FT Weekend: Eat, drink and be merry

Nov 27, 2021

Tim Hayward, a longtime food critic for the Financial Times, dives deep into the evolution of British cuisine, urging locals to embrace their culinary identity. He discusses the rich history of traditional dishes like eels and pies in East London, showcasing the shift from embarrassment to pride. The conversation also features a visit to a historic pie shop and insights from mixologist Shannon Mustipher, who shares a holiday cocktail recipe while highlighting the contributions of bartenders of color to the seasonal drinking scene.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Books

Transcript

Episode notes

INSIGHT

Culinary Cringe

Tim Hayward argues that British cuisine begins when Brits stop self-deprecating.
Modern British restaurants are inventive and deserve pride, defying the "culinary cringe."

ANECDOTE

Reader Backlash

Tim Hayward's article praising modern British food sparked outrage among FT readers.
Many readers rejected the idea of a positive British culinary identity, clinging to traditional perceptions.

INSIGHT

Redefining British Cuisine

Tim Hayward challenges the notion of chicken tikka masala as Britain's national dish, citing its recent and commercial origins.
He emphasizes that "curry" itself is a broad, non-Indian concept adapted for Western palates during British imperialism.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

What do you think of when you hear the words ‘British food’? This week, to celebrate the FT Weekend Magazine’s food and drink holiday special, we’re digging in. Food critic Tim Hayward praises modern British cuisine and challenges his compatriots to be proud of their food culture. Our team visits one of the last standing eel and pie shops in London to explore how culinary traditions survive. Then, Lilah learns a great holiday cocktail from one of Brooklyn’s best mixologists, Shannon Mustipher, author of Tiki: Modern Tropical Cocktails and the first African-American bartender to write a cocktail recipe book in 100 years.

If you want a great discount on an FT subscription or a $1 month-long trial, go here: http://ft.com/weekendpodcast

--------------------------

Links from the episode:

— Tim Hayward on how Britain overcame its culinary cringe: https://www.ft.com/content/5e718d4e-140f-4991-9dd1-2779d64732c5

— Tim in this weekend’s Magazine Food and Drink Special, about the merry hell of Christmas: https://www.ft.com/content/fb718958-a556-42bb-9ac9-33b394f8fc52

— The 25 best hotel bars in the world, including Lilah’s recommendation: https://www.ft.com/content/a51b0215-344e-4aa0-b3b4-c5a78ddd8299

— Shannon Mustipher’s book, Tiki: Modern Tropical Cocktails: https://www.rizzoliusa.com/book/9780789335548/

— You can explore the whole magazine issue here: https://www.ft.com/magazine

Shannon’s cocktail: Tha God’s Honest Truth, inspired by El Diablo

1.75 oz Casa Dragones Tequila Blanco, 1 oz Ginger Beer (with low sugar content, like Fever-Tree), .75 oz Hisbiscus Syrup, .75 lemon Juice. Combine all but ginger beer in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled Collins glass. Tip off with ginger beer, garnish with a lime wheel, then serve.

Sorrel (Hisbiscus) Syrup

500 ml water, 500 ml sugar, 2 -3 cinnamon sticks, 5 whole cloves. In a saucepan, toast the cinnamon and cloves for 2 minutes, until aromas are released. Add the water and bring to a soft boil (don’t over-boil). Add the sugar, reduce to a low simmer and whisk briskly to dissolve. Add ¾ cup dried hibiscus and simmer for 30-45 minutes, until desired flavor extraction is achieved. To serve: Strain out the solids and chill prior to use.

--------------------------

Want to say hi? Email us at ftweekendpodcast@ft.com. We’re on Twitter @ftweekendpod, and Lilah is on Instagram and Twitter @lilahrap.

Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner, with original music by Metaphor music.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.