I presently live in the UK, and I can tell you that beans are a breakfast staple. Beans and eggs, beans and sausages, beans and potato scones, Heinz baked beans and everything. There is worse of course. I always shudder when I come across black pudding.
Traditional American breakfasts (eggs, pork, potatoes, white-bread toast/pancakes) really don't have a lot of fiber, right? Beans can only help, weird as they seem. Funny pic, though. (They need ketchup/tabasco sauce.)
I think most of us are aware of the tradition of breakfast beans in England. It's just, you know, many of us *aren't* English, and thus do not consume beans at breakfast.
@10: It's sausage made of congealed blood. The Chinese (and probably other Asians) are known for consuming pig's blood too, usually in congealed cube form.
At least you can get good Indian food here. Nothing else, but good Indian. Oh and cheep piss beer in the UK is better than cheep piss beer in the US. Of course that could just be my Portland pretensions coming through.
@19, Well I am biased. I'm a vegetarian and I shudder at a lot of meat products, but you are perfectly free to eat as much beautiful crisped oat and blood clot as you like.
@7, @10: black pudding is magnificent, one of the great foodstuffs of the world. The French call it "boudin noir" (where our word "pudding" comes from). Some fried tomatoes and mushrooms are good in there, too. Bacon, some sausages, beans, and eggs -- now you're talking. Breakfast is England's greatest contribution to world culture.
You can get a limited English breakfast, minus the black pud, alas, but with plenty of beans, at the George & Dragon pub in Fremont.
@24 - Oh, come on now! Some good ol' cheese grits with butter, with a little crumbled bacon on top, is the best thing in the world. Right along with some biscuits and sausage gravy. Shoot! Hush yo' mouth!
@15 Stop reminding me what I left behind when I left England. At least now there are several good Indian restaurants where I live (along with Thai, which I first tasted on my first trip to London, because, when in Rome...).
@24 Despite my moniker I've never really liked plain grits, but, even though I assume @25 is being partly facetious, cheese grits are a nice side dish when done right. Being a vegetarian, I'll skip the sausage gravy. On the other hand I make some pretty damn tasty hot water cornbread.
Oh, and for anyone who knocks English cuisine I have three words: fish and chips. With a pint of Yorkshire bitter. Or, as I used to call it, nectar and ambrosia. And for a description of an English breakfast that sounds absolutely mouth-watering read the final chapter of A History of the World in 10 and 1/2 Chapters.
@26, Don't forget all the great cider you can get in the UK, too. Cider just doesn't seem to be a big deal in the US, and it should be. Also, I heartily approve of your like of cheese grits and corn bread. Cornbread with butter and/or honey is a wonder of the world. I really am far too attached to my milk, eggs, and honey to ever do veganism.
Why is everything suddenly coming out in bold for me? How mysterious. My speech seems to have taken on a new weight. This must be D-G the LORD imparting me with His POWER to tell you all to put $300 in my bank account so that I may bark the Word to the unwashed masses. For your trouble I'll tell D-G the LORD to not strike your names from the list of those to receive the BOOK of HOLY coupons for the BEST DEALS at a limited number of pre-selected SHOPPING DESTINATIONS in the MALL of AMERICA.
I hope it's not my fault. I thought I closed my bold quotes when I finished my message @27, but maybe not. Anyway, wouldn't you prefer £300 in your bank account?
And I can't drink cider at work, but I am listening to some classic Doctor Who. That's got to count for something.
Cheepest worst cider >>>>>>> Anything made in an Anheuser-Busch or equivalent brewery. It'll at least still be an alcoholic glass of apple juice, if nothing better.
I'm trying to see if I can fix my mistake and close the bolds. And I would give quite a few pounds right now for a frosty pint of Strongbow Cider. There used to be an English pub right down the street from the office where I work--owned and run by an English couple. Cider (and bitter, and Guinness) on tap. Dark wood and brass bar. Towels. Dart boards. They even served afternoon tea (now I'm going to get The Kinks stuck in my head). It was lovely. It broke my heart when they retired. Since then the place has been everything from a sandwich shop to a hookah bar.
Ooh - over in the side streets by the University they have the best Asian food. I used to like walking around on a Saturday night just smelling the deliciousness coming from all the restaurants. Damn, now I really am hungry. You are lucky.
Unfortunately, I am usually stuck in St. Andrews due to studies. Not the best considering that other than studies, all there is to do is drink. I guess I could play golf, but that holds almost no interest for me. At least drinking is fun. I guess I get into Glasgow and Edinburgh often enough.
Thanks a lot you all. Now I am in desperate need of a pint of the Dog, a pie, and dining companions with debilitating accents. How I miss those days and the : yummy whisky, yummy piss beer, yummy food and really yummy men to behold.
*FAIL*
You can get a limited English breakfast, minus the black pud, alas, but with plenty of beans, at the George & Dragon pub in Fremont.
Don't cause a fuss, Dear. I'll have yours.
Spam spam spam spam...
@24 Despite my moniker I've never really liked plain grits, but, even though I assume @25 is being partly facetious, cheese grits are a nice side dish when done right. Being a vegetarian, I'll skip the sausage gravy. On the other hand I make some pretty damn tasty hot water cornbread.
And cider...oh, cider...and snakebites...Stop it! Don't make me come over there!
Also, drink cider.
And I can't drink cider at work, but I am listening to some classic Doctor Who. That's got to count for something.
....how do you close the bolds? Someone teach me some computer secrets...
I may have to go out on a bender now.
And Glasgow, not London, is the place for Indian. It's cheaper and more authentic.
Good times, good times.