Curries and Couscous: Contrasting Colonial Legacies in French and British Cooking
Report by A. Lynn Martin
This is an edited version of Lynn Martin’s report on David Burton’s symposium paper that appeared in Campus Review.
David Burton began his talk with a long discussion of modern British food, and he began his discussion of modern British food by quoting the British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook. To demonstrate how migration has affected British culture Cook used the example of Chicken Tikka Massala. "Chicken Tikka Massala," he said, "is now a true British national dish, not only because it is the most popular, but because it is a perfect illustration of the way Britain absorbs and adapts external influences. Chicken Tikka is an Indian dish. The Massala sauce was added to satisfy the desire of British people to have their meat served in gravy." He could have used the example of curry, which has become Britain’s favourite meal. According to a survey taken in 1997, over 25% of the population eat it at least once a week.
How is the British preference for spicy foods relevant to French food around the world? According to Burton, the French are puzzled by the British taste and regard it as an incomprehensible perversion, linked to the English penchant for spanking and sado-masochism. He states, "if there is one thing to divide the French and the English palates into two opposing camps, it is over the matter of sweet sour combinations, chili and spices." Ever since the seventeenth century, French cuisine has rejected chili, spices, saffron, and sugar and replaced them with a style of cooking that favours the use of herbs, salt, pepper, and acidic flavours. This fundamental difference in taste explains why Britain accepted the food of its empire, especially the Asian sub-continent, and why France has never accepted the food of its empire, especially Viet Nam.
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