief) second lockdown in November, we were anxious to ensure our students still got an authentic and full British experience during their time here. We all know one of the best ways to understand a country is through its stomach, but British food doesn't exactly have the best global reputation. While Italy is known for its wonderful pasta dripping in locally-sourced olive oil and tomatoes, Spain for its tapas and paella and France for its fine wines, the UK is known for dishes with unappetizing names like Toad in the Hole, "mushy peas" (which aside from the off-putting name are disconcertingly bordering on luminous green), and marmite. 

But that reputation is unfair. London ranks as 6th in the world when it comes to the number of Michelin-starred restaurants, and there's more to classic British food than grease. So, we thought we would give students a taste of what British food is really like, delivered straight to their door.

First, students tried a range of curry dishes from a local restaurant. "Wait..." I hear you say. "Curry? Surely by definition that's NOT British?" In fact, chicken tikka masala, deriving from Indian cooking, is thought to have been created in Glasgow, and though its exact origins are disputed Indian and South Asian restaurants are hugely popular in the UK and have adapted many dishes over the years to suit British tastes, and the UK's love affair with Indian food goes back at least to the Victorian era. Either way, our students gave a big thumbs up to what was for many their first ever taste of curry.

The following week, students were treated to a more conventional and less controversial British staple: afternoon tea. Students received a sumptuous, multiple-course delivery including a selection of cakes, smoked salmon sandwiches and, of course, scones. The macaroons were especially popular!

And finally, a week before the end of lockdown, our students received a pre-Thanksgiving treat that was closer to what one thinks of when British food is mentioned: fish and chips. We thought that mushy peas would be a step too far, but students enjoyed wonderful fish and excellent chips from a local restaurant.

Our lockdown is due to end in two days, and we hope we might have inspired our students to explore British cuisine further. But, even if not, we hope their enjoyment will help boost the UK's reputation a little!