Separated by a Common Language

I love learning about other cultures.  I’m so fortunate to have readers from all over the world and they’ve generously shared post cards, letters, pictures, souvenirs, and other great items and information about their homelands over the years.  I think it’s so cool how people in other areas of the world have such different traditions, clothing, housing, ideas, food, etc..  When I was at Target the other day, I took many pictures of some interesting English foods.  I think it’s especially strange how a country that speaks the same language, can have such differences.  For example, apparently “pudding” does not mean the same thing in the U.K. as it does in the U.S.

So, here are a few of the pictures I took.  Maybe I should take a trip to England (at Epcot) and try to figure out what all this is.  Or, better yet, maybe my English readers can explain these products to me.  Please?  Leave me a comment and tell me about these or any other English foods are.  What’s good?  What isn’t?  What are your favorite foods?  What American foods do you not understand? But please, for the love of God, do not offer to send me any samples of Marmite.  Thank you so very much, but no thank you.  Oh yeah, and if you happen to know the guy who posed for the porage oats package, send him my way!

Yorkshire Puddings

This is Yorkshire Pudding?!? I know what pudding is (thanks to Bill Cosby) and this is not it. This is a biscuit! I thought Yorkshire Pudding was a dessert, not something served with meat and potatoes!

Rusks

What makes this product different from a cookie? Easy! It tastes great with yogurt!

Porage Oats

Hmmm, wait a minute! No fair! We have a picture of an old Quaker guy on our oatmeal! I want a picture of a muscly Scottish dude! I mean, really, what else says "breakfast cereal" better than a guy in a skirt with a shot put?

Flapjacks

In this country, "flapjacks" is just another word for "pancakes". This stuff looks like pumpernickel bread! Maybe because it has ingredients I've never heard of?

Jammie Dodgers

Oooo, oooo, I've heard of these! Oh wait, no, no, it was just the name of the mouse's boat on Flushed Away. (Note to self: stop watching so much kid tv!)

Custard Powder

Ahh yes, custard. An ingredient in a traditional English trifle. It's Joey's favorite. "Custard good, jam good, meat goooood!"

Marmite

This looks very much like the Australian treat - Vegemite. For those of you who don't know, Vegemite tastes like evil in a jar.

Steamed Puddings

So, basically "pudding" means anything but "pudding".

Kipper Fillets

Mmmm, how can you go wrong with disgusting little fish in a can? And, just so you know, Kipper is also the name of a cartoon dog with an English accent.

Cadbury Digestive

Now why would the English take something as wonderful as a cookie and name it "digestive"? It makes one think that these are Pepto Bismal flavored. Ew.

Traditional Onions

Well, I suppose these could come in handy in a martini. A very large martini. A martini served in a fish bowl.

Turkish Delight

I thought this was a fictitious treat from the Chronicles of Narnia. (This is the third mention of a child's show. Reread your note to self, Dawn!)

Wine Gums

I like wine. And gum. And it's good to know these are proper sweets. You know, as opposed to the improper kind.

Penguins?

The package doesn't really say what these are, so I can only assume it's penguin meat. Penguin: the other OTHER white meat (and the perfect tea time treat!)

Piccalilli

This appears to be some sort of ground-up veggie paste. I think it's just fun to say. Piccalilli, piccalilli, piccalilli . . .

Fiery Ginger Beer

I'm thinking root beer, gingerale, and hot sauce. Refreshing. (Don't forget the tums.)

Devon Custard

Custard in a can? Do you think this is really custard? Or do you think it's like pudding that isn't really pudding? Or penguin?