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Posted at 1:02PM, 28 June 2011 by Rejina Sabur-Cross - Food writer

There's never been a more thrilling time to be into food than right here and now in good old Blighty. Rejina Sabur-Cross brings us up to muster with what's hot and what's gone a bit tepid on the barometer of all things gastronomic.

Those tedious six-month waits for wallet crippling 'fayn dayning' are definitely on the plummet. As small, relaxed eateries fling open their distressed wooden doors, it seems more and more of us are happy to get to the back of the queue and cosy in cheek by jowl for our sharing plates and taster platters.

And slide over artisan burgers, we're now hunting down the perfect hot dog, with US-style carts like Big Apple and the Dogfather fast becoming the insider's favourites.

Slide over artisan burgers, we're now hunting down the perfect hot dog

While our love/hate relationship with cupcakes remains intense, the cake pop (a lollipop shaped morsel on a stick) is the latest way to attain that cakey fix.

Really though, it's all about the Great British bun. The legendary Fitzbillies Bakery now has food writer Tim Hayward and his wife Alison Wright at the helm, and will soon re-open to provide the people of Cambridge with its iconic Chelsea buns.

For the further-flung palate, Bánh mì (Vietnamese baguette sarnies) and bubble tea parlours (sporting chewy tapioca pearls, slurped through wide straws) gain traction as our obsession with all things East Asian shows little sign of abating.

The way we shop is also changing, as weekend markets become ever-popular alternatives to pricey supermarket shopping. But while we want healthy, cheap and delicious grub, we don't want the planet to foot the bill. At last sustainable fish is flopping into the high street. Even McDonald's is turning to MSC certified fish and the better supermarkets are stocking up on fresh squid and coley.

Our street food scene continues its steady evolution, with mobile food collective Eat Street serving-up delectables like Bhangra Burgers and posh brownies at eclectic venues like London Zoo. The gourmet vans of Whitecross Street Market are also busier than ever, and many of the vendors from both collaborations are roaming the UK, ensuring the food at our festivals just gets better every year.

So, as Alex James' Oxfordshire Harvest and Jamie's Feastival blur the boundaries between good food and decent music, there's really no need to endure a dubious kebab from a surly red-faced man ever again.

Comments

Kirkpatrick

28 June 2011, 2:28PM
Kirkpatrick

Who would've thought the humble hot dog would be so in vogue. I was right all along :)!

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StormyRaincloud

30 June 2011, 2:25PM
StormyRaincloud

Just as long as those hideous batter coated sausages on sticks, american style, don't come back. Oh wait, my hubby said a local tesco was doing them the other day. Barf!

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