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Old Aug 29th, 2013, 04:36 AM
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British supermarket goodies?

When I travel, I particularly love to visit supermarkets. Most of my souvenirs are given in the form of interesting/ odd/ delicious looking items plucked off the shelves. I can tell you that they are always appreciated, but not always as tasty as they may look.
Can any of you give me some names of products that you enjoy? Items that we can't get in the US?
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Old Aug 29th, 2013, 04:43 AM
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Marmite
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Old Aug 29th, 2013, 04:58 AM
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Minstrels!
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Old Aug 29th, 2013, 04:59 AM
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Cans of mushy peas - Irn-Bru pop - Christmas pudding.
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Old Aug 29th, 2013, 05:05 AM
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Battenberg cakes!
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Old Aug 29th, 2013, 05:40 AM
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I got jelly babies and mince pies, although I ended up eating them before I got home...
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Old Aug 29th, 2013, 05:41 AM
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Pease Pudding, Foxes chunky chocolate biscuits.
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Old Aug 29th, 2013, 05:43 AM
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Garabaldi (dead flies) biscuits, lardy cake.
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Old Aug 29th, 2013, 05:44 AM
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You could always amuse your friends with a meal of
http://images.mysupermarket.co.uk/Pr...052450.jpg?v=1
followed by
http://images2.mysupermarket.co.uk/P...113017.jpg?v=1
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Old Aug 29th, 2013, 05:52 AM
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Proper bacon. A book on how to make a cup of tea. Cadbury's Fruit and Nut.
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Old Aug 29th, 2013, 06:01 AM
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In addition to the above suggestions: Malt loaf, fig rolls, dandelion and burdock drink, fizzy lemonade, and of course real cider!

Also a packet of good tea, to be made in a pot and served with milk, accompanied by a digestive biscuit, chocolate or otherwise. Don't dunk a chocolate digestive though. Maybe a Rich Tea biscuit would be better for dunking .

Also check out the sweets section for sweets (candies) you don't get at home. I would have said a chocolate orange, but they aren't as good as they used to be. Do you get Maltezers? Rolos?
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Old Aug 29th, 2013, 06:07 AM
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Chocolate that is actually edible springs to mind.
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Old Aug 29th, 2013, 06:58 AM
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"dandelion and burdock drink, "

In relatively few stores (but most Waitroses): Fentiman's Dandelion & Burdock, Ginger Beer and tonics taste like herb-based drinks used to taste.

I'm told.

They certainly taste better than the muck I used to buy from the sweetshop 50 years ago.

Terry's Chocolate Orange isn't the same since bloody Crapht bought it, and rebranding Crapht as Mondelez doesn't change anything. But the chocolate orange's still terrific
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Old Aug 29th, 2013, 07:00 AM
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Spotted Dick. No, it's not an STD.

Various Cadbury varieties that you don't see in the US except at specialty stores. Milk, fruit and nut, and almond varieties are available in the U.S. See here for others: http://www.cadbury.co.uk/products

Various pasties, but you'll have to make provisions for keeping them.

Various types of Turkish Delight and shortbread (NOT Walkers - those are ubiquitous in the US).

Don't buy Marmite for a friend, buy it for the coworkers you hate. Same for salad cream.

<<Chocolate that is actually edible springs to mind.>>

That's a typical idiotic statement based on ignorance of what chocolate is available and made in the US.
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Old Aug 29th, 2013, 07:12 AM
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<Chocolate that is actually edible springs to mind>

Indeed. American chocolate. Hell is like this.
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Old Aug 29th, 2013, 07:28 AM
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Flanner, I treated myself to some Fentiman's D&B last time I was over. I shall be stocking up on it in October if I get the chance.
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Old Aug 29th, 2013, 07:39 AM
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Maldon's salt. Supposed to be the best. My chef friend always asks for some.
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Old Aug 29th, 2013, 07:44 AM
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<<That's a typical idiotic statement based on ignorance of what chocolate is available and made in the US>>

ahh yes, but there's much joy to be had in reinforcing a stereotype isn't there?

Kendal Mint cake - if you find American chocolate isn't sweet enough for you

and Uncle Joe's Balls in case you can't get enough of British humour
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Old Aug 29th, 2013, 07:48 AM
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Our local grocery actually started stocking Heinz salad cream, which is one of my favorite salad dressings. I always used to pick up a bottle when I was in the UK.
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Old Aug 29th, 2013, 07:51 AM
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Sorry - but almost all of thee things are available in the US - although perhaps not under exactly the same name.

And sorry - but Cadbury is everywhere here - and IMHO no better than Hershy's. For chocolate you have to go for Swiss or Belgian.

And you can get any kind of tea here - just nobody wants leaves versus bags - since practically nobody has equipment to deal with the leaves (my mother and grandmother drink/drank tea all the time - but never had a pot - always made a cup at a time with a bag.) A teapot may make sense if you have several people drinking it and don;t mind all the foofing around with water and leaves and strainers and whatever.
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