A quick food recommendation

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

I'd sooner eat Miracle Whip than Salad Cream, and that is saying something.

I was going to say Miracle Whip is America's answer to salad cream

I plan to try some of these recipes....keep them coming

[paulinespens 3]

I'd sooner eat Miracle Whip than Salad Cream, and that is saying something.

I was going to say Miracle Whip is America's answer to salad cream

I plan to try some of these recipes....keep them coming

Miracle Whip = mayo with added HFCS

[Krikit 1,165]

Miracle Whip = mayo with added HFCS

And a whole pile of other ####### ingredients #######. Oh. And they can't even call it mayo, because it's not. It's "dressing".

[mr and mrs 187]

i didnt know about the HFCS in miracle whip. ack! i need to start looking more carefully for that on labels. (among the 8 million other things im reading labels for!)

speaking of labels, one thing i miss about the uk is the food labeling, which personally, i thought was better in some ways. specifically, since i am vegetarian, it A LOT easier to just look for 'suitable for vegetarians' on the packaging. what i had a hard time with was sometimes figuring out nutritional content. like often times they gave nutritional values for 100g of the product, and then i had to multiply and divide out to estimate numbers. sometimes, they did give values for the whole package or for a seving (but that seemed more rare to me?).

also, i think the EU requires MSG to be labeled as E612 which is a lot more specific than the ridiculously vague 'natural flavorings' that MSG is labeled under in the US. i know its not medically proven, but things with MSG tend to make me feel a bit ill, so i try to avoid them. it was easier to do in the uk.

ps. ugh. i just checked my nantucket nectar's half-n-half (iced tea and lemonade) to see what the label said and while there is no HFCS listed, it does have natural flavorings. <sigh> i think that term is a little too broad.

and i guess, to try to keep this on topic, does anybody have a peanut butter recommendation? jamie is fine with almost everything about coming here, but he is slighty peeved at the idea of a lifetime of 'too-sweet' american peanut butter. i think in the end we will just end up eating the natural peanut butter, which is just fine with me.

pre-edit: ive found an old thread that addresses the sweetness issue. 10 pages long so ill check there.

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

Bruce likes Skippy, even though it's on the sweet side. Mind you, I am speaking of a man who sat down with the remnants of the Easter raspberry fool and ate it straight out of the serving bowl with his "special spoon".

[mr and mrs 187]

"special spoon"

bless.

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

Yeah, it's his special dessert-eating spoon. All sorbets, ice creams, custards, yogurts and apparently fools need to be eaten with it. It's the sugar spoon from the hostess set in our silverware, and it's scalloped. Kind of like this:

My ex-husband had a special "stripey knife" that he had actually won in a game of Monopoly against his brother and sister. He used it for cheese at home, and always brought it with him when we went to visit his family in Suffolk so he could taunt them with the stripey knife. Is there something about British men and attachment to silverware?

[JeremyR 8]

also, i think the EU requires MSG to be labeled as E612 which is a lot more specific than the ridiculously vague 'natural flavorings' that MSG is labeled under in the US. i know its not medically proven, but things with MSG tend to make me feel a bit ill, so i try to avoid them. it was easier to do in the uk.

I researched this a bit (because my body and MSG don't exactly get along well together either) and I found this from the USDA:

How will I know if there is monosodium glutamate (MSG) in a processed meat or poultry product?

MSG is classified as a flavor enhancer by Federal regulation. When it is added to a product, it must be identified as "monosodium glutamate" on the label.

[Link].

And this: from the FDA:

Under current FDA regulations, when MSG is added to a food, it must be identified as "monosodium glutamate" in the label's ingredient list. Each ingredient used to make a food must be declared by its name in this list.

While technically MSG is only one of several forms of free glutamate used in foods, consumers frequently use the term MSG to mean all free glutamate. For this reason, FDA considers foods whose labels say "No MSG" or "No Added MSG" to be misleading if the food contains ingredients that are sources of free glutamates, such as hydrolyzed protein.

[Link]

Bottom line is that MSG shouldn't ever be listed as the ubiquitous 'natural flavor'.

I'm also gluten intolerant, which is easy-peasy in the UK because everyone writes 'gluten free' near the ingredients panel on stuff that is but over here not so many do, so I spend half my time in the supermarket reading labels . Also, some things that are 'red flag ingredients' for me in Britain are fine for me in the USA and vice-versa so I sympathise with trying to get used to the different conventions and verbiage - been there, done that, got the T-shirt

My sister is a vege and is probably coming over here nice and soon . I'll be honest, I'm dreading how we're gonna feed her for a week or two. Sometimes it seems like if you say somebody is a vegetarian here in the Deep South, people look at you like you've got a two heads

[MARM 7]

Ok guys, need some help

My fiance seems to really enjoy the following ( of course I don't plan on feeding him junk, but it would be nice if I could find these same things here in the USA for him)

1.) Sainsbury's Scotch Pancakes

2.) Sainsbury's Coconut Macaroons

3.) Cheese and onion pasties

4.) And I can't remember the name...but they are prawn/seafood flavored crisps...in the shape of pinwheels or something like that...

Would really appreciate if you guys could recommend substitutes for these UK snacks here in the USA...or if there is a place I can find them here in the USA????

[DisneyLovers 18]

Ok guys, need some help

My fiance seems to really enjoy the following ( of course I don't plan on feeding him junk, but it would be nice if I could find these same things here in the USA for him)

1.) Sainsbury's Scotch Pancakes

2.) Sainsbury's Coconut Macaroons

3.) Cheese and onion pasties

4.) And I can't remember the name...but they are prawn/seafood flavored crisps...in the shape of pinwheels or something like that...

Would really appreciate if you guys could recommend substitutes for these UK snacks here in the USA...or if there is a place I can find them here in the USA????

for the scotch pancakes, they are basically the same as what everyone here refers to as pancakes, just a bit bigger in circumference and warmed up

and on the coconut macaroons, I know the 99cent store has similar, but not exactly the tastiest..

for the cheese and onion pasties you might be better off making your own at home (if you'd like I'll poke mum for her recipe, Paul loves her's LOL), Ive not come across any pasties that Ive actually cared for in our neck of the woods, even the British store's ones are a bit too processed for my liking

were the crisps called KP Skips? Ive so far only found them online, dont care for the prawn cocktail ones but seem to remember they did a limited edition flavour that I did like, but thats another story lol

Edited April 15, 2009 by DisneyLovers

[DisneyLovers 18]

Hit save on the edit too quick before I remembered this...

In LA there's actually a sainsbury's owned by a brit couple/family from what I've heard on good authority from a friend, a bit more expensive than regular supermarket/stores but worth it for the home comforts, I know they have a wide selection of sweets and sandwiches, and soft drinks, will have to poke Paul to go down there on our next errand days

[MARM 7]

for the scotch pancakes, they are basically the same as what everyone here refers to as pancakes, just a bit bigger in circumference and warmed up

and on the coconut macaroons, I know the 99cent store has similar, but not exactly the tastiest..

for the cheese and onion pasties you might be better off making your own at home (if you'd like I'll poke mum for her recipe, Paul loves her's LOL), Ive not come across any pasties that Ive actually cared for in our neck of the woods, even the British store's ones are a bit too processed for my liking

were the crisps called KP Skips? Ive so far only found them online, dont care for the prawn cocktail ones but seem to remember they did a limited edition flavour that I did like, but thats another story lol

Thanks for the recommendations DisneyLovers!

and yes! the crisps are called KP skips! I remembered the package but not the name. I myself don't like prawns at all...but my fiance seems to really like them. I know...I have found them online but yet to find them in stores here.

Oh and PLEASE post the recipe for the Cheese and onion pasties...would really appreciate it!

Darn...I hope someone can help me find some good Coconut Macaroons...

Thanks once again!

Hit save on the edit too quick before I remembered this...

In LA there's actually a sainsbury's owned by a brit couple/family from what I've heard on good authority from a friend, a bit more expensive than regular supermarket/stores but worth it for the home comforts, I know they have a wide selection of sweets and sandwiches, and soft drinks, will have to poke Paul to go down there on our next errand days

Oh...why couldn't there be a Sainsbury's here in good ol' Illinois? Lucky you!

Do they do online ordering at the one in LA?

Edited April 15, 2009 by MARM

[DisneyLovers 18]

Thanks for the recommendations DisneyLovers!

and yes! the crisps are called KP skips! I remembered the package but not the name. I myself don't like prawns at all...but my fiance seems to really like them. I know...I have found them online but yet to find them in stores here.

Oh and PLEASE post the recipe for the Cheese and onion pasties...would really appreciate it!

Darn...I hope someone can help me find some good Coconut Macaroons...

Thanks once again!

I dont like seafood or fish but I found that the make a kind of pickled onion flavour so going to have to hunt those down online, on the macaroon front are there any speciality stores in your area? we've found a handfull of brit owned ones that are pretty reasonably priced with a wide range of nom noms between them

Oh...why couldn't there be a Sainsbury's here in good ol' Illinois? Lucky you!

Do they do online ordering at the one in LA?

Im not sure but will make sure once I poke Paul enough to go down there that we'll ask, I cant see a website but they may do phone orders, who knows...

I did find out that it's a cafe with a small store off to the side and they do deliver food so maybe they can be coaxed into sending sweets and other stuff

one of the gals I had as a bridesmaid sent me this link to their menu so hmm now Im hungry and will probably want to go over there within the next few weeks lol

Edited April 15, 2009 by DisneyLovers

[Krikit 1,165]

Marm, if you can find a desi grocer or a Brit store in your area you might be able to find some of the things you're looking for.

Online: Made in Britain, Jolly Good Grub

[English Muffin 59]

I want a special spoon.