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In fact, there are several distinct types of cookery in the United Kingdom. While some people may eat only one type of cuisine, many switch between them during the course of the week.
The Industrial Revolution that began in Britain in the 18th century is responsible for the former poor reputation of British food. Unlike the populations of most other countries, by the mid 19th century the majority of the British population were working in city factories and living in very poor housing. The new working classes had lost contact with the land and the standard of cooking declined as a result.
In the home, food was indeed frequently reduced to "meat and two veg", perhaps with stews and soups. The rationing of most foods during (and for some years after) World War II did little to assist the situation, though it did raise the average nutritional standards of the population to levels never previously achieved - from which they have since declined. However post-war population movements, foreign holidays and immigrationImmigration is the act of moving to or settling in another country or region, temporarily or permanently. An immigrant is usually someone who intends to reside permanently, and not a casual visitor or traveler. Immigration means "in-migration" into a coun to the UK led to the increasing absorption of influences from former colonies (e.g. IndiaThe Republic of India is a large multicultural country in South Asia, with a population of over one billion. The Indian economy is the fourth largest in the world, in terms of purchasing power parity, and is the world's second-fastest growing economy.) and from EuropeFor the band of the same name, see Europe (band . Europe is a continent forming the westermost part of the Eurasian supercontinent. Europe is bounded to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the west by the Atlantic Ocean, to the south by the Mediterranean Se (particularly FranceThe French Republic or France ( French: Republique francaise or France is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents. and ItalyThe Italian Republic or Italy ( Italian: Italia is a country in the south of Europe, consisting mainly of a boot-shaped peninsula together with two large islands in the Mediterranean Sea: Sicily and Sardinia. To the north, where it borders France, Switzer). Italian AmericanAn Italian American is an American of Italian descent. Many, although proud of their heritage, prefer to be referred to simply as "American. Although Italians arrived early to the new world, beginning with Christopher Columbus in 1492, and continuing with influence is now ubiquitous and pastaThe English word pasta generally refers to noodles and other food products made from a flour and water paste, often including also egg and salt. Less frequently, the term macaroni is used for the same products. Pasta can also denote dishes in which pasta or pizzaFor the computer language, see Pizza programming language . For the Australian television show, see Pizza (Australian television . pepperoni, peppers, olives, and mushrooms. In its basic form, a pizza (occasionally, albeit redundantly, pizza pie is an ove make a significant contribution to many diets. Berni Inns intruduced the British public to prawn cocktail and steak, chips and peas.
These trends are exemplified by the ubiquitous spaghetti bolognese (known colloquially as Spag Bol) which has been a common family meal in Britain since at least the 1960s. More recently there has been a huge growth in the popularity of dishes like chicken tikka masala and lemon chicken , dishes with Indian and Chinese origins respectively, though modified to suit British tastes. Indeed, chicken tikka masala was first prepared in London rather than in India. The British curry, essentially a hangover from the days of Empire (and subsequently embellished by immigration), is far hotter and spicier than the traditional North Indian variety, though Indians from the southern provinces find it insipid. The post-war introduction of refrigeration, in parallel with the rise of the supermarket has led to the packaging of such foods into oven-ready meals which, often cooked by microwave oven, have now replaced "meat and two veg" in many homes. Consequently British students attending university and living away from home for the first time can often be seen with a copy of a basic cookery book for beginners (usually a Delia) which includes such ' recipes' as 'boiled egg'.