While studying abroad, there are many things you’re told that you’re supposed to try. Go to this museum, check out this cathedral, find this statue, but one of my favorite things about traveling is trying different foods. I grew up with my mother always telling me to try everything once,
so that’s what I'm doing here. Upon arriving in England, on just our second day, we had fish and chips. I have had fish and chips at home before, but it is nothing compared to the dish here. It’s flakey and the batter is thin, while the fish is tender; it’s almost hard to pick up. Tea and crumpets were also a source of fascination for us. To me, the tea is the same, but the sugar cubes here add a bit of elegance to the experience. The scones are larger than I expected and “clotted cream” is added to a lot of them, which is like a whipped butter textured cream that isn’t overly sweet. England isn't the only place to try new things. In Scotland, I tried shepherds' pies, which even if you’re eating them at a quick stop, always taste homemade. We also tried ice cream from Edinburgh’s most famous ice cream shop, Mary’s Milk Bar, and saw the assortment of strange, but locally common, flavors. I tried the flavor ricotta and coffee. Believe it or not, it mostly just tasted like a creamy coffee flavor, no cheese taste at all. In Paris, we tried crepes, both savory and sweet. Nearly the same as a thin pancake, it leaves you feeling full without looking like it will. I also tried escargot, or snails. This one was one of the tasting experiences that left me a little dazed. They are incredibly similar to clams in both taste and texture, but there's something about the way that it still looks like a little creature that steered me away. All in all, I feel like with each new food adventure I am gaining knowledge about the cultures around me and really taking in the experience as much as I can.
Abigail House, History
