Travel to Cook, Cook to Travel: Regional Cooking of England

The following article isexcerpted from Healthy Aging Magazine.To continue reading this article and more like it,log inorsubscribe to Healthy Aging Magazine, the lifestyle magazine that is all about following your passion and what you can do rather than what you cant.Discovering regional food is part of the fun of travel.

Some of us even plan food-related trips with an itinerary, including a chef-owned restaurant, an off-the-beaten-track bistro, or even a cooking class led by a local culinary expert.Some enjoy traveling vicariously through books, films, and museums.So, where is your next stop?How About England?You might start with the Regional Cooking of England cookbook by food writer and historian Carol Wilson.Her latest book is filled with history, anecdotes, and, of course, delicious recipes from the region.Sample one of Wilsons recipes, a proper Full English Breakfast.Youll also find recipes from soups and starters, fish, meat, savory pastry, vegetables, puddings, and desserts.Read more about Wilsons new book here.Full English BreakfastMakes 4 servings8 (9oz.) small potatoesOil, for grilling or fryingButter, for grilling and frying4 large or 8 small good-quality sausages8 rashers of back or streaky bacon, preferably dry-cured4 tomatoes4 small slices of bread, crusts removed4 eggsThinly slice the potatoes.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil with a knob of butter in a large, preferably non-stick frying pan, add the potatoes and cook over a medium heat for 1015 minutes, turning them occasionally until they are crisp, golden and cooked through.Using a slotted spoon, lift the potatoes out of the pan and keep them warm on a dish in a low oven.Meanwhile, grill or fry the sausages in a little oil until golden brown all over and cooked through (test by inserting a fork in the center the juices should run clear).Keep warm.Grill the bacon or fry it in a little oil in the non-stick pan.Keep warm.Halve the tomatoes and either top each half with a tiny piece of butter and grill until they are soft and bubbling, or fry in a little oil in the frying pan.

Keep warm.Fry the bread in a little oil and butter over a medium-high heat until crisp and golden brown.Keep warm.Add extra oil if necessary to the hot frying pan.As soon as the oil is hot, crack the eggs into the pan, leaving space between them.

Cook over a medium heat, spooning the hot fat over occasionally to set the yolks, until cooked to your liking.Arrange the breakfast ingredients on warmed plates and, as soon as the eggs are ready, add and serve immediately.COOKS TIPFor the best flavor, fry the bread and tomatoes in the fatty juices remaining in the pan from the sausages and bacon.Reprinted with permission from Regional Cooking of England by Carol Wilson, isbn 9780754835462, published by Lorenz Books.