h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

...but I counted at least three on that list which 'Deceptively like crude oil in appearance' applies to.

Haute cuisne=not our heritage.

I felt so at home in Ireland... We went to a dinner theatre.

They served fried chicken in a basket. Just like the South.

But I have to admit, these Guide Entries about what is consumed on the Main Island were eye-popping.

Steinbeck wrote a great passage about British food when he was there during World War II. Enough to kill the largest appetite stone dead! In fairness things have changed since the 1940s.

This is a good thing.

The only thing my dad held against the British Army was their food.

This has apparently been going on for a long time. This is a page from 'Asterix the Legionary', where Asterix and Obelix have joined the Roman Army. (The others in this scene are guys of a variety of other nationalities who also enlisted: an Egyptian, Greek, Belgian (note the hairdo - perhaps an ancestor of another famous Belgian comic hero), Goth and Briton - and there's an interpreter with them too):

http://www.comicbookbrain.com/large-asterix-legionary-page-20.php

These stereo-types are based on the post war period of austerity which had more to do with rationing than British taste - a bit ironic when our Indian chefs constitently thrash chefs from south Asia in curry competitions, the French have orgasms over our tradional results and while we can't compete in terms of the quantity of French cheeses we can match them in terms of qualiity.

I think there were some omissions - HP sauce is the prolitatiate choice rather than Heinz salad cream and the (horribly bland) Chickem Tikka Masala deserves a mention although Kedgeree is a far better curry based UK invention.

......that should have been traditional desserts - crumble and the like

Never knew Vegemite was made in Britain, Empire has its downfalls!

The quiz was based on entries in the guide covering these food products. If there are omissions in the guide, someone will need to write an entry about them...

Thanks, KB! That's right - if you don't see your favourite food, write a Guide Entry. See that Search button up there? Use it.