This weekend I had a mission; I was dogged, determined and would not be dissuaded from proving that Birtish food could be tasty and stand up to the cuisine any European nation had to offer. I am sick and tired traveling to different countries and hearing their unique slant on how disgusting English food is and how vastly superior their nation's culinary talent is. I mean, even Germans have tried to gloat over me in the past! Germans! The inventers of Schnitzel, greasy, tough, breaded meat and Sourcrowt, minging cabbage...
Now don't get me wrong. I'm not slagging other nations or even claiming that Britian is the best, I mearly wanted an opportunity to prove that freshly cooked, traditional English food is tasty! To my glee that opportunity arrived this weekend in the shape of three lovely ladies from the Spanish 24-7 team; Jaz, Eni and Loida!
Their real purpose in traveling to the Mecca of Chichester actually had surpirisingly little to do with my cooking and a lot more to do with 24-7. As a national team they're looking build stronger international friendships so came to visit the International base, see the Reading Boiler Room, go to Revelation Church, experience Chi Sunday lunch and buy English Tea and Chocolate.
It was fantastic to have the girls staying at ours. I knew Jaz fairly well already (always a pleasure, never a chore) but it was a great weekend to get to know the loved up Loida and the crazy but lovable Eni. We talked, laughed and chilled over numerous glasses of wine and plates of food.
Needless to say my mission was more than accomplished by the time I returned them to Gatwick this morning. After feeding them Sheperd's Pie with British beef, mushrooms, potatoes and roasted parsnips and sweet potatoes on the side, freshly baked bread, Wenslydale with cranberry and Stilton with apricot cheese, lots of tea, chocolate cakes (a few Mr Kiplings) and a Sunday Roast they were powerless to resist the charms of great English food.
One nationa down, a few hundred to go... xc