Sunday Roast | A Great British Gastronomic Tradition to Try Once in your Life.

The Sunday Roast is absolutely A great British Gastronomic tradition to try once in your Life part of a culture, a culinary speciality extremely relevant and important very rooted in the history of Great Britain increasing in that last decade its already affirmed fame and becoming including a very trendy habit for a multitude of people pleased  to spend social times highlighting much more the atmosphere of several historic Gastropubs, those notorious iconic catering establishments that in their kinds made and make part of the history of the hospitality industry of the United Kingdom.

The origin of that famous English culinary speciality  is from Yorkshire in the north of the country dating back many years ago and closely linked to a distinctive period as the notorious Industrial Revolution,  an event which changed in its kind the history of the entire Nation which experienced a desire of innovation with a notable change of life generating an expansion of economy and welfare in large scale all around the territory.

Culture,Gastronomy and History are totally related in many cases to very relevant and special historic events apart the previously mentioned.Worth to be mentioned that In England after the 2nd World War the most popular Christmas Roast Turkey was replacing the roast goose. Before the turkey became cheaper, the Roast chicken was more common than goose, plus they do a roast goose was not very appropriate when there were few diners. Another aspect which elevated the fame of that plate at international level was thanks to the British immigrants who started to populate different English speaking countries  part of the Commonwealth nowadays transmitting that gastronomic speciality in new latitudes.Due to that the Sunday roast became and is today very popular also in the Oceanic Continent, well rooted in  Australia and New Zealand but also in North America in Canada and U.S.A.

That  dish, icon from Britain also strongly entered  In other parts of the world as in South Africa and the long cultural, historic relationships left with deep links and roots also in other nations of Europe as the case of the nearest Republic of Ireland  which easily absorbed that gastronomic delight is a further highlight.

Of course for many local people it is one of the most important traditions to spend social times with family, friends but today all that strongly entered in the spirit of the Catering Industry thanks to many Gastropubs in Great Britain which offer the brilliant opportunity to taste and enjoy that plate all around the territory. That culinary emblem since a long time ago took   different names depending of the geographic area,someone calls it Sunday Roast while others call it Roast Dinner,Roast Lunch and so on.

The famed Roast Beef, which in the United Kingdom is derived from the first classic loin ribs ,prime rib roast beef it is traditionally served rare or pink, two words to describe the colour of  the centre of the piece of meat and how long has been cooked.

The Sunday Roast Dinner traditionally includes accompanying the meat roast potatoes, some vegetables as fresh boiled broccoli or carrots,  the classical gravy sauce and there are many kind of roasts apart the famous mentioned Roast Beef/  All that was studied and created to offer the customers different options and choices satisfying the most varied tastes and for that many people find a brilliant solution on Sunday to eat something different and tastefully enjoying a very complete plate.

Today in many menus of several establishments you can easily find Roast Lamb, Pork and Turkey  and including in many places is also served Gammon.Another detail is the use of a wide variety of sauces chosen depending on the type of meat, some of them are mint  simply excellent if combined with lamb or onion sauce greatly matching with pork. 

The famed Yorkshire Pudding is a further emblematic element inserted in that renowned speciality accompanying  the meat  which can also seasoned with sage and onion combined with stuffed pork or parsley in many cases added to stuffed chicken.

In England but also in Canada and Australia the Roast Beef is also often served within sandwiches. You can find them in some delicatessen stores and usually or in many cases they often contain Cheddar cheese.

The popular British Roast Beef Sandwich is generally regarded as the second most popular sandwich beef in Britain, only behind that one with corned beef and it can be eaten hot or cold and in many cases it is often accompanied by horseradish sauce, very common in Great Britain to increase with its strong flavour also salads and other plates.

Some tracks traces about the origins of the Roast Beef sandwich are dated in the late 19th century by with the name Beefsteak Toast consisting in cold beef,bread and sauce.

In Great Britain The Roast is certainly one of the most traditional  national gastronomic symbols and furthermore for many people it has a cultural and patriotic meaning could be compared to the Wiener Schnitzel in Austria,the Asado in Argentina,the Escargot de Bourgougne for France, the Lasagna for Italy or the Paella for Spain.

It is in its kind something identifying a country with a marked and distinctive value including transmitted generation by generation since a long time ago as a cultural gastronomic habit to enjoy with enthusiasm in a specific day.

Today that culinary speciality strongly entered in the menu list of Hotels and Venues and in the case you are spending holidays or short breaks in Great Britain including a Sunday during your stay you will notice that in the several Gastropubs all around the territory the affluence is notable with a very varied presence such as families with children, couples,  groups of friends,young and mature people all them enjoying so much that iconic tradition.

I added some links below in the case you are interested to discover something more about all that, it is very interesting to learn a bit more apart the preparation, styles and ingredients but also how that plate is not just an ordinary dish but essential part of the local culture. 

If you are planning a trip to Great Britain you have to try once in your life that and not only for the delicious quality of food but because it is also a great opportunity to come in deep into a cultural aspect, something you will certainly enjoy having a special lunch or dinner in the United Kingdom and certainly you will probably repeat once again.

Francesco Mari

Useful links

.www.educationuk.org/global/articles/how-to-cook-a-sunday-roast/
www.foodnetwork.co.uk/article/roast-dinner-sides.html
britishfood.about.com/.../introtobritishfood/.../History-Of-The-Sunday-R 
www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/category/dishtype/roast/ 
www.bbc.co.uk/food/occasions/roast_dinner 
www.visitbritain.org