Why British Food?

So why would a Flemish girl dive into British food and not the more fashionable and socially acceptable French or Italian cookery?

British food has evolved much more than French or Italian food. First by the different invaders of the island who each brought their own culture with them; then by the religious consequences of the Protestant Reformation, which forbade the richly spiced cuisine of medieval times. Before the Reformation, most recipes in English, French and Italian recipe books were similar and in some cases the same. Blancmange is a great example, as the name of this dish is identical in all these nations’ cookbooks, and it can even be found in Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch and Scandinavian books.