Lol, not having a hard time, just learning to 'translate' American to English. No I didn't bring much with me at all, lol. I was supposed to be going back home to apply for a fiance visa after staying a while but we decided not to wait!! So a suitcase full of clothes, my cross stitching supplies, a couple of recipe books and that was it, lol. Even left my old Pfaff behind and DD is starting to use. Everything else my kids either kept or sold at my request.

I have managed to 'translate' most things, but my biggest problem is not being able to find the 'more slimming' versions of things like fromage frais and creme fraiche, quark. ROFL. We are vegetarian and I could NOT believe I had to buy vegetarian baked beans here (aren't beans vegetarian?). BUT one of our local supermarkets has a three foot long English section so I can buy my fave sauces, Heinz beans (ours has a lot less calories), gravy mixes (Bisto) and chutney. I also order my favourite chocolate as a treat from a Brit store (Cadbury's) occassionally.

Have made up and created a whole bunch of my own recipes like a meatless meat loaf and my DH thought he made the best lasagne in the world but when he tasted an authentic Italian version he changed his mind (no riccota cheese in this, (bechamel sauce with nutmeg instead). I make fake steak and mushroom pot pies and chicken ones too and it makes me laugh when he tells everyone I 'even make the pastry'.

So I don't do too bad, lol, now if only I knew what to do with all the 'greens' I see in the stores... what are collards? What is a rutabaga, lol.

Collards are a leafy green that is very popular in the southern US. It is similar to either spinach or Swiss chard.

A rutabaga is similar to a turnip.

Thanks KSO. Always wondered when I see them in the supermarket. So how would any good vegetarian recipes for them??

Usually our baked beans come with bacon already in them. Then we add even more on top! You can also buy the jars of navy beans and doctor them up yourself with brown sugar and molasses, leaving out the meat.

I am an an american who lived overseas.. Hurray for BISTO, which is a can of dried gravy powder! You just add water to it to get gravy or broth base. They don't have it here.
I use lofat sour cream for cream fraiche. Nothing is the same as Devon cream, though.
A Rutabaga is a sweet "turnip like" veggie, peel it, cut it up into cubes and boil it until it is tender. Serve it with butter, because it is much better tasting than a turnip.

Please, do you have a good recipie for peach chutny?
We americans do sometimes make good chutneys.

Collards are almost tasteless, so people sprinkle vinegar, that has hot peppers in the bottle to flavor it more, over it to give it a better flavor.

Sorry folks, I don't get any alerts re answers on this board - good ole aol!

Sorry, I forgot about the translation into american. You need 12 ounces of sugar. Caster sugar that is light gold in colour.

Cornflour is cornstarch.

I hope that helps. If there are any other questions, please pm me.

I am pretty fluent in american nowadays! :lol:

Oh my goodness, an American who knows what Bisto is! Ahhhh.... Bisto! A catchphrase in Blighty (did you ever see the old adverts?), and as for Devon cream, I hope you treat yourself to the occasional cream tea.

As for chutney, you need help from England, where else? I have consulted my trusty book, Modern Cookery Illustrated, published before the war, so therefore pre-rationing, and checked the recipe for green tomato chutney which I have adapted time and time again to make chutneys of all sorts. Here is the magic formula:-

1lb sugar - ordinary white granulated is fine

1 pint vinegar - white gives a better colour, but no problem with brown

1lb onions

4lbs any fruit and/or vegetables you want

8oz any dried fruit you want

Garlic - as much or as little as you want -try about 4 cloves

Spices - anything you want - such as chopped cystallised ginger, chillies (fresh, dried or powder), cloves, coriander seeds, cardomom pods. Make sure dried spices are crushed first.

Salt

Use a wooden spoon when cooking, and a stainless steel or enamelled pan.

Chop up all the fruit and vegetables and dried fruit as coarsely or as finely as you like. Put everything in a large pan and cook gently until the sugar is dissolved. Then bring up to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the mixture has evaporated to give a thick consistency. Stir frequently to prevent the mixture sticking to the bottom of the pan. When it has cooked long enough, so that when you pass the wooden spoon across the bottom of the pan it leaves a trail that doesn't immediately fill back up with liquid, the chutney is ready to pot.

Don't try the chutney for at least three months. It improves with keeping.

To do a peach chutney, I would suggest using 4lbs peaches and dried apricots for your dried fruit. If you want a nice yellow colour add a couple of teaspoons of turmeric.

Good luck! Let me know how it turns out!

Love Lemon Curd! My sister has a friend from England and she always gives her Lemon Curd for Christmas and if I am there (she lives in Oklahoma and I live in AL), I get to eat some of it! Delicious. Thanks for explaining what caster sugar is and also the corn flour.

Would love to have the "meatless" meatloaf recipe!