Текст книги "Basic Course Reader (Сборник текстов для базового курса по английскому языку) "

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Most of the important games are shown on TV. In many countries there are special TV channels that broadcast sports programmes for 24 hours. The major sporting competitions, such as the Olympic Games, are shown on the central TV channels attracting millions of people who can be thousands of kilometres away from the event. Popularity of sports differs from country to country. In Latin America football stadiums are always crowded, while the Russian fans are so disappointed with the poor performance of football teams that many prefer not to watch the games even on TV.

The desire to follow the example of sports stars induces people to take up sports that they used to watch seriously. In the past decades people's involvement in sport and recreation have grown considerably. Now there is a large variety of available opportunities and facilities. Sport is the best and the shortest way to health and fitness. Increasing number of people is involved today in activities that help them keep fit and enjoy life. Physical recreation tends to be informal and non-competitive and may include, for example, cycling, boating, and jogging. Dancing has become a very popular recreation.

Sport and recreation facilities provided at schools and universities enable young athletes to develop their talents. To keep fit some people attend special classes or take part in aerobics or yoga, do some kind of weight training in a gym. Others play football, badminton, tennis. Evidently participating in sports has more advantages than simply watching sports competitions. At the same time these two kinds of activities are tightly interconnected. Professional sport is important not only for the professional athletes, one of its missions is to propagandize and popularize sports activities on the everyday level. At the same time it is always an individual preference. And only the individual has the right to decide what is better for him. But whatever the choice is, the pleasure is undoubted.

Health Tips for Travellers

Travel is fun. Travel is exciting. Bui it's not fun or exciting if you get ill. You may think, "Not me I won't fall ill on my holiday." But, for many people, that is what happens.

Of course, you do not want to spend your holiday ill in bed. So what can you do to stay in good health? There are three things you should remember when you travel: relax, sleep and eat well.

A holiday is supposed to be a time for relaxing. But to our regret very often it is not. Think about what you do when you are a tourist. There are so many places to visit: museums, shops, parks and churches. You may spend most days walking around these places. This can be very tiring. Your feet may hurt. You've got a terrible headache after a few hours. If this is the way you feel, you should take a rest. Do not ask your body to do too much. A tired body means a weak body. And a weak body gets ill easily. So sit down for a few hours in a nice spot, in good weather, look for a quiet park bench. Or you can stop at a cafe. You can learn a lot by watching people while you rest.

You should not forget about sleep. If you want to stay healthy you need to get a good night's rest. You may have trouble sleeping at night when you travel. Your hotel may be noisy, the bed may be uncomfortable. If this is true, don't hesitate to change rooms or hotels. Or you may not get enough sleep for another reason. In many cities the nightlife can be very exciting. You may want to stay out late at night. In this case you should plan to sleep for an hour during the day. That extra hour can make a big difference.

Finally, if you want to stay in good shape, you must eat well. That means eating the right kinds of food. Your body needs fresh fruit and vegetables, and some meat milk or cheese. No doubt, when you are in a new country, you will wish to try new food. But you need to be careful about how much you eat. Try to avoid eating lots of rich food.

So, remember: if you want to enjoy your holiday, take good care of yourself. Give your body some rest. Get enough sleep and eat good, healthy food.

Your Favourite B&Bs

The new wave of British guesthouses was identified – and below are 25 places that you are highly recommended.

South-east

Barons Grange, East Sussex

Stay here or in the centre of Rye? No contest! A wonderful old house, lovely, bright bedrooms and a garden to die for. After the homemade biscuits in the room, you know the breakfast next day will match the accommodation.

Joy and James Ramus, Barons Grange, Readers Lane, Iden. £25-£30pppn.

Conquerors B&B, East Sussex

Relax in the comfortable elegance of large bedrooms with discreet adaptations in this Grade II single-storey building. Breakfast in the airy dining room overlooking the accessible garden. Discover the splendours of the south coast.

Kate and Terry Short, Conquerors B&B, Cowbeech Hill, Herstmonceux. £50-£75 pppn.

Worples Field, Kent

This warm family home with its stunning rural views is a perfect base for lovers of historic houses and gardens. Sue Marr's enthusiastic welcome, fresh flowers in the bright but restful bedrooms and delicious home-made jams are just some of the treats in store.

Sue Marr, Worples Field B&B, Farley Common, Westerham. £50pr pn (per room, per night). Non-smoking.

Moortown Cottage, Isle of Wight

Quiet, private annex to a thatched cottage on the spectacular south-west coast of the Isle of Wight. Four-poster bed plus your own sitting room with fridge, microwave and TV. Special touches include complimentary chocolates and fresh fruit salad for breakfast.

Denise Kaill, Moortown Cottage, Moortown Lane, Brighstone, Newport. £23-£28pppn.

The Town House, Bath

The Bath Town House is centrally located in a beautiful tenement, giving the romantic feel of the times of Jane Austen. It is decorated with deep, comforting colours and furnished with a sense of luxury. The owners are wonderfully welcoming, serving up a gourmet breakfast. A perfect stay.

Alan and Brenda Willey, The Town House, 7 Bennett Street. £78-£90pr pn.

Sampford Manor, Devon

A sense of history and quiet seclusion in the depths of Dartmoor. Dating back to before the Domesday book, Sampford Manor at Sampford Spiney has thick granite walls and slate floors. Situated right next to a church and graveyard, it's perfect for misty, wintry evenings.

Rosalind Spedding, Sampford Manor, Sampford Spiney, Yelverton. £24-£44pppn.

The Old Forge, Devon

Near the bottom of Totnes high street with its many individual shops, The Old Forge is warm and welcoming. Comfortable and prettily decorated rooms and an excellent breakfast. Conservatory for bar drinks holds a hot-tub sensitively surrounded by climbing plants!

Christine Hillier and David Miller, The Old Forge, Seymour Place, Totnes. £56-£76prpn.

Grey Cottage, Devon

Brilliant fresh produce at breakfast; great choice; fantastic hospitality; lovely, comfy ensuite rooms; wonderful Georgian cottage; lovely setting/garden approximately one mile from picturesque village; dinner also available (superb).

Julia Waghorn, Grey Cottage, Lee, Ilfracombe. £26-£30pppn.

The Georgian Guesthouse, Suffolk

Luxurious suite bedrooms, even equipped with a DVD player! Imaginative and appetizing breakfasts provide a cornucopia of fresh and beautifully cooked food. Relaxing library, licensed lounge with bar meals obligingly produced, and a garden hot-tub! Friendly, solicitous attention from the owners. Great for Snape and the Aldeburgh Festival.

Claire Hutchinson, The Georgian Guesthouse, 6 North Entrance, Saxmundham. £65-85pppn.

Grove Farm, Norfolk

Arriving at the 17th-century home of Clare Wilson, I felt I had come to stay with a friend. Clare shares her beautiful rooms, delightful garden, delicious cooking and her time with energetic and natural charm, while her family and friendly dog come and go as they please.

Clare Wilson, Grove Farm, Back Lane, Roughton. £40pppn.

Old Vicarage, Yorkshire

Beautiful Georgian house in the centre of Easingwold. All rooms are suites with nice touches like magazines by the bed. Gorgeous breakfast – a huge buffet plus anything you want from full English. John and Christine welcome you as friends staying overnight.

Christine and John Kirman, The Old Vicarage, Market Place, Easingwold. £60prpn.

Knabbs Ash, Yorkshire

Soft white bathrobes/slippers, crisp blue tablecloths, scrumptious breakfasts using freshly collected free-range eggs and delicious preserves. Home baking before the fire. Discover freedom, relaxation and superb walks. Knabbs Ash is in blissful contrast to the pace and pressures of everyday life.

Sheila and Colin Smith, Knabbs Ash, Skipton Road, Felliscliffe, Harrogate. £30pppn.

Prudom Guest House, Yorkshire

Gertrude Jekyll meets Le Corbusier in this stunning house with roots dating back to 1150. The present 1750 dwelling is a delightful mix of old-fashioned charm, stylish contemporary design and luxury fittings. A warm welcome, and the glorious North York Moors beckon.

Jenny and Jules Looker, Prudom Guest House, Goathland. £35pppn.

Raise View, Cumbria

Raise View is cosy and welcoming, and the views of the fells and farmland are sublime – what an inspiration on waking each day. The freshly prepared food was so good: the breakfast a feast, changing each day. Just a five-minute stroll to the village. A perfect haven. Exceptional.

John and Karen Greaves, Raise View, Grasmere, White Bridge. £30-£37.50pppn.

The Byre, Northumberland

Nestling in the Northumberland National Park; ideally located to explore the dramatic countryside, historic towns of Rothbury and Alnwick, and the stunning beaches from Alnmouth to Bamburgh. The Byre offers delicious Malaysian vegetarian food, warm hospitality and leaves you planning your return asap.

Rosemary & Srini Srinivasan, The Byre, Harbottle. £28pppn.

Hethpool House, Northumberland

Hethpool House lies on St Cuthbert's Way in the beautiful College valley, close to the Scottish border. This genuine Edwardian country house offers large bedrooms, good food, magnificent original plumbing and charming hosts. Bed and breakfast is also available for horses.

Eildon Letts, Hethpool House, Kirknewton. £30pppn.

Hedley Hall, Newcastle

For a delightful, friendly welcome and superb food, we recommend Hedley Hall, close to Beamish, in Northumberland. Small and warm, this offers a peaceful retreat close to Newcastle and Durham.

Mrs Brenda Fraser, Hedley Hall, nr Sunniside. £65prpn.

Wales

Llannerch Goch, Conwy

A comfortable B&B situated high above Betws-y-coed in the village of Capel Garman. A warm welcome and good food await you, and with superb views of the Snowdonia mountain range, a relaxing stay is assured.

Mrs Eirian Ifan, Llannerch Goch, Capel Garmon, Betws-y-Coed. £27pppn.

Brodawel, Gwynedd

Edwardian house overlooking Cardigan Bay one mile from Aberdovey. Large bedrooms – all ensuite – exceptionally well appointed, including binoculars for observing wildlife. Comprehensive breakfast with house specialty of smoked salmon with scrambled eggs. Warm welcome from proprietress, including pot of tea on arrival.

Pat and John Griffiths, Brodawel, Aberdovey. £28-31pppn.

Castle House, Powys

Castle House is in a central yet peaceful location in the Brecons. Paul and Diana are friendly and helpful hosts. Very comfortable bed in suite room, decorated and furnished in good taste. Try the "dragon sausages" for breakfast! They also cater for special dietary requirements.

Paul and Diana Clark, Castle House, Postern. £53prpn.

Dolffanog Fawr, Gwynedd

Alex and Lorraine have created a warm and restful atmosphere in their lovely old farmhouse in the shadow of Cadair Idris. Wonderful food, eaten at a large refectory table where conversation abounds. Bedrooms are comfortable with stunning views.

Lorraine Hinkins and Alex Yorke, Dolffanog Fawr, Tal-y-llyn, Tywyn. £30pppn.

Scotland

The Marks, Dumfries & Galloway

A place I would recommend to all my friends! Nothing is too much trouble for Chris and Sheila, who offer accommodation for you and your horse, alongside the working farm – home to sheep, cattle and WORMS (for fishing and composting)! Beautifully coordinated bedrooms are available with ample supplies of towels, robes and hot water. Food superb!

Sheila Watson and Chris Caygill, The Marks, Kirkcudbright. £25pppn.

Craiglemine Cottage, Dumfries & Galloway

Warm welcome from Mike and Helen Alexander, spacious lounge, gluten-free vegetarian dinner, comfortable twin room with radio and tea/ coffee. Full Scottish breakfast. Close to Wigtown, Scotland's Book Town, and St Ninian's Priory.

Mike and Helen Alexander, Craiglemine Cottage,Glasserton, Nr Whithorn. £22-£25pppn.

Heathbank, Inverness-shire

Catriona and Keith's Victorian home has beautifully designed bedrooms – ours had a tasteful red and grey colour scheme. But most enthralling is the Charles Rennie Mackintosh-inspired dining room. Sitting in impossibly tall black chairs, eating a delicious breakfast, is an absolute joy.

Keith and Catriona Webster, Heathbank, Drumuillie Road, Boat of Garten. £30pppn.

Travelling by Train

Modern life is impossible without travelling. Of course the fastest way of travelling is by plane. But many people make their choice on travelling by train as with a train you have speed, comfort and pleasure combined. Travelling by train is of course slower than by air but it also has its advantages.

If you are going to travel by train you’d better book seats beforehand because many people are fond of travelling by train. There are some reasons why people choose railroad. Train is the cheap means of travelling. If it is summer outside it will be better to think of your trip before the vocation starts. To understand how true this is, you only have to go to a railway station. There you will see hundreds of people hurrying to catch a train. You’ll waste a lot of time standing near the booking office trying to buy a ticket.

Modern trains have very comfortable seats in all passenger cars, and there are sleeping cars and dining cars, which make even the longest journey enjoyable. You can buy first-class, second-class and third class sleepers in a separate compartment. If you are early before the train starts you can leave your suitcases in the compartment and walk up and down the platform. Some people forget when and from which platform and track their train will be off. They can always ask for the track, platform and train numbers at the railroad station information bureau and also get information about next trains and their schedules. There are express, slow and long-distance trains. If you want to go somewhere and get there as quickly as possible you’d better know that express trains only stop at the largest stations while slow trains stop at all stations. You can get to far countries only by a long-distance train.

Once you are in your compartment you have to ask the guide to bring in the bedding. There are usually two lower and two upper berths in a third-class sleeper compartment. Some people like to occupy upper berths because it is more convenient and exciting to travel. During your way on the train you can read newspapers, books, look out of the window, drink the tea, communicate with your neighbors or sleep. I prefer to look out of the window, because you can see the country you are passing through and not only the clouds as when you are flying. You can have something to eat at the stations when the train makes stops.

Though we all seem to agree that the future belongs to air transport, the railroads today still carry a lot of passengers and goods.

Travelling By Air

When travelling by air you have to get to the airport early in order to check in about an hour before your flight. If you have a lot of luggage, you can put it on a trolley and push it to the check-in desk where someone will check your ticket and weigh your luggage. If you have excess luggage, it can be expensive. Your heavy luggage is put on a conveyer belt and carried away. A light baggage is classified as hand luggage and you can take it with you on the plane. An immigration officer looks at your passport and a security guard checks your hand luggage before you go into the departure lounge to wait till your flight is called. If you want to, you can buy some cheap duty free goods here. Then you see on the departures board or hear an announcement that you must board your plane. You go through the departure gate, then (here is sometimes a security check before you actually enter the plane. When all the passengers are on board and when the captain and his crew are ready in the cockpit, the plane begins to taxi to the end of the runway. Finally, permission is received from the control tower and the plane moves faster and faster in order to take off.

Flying is fun. I like being in a big airliner with the cabin crew (stewards and stewardesses) looking after me. They walk up and down the aisle bringing meals and drinks; and if the flight is going through some turbulence, they warn everybody that it might be a bit bumpy and ask us to fasten our seat-belts. On a long flight I like listening to music through the headphones available to all passengers, and sometimes I have a sleep. I enjoy it all so much that 1 never want the plane to land.

Air Flight

I knew it was going to be a bad day when, on my way to the airport, the taxi driver told me he was lost. I had booked my flight over the telephone, so when we finally arrived, I had to rush to the reservations desk to pay for my ticket. The woman at the desk told me that my name was not on the passenger list. It took fifteen minutes for her to realize that she had spelled my name incorrectly. She gave me my ticket and told me I'd better check in my luggage quickly or I'd miss my flight. I was the last person to get on the plane. I found my seat and discovered that I was sitting next to a four-year-old boy who had a cold. I sat down and wondered if anything else could go wrong. I hate flying, especially take-off, but the plane took off and every thing seemed to be all right. Then, a few minutes later, there was a funny noise and everything started to shake. I looked out of the window and – oh my God – there was smoke coming out of the wing. All I could think was 'The engine is on fire. We're going to crash. I'm too young to die.' Almost immediately, the captain spoke to us in a very calm voice, 'Ladies and gentlemen. This is your captain speaking. We are having a slight technical problem with one of our engines. There is absolutely no need to panic. We will have to return to the airport. Please remain seated and keep your seat belts fastened.'

Well, you can imagine how frightened I was, but the crew were fantastic. The flight attendants were really calm and told us not to worry. One of them told me to relax and said that everything would be all right. A few minutes later, we were coming to land. The pilot made a perfect landing on the runway. It was over. We were safe. That day, I decided not to fly again. I caught another taxi and went home. But as I closed the front door, I looked down at my case. Somehow I had picked up the wrong suitcase.

American Cuisine

American cuisine in itself is not bad. Our cooks have an abundance of fresh ingredients and a heritage of marvelous regional dishes: apple pie, clam chowder, Louisiana gumbo, barbecued oysters, corn fritters, strawberry shortcake, and countless other delectable dishes. As many guidebooks lamely say, it is possible to eat very well in America.

It is also possible to eat very badly, and many Americans do – by choice rather than necessity. A lot of supermarket food, while cheap and plentiful, is produced to provide the most calories with the longest shelf life and the shortest preparation time. The result is frozen dinners, packaged sweets, instant puddings, bottled salad dressings, and canned sauces. Manufacturers are working night and day to invent new products that will captivate the public. Almost any conceivable meal is available ready-made.

The problem is that none of this stuff is very good. It supplies calories, but in real satisfaction it doesn't measure up to anything fresh or home cooked. Even fruits and vegetables are raised to survive long shipping or storage periods, rather than for taste. Meats are tender and good, but very fatty and distressingly laden with hormones and antibiotics. Also, most supermarket food is wrapped, canned, frozen, jarred, or packaged in such a way that you can't examine it until you get it home. Many are so well sealed that they're maddeningly difficult to open even at home.

A Tanzanian said he found American food so bland he nearly starved when he first came. "Back then, I couldn't even find a bottle of Tabasco (a hot sauce) in my little town." Then he discovered pizza and survived. The American palate has become braver than it used to be, but in the average household you won't find much seasoning in use beyond salt and pepper.

And sugar. There seems to be no end to the march on sweetness. One food writer swears that at a banquet he attended he was served a cup of M&M's (little candies) for an appetizer. Americans are stuck on sugar, and sugar (or other sweetener) is added to most packaged foods. It's hard to find a snack that isn't sweet, and a number of main-course dishes are served with a sweetener – such as pancakes with maple syrup and lamb with mint jelly. American pastries are very sweet, and Americans eat sweet desserts much more regularly than most peoples.

A lot of sodium (an element in salt) is regularly added to packaged foods, which has caused such an outcry among doctors (too much is said to be bad for the heart) that new lines of foods are coming out advertising themselves as "sodium-free". There are also a lot of sugar-free foods, but you have to read labels carefully to make sure you aren't just getting honey or corn syrup or an awful-tasting artificial sweetener.

The first two meals of the day eaten by an American are generally quick. The classic American breakfast of bacon and eggs is seen more on weekends than when the whole family is rushing to school and work. Cereal with milk and a cup of coffee is probably the usual morning sustenance of the average American. Lunch consists of a sandwich, soup or salad. Dinner is the largest meal of the day. The American dinner has fallen under medical disapproval due to its high cholesterol content. The meal typically consists of a large piece of meat, ketchup, vegetables with butter, potatoes (fried, or with butter), and a sweet dessert. It might also be an equally fatty frozen meal, heated in the microwave oven, or a high-calorie pizza.

A large proportion of Americans report that they would like to change their diets, but habits are hard to break. The beans, vegetables, and whole grains that doctors keep urging us to eat require time to cook, which we haven't got.

Bread

All bread starts from a simple recipe: you mix flour and water and cook it. Yet from this simple beginning come hundreds of different kinds of bread. There are flat breads from the Middle East and Asia and small thin sticks from Italy. The typical French loaf is long, thin, soft and white inside; German pumpernickel is dark and heavy and square. Bread can be cooked in several ways; often it is baked in an oven, but chappatis in India and tortillas in South Africa are not fried, and there's at least one bread that's boiled before it's baked. Bread can also include things other than flour, for instance, onions, sausages, potatoes or fruit. In other countries bread is an important part of everyday food. When people sit down for a meal, there is always bread on the table. They say: if there is no bread, there is no food. In countries where people eat a lot of bread words like "bread' and "dough" are sometimes used to talk about other important things. In English-speaking countries, for instance, "bread' and "dough" are used to mean "money". Similarly, people talk about their jobs as their "bread and butter", and the person in a family who brings home the money is called the "breadwinner".

Hot Dog

In its home country of Germany, the hot dog was called the frankfurter. It was named after Frankfurt, a German city.

Frankfurters were first sold in the United States in the 1860s. Americans called frankfurters "dachshund sausages." A dachshund is a dog from Germany with a very long body and short legs. "Dachshund sausage" seemed like a good name for the frankfurter.

Dachshund sausages first became popular in New York, especially at baseball games. At games they were sold by men who kept them warm in hot-water tanks. As the men walked up and down the rows of people, they yelled, "Get your dachshund sausages! Get your hot dachshund sausages!" People got the sausages on buns, a special bread.

One day in 1906 a newspaper cartoonist named Tad Dorgan went to a baseball game. When he saw the men with the dachshund sausages, he got an idea for a cartoon. The next day at the newspaper office he drew a bun with a dachshund inside—not a dachshund sausage, but a dachshund. Dorgan didn't know how to spell dachshund. Under the cartoon, he wrote "Get your hot dogs!"

The cartoon was a sensation, and so was the new name. If you go to a baseball game today, you can still see sellers walking around with hot-water tanks. As they walk up and down the rows they yell, "Get your hot dogs here! Get your hot dogs!"

Coca-Cola

In 1886 John Pemberton, a druggist in Atlanta, Georgia, made a brown syrup by mixing coca leaves and cola beans. Pemberton sold the syrup in his drugstore as a medicine to cure all kinds of problems. Pemberton called his all-purpose medicine "Coca-Cola".

When few people bought Coca-Cola, Pemberton sold it to another druggist, Asa Candler. Candler decided to sell Coca-Cola as a soda-fountain drink instead of as a medicine. Candler advertised a lot and sold his syrup to many drugstores. Soon everyone was going to soda fountains and asking for Coca-Cola.

Candler saw no reason for putting Coca-Cola into bottles. But two businessmen thought this would be a good idea. They got permission from Candler, and before long they became millionaires.

As of 1903, coca leaves were no longer used in Coca-Cola, the exact ingredients used and their quantities are not known – the Coca-Cola Comраnу keeps its recipe a secret.

World War I helped make Coca-Cola popular outside the United Slates. The Coca-Cola Company sent free bottles of the drink to U.S. soldiers fighting in Europe. Coca-Cola became very popular with the soldiers – so popular that the U.S. Army asked the company to supply it. After the WWI factories continued to make Coca-Cola in Europe.

Canned Food

Food which is kept too long decays. The canning process, however, seals the product in a container so that no infection can reach it, and then it is sterilized by heat. No chemical preservatives are necessary, and properly canned food does not deteriorate during the storage.

The principle was discovered in 1809 by a Frenchman called Nicolas Appert. He corked food lightly in wide-neck glass bottles and immersed them in a bath of hot water to drive out the air, and then he hammered the corks down to seal the jars hermetically. Appert’s discovery was rewarded by the French government because better preserved food supplies were needed for Napoleon’s troops on distant campaigns.

By 1814 an English manufacturer had replaced Appert’s glass jars with metal containers and was supplying tinned vegetable soup and meat to the British navy. The next scientific improvement, in 1860, was the result of Louis Pasteur’s work on sterilization through the application of scientifically controlled heat.

Today vegetables, fish, fruit, meet and beer are canned in enormous quantities. Within three generations the eating habits of millions have been revolutionized. Foods that were previously seasonal may now be eaten at any time, and strange food is available far from the countries where it is grown.

English Cuisine

I am always both amused and annoyed when I hear foreign people criticize English food. "It's unimaginative", they say. "It's boring, it's tasteless, and it’s chips with everything and totally overcooked vegetables". "It's unambitious", say the French. When I ask these visitors where they have experienced English cooking, I am astonished by their reply. "In Wimpy Bars and McDonald's Hamburger restaurants", they often say. I have won my case. Their conclusions are inexcusable.

I have a theory about English cooking, and I was interested to read that several famous cookery writers agree with me. My theory is this. Our basic ingredients, when fresh, are so full of flavor that we haven't had to invent sauces and complex recipes to disguise their natural taste. What can compare with fresh peas or new potatoes just boiled (not overboiled) and served with butter? Why drown spring lamb in wine or cream or yoghurt and spices, when with just one or two herbs it is absolutely delicious? We have to go back to before World War II.

The British have in fact always imported food from abroad. From the time of the Roman invasion foreign trade was a major influence on British cooking. English kitchens, like the English language, absorbed ingredients from all over the world – chickens, rabbits, apples, and tea. All of these and more were successfully incorporated into British dishes. Another important influence on British cooking was of course the weather and climate. We complain about our wet and changeable weather but the good old British rain gives us rich soil and grass, and means that we are able to produce some of the finest varieties of meat, fruit and vegetables, which don't need fancy sauces or complicated recipes to disguise their taste. "Abroad poor soils meant more searching for food, more discovery, more invention, whereas our ancestors sat down to plenty without having to take trouble", says Jane Grigson.

However, World War II changed everything. Wartime women had to forget 600 years of British cooking, learn to do without foreign imports. The Ministry of Food published cheap, boring recipes. The joke of the war was a dish called Woolton Pie (named after the Minister for Food!). This consisted of a mixture of boiled vegetables covered in white sauce with mashed potato on the top. Britain never managed to recover from the wartime attitude to food. We were left with a loss of confidence in our cooking skills and after years of Ministry recipes we began to believe that British food was boring, and we searched the world for sophisticated, new dishes which gave hope of a better future. Surely food is as much a part of our culture as our landscape, our language, and our literature. Nowadays, cooking British food is like speaking a dead language. It is almost as bizarre as having a conversation in Anglo-Saxon English!