22 Traditional Foods
You Have To Try in Manchester

Most Brits would agree that there is nothing more British than fish and chips. This comforting, widely loved national dish consists of a freshly fried, hot, white fish fillet and large, sliced and fried potatoes. Cod, haddock, and flounder are the most common types of fish that is fried for the dish, and the customers can choose which type of fish they want, with cod being the most popular choice. The fillets get dipped in a batter made from eggs, milk, and flour, and are then fried in oil, lard, or beef drippings along with the potatoes. The origins of this dish go back to the 17th century, when potatoes were fried as a substitute for fish in the winter months, while fried fish was introduced into the country by Jewish refugees. Fish and chips are a favorite takeaway dish, with numerous chippies (fish and chips shops) popping up all over the country and offering a few accompaniments and sides, such as salt, vinegar, mushy peas, curry sauce, ketchup, brown sauce, and a cup of sweet, milky tea. Traditionally, the dish is served wrapped in greaseproof paper and a layer of newspaper in order to make eating outside easier, and if you want to do as the Brits do, it is the only acceptable way to eat it. Interestingly, in Yorkshire, a cup of tea is the perfect beverage pairing for fish and chips.Expand

Also known as the full breakfast, this traditional British dish appears everywhere with a few essentials and some regional additions. First, there is the meat – usually a combination of sausages and bacon. The sausage is plain pork sausage, while the bacon can be streaky or back bacon. Then there are vegetables and legumes – baked beans and tomatoes, both cooked over high heat. The balance of sweetness and acidity in the tomatoes nicely balances out the fattiness on the other side of the plate. Lastly, there is a crispy piece of fried bread and two or three over-easy eggs to tie the whole meal together. Alongside this hearty breakfast, you will usually find a cup of tea, ketchup or brown sauce, and a nice fruit jam. Optionally, black pudding, kidneys, mushrooms, and potatoes can be added to the fry-up, depending on personal taste and regional preferences. Although it is traditionally a breakfast dish, a full English breakfast is more than hearty enough to serve as a mid-day meal.Expand

Cauliflower cheese is a traditional dish consisting of boiled cauliflower florets doused in a sauce made from flour, milk, butter, nutmeg, and mature cheeses such as cheddar. The whole concoction is then baked in the oven and can be served either as a vegetarian main meal or as a flavorful side dish, accompanying roast meat and potatoes. It is believed that cauliflower cheese was first prepared in the 17th century, when the vegetable was first introduced to the United Kingdom. Today, the dish is also popular as a pre-made baby food.Expand

Eggy bread is the British version of French toast. Also known as Poor Knights of Windsor, the dish is usually prepared with a combination of crustless sandwich bread, milk, icing sugar, eggs, butter, cinnamon, and often a bit of sherry and strawberry jam. The bread slices are soaked in a whisked mixture of icing sugar, milk, sherry, and eggs. The bread is then pan-fried in butter until browned on both sides. Once cooked, the bread is sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon, then topped with strawberry jam or blackberry compote, if desired. Eggy bread is typically served as a breakfast or dessert.Expand

Manchester tart is a traditional tart originating from Manchester, where it was a staple of school dinners until the mid-1980s. The tart consists of a shortcrust pastry base that's spread with raspberry jam and filled with custard, then topped with desiccated coconut and a Maraschino cherry. It is believed that the Manchester tart is derived from Manchester pudding, which dates back to 1860. The list of ingredients for the tart, whether full-size or individual, usually includes shortcrust pastry, milk, raspberry jam, eggs, butter, lemon peel, vanilla, desiccated coconut, sugar, and glace cherries. Once done, the tart is left to chill for a while, and it's then ready to be enjoyed.Expand

In the county of Lancashire in the United Kingdom, there is a long, slow-cooked casserole dish, famous for its simplicity and savoriness. The name of the dish is Lancashire hotpot, its name referring to a tall, straight-sided pot intended for cooking the dish. In order to prepare it, lamb and onions are topped with thinly sliced potatoes and baked in the oven. Some variations include vegetables such as carrots and turnips, while parsley, thyme, and bay leaf are among the most commonly used seasonings. The meat should be a mix of three types of cuts - neck, shin, and shoulder. It takes a long time to bake - from two and a half hours upwards in order to let the flavors infuse so that the dish develops its hearty, savory flavor. As a perfect accompaniment, try it with pickled red cabbage, a fresh salad, or crusty bread that should be dipped in the flavorful juices.Expand

Game pie is a traditional dish consisting of a pastry shell filled with rich gravy and slowly cooked game meat such as venison, rabbit, and pheasant. The dish is typically prepared during the colder months, since the British game season usually runs through autumn and winter. It is believed that game pie became popular during the 16th century in Britain, when it was prepared with whatever meat could be found, such as pigeons and blackbirds. Today, the availability of game makes it easier to prepare even the more elaborate pies that are often heavily decorated or engraved in order to impress the consumers.Expand

Triple cooked chips is an English dish created by chef Heston Blumenthal, who first started developing the recipe in 1992. Potato chips are first simmered, then cooled, drained, and freezed. Later on, the chips are deep-fried at a precise temperature and cooled, then deep-fried one more time. The resulting potato chips have a crunchy, glass-like crust, while the interior is fluffy and soft. This innovative dish was first served at Blumenthal's restaurant The Fat Duck in 1995, and nowadays triple-cooked chips are a standard item in many other English restaurants. And although you might think that it's a good idea to make these crispy snacks at home, British firefighters suggest visiting local chip shops instead of making posh chips in your kitchen due to recent surges in chip pan fires because the risk of fire is increased when food is fried more than once.Expand

Potted shrimps is a traditional meal that is usually made with Morecambe bay shrimp, although any small type of shrimp can be used in the dish. The shrimps are boiled in seawater, and then cooked in clarified butter. Additionally, the shrimps are often seasoned with pepper, cloves, cayenne pepper, mace, and nutmeg. Butter acts as a preservative, hence the name of the dish. Shrimps are usually served over thin slices of toast or greens such as cress, but they can also be added to a number of pasta dishes.Expand

Lancashire butter pie consists of shortcrust pastry filled with onions, potatoes, butter, salt, and pepper. Although vegetarians might think that this pie is suitable for them, they need to be apprehensive because bakers sometimes use lard in the crust. The pie is derived from local meat-and-potato pies, but the meat is replaced with butter because a sizeable Catholic population in Lancashire couldn't consume meat on Fridays. Therefore, this pie has got alternative names such as Catholic pie and Friday pie. These days, butter pie can be found in supermarkets and local chippies, and it is traditionally served with pickled red cabbage on the side.Expand