Monday 17 August 2015

'Nazis sectretly eat falafel'

'Nazis secretly eat falafel' - Dies Irae, a German political activist posted pro immigration posters around
the small town of Freital: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-trending-33691246

What would British food look like if immigration never happened? If people were restricted by man-made borders, and England, as a lone island had to produce enough food to feed itself?

Well, British food would be boring. As an island of little arable land the British were forced to look further afield to more exotic, warmer climates to find resources with which they could trade. The army, politicians, corporations, the church and the royals were one and the same: land was forcefully grabbed, valuable resources taken, and rich diverse cultures destroyed. It has taken over a hundred years to realise the extent of the destruction, which is still felt to this very day.

Despite this, it was the British who were the first to abolish slavery, and also the first to open up their borders to immigration. Through a series of waves, a variety of cultures, ethnicities, and religions have entered the tiny island, bringing with them new flavours and customary culinary traditions. Over time these flavours have infused through the country, subsequently influencing British food culture and changing the way we think and interact with our food.

The UK is now a melting pot of cultural diversity. Even though this hasn’t been spread evenly throughout the country, it still influences our everyday lives: from drinking a cup of tea in the morning, to tucking into a kebab with bare hands. Britain’s history is clearly reflected in the food we eat, to stop immigration would also naively stop our evolution as a progressively diverse and culturally rich nation.


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