I have recently come to firmly believe that the English have the best comfort food in the world. Americans (and maybe the French...or indeed the rest of the world) have made fun of English cuisine for decades, but there are some things the English excel at: fish and chips, Cadbury's chocolate, curries, and some comforts to warm up the rainiest winter day: beans on toast, Sausage and mash, fish cakes, cottage pie, fish pie, chicken and leek pie (I obviously have a thing for pies).

And every Sunday in every decent pub, you'll find roast lunch. A sort of mini Thanksgiving every week: roast meat (chicken, lamb, beef, and nut roast for the vegetarians) with stuffing, roasted potatoes, roasted carrots and parsnips, ladled with gravy. And another essential ingredient that I finally tasted today: Yorkshire Pudding. We were at my great local, the Red Lion in Ealing, and Neil's eyes lit up when he realised I was experiencing my first Yorkshire Pud. Wonderful little light doughy thing - crispy edges and a slightly soggy (in a good way) eggy bit at the bottom. I even found myself mopping up the gravy on Neil's plate with it (it's a good thing he loves me enough to put up with such behavior). Cue the Sunday afternoon nap!

I guess it's like an American popover, but Americans don't get to eat popovers every Sunday. Learn more here. (This recipe is from Delia Smith, grande dame of English food and a strangely rabid football fan.)