London! - A Weekend in Pictures

I spent last weekend in London with a girlfriend from college who was here on work and we had a fantastic time cruising the town and checking out some new spots! It's been awhile since I enjoyed the comforts of a corporate charge card! Thanks Liz!

Richmond Hill Hotel, Richmond-Upon-Thames

Liz's company put her up here in this cute boutique hotel in Richmond-Upon-Thames, at the end of the Tube's District line, to be close to the film production she's working on. The hotel was charming, it served alcohol all night, and had a great hillside view over the Thames.

SoBar in Richmond-Upon-Thames

We stopped at this cute spot tucked down an alleyway in Richmond for our first drink of the evening. The nibbles and drinks were excellent, and the place got pretty busy between 5 and 6pm while we sipped our drinks. It was a little on the noisy side by the time we left, but the jazzy beats playing over the stereo were nice.

Oscar Bar at Charlotte Street Hotel, SoHo

This place was around the corner from our dinner restaurant, so we stopped here for a drink around 8pm. Every table was full and the bar was packed. Liz had an espresso-tini that was out of this world--like a spiked Starbucks frappuccino!

Fino Restaurant, SoHo

We met two of Liz's work colleagues here for a 9:30pm dinner on Saturday--they are film editors working on a new Disney/Pixar feature that's filming here in London. Amazing pork belly, tuna tartare and classic tortilla, plus some fabulous Spanish wine.

Fish Works Restaurant, Richmond

We needed something greasy when we finally rolled out of bed at noon on Sunday, but breakfast was already over, so the fish & chips at this cute seafood brasserie fit the bill.

Camden Markets

We went to hunt for some antique tidbits for Liz's mom's new restaurant in San Francisco, but mostly found lots of tacky t-shirts and cheap souvenirs. The whole trip was worth it for the small stall we discovered selling Brazilian-style Churros (large tube-shaped doughnuts dusted in cinnamon & sugar and filled with dulce de leche). Delicious!

Claridge's Hotel Bar, Mayfair

We had a couple of hours to kill before our dinner reservation, so we sat at a cozy table in this bar and ordered some frou-frou cocktails. I had a Vanillita--cranberry & lime juice mixed with fresh strawberries, Vanilla vodka and honey, served over crushed ice. C'est bon!

Cecconi's Restaurant

We were excited to get a last minute 8pm reservation for Sunday night, and got great seats by the front window. Loved the mint green accents to brighten up the black & white retro vibe. Also loved the buffalo mozzarella & cherry tomato starter and the fresh crab & avocado salad. My Venetian fritelle dessert with zabaione cream was heavenly--glad I ate light & saved room.

Grocery Update! Some new local finds at House of Fraser

Went Xmas shopping this afternoon in Birmingham near the Bull Ring and made a stop at the House of Fraser up near the B'ham Cathedral. We were looking for some cooking equipment (which by the way is RIDICULOUSLY expensive compared to US prices), and went downstairs to the lower level where there also happens to be a food hall/gourmet market similar to the one at Selfridge's.

Turns out, House of Fraser also has a small selection of 'American' food items like that at Selfridge's, with a few key additions: Heinz Chili Sauce, Heinz sweet pickle relish, Mezzetta Deli-Sliced pepperoncini rings, peanut butter M&Ms and Hershey's chocolate sauce, cocoa, and fudge sauce were all available, along with some different sauces and condiments. They also carried cans of Libby's Pumpkin (and were GBP 2.39, so not as cheap as Whole Foods, but cheaper than Selfridge's). I didn't get to scope out the entire food hall, but they seemed to also have a large selection of gourmet olive oils, vinegars, and mayo.

I suspect that only the larger House of Fraser stores with Food Halls have this market feature, as I didn't see anything like that at the Solihull location, but it's good to know I won't have to go back to London for those items anytime soon. I'm looking forward to seeing some peanut butter M&M's in my stocking in a couple of weeks ;)

Bring from Home!: US Food Items Not Generally Available in UK

After months of research and hunting around Birmingham I have compiled this list of items that are tough or impossible to find here, and I stock up on the non-perishable items on visits back home:

Hidden Valley Ranch dressing (dry and bottled)

Good Seasonings Italian Dressing mix

Lipton Onion Soup Mix (for dips and recipes)

Lawry's Taco Seasoning

Accent seasoning

Pepperjack cheese

Corn tortillas (available here, but not so good)

Veleveeta cheese

Mezzetta Brand pepperoncinis, cocktail onions, gardiniera

Mr & Mrs T Bloody Mary Mix

Salsa con queso/spicy cheese dip for tortilla chips

Crystal Light lemonade and iced tea packets

Chicken Rice a Roni

Sourdough bread

Canned chopped green chiles

Chipotle peppers

Pequillo peppers

Wheat Thins crackers

Zatarains Jambalaya Mix

Wonton wrappers

The following items are available at Partridge's Grocery store in Kensington in London (thanks for the tip Allison!), but are not readily available in Birmingham (or I assume, in other cities outside of London generally)--also watch out for the very high prices!!:

Motts Applesauce - regular and unsweetened

Stove Top Stuffing Mix

Lawry's Seasoned Salt, Garlic Salt and Lemon Pepper

Zatarain's mixes - Dirty Rice, Red Beans and Rice and Creole Gumbo (no Jambalaya)

Bisquick Pancake Mix

Heinz Chili Sauce

Graham crackers and graham pie crusts

Crisco vegetable shortening & canola oil

Betty Crocker cake & brownie mixes

Heinz Dill pickles - chips, spears and relish

Vlasic sweet and dill pickle spears

Pop Tarts

Hershey's Chocolate syrup

Light and dark corn syrup

Nestle semi-sweet chocolate chips (most UK grocers carry only milk or dark chocolate chips)

Skippy Peanut Butter

Old Bay Seasoning

Libby's canned pumpkin

Quaker corn meal

Baker's semi-sweet chocolate chunks for baking

Jiffy Corn muffin mix

Progresso Italian style breadcrumbs

Various american cereals (fruit loops, apple jacks, grape nuts)

I also found these items at Whole Foods in London on Kensington High Street, but have not seen them anywhere else:

Tarragon vinegar

Green tomatillo salsa

Libby's canned pumpkin

Pumpkin Pie Spice

Raw pearl onions

Smoked mozzarella

Spanish tuna in olive oil

A Survival Guide to English Foods and Ingredients

Here is a list of some commonly used American ingredients with their UK equivalents:

Eggplant = aubergine

Arugula = rocket

Cilantro = coriander

Zucchini = courgettes

Belgian Endive = chicory

Bok Choi = Pak Choy

Green Onions = Spring onions or salad onions

Canadian bacon = back bacon

Ground Beef = beef mince (same with other meats)

Thick sliced ham (like Honey Baked Ham) = gammon

Cookies = biscuits (sweet)

Crackers = biscuits (savory/for cheese)

French fries = chips

Potato chips = crisps

Butty = sandwich (esp. chip butty or bacon butty)

Cornstarch = cornflour

Light cream = single cream

Heavy cream = double cream

Half & half = use half milk, half single cream

Graham crackers = use sweetmeal digestive biscuits

Dessert = the word 'pudding' refers to any dessert, not just custard, with notable exceptions being "black pudding" and "Yorkshire pudding", which are savory items

Granulated brown sugar = demarara sugar

Jell-O/Gelatin = jelly

powdered/confectioner's sugar = icing sugar

cake flour = sponge flour

Kool-Aid or flavored drink mix = squash

Baked potato = jacket potato

Tomato Paste = tomato puree

Ladyfingers = use sponge fingers or boudoir fingers

Shortening = use solid vegetable oil

Cheddar cheese = cheddar is usually white here; Red Leicester is closest to American cheddar

Swiss cheese = use Jarlsburg or Gruyere

Tomato Sauce (no seasonings) = try tomato juice or jarred pasta sauce & adjust seasonings

Minced garlic = 'easy garlic'

sugar sprinkles for cakes = hundreds and thousands

Below are some English dishes that I've seen on more than a few menus, but didn't know exactly what I'd be getting if I ordered it:

Welsh rarebit = is a savoury sauce made from melted cheese and various other ingredients and served hot over toasted bread, sometimes with the addition of ale, mustard, ground cayenne pepper or ground paprika and Worcestershire sauce

Bangers and Mash = a dish of mashed potatoes & sausages, usually with an onion gravy

Bubble and Squeak = leftover vegetables and meat from a roast dinner pan-fried together with mashed potatoes until mixture is browned on all sides

Toad in a Hole = a dish comprising sausages baked in a Yorkshire pudding batter (see definition below), usually served with vegetables and gravy

Faggots = a meatball traditionally made from pig's heart, liver and fatty belly meat or bacon minced together, with herbs added for flavouring and sometimes breadcrumbs

Black pudding = a type of sausage made by cooking blood with a filler (meat, fat, suet, bread) until it is thick enough to congeal when cooled.

Cottage Pie = a pie with a mashed potato crust and cooked beef filling

Shepherd's Pie = a pie with a mashed potato crust and cooked lamb/mutton filling

Scotch Egg = sausage in breadcrumbs wrapped around hard boiled egg and deep fried to crispy

Pork Pie = minced pork and pork jelly baked inside a firm pastry crust, sometimes with cheese & pickle, and usually served cold with spicy mustard

Cockles = a type of small, edible, saltwater clam

Crubeens = Irish dish of salted pig's feet or trotters, usually served boiled with cabbage

English trifle = a dessert dish made from thick (or often solidified) custard, fruit, sponge cake, fruit juice or, more recently, gelatin, and whipped cream. These ingredients are usually arranged in layers with fruit and sponge on the bottom, and custard and cream on top.

Stargazy Pie = a Cornish dish made of baked pilchards (a type of fish), covered with a pastry crust. The pilchards are arranged with their tails toward the centre of the pie and their heads poking up through the crust around the edge, so that they appear to be gazing skyward.

Bacon Butty = bacon rashers served on a soft roll, usually with brown sauce or ketchup

Yorkshire Pudding = a savory, well-shaped pastry made from batter (usually cooked in muffin tins, like popovers) and served with roast meat and gravy

Spotted Dick = a steamed suet pudding containing dried fruit (usually currants) commonly served with custard

Lancashire Hotpot = a stew consisting essentially of lamb or mutton, onion and potatoes left to bake in the oven all day in a heavy pot and on a low heat

Marrow = a type of squash or large zucchini

Angels on Horseback = poached oysters wrapped in bacon rashers w/a seasoned prune puree

Jaffa Cakes = a popular type of English cookie that consists of three layers: a sponge cake base, a layer of orange flavoured jelly and a coating of dark chocolate.

Cornish Pasties = seasoned steak, potatoes, onion, carrot and turnips baked inside a pastry case

Victoria Sponge = traditionally consists of jam sandwiched between two sponge cakes; the top of the cake is not iced or decorated. Named for Queen Victoria, who favored sponge cake with her afternoon tea

The Pumpkin Puree Discovery!

Since I'm planning a huge, traditional Thanksgiving dinner for a few friends here in England at the end of the week, I have been on the hunt for cans of pureed pumpkin to use in the pumpkin chiffon pie that our family's favorite, but kept coming up empty until about a week ago.

Selfridge's Department Store in London and here in Birmingham both stock Libby's Canned Pumpkin during the holiday seasons every year, but apparently the pumpkin harvest wasn't great this year, so production was a bit delayed, and the store's shipments arrived later than usual. I bought 4 cans of pumpkin when it finally arrived at Selfridge's here, then bought some more last week in London where I found it at Whole Foods for about 1 GBP cheaper per can than at Selfridges.

Now that I'm well stocked in pumpkin puree, I decided to use a 1/2 can to make some pumpkin bread to nibble on this week. Here's the recipe I used (measurements are in UK equivalents):

INGREDIENTS

250g pumpkin puree

210g plain flour

1/2 tsp salt

200g sugar

1 tsp baking soda

120ml (1/2 c.) olive oil

2 eggs, beaten

60ml (1/4 c.) water

1/2 tsp. each nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice

100g coarsely chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS

1. Sift together the flour salt, sugar and baking soda in a large bowl or food processor.

2. Combine the pumpkin puree, oil, eggs, water and spices with the dry ingredients using a wisk or wisk attachment on the food processor. Stir in the nuts, then pour the mixture into a well-greased loaf tin and bake at 180 C (350 F) for about 50-60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

3. Turn the loaf out onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely before serving.

Mince Pies, Toad in the Hole & Other Oddities

Last week I was in for a bit of a shock when D requested 'faggots' for dinner. I'd never heard that term used in America except as a derogatory, anti-gay remark, but I knew D doesn't share the beliefs of those who use the word that way, so I was puzzled. It turns out that faggots are a kind of English meatball made from some leftover pig. I didn't think I could handle chopping up pig heart, belly and liver, so we opted to buy a 4-pack of pre-made faggots from the neighborhood butchers. We baked them for about 50 minutes, and served them with baked potatoes (called 'jacket potatoes' in the UK) and mushy peas. They were in fact very similar to meatballs, but tasted a little too gamey for me so I don't think I'll ever eat them again.

Since it's now the holiday season, we've been seeing mincemeat pies everywhere in the supermarkets. They look like mini apple pies, but are filled with something that tastes a bit like the filling in American Fig Newton cookies. In Victorian times, the pies originally contained actual meat, but now the only meat element is suet (a hard fat found around beef or sheep liver), and most pies now use vegetarian versions of suet. I've read that the 'mincemeat' filling is actually made from a mixture of various nuts, currants, raisins and spices, along with some brandy, but have not made the filling from scratch yet. Here's a recipe from the BBC if you are keen to try it out for yourself: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/christmasmincemeat_8893.shtml

Another classic English pub dish that I've seen on menus everywhere is Toad in a Hole. Apparently it's nothing more than a few sausages baked in a Yorkshire pudding-type pastry, but the name is so intimidating that I've never tried it. It is usually served with an onion gravy and vegetables. D has a Gordon Ramsey cookbook with a recipe I plan to try, but I also saw this one on the BBC website that looks pretty basic: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/beefsausagetoadinthe_86522.shtml.

When it comes to cooking other strange English foods, I've experimented a bit more in the dessert category since I don't usually eat that much meat. I have yet to try cottage pie, fisherman's pie, or anything containing liver, but I have made treacle tart with clotted cream (a shortbread pastry crust with a syrupy, breadcrumb filling), rhubarb crumble, a pomegranate pavlova, and a chocolate chip bread pudding from scratch.

I'll include an actual Guide to English Foods in another post soon with a list of American equivalents for strange UK foods, or definitions of those items I haven't come across in America at all.

Here's the recipe for Treacle Tart that I found on the BBC website:

Treacle Tart

Ingredients

For the sweet pastry
250g/9oz plain flour, sifted, plus extra for dusting
175g/6oz butter, plus extra (melted) for greasing
75g/2¾oz icing sugar
2 free-range egg yolks
1 tbsp cold water
For the filling
150g/5oz day-old brown or white bread, crusts removed
650g/1lb 7oz golden syrup (like corn syrup in US)
150g/5½oz unsalted butter
1 free-range egg
50ml/2fl oz double cream (heavy cream in U.S.)
2 lemons, zest only
large pinch salt
clotted cream or double cream, to serve

Method

For the sweet pastry, in a bowl, rub together the flour and butter using your fingertips, until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the icing sugar, egg yolks and cold water and mix until the mixture comes together as a dough. Wrap the dough in cling film, then chill in the fridge for two hours, to rest. Grease a 23cm/9½in loose-bottomed tart case with melted butter, then dust with flour, gently knocking out any excess. Meanwhile, line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and place the prepared tart case on top. Once the pastry has rested, discard the cling film and roll the pastry out onto a lightly floured work surface to a 4-5mm thickness. Lift the rolled pastry by rolling it loosely around the rolling pin, then lower it into the prepared tart case and press into the tart case to mould it to the sides and bottom. Trim off any excess pastry using a sharp knife. Chill the tart case in the fridge for a further 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. When the tart case has rested, remove it from the fridge and prick the base several times using a fork. Line the base and sides of the tart case with greaseproof paper, then fill it with baking beans. Transfer to the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until crisp and pale golden-brown. Discard the greaseproof paper and baking beans. For the filling, blend the bread in a food processor until it has formed breadcrumbs. Set aside. Heat the golden syrup and butter in a pan over a low to medium heat until the syrup and the butter has melted. Set aside to cool slightly. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and cream until well combined. Pour in the syrup and butter mixture and stir to combine. Stir in the breadcrumbs, lemon zest and salt until well combined. Pour the filling mixture into the cooked pastry case, then return the tart to the oven and cook for a further 40-45 minutes, or until the filling is dark golden-brown. Remove from the oven and set aside for 15 minutes before serving to allow to cool slightly. Serve warm, with clotted cream or whipped cream.

Grocery Stores in England

There are a large number of supermarket chains in the UK, but they vary widely in quality and selection of foods depending on what neighborhood they are located in. I've shopped in many of them over the past 6 months, and can evaluate them below:

The largest supermarket chains are Tesco and Sainsburys, followed closely by ASDA and Morrisons, who all carry own-brand products but also stock a large number of name brand foods, as well as a growing number of international foods. Morrison's and ASDA seem to be newer chains, doing what they can to catch up to Tesco and Sainsburys. Tesco and Sainsburys both have clothing lines and homewares departments (similar to Walmart or Target in America), and both "Rewards Card" programs that provide the opportunity to amass points from shopping in store, as well as from buying gas at their store-owned pumps. Since I wind up shopping at both chains frequently, I have opted to enroll in both programs and earn points no matter where I shop. ASDA and Morrisons may also have these features, but they have fewer store locations, and their products are not as well publicized as those of the larger chains. Tesco and Sainsburys also both operate a large number of small, neighborhood grocery outlets (i.e., Tesco Express and Sainsburys Local) in urban centers or residential neighborhoods where space is at a premium, that carry only essential grocery items and have a small produce section.

Other national chains are ALDI, Lidl, Somerfield, Iceland, Waitrose and Marks & Spencers. ALDI, Lidl and Somerfield seem to be at the cheaper end of the scale in terms of quality and selection, so it's a better choice for food staples than for gourmet or hard-to-find items. Iceland is primarily a "frozen food" supermarket, and I don't believe they stock any fresh produce, so again, it is best for stocking up on freezer staples like pizza and dessert items. Waitrose seems to be a higher-end store with higher average prices (similar to Whole Foods in the U.S.), and their stores are usually smaller than Tesco & Sainsburys, but I've found many gourmet & hard-to-find items there when I thought hope was lost!

Marks & Spencers has become one of my favorite grocery chains, but I mention them last because they are not a traditional grocery store. Their grocery outlets are always attached to a larger Marks & Spencers (M&S) department store that stocks all the traditional clothing and home items carried by stores like JCPenny or Macys in America. M&S grocery stores also do not carry any outside brands, so their non-perishable sections are very small, and they tend to stock only basics (some canned meat, canned vegetables, tinned fish, pasta sauces and frozen items), as well as some dry baking goods and lots of sauces and condiments. They usually have a basic fresh produce department (although few items are sold loose--most are pre-washed, chopped and or packaged), and a good bakery, but their star feature is a huge selection of fresh, pre-packaged food and ready-meals, many of which are restaurant quality. Their prices are a bit high (more like buying food from a take-away restaurant), so I can't shop there all the time, but I've come across a few great items, the most recent of which was their canned Chicken Tikka Masala. It's the closest I've found to my favorite recipe for the dish in America, and it's easy to serve with basmati rice, green veg and naan for a quick meal.

NOTE: Whole Foods has recently opened in London, and I've only been there once on a brief visit, so I'm not sure how many common American foods or brands are available there, but I'm hoping they will bring the chain the Birmingham soon!