Mushy peas, spotted dick, blood sausage, bangers and mash. The names don't conjure up images of gastric delight to most Americans, or maybe to most tourists in general. Great Britain is not known for its food--well, it is known for the funny names of its food--but not for its deliciousness. Actually, Britain is famous for poor, bland food. Researching a trip to Chile four years ago, I was warned it was the England of Latin America--every meal a bland piece of meat, a pile of white rice or boiled potatoes, and a bread so nondescript, it defies description. 
Happily, the food here has been a surprising treat. London is not living up to its reputation for plain and soggy food. We are eating so well, I don't want to go back to Arizona food. One huge reason is the astounding selection of food--the diversity in London stuns me everyday. I am not at all used to seeing Iranian, Turkish, Japanese, and Indian food at all, let alone on the same block as a Proper Burger restaurant (best green olives I have ever had) and a Fish and Chips place. In the Brick Lane Market in the East End, there is a food court that has food stalls from 29 different countries. Astounding. I had Moroccan food for the first time. The options, the options. Tapas, sushi, pizza, falafel...is this heaven? No, it's London.
One trend here I see daily is the propensity of people to pop into a take-away place or a market and buy a lunch to go, often eating it outside in a park (really common right now since the weather is so hot and most places don't have A/C, it's more pleasant outside in the shade than indoors). It surprised me at first that places charge one price for take-away and another to eat-in. I discovered the reason is that on eat-in food, the restaurant is required to collect the 20% sales tax, take-away is exempt. Since buying food to go is so popular, the choices, even just at the local grocery store deli, are amazing. I have seen prawns with sauce, baguette sandwiches of every variety imaginable, couscous with feta, and my personal favorite I have been packing for our field trips, tuna, corn and pasta salad.
Cucumber sandwiches, peppery eggs salad, papaya tarts, and my favorite--scones with clotted cream were on three-story serving trays at high tea Tuesday. We had real china at the Orangery next to Kensington Palace (the TV news vans were out in full-force covering the birth of William and Kate's baby). It was really too hot to drink tea--at least in my humble opinion--I guess some people think hot drinks make you feel cool. I just don't see it. Give me iced tea in 90 degree weather anytime. But, it was a blast to laugh over having one lump or two and to split all the treats so we could taste each one. I got a lot of grief over finishing everyone's clotted cream, but it was just so good...
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