MattySD

Agree with N1cky - F&E are slowly increasing their British foods where I shop in San Diego, so they must be selling well. They may possibly be tailoring their stock with the area - people in large Hispanic areas will likely find British foods alien and probably won't even try them.

Uncle_Bob

I need to take a good look around next time i go then. Normally i just get their back bacon and yesterday i found (in the same alse) some British Bangers (Saag brand) they were $5.99 for 4 sausages (12oz).

MattySD

Yes, I was reasonably happy with the Saag Bangers. One thing that I find odd about American specialty sausages is that they tend to be precooked, presumably by boiling. Another thing I find odd are the skins - they are often like polythene, not pleasant at all. Fortunately the Saag Bangers, although being precooked have the thin skins that I am familiar with in the UK.

Uncle_Bob

You are not wrong. They Saags are pretty good, thin skins although none burst in the pan because we were just browning them for sausage casserole (Coleman's brand). I tasted one before it went into the casserole but the jury is out until I can fry some up for a breakfast

Guindalf

In what universe are pigs in a blanket the same as sausage rolls???????

PIAB are similar to toad-in-the-hole, wrapped in batter, NOT pastry!

N1cky

Pigs in Blankets are wrapped in bacon where I come from

MattySD

Yes, and they generally use franks rather than breakfast sausage, however in the complete absence of sausage rolls in the US, they are probably the closest thing you can compare them to. A bit like mentioning Hot Pockets when explaining pasties to an American.

@N1cky - yes, that's what sausage wrapped in bacon is called in the UK, but I've never encountered that version over here in the US.

N1cky

F&E did sell them like that at Christmas the first year they opened. I haven't seen them since though.

Guindalf

But I would NEVER try to describe a pasty as a Hot Pocket. That would be like saying a Rolls Royce is like a Kia!

MattySD

I understand But it's very difficult to describe specific British foods to someone who has not only never tasted them but has probably never even seen them. Try explaining crumpets for instance - are they like American style pancakes, or waffles, or English muffins or some kind of combination of them all?

Uncle_Bob

I have not seen them in the grocery stores but I've had some very decent ones at restaurants and an english owned fish and chip shop in Phoenix. They sell sausage rolls and pies both cooked and uncooked and frozen.

The best sausage roll had to date was from the Rose and Crown pub in historic section of downtown Phoenix.

Guindalf

I just tell them to Google it!

I guess the closest thing to a pasty would be a calzone, but with meat, veggies and potatoes rather than Italian ingredients. Not the same but closer than your example.

BUT.

We're just arguing over the same thing, basically.

I've given up on explaining to people how different "prime Porky Workies" are to what they call sausages, although I did discover a really nice surprise the other day. I'll mention it in a separate post so it doesn't get lost.

Guindalf

Denny's Hobbit promotion has a movie themed menu and a nice surprise. There's something called a Shire Sausage and it's very close to a British banger!

You can have it as part of a build-your-own Slam or add or substitute it for something else (I had the Hobbit Hole Slam and subbed the bacon for it).

Not quite home, but a taste of it!

Have it for elevensies or second breakfast!

New-and-unsure

I was in F&E this morning. They had a random small section with Tesco Finest Christmas bits and bobs. I saw them and it took me a moment to process that that was strange. Once I had I was very excited!

N1cky

OOOH!!! Did they have anything exciting?