The British Cuisine

Although the western believe about British food is the same as always, the modern English food is far from the old “fish and chips”, the Indian, Mediterranean, and even Chinese influences have shaped what now is called the spiciest food in the hole world; But even with all the change (mostly produced by the first and second world wars) the plain and robust English breakfast is still around.
The first thing you notice about the British way of eating is its simplicity, robustness even you could say it’s the same way Colombian peasants eat: meat(in any kind of variety), vegetables(in a non-elaborate way of cooking) and mainly potatoes(fried, sliced, or in any kind of way) fill the English dinner table.

Among all the variety inside English cuisine there are a few plates that stand out:

- The English breakfast: The traditional English breakfast consists of eggs, bacon, sausages, fried bread, baked beans and mushrooms. Even though not many people will eat this for breakfast today, it is always served in hotels and guest houses around Britain. The traditional English breakfast is called the 'Full English' and sometimes referred to as 'The Full English Fry-up'. When you compare it to the Colombian cuisine, its almost like what we would call a “Bandeja paisa”.

- Bubble & Squeak: Typically made from cold vegetables that have been left over from a previous meal, often the Sunday roast. The chief ingredients are potato and cabbage, but carrots, peas, brussels sprouts, and other vegetables can be added. The cold chopped vegetables (and cold chopped meat if used) are fried in a pan together with mashed potato until the mixture is well-cooked and brown on the sides. The name is a description of the action and sound made during the cooking process. It’s a lot like the “Calentao” Colombians eat with their leftovers.

- Cumberland Sausage: This famous pork sausage is usually presented coiled up like a long rope, almost the same as the “Longaniza” eaten in Boyacá.

- Fish and Chips: The most traditional takeaway British food, it consists of Fish (cod, haddock, huss, plaice) deep fried in flour batter with chips (fried potatoes) dressed in malt vinegar. This is England's traditional take-away food or as US would say "to go". Fish and chips are not normally home cooked but bought at a fish and chip shop ("chippie" ) to eat on premises or as a "take away"

- Black pudding: Also called blood pudding. Looks like a black sausage. It is made from dried pigs blood and fat). Eaten at breakfast time Recipe. Black pudding recipes vary from region to region, some are more peppery and some are fattier than others. It is like the Colombian morcilla.

The British food also varies according to the region it is made:

- English cuisine: English cuisine is shaped by the climate of England, its island geography and its history. The latter includes interactions with other European countries, and the importing of ingredients and ideas from places such as North America, China and India during the time of the British Empire and as a result of immigration.

- Scottish Cuisine: Scottish cuisine is the specific set of cooking traditions and practices associated with Scotland. It shares much with British cuisine, but has distinctive attributes and recipes of its own. Traditional Scottish dishes such as haggis exist alongside international foodstuff brought about by migration. In addition to foodstuffs, Scotland produces a variety of Scotch whiskies.

- Welsh Cuisine: Welsh cuisine has influenced, and been influenced by, other British cuisine. Although both beef and dairy cattle are raised widely, especially in Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, Wales is best known for its sheep, and thus lamb is the meat traditionally associated with Welsh cooking.

Others Britain customs

The tea: Afternoon tea is a light meal typically eaten between 3pm and 5pm (cuppa). It originated in the United Kingdom when Catherine of Braganza married Charles II in 1661 and brought the practice of drinking tea in the afternoon with her from Portugal. Various places that belonged to the former British Empire also have such a meal. However, changes in social customs and working hours mean that most Britons only take afternoon tea on special/formal occasions.
Traditionally, loose tea is served in a teapot with milk and sugar. This is accompanied by various sandwiches (customarily cucumber, egg and cress, fish paste, ham, and smoked salmon), scones (with butter, clotted cream and jam — see cream tea) and usually cakes and pastries (such as Battenberg, fruit cake or Victoria sponge). The food is often served on a tiered stand.
While afternoon tea used to be an everyday event, nowadays it is more likely to be taken as a treat in a hotel, café, or tea shop, although many Britons still have a cup of tea and slice of cake or some chocolate at teatime. Accordingly, many hotels now market a champagne cream tea.

Symbol Comparisson

In Colombia we have the following symbols: The Condor, the Orchid, the Wax Palm, the character Juan Valdes symbol of Colombia's coffee, the hat “vueltiao”, ladder trucks (carros escalera o chivas), etc.
I had the opportunity to be a time in London, one of the things that caught my attention was its transportation system, highly organized, bus stops, stations, garages for storing vehicles, ¡excellent!. Now in Colombia is slowly regularizing the system, particularly relating to bus stops at specific sites.

But what I can to highlight Colombia and especially Medellin (where I live), your system is underground, good, clean, organized, meets all expectations expected and above all speaks well of the department and hence to Colombia the world.

Also has the traditional bus “carros escalera o chiva” like that of London in its top is open, used for tourism, although in some regions is your usual transport; in Medellin is “Turibus” that runs the sites of the city at a modest rate as is the London.

In several cities of Colombia: Bogotá, Cali and Pereira are with the service of mass transit, with a bus similar to the last model used in London, such as "oruga", which means that every day we are at the forefront, if it is not known but is lacking in comparison to the past and Colombia must show and be proud of their development.

Although Colombia is engaged in several sports, including football, basketball, volleyball, swimming, skating, etc.. The Tejo is the national sport, which is practiced at the regional level and in several departments of Colombia. In Colombia are not sites for departments as the "Pub", but if we have estaderos, canteens, bars and clubs of various styles and types. The traditional drink of Colombia, we can also consider the beer, although regions have different drinks such as chicha, spirits, etc..

Population Facts

Next you are going to see why Britain is one of the most diverse countries worldwide

Comparison from British history and Colombian History

British have more different influence in their etnitc composition due to many invaders to settlement in that country

They have much different races that form the British group race

They have many more years of history than Colombia

We were conquerer by Spanish people and have their influence and the mixed with the native people gave the origin to our race.

How Britain became a mixed-race society

Britain is and has always been a mixed race society. Early in our history we were invaded by Romans ( ) , Saxons ( ), Vikings ( ) and Normans ( ) armies and later Africans were brought to Britain by force in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries as slaves or servants. Over the years, thousands of people have arrived in Britain as refugees from France, Ireland, Russia, and other countries, escaping from persecution or famine in their own countries.

The Romans came to Britain nearly 2000 years ago and changed our country. Even today, the ruins of Roman buildings, forts, roads, and baths can be found all over Britain.

The Romans invaded other countries too. The Roman Empire covered much of Europe, north Africa, and the Middle East.

The Romans gave us

Language The language we used today was developed from the Romans. The Romans spoke and wrote in Latin and many of our words are based on Latin words.

The Calendar Did you know that the calendar we use today is more than 2,000 years old? It was started by Julius Caesar, a Roman ruler. It is based on the movement of the earth around the sun, and so is called the 'solar calendar.' The solar calendar has 365 days a year, and 366 days every leap year, or every fourth year. The names of our months are taken from the names of Roman gods and rulers. The month 'July,' in fact, is named after Julius Caesar himself!

Laws and a legal system The laws and ways we determine what to do with someone who is accused of breaking a law came originally from the Roman Empire.

The Census The Roman Empire was huge and included millions of people living over a large area. How did they keep track of all these people? Easy! They counted them! The Roman Empire began the practice of taking a census, or a 'count,' of all the people within its boundaries every so often. Today, many countries like ours take a census every 10 years.

The Romans also gave us:

straight roads
central heating
concrete
aqueducts (bridges for water)

The Vikings


About the year 800, bands of fierce raiders began to attack our coasts. They were the Vikings. They came across the North Sea, just as the Anglo-Saxons had done 400 years earlier.
In time, like the Anglo-Saxons, they made their home here. They drove the Saxons out of part of the country and took it for themselves.

King Alfred, Saxon king of Wessex, fought them in a great battle, but he could not drive them right away and had to let them have part of the country, called Danelaw.

Vikings were also known as the Norsemen. They were great travellers and sailed to other parts of Europe, where they traded, raided, and often settled
They were also farmers, fishermen, trappers and traders. Viking craftsmen made beautiful objects out of wood, metal and bone; Viking women were skilful weavers, produced fine, warm textiles.

No matter how many times the Vikings were beaten, they always came back, and in the end all their efforts paid off. It was the Vikings (Norse) of Normandy who finally conquered England in 1066 and changed British history for ever.

First Impressions

When people say England, they sometimes mean Great Britain, sometimes the United Kingdom, sometimes the British Isles -but never England.

"England" is sometimes, wrongly, used in reference to the whole United Kingdom, the entire island of Great Britain (or simply Britain), or indeed the British Isles. This is not only incorrect but can cause offence to people from other parts of the UK

England, Scotland, Wales, Great Britain refer to different 'parts of the UK. The British Isles includes many islands not even part of the UK.
Countries within a Country - The United Kingdom
The name United Kingdom refers to the union of what were once four separate countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland (though most of Ireland is now independent).
The UK's full and official name is the "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland".
Great Britain comprises only England, Scotland and Wales.

The British Isles - made up of several islands. Great Britain is the largest one

Great Britain is an island lying off the western coast of Europe, comprising the main territory of the United Kingdom.

People in the UK are called British although they have different nationalities.
What are the National identities of the people living in Britain?

Many people think that 'English' is the same as 'British'. It is not!

People who are English are from the country of England. On the other hand, British people are people who live in Great Britain (Britain) and the UK.

Most white people born in Great Britain, although British citizens, do not regard themselves as British and prefer to state their national identity as English, Scottish or Welsh.

People born in England are called English or British and can say that they live in England, Britain and/or the UK. Most people in England tend to say they are British rather than English


People born in Scotland are called Scottish or British and can say that they live in Scotland, Britain and/or the UK. Most people in Scotland will say they are Scottish rather than British.


People born in Wales are called Welsh or British and can say that they live in Wales, Britain and/or the UK. Most people in Wales will say they are Welsh rather than British.


Are the people in Britain ethnically diverse?


"We celebrate the diversity in our country, get strength from the cultures and the races that go to make up Britain today."
Prime Minister Tony Blair, 2 October 2001

Symbols And Pubs

1. Where can you see red double-decker buses?

Old style and double deckers

Recent double deckers

A double-decker bus is a bus that has two levels. While double-decker long-distance coaches are in widespread use around the world, double-decker city buses are less common. Double-decker buses are popular in some European cities and in some parts of Asia, usually in former British colonies. Many towns around the world have a few that specialize in short sight-seeing tours for tourists for, as William Gladstone observed, "The way to see London is from the top of a 'bus'." (Gladstone was referring to London's once ubiquitous double-deck horse drawn omnibuses, rather than a motor bus).

Double-deckers have become a symbolic image of the country in particular the use of the red double decker buses in London. A particularly iconic example was the Routemaster bus, which had been a staple of the public transport network in London for nearly half a century following its introduction in 1956. Because of cited difficulties accommodating disabled passengers, the last remaining examples in use finally retired in 2005, although Transport for London has established two "heritage routes", which will continue using Routemasters.

London’s double-decker red buses are world famous. The city has nearly 1.000 bus routes and buses of many other types and colours also travel on them.

You must buy a ticket before boarding the buses in London. There are ticket machines at most bus stops. Bus stops are found along all roads in London. Bus routes are identified by numbers display in large digits at the front side and rear of the bus, sometimes are identified by letters.

One way of seeing London’s major sights is on an open-top double-decker bus. Tickets are valid for 24 hours and allow unlimited ‘hop on/hop off’ travel.

2. What does a London taxi look like?

Look like a luxury limousine.

London taxi cabs is a service which allows you to book a black London taxi cab for your journey or tour knowing that it will be waiting for you, wherever your traveling from. Whether you want to go sightseeing around London while on holiday or just picked up, and taken to or from the airport we will work around you. Always use a licensed London taxi cab.

No matter where you’re going we will be able to get you there on time and in luxury.

3. What do British post and telephone boxes have in common?

Both the post box and telephone box have a picture of a crown on them. The crown on the post box also has the monarch’s initials underneath. There are post boxes with VR (Victoria Regina) and GR (Georgeus Rex) still in use today.

4. What is the traditional English food and drink?

London is the capital of a nation that gave the world fish and chips, beans on toast, mushy peas, chip butties, mash potatoes and pie. As a traditional drink, Londoners are famous for their love of a good cup of tea, at home, at work and in cafes.

5. Name England’s national game?.

The England’s national game is Cricket. Many of the world’s famous sports began in Britain: cricket, football, lawn tennis, golf and rugby.

Cricket teams are made up of 11 players each. They play with a ball slightly smaller than a baseball and a bat shaped like a paddle. The game is scored according to the number of runs, which is the number of times the batters exchange places.

6. Why is a red rose important in England?

The flower has been adopted as England’s emblem since the time of the Wars of the Roses - civil wars (1455-1485) between the royal house of Lancaster (whose emblem was a red rose) and the royal house of York (whose emblem was a white rose).

7. The word “pub” is short for...

The word pub is short for public house. There are over 60,000 pubs in the UK (53,000 in England and Wales, 5,200 in Scotland and 1,600 in Northern Ireland). One of the oldest pubs, Fighting Cocks in St. Albans, Herts, is located in a building that dates back to the eleventh century.

Pubs are an important part of British life. People talk, eat, drink, meet their friends and relax there. Pubs often have two bars, one usually quieter than the other, many have a garden where people can sit in the summer. Children can go in pub gardens with their parents.

8. What do the British usually drink in pubs?

The British usually drink beer in pubs. Most pubs belong to a brewery (a company which makes beer) but sell many different kinds of beer, some on tap (from a big container under the bar) and some in bottles. The most popular kind of British beer is bitter, which is dark and served at room temperature (not hot, not cold). British beer is brewed from malt and hops.

More popular today though is lager, which is lighter in colour and served cold. Guinness, a very dark, creamy kind of beer called a stout, is made in Ireland and is popular all over Britain. Beers are served in "pints" for a large glass and "halves" for a smaller one.