What English things are better than anyone else's?

Australian pies are the best

English sitcoms are utterly, utterly shite. Gold standard set by Cheers, Frazier, Friends ,Raymond and late, mature Seinfeld

When abroad one does tend to gravitate towards English bucolic fantasy , Midsomer Murders etc

Kippers, kedgeree

Regarding the class thing, it’s notable how, despite the English acute understanding of, and love of talking about, class, we’ve actually got much less of a history of serious and violent class conflict than most European societies (and many outside Europe).

Well, I say “despite”. In time-honoured journalistic cliche however, what I mean is “because of”.

Cheesetoastie, I'll not have you discriminating against the Welsh, Scottish and Norn Irish. Admittedly I'm not sure what apart from male voice choirs the Welsh have going.

For Bernstein Australian pies are most certainly not the best, British and even Kiwi pies are better. Also Everybody Loves Raymond is crap and I don't know why anyone watches it.

Can't be bothered reading all through again, but did anyone mention how much better at queuing we are than anyone else.

Scones also awesome even if there are disagreements as to whether it is the clotted cream or jam first.

I wish I had a norn iron accent. They're charismatically menacing on men, and quite hot on women.

Cheesetoastie if there is one thing recent years have shown us it is that the Northern Irish are not the best in the world at sectarian friction. For that I point you in the direction of Sunni/Shia conflict.

Clotted cream (with the golden crust)

Sausages - plain pork or cumberland.

Proper bacon. That skinny crispy stuff the septics call bacon is useless.

Beer - anyone who says anything otherwise is just wrong and can can fook off. Twice.

Police - Not perfect but at least the principle is "policing by consent", unlike virtually anywhere else in the world involves water cannons or worse.

Swear words

Pub fights

Trevved-up cars under 2000cc

Pointless degree courses

People shouting at cars at the traffic lights

Full on lol at whoever it was that said bundles.

- Cheddar

- Jingoism

- Lack of self awareness

(FAOD this is a ‘I think that’s a brilliantly funny comment’ lol rather than a ‘I think you are seriously and am thus laughing at you lol’).

Australian pies are the best

Aussie pies are rank. Other than dried apricot pies made with apricots from your own backyard dried in the sun on a sheet of corrugated iron

I hate to say it but the chicken and leek or chicken and ham pie at Man City is probably the best football pie. I appreciate this has little to do with the current discussion, just thought I should throw that out there.

Chelsea pies, honestly now, are barely ok. Not dreadful but pastry underside is always gloopy.

I have not read all of the posts. There are a number of things that we think we do better but, at best, we can argue with other countries, such as breakfast and sports cars. But the following are things the English do, without possible grounds for dispute, the best:

- ale

- humour/comedy/wit

- large scale events (festivals, sports etc)

- pubs

- summer

- shoes

- universities

- fish and chips

- theatre

- villages

- sailing

- law

Having read the thread, there are two points I'd like to make:

1) the only people in the world who think Irish pubs are better than English are the Irish. Complete nonsense.

2) afternoon tea is done way better by ex-colonies (India, HK, singapore) than it is by the English.

Americans also do good beer, although they do seem a bit fixated on IPA / APA. I'd say it's only in the last few years that English/British beer has caught back up with them

HA HA HA. HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA. AH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA. AH. HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA. *Wipes tears from eyes*. AH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA. HA HA HA. HA.

You are right about pancakes though.

Obadiah, yes the americans have some pish like Bud and Coor Lite (we have Carling, Fosters, Tennants and Stella), but they do have some fantastic beers. As has been said they do seem to have an obsession with IPA, but I guess that is what the public want so that is what they brew. At this point I have about 20 bottles of Founders KBS at home (bulk bought in a sale) which is a truly epic stout made in Michigan.

The target of my mirth was not clear. I know the yanks make some very good beers; some of the best in the world. What I was laughing at was the suggestion that "the English have only just caught back up with them". That is only true if you are referring solely to overly-hopped 6%+ IPAs beloved by hipsters rather than beer in general.

(Also not sure that any of Fosters, Tennants, Stella or, controversially, Carling can be claimed to be English beers.)