Gaining Weight- A Cultural Experience
Today I’m going to write about my favorite thing in the world: food! There’s this stigma that food in the UK is dreadful but I’m here to tell you it’s all lies! I have been blowing through money and it’s because I can’t resist going out to eat way more frequently than a broke college student with access to her own kitchen should. I have had more amazing food from all around the world here than I ever have before. Just to name a few, I’ve had Jamaican, Argentinian, Ethiopian, Peruvian, and I went to an amazing little Indian vegetarian buffet that plasters every inch of wall space with posters exclaiming about the benefits of vegetarianism. If you take away anything from this blog post let it be this: Food in London is not synonymous with British food, rather it means food from all around the world.
London is an extremely diverse city and that is reflected in its restaurants, markets, and neighborhoods. A really great example of this is Brick Lane, a street in the historic Bengal Village which has over 50 curry restaurants in just a few short blocks. What’s most interesting about this street is that it’s a really interesting little microcosm of inclusion and integration of cultures in London. On the one hand, the addresses are written in English and Bengali and the street lamps are painted with bright colors and have intricate designs to reflect Bangladeshi culture but just a few blocks up the street is the site of the Brick Lane Market, essentially a hub for London’s self proclaimed “freaks”— the artists, hipsters, and lovers of all things vintage. So among the endless curry restaurants are beautiful and abundant street-art installations. Many of the pieces convey a message related to discontent with popular media and politics, and several focus on issues surrounding the plight of the neighborhood’s Bangladeshi population, including Islamophobia and modern day slavery. Although nothing is all good, and there are certainly nuanced tensions within the neighborhood, it’s extremely interesting and heartening to see two very different populations come together and (excuse the pun) feed off each other’s creativity and culture.
In fact, in general I feel like food brings London’s diverse population closer. Markets like Camden Lock often have specialty food festivals, bringing together the best Indian and South American gluten free or vegetarian options, and Borough Market is a chef’s heaven. Seriously, I think my grandparents could spend a week in there trying different cheeses, chutneys, and truffle balsamic vinegars. But if you’re like me, and prefer your food prepared, there are tons of venders selling everything from mac ’n cheese to raw squid and everything in between.
I swear, I’m putting so much effort into learning how to cook while I’m here, but I also seem to eat out ALL THE TIME. Maybe I’m just eating like five meals a day? So somehow, even with all the international cuisine I’ve been enjoying, I’ve also had several traditionally British meals. And you know what? British food deserves an honorable mention. The Brits make awesome chicken pot pie, their breakfasts are pretty typical (eggs, sausage, bacon, toast) except they always have baked beans too which is a job well done in my eyes, and any culture that takes the time to have tea and biscuits (cookies) every day is doing life right in my eyes.
My only complaint is that apparently normal coffee isn’t a thing here???? Every corner has a coffee shop (there is the *cutest* authentic French café right next to my internship) and they all serve espresso drinks, but very few have normal drip coffee. Here they call it filter coffee, and only a select few serve it. Don’t get me wrong, I love cappuccinos and macchiatos, but those are expensive– and so calorific! If I’m going to accept French croissants and British scones as a cultural experience, then I should at least try not to also drink my weight in milk and cream everyday, right? I’m not alone in this thought, so the Brits have so kindly provided the general population with instant coffee to tide us over. If you’re thinking, “Wait, that’s not how coffee works!” you’re right, it’s not. It’s this weird little powder that they stuff with chemicals, dye brown, and add caffeine to. It dissolves in water and it’s disgusting. But it’s free at my office and more caffeinated than tea, so it’s become part of my life here in London. I’ve accepted it. I’ve even begun to hate it just a little bit less. Now all complaints aside, they do make Americanos here which are the closest thing to drip coffee you can get in an espresso drink and they’re quite good. Another quick little cultural difference though, if you get your Americano with milk, they call it “white”. I could delve into a fun little anecdote about me misunderstanding a barista because of her accent (she was British, and speaking english, I’m just an idiot, it’s fine) and asking her like four times exactly what the difference between white and black coffee is, and why couldn’t I just get my Americano with milk, only to finally understand that’s what “a white Americano” is, but I’ll spare you.
I always end up making these way too long, I’m so sorry! *Insert “I just have a lot of feelings” gif from Mean Girls*. But hey, now if you ever find yourself in London you’ll know all about it, more than you ever wanted to know probably. In my next blog I’m going to talk about really old smelly water bathed in by the Romans and meeting President Aoun with a mouth full of salmon and caviar so look out for that! Seriously though, what even is my life?
