Food Memories of a Student in Hastings
- Food Blogger Journey
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
By Dirk Ebener - September 30, 2025
A Young German Student’s Journey Begins
When I reflect on my early teenage years, one chapter stands out: my summers as a language student in Hastings, England. During the school holidays between 1978 and 1981, I spent four weeks each year in the seaside town, where English classes and everyday experiences offered lessons beyond language. The cobbled streets, salty Channel air, and the rhythm of fishing boats created a vivid, lasting impression. These are the food memories of a student in Hastings.
I attended the Hastings English Language Center (HELC) on St. Helen’s Park Road, surrounded by students from around the world. Yet the real lessons often came at my host family’s table, where warmth and patience introduced me to culture and tradition through every shared meal.
Every meal was a discovery. Breakfasts were both familiar and strange—toast and butter I knew, but marmalade, with its bittersweet edge, was a revelation. Tea was not just a drink but a ritual, taken several times a day, always accompanied by conversation. Lunches introduced me to English staples like meat pies and fish and chips, foods that seemed modest but carried a history of resilience and tradition.
Dinner was the highlight, a daily moment when family life unfolded through roasts, stews, or shepherd’s pie, with puddings that lingered in memory long after the plates were cleared. In those evenings, I learned more than grammar—I learned belonging.
Food bridged my German upbringing and English summer education. In a chip doused in vinegar, the warmth of treacle sponge, and rich Yorkshire pudding, I found belonging. Even when language overwhelmed me, those meals grounded me, showing that culture thrives at the table.
Decades later, I still seek out those familiar Hastings flavors. They remind me of my youthful curiosity and the comfort found in daily meals with my host family. Through those meals, I began to understand England as a living experience of tradition, routine, and community.
Breakfast: A Lesson in Ritual
Breakfast in my host family’s home was a sacred start to the day. It was never rushed, even on school mornings when my classmates and I were eager to get to HELC. The table was set with toast racks—a very British invention I had never seen before—holding slices upright so they stayed crisp rather than soggy. Butter, marmalade, and jam were spread out in little dishes, a detail that made breakfast feel ceremonial.
Some days there was cereal—Weetabix, with its compressed wheat biscuits that softened instantly in milk, or Rice Krispies, which offered a cheerful snap, crackle, and pop. But on weekends, when there was time to linger, my host mother prepared a “full English.” Bacon, sausages, fried eggs, grilled tomatoes, mushrooms, and baked beans filled the plate. It was hearty, salty, and warming—fuel for long walks along the Hastings seafront or the steep climb up to the castle ruins.
I quickly realized that breakfast in England wasn’t just about food—it was about community. We sat together, exchanged stories, and began the day as a family, even though I was a foreign student in their home. That ritual taught me that meals are about connection as much as sustenance.
Lunches: A Taste of Tradition
The lunches in England during my summer visits often consisted of simple sandwiches, yet they had a charm that still endures. Made with pillowy, white sliced bread common in every English kitchen, these sandwiches were a staple of the midday break. Fillings alternated between tuna blended with mayonnaise, egg salad mashed to a creamy blend, or occasional slices of ham or luncheon meat.
What struck me most was their honesty: no elaborate spreads, just simple, unpretentious food designed to quiet a midday hunger. Occasionally, a packet of crisps added a playful crunch to the soft sandwiches. Each one was carefully sliced into neat squares or triangles, then wrapped in wax paper or tucked into a plastic bag, ready for a lunchtime adventure.
Compared to the heartier German breads I grew up with, these English sandwiches felt lighter, almost delicate, yet quickly became an expected part of my daily rhythm. Looking back, I see those sandwiches as less about the ingredients themselves and more about the comforting routine they created during my years of study in Hastings.
Occasionally, we ventured on field trips to learn more about local businesses, cafés, or fish-and-chip shops. Wrapped in paper, greasy yet delicious, fish and chips became the quintessential experience of Hastings. Standing by the seafront, seagulls circling above,
I learned to splash vinegar liberally over the chips—an act that seemed odd at first but soon became a habit. I can still recall the warmth of the real newspaper in my hands, and the salty tang of the sea mixing with the smell of fried fish.
Dinners at Home: Family on a Plate
Evenings with my host family remain some of my most cherished memories. Every night offered a new discovery. Shepherd’s pie, with its golden mashed potato crust, was a dish that quickly became my favorite. Stews simmered for hours, their aromas filling the house and drawing us to the table long before the meal was served.
Sunday roasts were a true spectacle. Roast beef with Yorkshire pudding, lamb with mint sauce, or roast chicken with crispy potatoes—it was a feast that felt both celebratory and grounding. I was fascinated by the way Yorkshire pudding puffed up in the oven, airy and golden, perfect for soaking up gravy.
Desserts—or puddings, as they were called—were equally unforgettable. Treacle sponge with custard, apple crumble, and spotted dick with cream were names that amused my teenage mind but flavors that left lasting impressions. For someone raised on German cakes and pastries, these British puddings offered a new vocabulary of sweetness.
Tea Time: A Sacred Pause
If breakfast was a ritual and dinner was a family affair, then teatime was an institution. I would hear the kettle whistle, knowing that a pot of tea would appear on the table alongside a plate of biscuits. Sometimes there were scones with clotted cream and jam, a tradition I came to adore. At other times, it was simple digestive biscuits or custard creams. But the point was never just the snack—it was the pause, the conversation, the rhythm of daily life that tea anchored.
Teatime taught me the value of slowing down. For a student adapting to a new culture, those breaks were moments of calm, laughter, and feeling part of something bigger than myself.
Hastings Beyond the Table
While food was often the center of my experience, Hastings itself offered a backdrop rich with history and charm. The Old Town, with its timbered houses and narrow lanes, was where I first explored English markets. Stalls selling fresh fish, local cheeses, and seasonal produce connected me to the town’s traditions. The smell of smoked fish near the beach was unforgettable, a reminder of Hastings’ deep connection to the sea.
Strolling along the pier or climbing toward the castle ruins, I would carry a humble sandwich or a warm pasty, transforming ordinary meals into picnics with breathtaking views. The cliffs, briny sea air, and the pulse of fishing life seemed to season every bite, blending food and place into one unforgettable experience.
Lessons for Today’s Traveler
If you visit Hastings today, many of the traditions I discovered in the late 1970s are still around:
Fish and Chips by the Sea: The experience hasn’t changed—find a local chippy, order cod or haddock, and enjoy them wrapped in paper while the gulls circle above.
Sunday Roast in a Pub: Many pubs still serve generous roasts every Sunday, complete with Yorkshire pudding and gravy.
Afternoon Tea: Hastings has cafés where you can indulge in cream tea with scones, clotted cream, and jam—an essential English ritual.
Farmers’ Markets and Seafood Stalls: Explore the markets in the Old Town for smoked fish, artisan cheeses, and local produce.
Traditional Puddings: Seek out treacle sponge, sticky toffee pudding, or crumble with custard—you’ll taste the same warmth I found in my host family’s home.
Final Thoughts - Food as Memory
My summer education in Hastings reached far beyond textbooks and grammar. Food became my true language for understanding England, revealing its traditions, daily rhythms, and the warmth of its community. Each meal, every bite of marmalade on toast, whispered stories of resilience, simplicity, and the quiet comfort of belonging.
Even today, decades later, those flavors remain etched in my memory. Hastings gave me more than a command of English. It gave me a lifelong appreciation for how food brings people together and connects cultures. Whenever I taste fish and chips or sip tea at four o’clock, I’m transported back to that table in Hastings, where I was not just a student of language but of life.
Dirk Ebener is the founder and creator behind the Food Blogger Journey website, drawing on over 40 years of international travel across more than 60 countries. His global adventures have deepened his understanding of regional cuisines, local customs, and the powerful connection between food and culture. From bustling street markets in Asia to quiet vineyard dinners in Europe, Dirk captures authentic culinary experiences through immersive storytelling. Through Food Blogger Journey, he invites readers to explore the world one dish at a time.
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