The history of Britain has played a large part in it's traditions, it's culture - and it's food. The Romans for instance brought us cherries, stinging nettles ( to be used as a salad vegetable), cabbages and peas, as well as improving the cultivation of crops such as corn. And they brought us wine! The Romans were prolific road builders, these roads allowing for the first time the easy transportation of produce throughout the country.The Saxons were excellent farmers and cultivated a wide variety of herbs. These were not used just for flavour as they are today but were used as bulk to pad out stews.The Vikings and Danes brought us the techniques for smoking and drying fish - even today the North East coasts of England and Scotland are the places to find the best kippers - Arbroath Smokies, for example. "Collops" is an old Scandinavian word for pieces or slices of meat, and a dish of Collops is traditionally served on Burns Night (25th January) in Scotland. York Ham is a great favourite with the British housewife. The first York Ham is said to have been smoked with the sawdust of oak trees used in the building of York Minster.The Normans invaded not only our country but also our eating habits! They encouraged the drinking of wine and even gave us words for common foods - mutton (mouton) and beef (boeuf) for example. In the 12th century the Crusaders were the first Britons to taste oranges and lemons whilst in Jaffa in 1191-2.Britain has always been a great trading nation. Saffron was first introduced into Cornwall by the Phoenicians at a very early date when they first came to Britain to trade for tin. Derived from the dried and powdered stigmas of the saffron crocus, saffron is still used today in British cooking. The importation of foods and spices from abroad has greatly influenced the British diet. In the Middle Ages, wealthy people were able to cook with spices and dried fruits from as far away as Asia. It has been said however that the poor people were lucky to eat at all!In Tudor times, new kinds of food started to arrive due to the increase in trade and the discovery of new lands. Spices from the Far East, sugar from the Caribbean, coffee and cocoa from South America and tea from India. Potatoes from America began to be widely grown. Eccles Cakes evolved from Puritan days when rich cakes and biscuits were banned.Turkeys were bred almost exclusively in Norfolk up until the 20th century. In the 17th century, turkeys were driven from Norfolk to the London markets in great flocks of 500 birds or more. Their feet were sometimes bandaged to protect them. Upon arrival in London, they had to be fattened up for several days before market.The growth of the Empire brought new tastes and flavours - Kedgeree, for example, is a version of the Indian dish Khichri and was first brought back to Britain by members of the East India Company. It has been a traditional dish at the British breakfast table since the 18th and 19th centuries.Nowadays you can sample cuisines from all around the world - chinese, indian, italian, french, american, spanish, thai, etc., reflecting the ethnic diversity of Britain today as well as the modern ease of travel. Some would even claim'Curry' to be a traditional British dish - although it bears little resemblance to the curries to be found in India!So what is British cuisine? Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding, Steak and Kidney Pie, Trifle - these are the dishes that everyone associates with Britain. But like the country of Britain which is constantly changing and evolving, so is British food, and whilst today these dishes are 'traditionally British', in the future perhaps dishes such as the British Curry will join them!在饮食上英式菜是世界公认的名流大菜，它历史悠久，与此同时，英国人在用餐上也是很讲究的。

英国人的饮食习惯亦式样简单，注重营养。

一般的英国家庭一天通常是四餐：早餐、午餐、午茶点和晚餐。

有极个别地区的人还要在晚上九点钟以后再加一餐。

英国人讲究口味清淡，菜肴要求质好量精，花样多变，注意营养成分。

他们喜欢吃牛肉、羊肉、蛋类、禽类、甜点、水果等食品。

夏天喜欢吃各种水果冻、冰淇淋，冬天喜欢吃各种热布丁。

进餐时一般先喝啤酒，还喜欢喝威士忌等烈性酒。

中国茶叶自从十七世纪传入英国，当时的英国人不懂得饮茶，竟把茶叶当成好吃的菜吞下肚子。

但当他们了解之后，便和茶结下了不解之缘，一改过去只喝咖啡、啤酒等饮料的习惯。

茶英国民族喜欢喝茶。

在英国传统上人们用瓷茶杯泡茶，一人一个茶杯，一匙茶。

大多数英国人喜欢喝浓茶，但是要加许多牛奶。

多年前，人们习惯先把牛奶倒入茶杯，然后再放茶，最后加水。

鱼和油炸土豆条这是英国民族传统的快餐食品。

它是在19世纪60年代流行起来的。

那时，铁路开始把新鲜的鱼一夜间直接从东海岸运到伦敦。

英国人在鱼上面裹上糊放在油里炸好，和炸土豆条一起吃。

人们把盐和醋的混合调料倒在炸鱼和土豆条上，用报纸包上，然后从纸包里拿着吃。

如今，人们经常用清洁的纸包装，并提供一个餐叉。

酒英国的酒业很强盛。

越来越多的葡萄园正在生产白酒和红酒。

英国的酒馆无所不在，有好几万家大大小小各具风味的酒馆，其中还有不乏数百年历史的，这样的老酒馆通常传说闹鬼，有趣的是，主人不但不避讳，还把他家的鬼故事像立传一般摆在每一张桌子上。

有鬼的酒馆生意更好，而且卖得更贵。