<story><title>Nicholas Saunders and &quot;Alternative London&quot; changed British food</title><url>https://www.theguardian.com/food/2024/jan/23/nicholas-saunders-forgotten-genius-changed-british-food</url></story><parent_chain></parent_chain><comment><author>Aromasin</author><text>I always find it incredible what just a few short years of rationing during WW2 did to British cuisine for decades after. It was as extravagant and flavourful for the middle and upper classes of the 19th century and prior as any other culture. Just looking at a few menus from the period, they were decadent to the extreme and could hold a candle to the cuisines world over.&lt;p&gt;The UK started rationing in 1939 and finished in 1954. In that time, the tastes of the nations changed to the extent that we still feel that impact today, with the fondness for beans on toast and other beige foods. Think about how many times we&amp;#x27;ve all heard the running joke that Brits have poor taste and don&amp;#x27;t season their food. It&amp;#x27;s sad really.&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&amp;#x2F;wiki&amp;#x2F;Rationing_in_the_United_Kingdom&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&amp;#x2F;wiki&amp;#x2F;Rationing_in_the_United_Kingdo...&lt;/a&gt;</text></comment>
<story><title>Nicholas Saunders and &quot;Alternative London&quot; changed British food</title><url>https://www.theguardian.com/food/2024/jan/23/nicholas-saunders-forgotten-genius-changed-british-food</url></story><parent_chain></parent_chain><comment><author>twoWhlsGud</author><text>Intriguing story of how one driven individual can have such impact. Reminded a bit of the story of Poilane - the Parisian baking family that has connections (e.g. founders having worked there) to most of the bread in the US I most enjoy eating:&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;www.newyorker.com&amp;#x2F;magazine&amp;#x2F;2012&amp;#x2F;12&amp;#x2F;03&amp;#x2F;bread-winner&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;www.newyorker.com&amp;#x2F;magazine&amp;#x2F;2012&amp;#x2F;12&amp;#x2F;03&amp;#x2F;bread-winner&lt;/a&gt;</text></comment>