Things you miss about Britain

[GrandpaGrumble]

On 02/06/2021 at 15:02, HappyHeart said:

What do you buy from the UK section in the supermarket?

We get bachelor's mushy peas, paxo stuffing (No good alternative), bisto, Yorkshire pudding mix (husband insists it's 'easier') and occasionally a galaxy or ripple. 

Mushy peas yes.  Also 'Our Mate'.  Bisto is pretty identical to Gravox.  We do mail order a few things - Encona hot pepper sauce, Henderson's Relish, decent malt vinegar to go with the mushy peas.  Embarrassed to say that we go one further than your husband and buy frozen Yorkshires - a bit lazy as they're not hard to make from scratch.

[Tulip1]

19 minutes ago, GrandpaGrumble said:

Mushy peas yes.  Also 'Our Mate'.  Bisto is pretty identical to Gravox.  We do mail order a few things - Encona hot pepper sauce, Henderson's Relish, decent malt vinegar to go with the mushy peas.  Embarrassed to say that we go one further than your husband and buy frozen Yorkshires - a bit lazy as they're not hard to make from scratch.

I make a tray full of Yorkshire’s and then freeze them.  Ones you make yourself are nicer but a bit of a hassle. I take them straight from the freezer to the oven and they only take a few minutes but are nicer than aunt bessies.  I do the same with par boiled potatoes for roast potatoes. Freeze some then they can come straight out the freezer into the oven. Just a few time saving tips. 

[Bulya]

1 hour ago, GrandpaGrumble said:

Mushy peas yes.  Also 'Our Mate'.  Bisto is pretty identical to Gravox.  We do mail order a few things - Encona hot pepper sauce, Henderson's Relish, decent malt vinegar to go with the mushy peas.  Embarrassed to say that we go one further than your husband and buy frozen Yorkshires - a bit lazy as they're not hard to make from scratch.

Local deli has Encona hot pepper sauce.  British Sweets sell Henderson’s Relish

Edited June 3, 2021 by Bulya
Addition

[Ken]

5 hours ago, GrandpaGrumble said:

Mushy peas yes.  Also 'Our Mate'.  Bisto is pretty identical to Gravox.  We do mail order a few things - Encona hot pepper sauce, Henderson's Relish, decent malt vinegar to go with the mushy peas.  Embarrassed to say that we go one further than your husband and buy frozen Yorkshires - a bit lazy as they're not hard to make from scratch.

Never call it 'Our Mate' it's Marmite. Calling it 'Our Mate' is equivalent to giving in to the NZ pirate version.

[newjez]

1 hour ago, Ken said:

Never call it 'Our Mate' it's Marmite. Calling it 'Our Mate' is equivalent to giving in to the NZ pirate version.

Why would anyone eat marmite when Vegemite is available?

[Bulya]

1 hour ago, Ken said:

Never call it 'Our Mate' it's Marmite. Calling it 'Our Mate' is equivalent to giving in to the NZ pirate version.

Always been Our Mate. I’ll stick to Vegemite 40% less salt version.  

[GrandpaGrumble]

23 hours ago, Tulip1 said:

I make a tray full of Yorkshire’s and then freeze them.  Ones you make yourself are nicer but a bit of a hassle. I take them straight from the freezer to the oven and they only take a few minutes but are nicer than aunt bessies.  I do the same with par boiled potatoes for roast potatoes. Freeze some then they can come straight out the freezer into the oven. Just a few time saving tips. 

I like that idea - thanks!

 

21 hours ago, Bulya said:

Local deli has Encona hot pepper sauce.  British Sweets sell Henderson’s Relish

If you don't mind me asking, where is your local deli?  Should be visiting ACT soon so could stock up.  Yes that's where we get our Henderson's from (or "Hendo's" as we should probably call it here).  There's also a place out in WA that has it a lot cheaper, but things are more likely to get damaged in transit coming from there, as their web site admits.

[Bulya]

1 hour ago, GrandpaGrumble said:

I like that idea - thanks!

 

If you don't mind me asking, where is your local deli?  Should be visiting ACT soon so could stock up.  Yes that's where we get our Henderson's from (or "Hendo's" as we should probably call it here).  There's also a place out in WA that has it a lot cheaper, but things are more likely to get damaged in transit coming from there, as their web site admits.

Belconnen Markets.  I think it’s also available at Fyshwick Markets 

[Dusty Plains]

21 hours ago, Bulya said:

Always been Our Mate. I’ll stick to Vegemite 40% less salt version.  

I must try that one. Not that I read labels much but looking at the salt content in standard Vegemite I nearly fell off the chair. 2000 mg of Sodium per 100g, which is about 3 to 4 times that of some tomato sauces. 

What about this one;  Soy Sauce has 6300 mg of sodium per 100 mil or about 10 times the salt content of some tomato sauces.  

Edited June 5, 2021 by Dusty Plains

[JetBlast]

Christmas. It just isn’t the same here. 

[Dusty Plains]

I was in the Reject Shop the other day and found shelves and shelves full of Tesco food items.   

[Toots]

4 minutes ago, Dusty Plains said:

I was in the Reject Shop the other day and found shelves and shelves full of Tesco food items.   

Good old Reject Shop.  Hope they are around for a good while longer.  I noticed their shares had plunged.  There were two Reject Shops at opposite ends of the town here in Devonport but one has closed recently.

[Wanderer Returns]

17 minutes ago, JetBlast said:

Christmas. It just isn’t the same here. 

Totally agree. It's actually the run up to Christmas I miss the most. Out with friends and family in a cosy pub and moseying around the shops, looking at the Christmas lights. That said, NYE is a far superior affair over here. Swings and roundabouts really.

[Wanderer Returns]

12 minutes ago, Toots said:

Good old Reject Shop.  Hope they are around for a good while longer.  I noticed their shares had plunged.  There were two Reject Shops at opposite ends of the town here in Devonport but one has closed recently.

The death of Reject Shop would be a great loss to us all - let's hope it never happens.

[Toots]

Just now, Wanderer Returns said:

The death of Reject Shop would be a great loss to us all - let's hope it never happens.

Another useful budget store is Shiploads.  Great for all sorts of bibs and bobs.  Is Shiploads also on the mainland?

[Toots]

i suppose we had better be getting back to the original post otherwise we will be getting our knuckles rapped  ..............................  again.  

[JetBlast]

24 minutes ago, Wanderer Returns said:

Totally agree. It's actually the run up to Christmas I miss the most. Out with friends and family in a cosy pub and moseying around the shops, looking at the Christmas lights. That said, NYE is a far superior affair over here. Swings and roundabouts really.

100% agree. It's the run up I miss. There is a general atmosphere as well. Here there isn't.

[ramot]

23 minutes ago, JetBlast said:

100% agree. It's the run up I miss. There is a general atmosphere as well. Here there isn't.

Isn’t it funny, I admit I miss the Salvation Army brass band playing carols, but I absolutely don’t miss the hysterical build up to Christmas in UK. Why should it be the same here ? it’s a different country!  Children feel the same excitement though, which is important. 

[Toots]

15 minutes ago, ramot said:

Isn’t it funny, I admit I miss the Salvation Army brass band playing carols, but I absolutely don’t miss the hysterical build up to Christmas in UK. Why should it be the same here ? it’s a different country!  Children feel the same excitement though, which is important. 

The Salvation Army band does play in town during the run up to Christmas but I'm with you  .....................  really can't get into the build up and hype that surrounds Christmas.  I realise I'm in the minority but yes, I'm a bit bah humbug about the whole thing   ..............  always was no matter where I've lived.  Christmas is for children.

[Skani]

On 03/06/2021 at 19:10, HappyHeart said:

Maybe I let it dry out too much. I’ll try the next lot in the part shade and see how it goes over winter maybe. I find as soon as I start harvesting it it dies a death. Same with basil 

Yes, I think mint likes to be dampish all the time.  I'm surprised about the basil:  I would have thought that would do well in Perth.  

[Bulya]

2 hours ago, Dusty Plains said:

I must try that one. Not that I read labels much but looking at the salt content in standard Vegemite I nearly fell off the chair. 2000 mg of Sodium per 100g, which is about 3 to 4 times that of some tomato sauces. 

What about this one;  Soy Sauce has 6300 mg of sodium per 100 mil or about 10 times the salt content of some tomato sauces.  

And that’s why you have to look at the labels on everything, that is if you’re Interested in your health.  

[Wanderer Returns]

1 hour ago, ramot said:

Isn’t it funny, I admit I miss the Salvation Army brass band playing carols, but I absolutely don’t miss the hysterical build up to Christmas in UK. Why should it be the same here ? it’s a different country!  Children feel the same excitement though, which is important. 

Let's face it, that's all there is to look forward to over there at that time of year - followed by three months of damp, dull, darkness!

Before I was married, I did Christmas with Aussie girlfriends' families a couple of times, and I think there's more excitement about their up-and-coming holidays.

[Dusty Plains]

37 minutes ago, Skani said:

Yes, I think mint likes to be dampish all the time.  I'm surprised about the basil:  I would have thought that would do well in Perth.  

Mint loves to be planted under garden taps. Especially leaky taps.

[Lavers]

2 hours ago, Wanderer Returns said:

Totally agree. It's actually the run up to Christmas I miss the most. Out with friends and family in a cosy pub and moseying around the shops, looking at the Christmas lights. That said, NYE is a far superior affair over here. Swings and roundabouts really.

Agree with you on the run up to Xmas, although we did the Xmas lights here with the kids which they loved.

Long summer days I miss aswell

[rammygirl]

On 03/06/2021 at 10:57, Toots said:

 

 

On 03/06/2021 at 10:54, HappyHeart said:

Proper mint sauce. The only mint sauce worthy of gracing a proper British/Au/NZ lamb roast made with British mint no less!!

(See what you started @Johndoe)

Yes the Aussie stuff doesn’t have any mint in it really.  I stocked up at Aldi too! Otherwise I make my own, mint and herbs grow well in the Adelaide hills and I dry them too. Basil doesn’t survive the frost and I replant but mint and oregano die back but grow back in the spring. Rosemary and thyme stay good all year.