The West End of London is full of history and tradition. From its Victorian architecture to its rich theatre district, the West End is a vibrant community. My classmates and I were able to experience some of this tradition via our culinary travels. Our immersive food adventure began when we exited the Convent Garden Tube station and walked towards Bill’s, a trendy diner with a rustic interior. After being greeted by the wait staff and exchanging conversational pleasantries, we were presented with the traditional Full English Breakfast.
The Full English Breakfast is a historical remnant of the Middle Ages. According to Mark Riddaway, field laborers would eat this type of breakfast after several hours of tending crops. The meal consisted of gruel (also called porridge), bread, and ale. These items provided the necessary fibers and carbohydrates to fuel workers for the rest of the morning. During the Victorian Era, bacon and eggs were introduced as an additional staple of this breakfast. Following the end of both World Wars and a time of food rationing, other food items were added in abundance to the breakfast. Currently, this meal normally consists of bacon, eggs, toast, beans, black pudding, roasted vegetables, and hash browns. The addition of several new breakfast items provides Britons with a complete meal filled with quintessential nutrients. For example, sausage, beans, bacon, and eggs are rich in protein and minerals. The black pudding, made from dried blood and oats, also supplies valuable minerals. The roasted vegetables are full of fiber and vitamins. The breakfast potatoes and toast complete the nutritional breakfast by supplying carbohydrates.
After being seated, I instantly began eating the bacon from the Full Breakfast service. The bacon was crispy towards the end but had a soft lining of fat surrounding most of the meat. I also enjoyed the eggs with crispy egg whites and soft yolks. However, my plate did contain foods that were more of a challenge for me to eat. The vegetables selected for the breakfast were mushrooms and tomatoes. I would not choose either of these. I skipped the roasted tomatoes and had one mushroom although they appeared fresh and ripe.
The black pudding proved to be the most difficult item on my plate. Prior to sticking my fork in the circular sausage, I was reminded that the sausage contained pig’s blood. I am naturally squeamish, so the thought of eating dried blood caused my stomach to knot. After receiving encouragement from my professor, Dr. Brazeau, and giving myself a mental pep-talk, I sunk my teeth into the blood sausage. I only chewed twice before swallowing. I anticipated that the sausage would be metallic tasting and was surprised that it instead was slightly salty and bland tasting. In fact, a comparable breakfast item could have been rye bread. Despite the “pudding” being a source of valuable minerals, I elected to pass on consuming the rest of the sausage. My singular bite provided me with sufficient experiential evidence.
I finished my Full English Breakfast with some golden-brown buttered toast. Although I did not eat the entire meal due to the abundance of wonderful food, I felt full and appreciated this English culinary tradition. The filling meal contained almost all of the essential nutrients. I likely would pass on ordering the Full English Breakfast again, but I am thankful to have conquered my first culinary consumption challenge – black pudding.