Lakersdarge

Thought this might be fun to see what people here like to eat to remind them of where they grew up. I grew up in the UK, but haven't been back there in many years, mostly due to finances. But I still sometimes get cravings for things I used to eat when I was younger... Anyone else here the same? And if so, how do you satisfy them?

I used to love marmite on toast, and heinz baked beans on toast, and I can pick up both the marmite and the beans at Fresh & Easy stores, but for the life of me I just can't find the right kind of white bread anywhere that matches the supermarket kind I had when I was a kid! Bread here is just too different in my opinion, can't quite put my finger on why, but it is.

Once in a while I get the hankering for chocolate digestive biscuits dipped in tea, so I will pick some up from the Cost Plus World Market. That place is very good for British chocolate bars and things like mince pies at Christmas etc. But they're not cheap, so I don't go there too often.

And the other day, I had a drink of some of my wife's Sobe drink that she had, and I ended up drinking half the bottle nearly because I realized it tasted almost exactly like Ribena! I have to check what flavour that was, would love to pick up some more of those.

Something I would love to eat again, but pretty sure would be impossible to obtain here: Monster Munch. Pickled Onion flavour. Yum!

So what about you all, what snacks and treats are your old favourites? And what about some of those dishes that bring back the memories, where do you like to go for a nice shepherd's pie or cornish pasty or whatever? (fish n chips doesn't really count in my opinion, since so many restaurants do it already... would be great to find a place that does nice greasy chips in a newspaper though )

elfman

was having lunch with some work people the other day when I suddenly remembered Top Deck - that seems more than a little weird now: Beer-flavoured soft drinks for kids? Really?

Lakersdarge

Shandy! I remember that. I think the point of it was so that we could feel more like grown ups. But yeah, probably not the best idea ever...

Sally Redux

It's 90% sugar.

Malt loaf, teacake, eccles cake, prawn crackers, M&S flapjacks, onion bhajis, cheshire cheese, lime cordial (I did see some here but it looked a very strange colour and the first ingredient was HFCS).

sir_eccles

I often spend ages in the bakery aisle these days looking for bread that doesn't have HFCS (or any other type of sugar) as the second ingredient (I'm being generous, some actually have flour as the first).

There seems to be a pervasive myth that yeast needs sugar to make the bread rise. Flour, salt, yeast, water. That's all you need.

Englishman43

Anything that doesn't have " Corn Syrup " & " High fructose corn syrup" in.

What's the obessesion with this stuff here ? I swear they'd put it in shampoo if they could.

cluedweasel

Probably something to do with the fact it doesn't go stale or mouldy for at least 3 months after opening. It's just not natural.

cluedweasel

Not that I can find a source, but I heard it was something to do with the subsidies the government pays to farmers. They needed to find something to do with all the extra corn grown.

Bob

Monster Munch rule...can get that in the Brit store up in Maine, on the way when we see the in-laws though...but Amazon usually have it I think...lovely stuff.

The thing I miss are Scampi and Bacon Fries, but only from the pub with a couple of pints

Twiglets too...but the Christmas Tree shop sometimes has it for not much.

GeoffM

No wonder the bread is so sweet! My wife complains that UK bread is too salty - which is a bit rich coming from somebody that adds salt to pretty much anything.

Mmm toast with real butter dripping from it...

Gabgoeshome

If you are in the States try Natures Pride ...it is the closest thing to Brit bread !

No HFCS ,and a short list of ingredients

Cape Blue

Lemonade Shandy and Limeade & Lager, with the extra large tins at various times - fantastic to wash down a job-lot of frazzles, hoola-hoops, caramacs, milky bars and rolos. Happy days (when having the metabolism to suit)

MsElui

lilt,
crumpets,
m&S chicken Kievs (whole breast of chicken)
lamb,

Cape Blue

Lilt! With the Totally Tropical Taste (who says advertising doesn't work)

Dr_Dan

Just got my girlfriend addicted to Robinsons Barley Water Its strange how the British food section of the local Fred Meyer is not in the international aisle but tucked away with the breakfast cereals.

Some of my mates yesterday were telling me that they've never met someone who talks so passionately about bacon