When international students come to America for college there are bound to be culture shocks, whether it’s the different language, people, or customs. But arguably, the biggest surprise is the food.
As an American who grew up in England, the food isn’t all that different between the two, but here are some foods that I miss from home as a college student living in the US.
1. Yorkshire Pudding
Sunday roast is a delicious British meal that is essentially a Thanksgiving dinner you can have every Sunday night. But unlike Thanksgiving dinner, a Sunday roast is graced by the presence of the glorious yorkshire pudding, a magical creation that is crunchy on the outside yet fluffy on the inside. It’s a sponge for gravy and the perfect compliment to roast beef. Step up your game, America.
2. Crumpets
The english muffin isn’t really a thing in England. Although english muffins are delicious in their own right, they are the weird cousin of the crumpet. While the english muffin is bread-like, the crumpet is spongy in texture. The crumpet is also whole-y. Holy? Basically, it’s full of holes. There is nothing more beautiful than butter melting on a toasted crumpet.
3. Chips
In England, potato chips are called crisps and chips are a fatter version of American french fries. We still have fries at fast food restaurants, but classic English dishes like fish and chips or steak and chips are served with piping hot crispy-on-the-outside, fluffy-on-the-inside chips. Yum.
4. Fresh Bread
Weirdly, what I miss the most from England is the bread. The country is so much smaller than America that the bread always feels like it came fresh from the farm rather than from the factory.
5. Back Bacon
Don’t get me wrong, I love crispy American bacon. It’s versatile and delicious, but nothing compares to thickly cut back bacon. Put some on a roll with ketchup and call me happy.
6. Baked Beans
It might be dangerous to say this in Boston, but I miss English baked beans. Instead of being sweetened with maple syrup and molasses, English baked beans come in a tomato-based sauce. And they are absolutely perfect on toast.
7. Cadbury’s Chocolate
You can argue all you want but I will never change my mind: Cadbury’s chocolate is far superior to Hershey’s. Twirl, Aero, Dairy Milk, Crunchie, Creme Eggs, Mini Rolls—all deliciously rich Cadbury’s products that the US is seriously missing out on.
8. Cheese
Just like the bread, the cheese in England seems like it just came from the cow. English cheese is magnificently fresh. I don’t know what American cheese is but I feel like it’ll be on the planet long after the human race is gone.
9. Biscuits
In England there are cookies, and then there are biscuits. Not a biscuit like the American one served with gravy, but a crunchy, flat biscuit. There are Digestives, Custard Creams, Party Rings, and so many more. Nothing beats a biscuit and a cup of tea. Which brings me to my last pick…
10. Tea
Americans know coffee, but they don’t know tea. You can’t get a good cup of tea this side of the Atlantic. There’s nothing quite like ending the day with a perfect cuppa. Tea can even help you survive finals week.
If you ever cross the pond, make sure to treat yourself to these delights. And America, take notes.