British food

Sweet-tart and lush in texture, lemon curd (or any curd for that matter) is one of my all time favorite foods. Thankfully, it's extremely easy and surprisingly quick to make at home, particularly if you have a slight taste for danger.

Many recipes dictate that lemon curd should be slowly simmered in the bowl of a double boiler, and while this certainly works and is a good alternative for the cautious, it can be a time-consuming process. Instead, I cut the prep time in half by cooking it all in a heavy-bottomed saucepan set over direct heat. Now I know what you're thinking — eggs cooked over direct heat are bound to scramble — but if you set fear aside and implicitly trust that science is on your side*, you'll be left with lemon curd to spare in record time.

Keep reading for the fast and easy recipe.

For Americans, it's more common to slurp a coffee in a plastic on-the-go cup during a morning commute than to sit down with friends for a proper tea, so that explains why we don't know mluch about English tea etiquette. Some of the rules and behavior expected at afternoon tea are not intuitive, so it's necessary to learn them. While a few of these customs may seem silly, many serve the important purpose of avoiding spills and hot-water burns. If you find yourself sitting down to afternoon tea, whether in England or otherwise, then here are a few tea etiquette pointers.

If you're going to start exploring British fare, then look to one of our favorite UK chefs, Jamie Oliver, for modern and healthier takes on classic British dishes. At the top of my baking list is a British staple, the Cornish pasty, which is similar in flavor to the American pot pie, except a dish is not required.

Pasties are often served as a main dish, but I opted to make them as the perfect appetizer, so I cut the pastry smaller to make a perfect hand-held starter. You could experiment with other meat and vegetables depending on what is season. While the traditional Cornish pasty is a flaky half-circle of crust stuffed with beef, potatoes, yellow turnips, and onion, this recipe is a lighter with chicken, butternut squash, and carrots.

Can't visit the British Isles? Don't worry. Just bring them to you with this easy and comforting recipe.

Every feast needs dessert, and a light, tart lemon curd cake is the perfect way to finish an evening. The flavor of the cake is reminiscent of Madeleine cookies, and it's layered with a sweet and slightly sour lemon curd, then topped off with a simple zesty frosting. If you've never made curd, don't fear: it's surprisingly hands off. For the ultimate lemon flavor, pick up aromatic Meyer lemons (if you wanted to get creative, you could use other citrus, such as limes or grapefruit, too). Serve this cake for British afternoon tea or as a final dish of your Olympics viewing party. Indulge in this zingy cake when you keep reading for the recipe.

Small cakes are an essential part of British afternoon teatime, and a Victorian sponge is a historic, easy-to-make cake to serve guests. The cake is named after Queen Victoria, who loved this light, fluffy cake, made from equal parts butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. Traditionally, two layer cakes were sandwiched together with raspberry jam and whipped cream. To make it more manageable for serving guests, divide the batter into mini muffin tins. Once they are baked, top the cakes with a dollop of whipped cream and a fresh raspberry. This cake is deceptively airy and seemingly sinless, yet it has a distinct, rich flavor of butter. Whipped cream seeps in the cake for added moisture. Acting as a bright, attractive garnish, the tart raspberry also gives the cake a fresh, astringent accent. Here's how to make Victorian sponge cake.

In America, finger sandwiches are reserved for special-occasion brunches, but in the UK, these small sandwiches are traditionally served daily during afternoon teatime. This assortment of sandwiches highlights classic British fillings, like watercress, cucumber, and salmon.

If you've never had watercress, its texture is like a cross between kale and spinach, with fibrous stems but buttery soft leaves. It has a fairly bitter flavor, but the contrast of butter helps to cut that out, and whole wheat bread adds natural sweetness from the oats.

Another standard combination that can't be missed is cucumber and cream cheese. Instead of falling back on dill, try the less-traditional addition of mint, a light and refreshing Summer herb.

Smoked salmon and lemon make for another classic duo; the two go together like, well, bread and butter. Savory mayonnaise bonds the flavors (and the bread pieces).

Tea sandwiches are easy to assemble, have sufficient sustenance for a casual afternoon pick-me-up, and are dainty enough to serve guests alongside refined refreshments. Learn how to make the simple tea sandwiches.