Merlot

Another one of those silly posts but after reading some of the "heated" posts on the Australia site, I need some light relief.

I have missed these spuds so much (sad, yes I know), do they still come out in the UK Summer Season? Are they just as nice as I remember them with lashings of Lurpak butter?

dazuk

Im not sure, but I sympathise with your spud plight. When I was in oz i found that the spuds were a bit crap escially when u go tho the oz chip shops. Strange how sucjh a basic, taken for granted food can be so different.

Same with baked beans too!!! And before im accused, I dont expect the rest of the worlds food to be the same as UK just commenting

Merlot

Funny you said that because of late the Ozzie spuds have really beacome tasteless and watery! They are making crap mashed and baked pots.

Oh the little things ...

dotty

If its any help I found little baby spuds (but not jersey royals) even at Xmas time. So I bet you can get the real jersey in summer.

Spuds were way cheaper too.

kerry151

I'm feeling ya! I'm a former brit living in the states and crave jersey royals, smothered with butter and a hint of mint, Bacon and mushy peas. I know it's illegal to the Jersey Royal but I had my dad smuggle a couple over on his last visit, I let them go to seed and now I grow Jersey royals in abundance in my cold frame. Sorry, I just couldn't resist.

HiddenPaw

OK, not potatoes but Sainsbury spiced fruit muffins...I craved these like mad in Oz. The Oz equivalents were poor in comparison. The day I landed in the UK I went to Sainsbury and was distraught to find that they were out of stock. I went to 3 other Sainsbury over the next couple of weeks - same story everywhere. Then last week my local store was stocked to the ceiling with them - I bought 6 packets and filled the freezer (I only had a small fridge with a tiny freezer compartment at the top). Mmmmm, heaven.

Sorry, I just had to share that with you. If you need me to start stocking up on Jersey Royals for you ready for your arrival, just let me know!!

steandleigh

Yes, we still get delicious jersey royals come summertime, but they aren't in the shops for long and are cripplingly expensive.

Well worth it though, with real butter and fresh chopped mint. Hmm.... maybe another summer here won't be so bad afterall!!!

Merlot

Isn't it wonderful that everywhere in the world has something special that we will miss.

Since my post I have bought cabbage/carrots/spuds/onions, cooked them up (yep in 30 degrees plus heat of NSW), leaving them in the fridge overnight then tomorrow we will have Bubble and Squeak, with HP Sauce, lots of butter, salt & pepper! Bliss

I have just finished off my last bit of black pud yesterday.

You can take the girl out of England but you can never take England out of the girl!

I am looking forward to spending my first week back in the UK cruising the isles of Sainsbury's, Marks & Sparks, Tescos, Asda, Waitrose, the list goes on.

Happy Munching!

Merlot

Since this thread, I am into my 2nd summer of spuds and loving them!!!! This thread came to mind!

Just had them for tea tonight, worth the 12,000 miles travel.

M

heading downunder 2002

Isn't it funny what you miss when you can't get them, for me (living in Cumbria as I do) it was real Cumberland Sausage, my mum had strict instructions to have them in for us for tea on our return, they tasted so good, like you say certainly worth travelling 12,000 miles for


Susan

Merlot

Yep, each time I eat them I feel glad to be back.

The little things.

M

Hutch

Just curious Merlot (this isn't a dig I promise) but you seemed to regret returning to blighty in earlier posts, but I've noticed you seem to be getting more and more UKcentric (great new word, eh?) in your outlook. Is that return to Oz thing a receeding thought?

MrsB

Yep....I've noticed the watery mash too.

Oh to shop at Sainsburys.....in my dreams.....the little things I miss???? After Eight Mints, Sainsburys mini cheese and tomato pizzas for the kids £1.29 for 2, Sainsburys honey roast ham, Sunmaid raisins (kids won't eat the sticky Sunbeam ones), Walls skinless sausages, Sainsburys orange and cranberry crush - 79p, Walkers Crisps (including those new flavoured puppodam ones), Danepak unsmoked bacon, New Covent Garden Soup (carrot and coriander, leek and potato, wild mushroom), Californian Zinfandel. M&S onion bahjis and samosas.

I have to say, I'm struggling with finding decent ham that is not 'shaved' or congealed, and bacon......any ideas?

Merlot

One of lifes up and downs is all I can say Hutch, always happy to share experiences.

My first 14 months have been interesting, hard work, enjoyable but I have not regretted coming back to the UK.

My major hurdle was the first British winter in many years, the hardest bit was the dark nights but hey through that. A few more to come no doubt.

The other thing my husband is not settled here (like I was not settled 100% in Oz), so this does play with your own needs as when you are a team you must consider the other. This has become quite noticable as his dad is not well with bowel cancer in Oz, I feel so much guilt by bringing him 12,000 miles away from him.

One thing I have learned by moving is to accept your surrounds and circumstances more, you can't always have the "perfect" but I used to get stressed trying to find this but it doesn't exist. I always try to keep the positives alive.

M

Merlot

Coles do this on occasion I believe or something very similiar.

Yep, absence makes the heart grow stronger!!!

M