Re: [h-cost] gifts for Brits - tablet and Irn Bru: quite firmly OT!

[katherine sanders]

>Rhonda mentioned tablet - we don't even have that in
England. I 
>discovered it when I went to the Orkney Islands in
2003; the >hotel gave us a square of it with our
after-dinner coffee >onstead of a mint. (It's a 
>hard fudge made in blocks which can be broken into
squares like >a chocolate bar.)

As a Scot and therefore long-time sugar addict, I feel
qualified to comment on this - for a change!

My dad makes awesome 'tablet' and it is a similar
mixture to fudge but it has a more crystalline
structure so yes, it is breakable similar to chocolate
and not squidgy, like fudge, but the /best/ tablet has
a melt in the mouth butteriness that is rarely found
in commercially produced stuff. The closest you'll get
are the little 'heart-attacks in a packet' called
"Orkney Fudge" 
http://www.realfooddirect.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=1013

"Irn Bru" is a soda/fizzy soft drink that is orange in
colour and of indeterminate flavour. The advert used
to say "Made in Scotland, from girders" i.e. iron
bars, so I'd say it's sort of metallic... but nice!
You can now get Irn Bru chews which are bliss and make
my teeth ache.
http://www.sweetsncandy.co.uk/proddetail.asp?prod=IRNBRU060&cat=15

Diabetes? Me??? :-)

Sorry for digression but I've a childhood affection
for both.

Katherine

"A positive attitude may not solve all of your problems, but it will 
annoy enough people to make it worth the effort" - Herm Albright



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Re: [h-cost] gifts for Brits

[Kate M Bunting]

Rhonda mentioned tablet - we don't even have that in England. I discovered it 
when I went to the Orkney Islands in 2003; the hotel gave us a square of it 
with our after-dinner coffee onstead of a mint. (It's a hard fudge made in 
blocks which can be broken into squares like a chocolate bar.)

Kate Bunting
Librarian and 17th century reenactor

>>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 30/01/2006 18:29 >>> wrote:
> What they REALLY don't have are Girl Scout cookies.  I brought a
>couple boxes of thin mints one time, and the person who enjoyed them
>the most was an American who never seemed to visit his parents during
>cookie season.

?? You mean Americans have a particular season for eating cookies?

  
__


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Re: [h-cost] gifts for Brits

[Helen Pinto]

Sharon wrote:
PS ObCostume: Is the notion I have that Woolworth who started Woolworth's 
was a clothing designer a figment of some historical romance I read, or is 
there any basis in fact -- even if twisted fact?


F W Woolworth's was started in the US by Charles and Frank Woolworth, who 
merged a bunch of five-and-dime stores at the turn of the century (the last 
one).  They were just your basic small-town businessmen, nothing so romantic 
as a fashion designer.  That company founded Woolworths Ltd in the UK and 
the Commonwealth countries shortly thereafter, and from what I've heard, the 
focus of the merchandise is slightly different than what was usually found 
in Woolworth's here in the US.
Woolworth's closed down here about 20 years ago.  They tried to compete at 
the Kmart level with the Woolco experiment, but that's also gone here in the 
US.  The Canadian Woolco's were bought out by Walmart.
  -Helen/Aidan 


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OT: [h-cost] gifts for Brits

[Sharon L. Krossa]

At 1:29 PM -0500 1/30/06, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

After 8 Mints, but not so much the thick patties.  I don't think they
have Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, either.


Britain now has Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and have done since the 
mid-to-late-1990s. Reese's used to be one of the things I pined for 
and imported in large quantity every trip back from home, but then 
Woolworth's started carrying them and my constant craving disappeared 
;-) As I recall, Woolworth's also had Reese's Pieces, too.


Sharon, USAmerican who used to live in Aberdeen (Scotland, of course!)

PS ObCostume: Is the notion I have that Woolworth who started 
Woolworth's was a clothing designer a figment of some historical 
romance I read, or is there any basis in fact -- even if twisted fact?

--
Sharon Krossa, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Resources for Scottish history, names, clothing, language & more:
Medieval Scotland - http://MedievalScotland.org/
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Re: [h-cost] Gifts for Brits (was: 16th century and gifts for Brits)

[Jean Waddie]

You've just reminded me - dark and gold Mars bars!  The ones with plain 
chocolate and white nougat seem to be standard in the US, they only 
release them in the UK on very occasional limited edition - ours are 
milk chocolate and brown nougat.  The only American chocolate I prefer 
to British.


Jean

Rhonda Donaldson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote

Hi All,

Since I sent in the Hershey's example - I tend to agree with Sharon.  I
have friends in Scotland that love Hershey's kisses because they are
different.  When I visit that's usually what I take.  But when I come
back to the U.S. I bring; Irn Bru, yummy cheese, chocolates, Scottish
Blend tea, Jaffa Cakes and different flavored crisps...different stuff
is nice to have...

Just a matter of taste...but I do like to check in with all my pals
across the pond to see if they would like anything new or non-food or
different.

Have a great one,

Rhonda

PS my favs are crunchie bars and tablet...YUM!  But here in the U.S.
it's twix or dark chocsor just food : P



Rhonda Donaldson
LTA II
e-Reserves Jr. Guru
Access Services
Downtown Campus Library
P O Box 6069
Morgantown, WV
26506
293-4040 x4094
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

"Without change, something sleeps inside us, and seldom
awakens. The sleeper must awaken."
--Frank Herbert

Weiner's Law of Libraries: There are no answers, only
cross-references.

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--
Jean Waddie
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Re: [h-cost] gifts for Brits

[aquazoo]

> Someone suggested Hershey's Kisses -

 An Engish friend of mine is a big fan of Hershey's chocolate and
enjoyed a trip to Hershey Park.  What they don't have are York
peppermint patties.  Not even in York, sadly enough.  They have the
After 8 Mints, but not so much the thick patties.  I don't think they
have Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, either.

 What they REALLY don't have are Girl Scout cookies.  I brought a
couple boxes of thin mints one time, and the person who enjoyed them
the most was an American who never seemed to visit his parents during
cookie season.

 Things I liked to bring back are finally available in the US - Lush
bath products.  And while I can't find cloudy lemonade, Whole Foods
has a nice italian version that's nice.

 No brownies, either, although when I have a chance I make them over
there to great cheers.  That's fun, shopping for ingredients and
trying to convert the measurements!

 And full round to being on-topic, Brownies and Girl Scouts wear
uniforms that have changed through the years with fashion.  :-)

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Re: [h-cost] Gifts for Brits (was: 16th century and gifts for Brits)

[Rhonda Donaldson]

Hi All,
 
Since I sent in the Hershey's example - I tend to agree with Sharon.  I
have friends in Scotland that love Hershey's kisses because they are
different.  When I visit that's usually what I take.  But when I come
back to the U.S. I bring; Irn Bru, yummy cheese, chocolates, Scottish
Blend tea, Jaffa Cakes and different flavored crisps...different stuff
is nice to have...
 
Just a matter of taste...but I do like to check in with all my pals
across the pond to see if they would like anything new or non-food or
different.
 
Have a great one,
 
Rhonda
 
PS my favs are crunchie bars and tablet...YUM!  But here in the U.S.
it's twix or dark chocsor just food : P


 
Rhonda Donaldson
LTA II
e-Reserves Jr. Guru 
Access Services 
Downtown Campus Library
P O Box 6069
Morgantown, WV
26506
293-4040 x4094
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 
"Without change, something sleeps inside us, and seldom
awakens. The sleeper must awaken."
--Frank Herbert
 
 Weiner's Law of Libraries: There are no answers, only
cross-references.

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[h-cost] Gifts for Brits (was: 16th century and gifts for Brits)

[Sharon L. Krossa]

At 9:30 AM + 1/30/06, Kate Cole wrote:

Someone suggested Hershey's Kisses - I would say don't bother as I
have a LONG list of people in America to whom I send British
chocolate on a regular basis because they say it is so much nicer
than American chocolate. Having tasted US chocolate, I can only
agree.


Chocolate is a matter of taste, and fairly unpredictable taste, at 
that. I have two long lists -- one of people who much prefer either 
Hershey's chocolate specifically, or American chocolate generally, 
over British chocolate, and another of people who prefer British 
chocolate over Hershey's chocolate specifically or American chocolate 
generally. And there are both Americans and British folks on both 
lists. Actually, there is a third list -- people who like all kinds 
of different chocolate, British or American. And then there is the 
dark chocolate vs. milk chocolate thing (again, with 3 lists), not to 
mention the Belgian vs. everything else, premium vs. mass market, 
etc...


In any case, on the subject of candy as food gifts for English hosts, 
for a sort of entertainingly twisted gift, consider also things like 
Cinnamon Altoids -- even though the company is a British one, and the 
mints are made in Britain, apparently you can't get the non-original 
flavours in Britain (at least not in London, according to my recent 
house guest who was both delighted and frustrated to discover the 
existence of Cinnamon Altoids).


However, going back to the chocolate theme, and for a more local 
flavor (that is, local to Chris, not her hosts), there is also See's 
Candies. (For those who live outwith the See's region, See's is a 
California based chocolate maker that is not only a local 
institution/tradition, but also got high marks from Consumer Reports 
when they did their premium chocolate comparison issue.)


I also echo the other suggestions -- local cookbooks (esp. ones with 
lots of pretty pictures of the place as well as the food), California 
wine (if you know your wines, this can be especially good if you find 
a really good small winery whose wines aren't sold in Britain). 
Another thought is some small piece by a local artist/craftsman -- 
especially one made out of particularly Californian materials (e.g., 
redwood) or with a particularly Californian (or more local) theme.


Sharon

PS For regular chocolate I am one of those who like all kinds -- I am 
only picky when it comes to white chocolate, where I prefer "milk" 
white chocolate (that is, white chocolate that has at least 25% milk 
content and so a more milky flavour and texture) and don't really 
like the non-milk varieties. Alas, in the US it is very hard to find 
milk white chocolate (especially at a reasonable price) -- I miss my 
big Milky Bars!!! (Which is what the previously mentioned house guest 
brings me from London, much to his disgust, as he thinks all white 
chocolate is an abomination ;-)


ObCostume: So, for those familiar with See's -- what era is the 
inspiration/origin of their uniforms? (See 
 for an example.) It strikes me as 
somehow earlier rather than later 20th century, but the 20th century 
isn't exactly my area of costuming interest...

--
Sharon Krossa, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Resources for Scottish history, names, clothing, language & more:
Medieval Scotland - http://MedievalScotland.org/
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