Food as Communication

 

    Before coming to England, my expectations about British food were shaped mostly by media and TV shows. I imagined lots of tea, fish and chips, and scones, nothing particularly exciting. I had also heard the cuisine was bland and beige, not especially flavorful or memorable. However, after spending time in various pubs and restaurants, I discovered that British food is not only flavorful but also rich with tradition, history, and social meaning. In England, food is more than just sustenance, it’s a form of communication.

    My first cultural experience with British food was having cream tea at a tea house in Stamford. Cream Tea is a traditional combination of freshly baked scones, clotted cream, jam, and a pot of tea—often accompanied by other baked goods. The origins of cream tea date back to the 11th century at Tavistock Abbey in Devon. What began as a simple meal for workers helping to rebuild the abbey evolved over centuries into a cherished cultural ritual. By the Victorian era, afternoon tea had become a formal practice among the upper class, and cream tea developed into a regional symbol of hospitality and pride—especially in Devon and Cornwall.

    But cream tea isn’t just about food. It communicates key aspects of English culture:

• Tradition and Identity: The famous Devon vs Cornwall debate—do you spread the cream or the jam first? —reflects how food ties deeply into regional identity.
• Etiquette and social ritual: Cream tea is typically a slow, relaxed experience that encourages conversation, manners, and mindfulness. It reflects values of respect, refinement, and social connection.
• Tourism and national image: Serving cream tea in hotels, cafés, and gardens communicates a sense of quaintness, elegance, and "Englishness" to visitors.
• Community and Connection: Whether enjoyed at home, in a tearoom, or during public events like National Cream Tea Day, it brings people together in a calm, inclusive setting.

    To many Americans, tea might seem like a small thing, but in England, it’s woven into the nation’s cultural fabric. Its history reveals the values of hospitality, patience, and continuity. While we may see just a cup of tea, to the British it represents heritage and tradition.

    Another essential cultural experience is visiting a  Great British Pub. In the U.S., bars are often associated with partying or drinking excessively. In England, however, pubs serve a different purpose—they are more about social connection than alcohol.

    When I visited pubs in places like Lincoln, London, and Grantham, one thing stood out: the atmosphere. It wasn’t just about the food or the drinks, though both were excellent, it was about the environment and the people. Pubs are spaces where friends, families, coworkers, and even strangers come together. People sit or stand for hours, talking, laughing, and enjoying each other’s company. There’s no rush, no checks being brought out to end your visit. It’s a place to unwind, connect, and feel part of a community.

    That experience reminded me that food and drink are not just part of a daily routine, they are tools for human connection. The pub, like cream tea, shows how food functions as a cultural communicational way of expressing values like friendship, relaxation, and togetherness.

    Every meal I’ve had in England, from formal cream tea to a casual pub dinner—has taught me something about the culture. These experiences have been deeply social, regionally expressive, and historically meaningful. Food here isn’t just about eating, it’s a conversation between past and present, tradition and change, people and place.

    More than anything, I have learned that sharing a meal is one of the most authentic ways to understand a culture. Every time we sat down for tea or dinner, we were not just eating, we were participating in a rich tradition of cultural communication.