Food and drink in Birmingham, England
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As with aesny large town or city, food and drink has played an important role in the commerce and culture of Birmingham, England.
Pubs and beer
The first local brewery on a large scale appears to have been the Birmingham Old Brewery which was erected in Moseley Street in 1782. By 1890 Birmingham was home to 2,178 public houses which were often judged by the quality of their "stingo" (beer).Birmingham based breweries included Ansells, Holt Brewery Co Ltd, Kings Heath brewery, Davenports and Mitchells & Butlers. Many old breweries were bought out by others and subsequently closed down. SInce the 1980s, the Aston Mannor brewery and several micro breweries have opened.
Many fine Victorian pubs can be found across the city. In Aston, the Barton's Arms retains its intricate carvings, tiling and snob-screens. Other period pubs include the Black Eagle in Hockley, The art deco Three Magpies in Hall Green, The Red Lion in Kings Heath and the British Oak in Stirchley. The oldest pub in Birmingham is the Old Crown in Deritend (circa 1450). The Anchor Inn (1797), nearby in Digbeth, won the prestigious CAMRA award of 'Regional Pub of the Year' in 1996/7 and again in 1998/9.
Food
Tea
During the early 19th century, Thomas Ridgway began trading in the Bull Ring, selling tea. Ridgway later went bankrupt. Setting up business in London he paid back all of his creditors and continued his tea trade becoming one of the first English tea companies to hygienically prepack tea so as to avoid adulteration. In 1876, Queen Victoria commanded House of Ridgways to create a blend for her own personal use. In 1863, William Sumner (founder of Typhoo) published "A Popular Treatise on Tea". In 1870, Sumner started a pharmacy/grocery business in Birmingham. The Typhoo and Ridgway brand name are now owned by Premier Brands USA.Limes
Birmingham's earliest food trade connections with the West Indies involved the importation of limes and cocoa during the mid- to late- 1800s.The Montserrat Co. Ltd. was formed in Edgbaston by J.& E. Sturge. Lime juice was produced in the city and then exported for use in the manufacture of citric acid. The failure of Sicily's lemon crop at that time resulted in an opening in the market which Sturge took great advantage of utilizing their extensive chemical works based in Edgbaston. The company was set up by the Sturge and Albright families who funded the development of Montserrat estates in 1867. Joseph Sturge bought the Elberton Sugar Estate in 1857 and converted it into a lime production plant. He also wanted to prove that free labour could be made profitable (the Sturge family were instrumental in the anti-slavery movement).
Restaurants
In 1896, a new building was built in Corporation Street to house James Henry Cook's vegetarian restaurant, one of the first in England. In 1898, 'The Pitman Vegetarian Hotel', named after the famous vegetarian Sir Isaac Pitman, was opened on the same site, and the proprietors subsequently opened a long-running health food store.Birmingham is home to a wide variety of Asian eateries which have served the people of Birmingham since the 1940s. The Wing Yip food empire first began in the city and now has its headquarters in the Chinese Quarter along with many other fine oriental restaurants.
In 1945, Abdul Aziz opened a cafe shop selling curry and rice in Steelhouse Lane. This later became The Darjeeling, the first Indian in Birmingham, owned by Afrose Miah. The second was The Shah Bag on Bristol Street. The Aloka opened on Bristol Street in 1960 and Banu on Hagley Road in 1969. The Balti was invented in the city and has since received much gastronomic acclaim for the 'Balti belt' (Balti Triangle) of restaurants in the Sparkbrook, Balsall Heath and Ladypool areas of the city.
Thai Edge, which started out in Brindley Place has been praised as one of the top ten Asian restaurants in the UK by The Independent magazine.
The city now boasts two Michelin starred restaurants. Simpson's and Jessica's, both in Edgbaston, were awarded one star each in the 2005 Michelin restaurant guide for Great Britain and Ireland. Jessica's was also named AA England Restaurant of the Year 2004/2005.
Brands
Famous food brands that originated in Birmingham include Typhoo tea, Birds custard, Blue Bird Toffee, Bournville cocoa, Cadbury chocolate and HP Sauce.Events
The BBC Good Food Show takes place at The National Exhibition Centre and is Britain's biggest and most extensive food event.External links
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