British grub will be on the menu throughout April in the kingdom as part of a series of bicentenary celebrations staged to commemorate the bilateral relationship between the UK and Bahrain which began officially with a signed agreement in 1816.

Supermarkets, hotels, restaurants and cafes will be tempting shoppers and diners with authentic as well as fusion dishes, menus, promotional offers and events throughout ‘BHUK 200 Food Month’ to demonstrate the quality and creativity that distinguishes both British and Bahraini hospitality and cuisine.

“All of the BHUK 200 Food Month participants are extremely enthusiastic about being part of such an exciting year for Bahrain and the UK and are proud to support the 200th anniversary through what they do best – catering to the palates of the local Bahraini and expatriate populations alike, with a multitude of imaginative and tasty culinary delicacies,” said Tamsin Smith, the bicentenary celebrations’ project manager.

“The vast number and variety of events planned shows there is something for everyone, for the young and old. There are choices between classic and unusual, Bahraini, British or both!”

Major supermarket chains are joining in the fun with a number of in-store promotions of British products and related celebratory activities and campaigns.

Lulu Hypermarket, for example, will be breaking out the bunting and staging a performance by the world-renowned Royal Marines Band.

Many of the island’s leading hotels will be pulling out all the stops with Bahraini or British-themed brunches, fabulous fusion menus and dishes, alongside a traditional roast dinner.

Executive Chef Richard Glaze of The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain will be serving up a ‘Best of British Heritage Afternoon Tea’ on April 14, 15 and 16, featuring delights including Elderflower Fairy Cake, Battenburg Cake, Traditional Scone with Homemade Strawberry & Rhubarb Jam plus Clotted Cream, as well as a London Bridge Roll with Crab & Cress.

“I think a lot of people still think of British cooking as bland and a bit dull,” said Chef Richard, who has been in Bahrain for a year and whose previous experience included a four-year stay in Shanghai with the Peninsula brand which is renowned for its afternoon tea delights throughout its nine properties worldwide.

“We in the UK have some exceptional ingredients available to us from our fantastic beef to our game. Cooked well, British cooking is as good, if not better, than any other!

“I’m also very proud of the heritage and tradition of ‘afternoon tea’ – especially having spent the last nine years in Asia where the concept is a phenomenal success, where the local culture adores anything with history and respects the ritual.”

Afternoon tea, that most quintessential of English customs, can be traced back to the 1840s, when the Duchess of Bedford was lady-in-waiting to Queen Victoria.

The evening meal in her household was served fashionably late leaving a long period of time between lunch and dinner. The duchess asked that a tray of tea, bread and butter (some time earlier, the Earl of Sandwich had had the idea of putting a filling between two slices of bread) and cake be brought to her room during the late afternoon.

This became a habit of hers and she began inviting friends to join her. As she invited more of her aristocratic friends to her tea parties, afternoon tea culture became popular throughout England and hotels later started introducing the concept.

Chef Richard is confident Afternoon Tea will win even more fans at The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain. “Bahrain is a fantastic Bohemian place; actually my friends include a great deal of Bahrainis, who are great people. Bahrain is a friendly, proud and enjoyable place to live and my family is very happy here,” the father-of-three added.

Coffee shops and restaurants will also be getting in on the BHUK 200 Food Month act too. Costa Coffee, for example, will be offering its own Date Tea Cake to commemorate the occasion throughout its outlets.

The bicentenary celebrations are being hosted under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad. The year-long series of events aim to act as a showcase for the UK-Bahraini relationship across a wide range of areas such as culture, business, arts, sport and education.