Wednesday, 2 March 2016
A Take on History: How Brits Came to Love Indian Cuisine
Although Chinese cuisine have recently been
taking ground as one of the most loved ethnic cuisine in Britain, British
beer-and-curry weekends are not going anywhere. Britons’ love affair with curry
is dug way too deep into the roots of history for it to be displaced in a snap.
No doubt, Indian curry is the comfort food of millions of Brits, and its
popularity goes back almost four hundred years ago.
When
Queen Elizabeth I Said Yes
At the dawn of the 17th century,
London merchants decided it would be a worthy undertaking to cross the Indian
Ocean to see if they can trade with an exotic land called India. They formed a
joint-stock company called the East India Company, the sole purpose of which
was to establish trade with the East Indies. They filed a petition to Queen
Elizabeth I for permission to set sail, and on 1600 the petition was granted
and a royal charter was bestowed upon it.
Amidst wars against Portuguese and Spanish
forces, the company hadmanaged to become the most powerful and dominating
trading corporation in India. This further strengthened Britain as a world
power. Soon after, British people settled in India and intermarried with Indian
women. Indian seamen, known as langars,
also boarded British ships and landed in London. By 1810 there were an
estimated 1400 langarson English
land, and more Indians entered the country in the following years.
Brit’s
Spicy Tastes
It was not long before Brits took an
interest in Indian cuisine. Curry powder was particularly popular even back
then, leading to the publication of recipes and commercial production of curry
powder in 1780. The Coffee House in Norris Street, Haymarket, Londonwas the
first English restaurant to have offered curry on a menu in 1773.
The first ever establishment that offered
solely Indian food, however, was the Hindostanee Coffee House at Portman
Square, London which opened in 1809. Owned by Dean
Mahomet, the restaurant sought to provide “for the entertainment of Indian
gentlemen, where they may enjoy the Hoakha, with real Chilm tobacco, and Indian
dishes”.
Since then, the love for Indian cuisine
spread across the country, becoming one of the fastest growing food and
drinkindustry sector. This exponential growth was partlytriggered in 1984 by
Pat Chapman’s The Curry Club and Good Curry Guide, which publicised the cuisine and caused supermarkets to stock
curry ingredients and chilled meals. Other publications also taught how to
recreate curries at home. Asian cateringLondon, particularly Indian and Chinese catering, also boomed around this
time.
Indian
Cuisine Today
Bangladesh is entered the catering
industry around 1970, and since then dominated the industry of Indian wedding catering London. They
own approximately 65 to 75% of the more than 9000 Indian restaurants in the
country.
Chicken tikka masala is now often cited as
the nation’s most favourite ethnic dish, even called by the then foreign
secretary Robin Cook as “a true British national dish”. With the popularity of
Indian foods, Bangladeshis will remain as top Asian caterers London.
Colonial relations play a huge role in
Britain’s love for curry, and the dish will continue to represent a rich
historical era when Britain dominated the world’s
economic and political affairs.
7 Ways to Spot a Clean Restaurant
Last year we’ve heard of an Asian
restaurant in central London shut down due to extraordinary filth. In case
you’re wondering how bad it was, health inspectors found mice inside food bags and
cockroaches on the kitchen floors of Malaysia Kopi Tiam. It must have been terrible
news for those who ate in this diner, and it won’t be a surprise if any of them
made a trip to the nearest doctor.
None of us want to eat or even set foot on
a mice-infested diner, whether it’s indoor or outdoor catering London. So
to help youknow if you’re in good hands, here are seven ways
to tell if the restaurant is clean or not:
Check
out the bathroom. This is the most basic principle
in Restaurant Cleanliness 101: if the bathroom is filthy and lacks basic hand-washing
necessities,chances are the owners or managers don’t think much of basic
hygiene. Check if the bathroom has soap, hand air dryer or paper towels, and
hot water. Also observe if the floor and wall tiles are clean.
Check
out the kitchen.Kitchen staff should be wearing
hair nets, caps, and gloves at all times inside the kitchen.
Peek
at the back door. Sometimes back doors are left
open and you can sneak a little peek to the condition inside. Trash bins and
dumpsters should be neat and covered, and if they’re not, odds are the kitchen
and other hidden areas of the place look like that too.
Observe
waiters and food runners. These people are the ones
who handle and deliver your food, so their hygiene should be top priority.
Check if they have clean clothes, well-kempt hair, neat and trimmed finger
nails, and if they are in perfect shape (no sneezing or coughing). Any restaurant in Ealing
that prioritizes cleanliness will keep its front men presentable at all times.
Scrutinise
the menu and silverware. It’s basic to check if the
cutleries don’t smell of soap or food or have remains of food, grime, and
grease. Also check if the menus are not smeared with grease or caked in food.
Watch
how staffshandle silverware. If workers grab
cutleries by the part you put inside your mouth that should tell you that they
are not properly trained on basic food serving sanitation. It’s also better if
the silverware is wrapped so there will be no cross-contamination.
Make
a food temperature check. It goes without saying
that fresh meals are served hot, except of course if you ordered a medium-rare
steak. If your meal is not hot, and if the menu does not specifically say that
food is to be served in room temperature, it may mean that the time interval
between when the plate was made and served is too long.
Wedding Catering Ideas
A wedding
is a very special event in one’s life. The reception that follows is where the
celebration continues, and where many memorable moments take place. Though it’s
not a requirement to spend a huge amount of money on your reception, it is
important is that you get the kind of reception you want and ensure a
comfortable, memorable experience for you and your guests. Here are some
wedding catering ideas
Tented wedding reception
Wedding
receptions, especially outdoor receptions, are held in the garden or lawn of a
sprawling private property that can accommodate anywhere between 50-250 guests.
If you have a small party, your caterer can set up in the kitchen of the venue.
For larger receptions, one option you might want to look into is a caterer’s
tent. Usually, it is set up right next to the wedding marquee. A generator may
be required the meet the demands of professional catering. The caterer may also
provide the furniture, table linens, cutlery, and crockery. The selection of
items used would depend on the host’s budget and preference.
Spring wedding catering
Spring
represents rebirth, beginnings, and everything green and thriving. It’s a
romantic season that opens up many possibilities for infusing creativity into
your wedding reception planning. Build a menu based on the mood of the season
and highlight fresh seasonal produce. A mix salad would be perfect as an
appetizer. Traditionally, asparagus is used in spring weddings. You can use it
in many ways—as a side dish, as an ingredient in soup, or cooked and prepared
as an appetizer.
Summer wedding catering
Summer
weddings are widely popular. The pleasant weather and the availability of a
variety of food may just be some of the reasons why a lot of people love to have
summer weddings. When it comes to menu, the possibilities are endless—you can
go for barbecues, surf and turf, classic summer fare, or even exotic dishes if
you want. Grilled meats and vegetables are a hit as well as refreshing salads.
Ice cream and other frozen desserts would win your guests over as well as a
never-ending supply of cool drinks.
Winter wedding catering
Summer
weddings may be popular, but there is ample opportunity to make a winter
wedding as romantic and magical. You can apply this to the choice of venue and
scenery, décor, as well as the menu. The chilly weather is perfect for hot,
hearty soups to warm your guests, and bright, zesty salads that remind one of
summer. Winter is also perfect for classic pairings and hearty roast meats like
pork, beef, or turkey paired with side dishes like creamy mashed potatoes and
roasted seasonal vegetables. You may continue the classic pairing with desserts
like bread pudding.
Asian wedding catering
If you’re
having an Asian-themed wedding, it’s a given that your menu would also be
Asian-inspired. Asian weddings have become popular in recent years, as well as
Asian cuisine in the catering industry. In the UK in particular, Asian
catering London is trending, and Asian
wedding caterers London are aplenty. Asian
caterers London specialise in providing a wide range of dishes and cuisines
representing different regions in Asia. Popular choices are traditional and
modern dishes from India, China, Japan, and Southeast Asian nations. Your
guests would appreciate the diversity and availability of food that’s different
from what they usually have.
Outdoor Venue Pros and Cons
Outdoor
venues for special events like weddings and intimate gatherings are in-demand
especially during the spring, summer, and autumn seasons. If you’re planning an
event and you’re partial to an outdoor venue, here are the pros and cons you
need to consider before reserving that gorgeous venue you’ve been keeping your
eye on for the longest time.
Pros
- Atmosphere
Some of the
most breathtaking events have take place outdoors. Surrounded by nature, wide
open spaces, and blue skies or starry skies for a backdrop—what more can you
ask for? If you’re the kind of person who loves being outdoors, an outdoor
venue is perfect for you. Also, an outdoor setting feels more casual than an
indoor setting. The natural beauty of the outdoors and the wide space that’s
available lends a feeling of freedom and inspires one to relax and enjoy the
moment.
- Room for creativity
There are
infinitely more options available to you when you choose an outdoor venue, and
not just when it comes to the décor, scenery, and theme. You definitely have
room to be more creative and add activities or details that would likely engage
and entertain your guests, plus provide them with an overall unique, fun, and
memorable experience. When it comes to food, you have to consider what’s best
suited to outdoor catering. The Clay Oven specialises in outdoor catering
London. We also have options like Halal caterers London and Indian caterers London. Visit out restaurant in Ealing to
know more about our outdoor catering options.
- Less is more
The golden
rule of less is more not only applies to person style, but also in setting up
the outdoor venue of your event. If your venue is already naturally
breathtaking, you may need minimal décor.
- Better photos
For daytime
outdoor events, you’ll easily get lots of natural light which is great for
photos. You also have the surrounding beautiful natural scenery as your
backdrop, which makes for magical, romantic photos.
Cons
- Weather
One huge
disadvantage in an outdoor venue concerns the weather. Even though you’ve done
your research, consulted weather reports, and planned your event to take place
during a season of relatively milder, pleasant weather, you still need to have
a back-up plan just in case the weather decides to be unpredictable and
literally rain on your event. No one is able to control the weather so it’s
better to be safe ad have a contingency plan for the comfort of you and your
guests. Make arrangements to access a nearby indoor venue, or have tents ready
to be set up in case it looks like rain. Be prepared, though, for extra costs
of making arrangements for a back-up plan. It might come in handy and you’ll
have yourself to thank if it does.
- Uncomfortable guests
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