Читать книгу Good Things in England - A Practical Cookery Book for Everyday Use, Containing Traditional and Regional Recipes Suited to Modern Tastes - Florence White - Страница 12

ANY type of breakfast can be had in England. All one has to do is to know what one wants, order it in good time, and have the money to pay for it.

(1) We have inherited from India the chota-hazri consisting of a large breakfast cup of coffee made with milk and accompanied by two bananas; this is served in our bedrooms at five or six in the morning before we go for our usual morning ride, which is followed by a tub and some luscious mangoes, the proper place for eating which is one’s tub! After this comes luncheon at 11 o’clock, or tiffin, which corresponds to the French déjeuner.

(2) There is the normal workers’ breakfast at 8 o’clock consisting of tea or coffee, toast, butter and marmalade, eggs and bacon or some similar dish; and porridge during the winter months.

(3) The Country House Breakfast described by Ethel, Lady Raglan in Memories of Three Reigns (1928).

‘I always remember what a great feature was made of the breakfasts at my grandfather’s (the Earl of St. Germans) house parties at Port Eliot (in Cornwall; 1870), and of the numerous courses that succeeded each other.

‘There would be a choice of fish, fried eggs, and crisp bacon, a variety of egg dishes, omelets, and sizzling sausages and bacon. During the shooting parties hot game and grilled pheasants always appeared on the breakfast menu but were served of course without any vegetables.

‘On a side table was always to be found a choice of cold viands; delicious home-smoked hams, pressed meats, one of the large raised pies for which Mrs. Vaughan (the cook) was justly famous, consisting of cold game and galantine, with aspic jelly.

‘The guests drank either tea or coffee, and there were the invariable accompaniments of home-made rolls (piping hot) and stillroom preserves of apple and quince jelly; and always piled bowls of rich Cornish cream.

‘The meal usually finished with a fruit course of grapes or hothouse peaches and nectarines.’

(3) We have learnt from Americans to preface all our meals (with the exception of afternoon tea) with grape fruit. The Medical Research Council of Great Britain and Ireland has taught us to eat oranges and drink orange juice on every available occasion; and as oranges, owing to our South African relations, are available now all the year round these can be obtained anywhere at any time; so can hot water.

England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland are therefore particularly well provided with varied fare for breakfast; and Scotland in particular is noted for this meal.

Even the Indian chota-hazri is obtainable when required; but those in England who want cream with their coffee must mention it beforehand.

Cream with tea is a mistake if the milk be good.