UK - US/Canada and other Substitutions and Make Do's

[-Sylvie-]

I'm sure we've all come across this, we see a foreign receipe we like, but we can't get the exact ingredients here in the UK. Or are you a Brit living abroad and miss some British ingredients to recreate some of your favourite recipes to remind you of home?

In this thread were trying to compile a list of all the suggestions members have made for substitutions and make-dos!

If you think of something that's missing or are looking for a suggestion, please post and we'll update the list or/and try and answer your query!

[-Sylvie-]

Substitutions for Foreign Ingredients in Great Britain and Ireland

Saltines, sub Doria Doriano Cracker or Jacob’s Italian Cracker (plain variety)

Refridgerated Crescent Dough, sub Sarah Lee’s Refridgerated Croissants (Sainsbury’s) or Lidl’s or Aldi’s Refridgerated Croissants

Pimento, use Roasted Red Peppers in Oil (better than in brine)

Sweet Pickle Relish, there is no real equivalent but you could chop sweet pickles very finely and sub them. Bicks Onion Relish works in things like potato and tuna salad.

Swiss Cheese, is the same as Emmenthal cheese

Tomato sauce, sub Passata

Pancake syrup, closest to this is Maple Flavoured Golden Syrup

Crisco, sub White Flora or Trex Vegetable Fat

Graham Crackers, use Plain Digestive Biscuits instead

Corn syrup, Golden Syrup can be used as a substitute

Canadian Cheese Curds, try using raclette cheese.

Cool Whip in most recipes normal whipped cream works fine.

Instant Vanilla/Chocolate Pudding, you can use Angel Delight in the required flavour.

[-Sylvie-]

Substitutions for British ingredients abroad

Golden Icing Sugar you can use ordinary icing sugar in place of it, the colour and flavour will be slightly different, although not radically so.

[Tasty Tidbits]

Great thread Sylvie. I will give a think on it to see if I can come up with some more for both lists!

[HappyBunny]

What can we use in place of Graham Crackers?

[Tasty Tidbits]

HappyBunny wrote:
What can we use in place of Graham Crackers?

Plain digestive biscuits, if you are using them crushed or as crumbs.

[HappyBunny]

MarieAlice wrote:

HappyBunny wrote:
What can we use in place of Graham Crackers?

Plain digestive biscuits, if you are using them crushed or as crumbs.

Great! Didn't realise they were close to digestives. Thanks MarieAlice

[HappyBunny]

Me again! What about corn syrup? I've seen recipes with light and dark corn syrup listed and I avoid them because I have no idea what I could use instead. Golden syrup? Honey?

[-Sylvie-]

Happy Bunny, I don't think there is a direct equivalent here. As far as I know you can use Golden Syrup, but the taste will be different. I'm sure somebody else will know.

If I remember it right you can get Corn Syrup in Selfridges Food Hall though.

[Pickle, UK]

Dark and Light Karo corn syrup can be found in House of Fraser foodhall aswell or ordered from the net from a USA food website, there are quite a few.

I have substituted golden syrup in some recipes and it works well.

[Tasty Tidbits]

I have always used golden syrup the same as I would use corn syrup. I have found it to be perfectly acceptable with no real difference iin flavour, not that it would be really noticeable at any rate.

You can buy Karo Corn Syrup at www.skyco.uk.com
both the light and dark syrups.

[PhillyUKGirl]

Hi Marie Alice,

First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Hope you're enjoying your fish & chips!!

And I need your opinion, as you're an East-Coast Canadian replanted in England: I just cleaned out my deep-fryer, put new oil, and am on a homemade chips kick. I've got some left over tasty brown gravy from roast last night, and would love to make poutine. Can you suggest the closest thing to the cheese curds they use in Canada? Mozzarella would soften nicely but won't have enough cheesy taste (I find it totally tasteless). What would you use?

Thanks!!

[Tasty Tidbits]

Hmm....let's see. I have not made poutine over here. But you are right, the cheese curds do have a much stronger flavour than Mozzarella. I wonder how gouda would work? It would melt nicely and have a much stronger flavour. OOOOORRRR how about some raclette cheese????? I bet that would be fab! I have some in the freezer! I am going to try that out myself this weekend and see how it is! I know it's great on boiled potatoes!

[PhillyUKGirl]

Oh man, raclette cheese, WHAT a great idea! I found some havarti at Sainsburys last night--I'd never seen it here before--but that lovely raclette cheese you can get at Waitrose is a definite. I have a picture of poutine on my fridge just to stand in front of and long for.
Do you know Montreal at all (I was born there)? I'm thinking of a smoked meat sandwich at Schwartz's, then a drive into the real un-touristy neighborhood out of town for a poutine and a Coke. Yumm!

[Tasty Tidbits]

Sorry Philly, I only know Montreal well enough to drive through on the Trans Canada, lol. I do know Montreal Smoked Meat though and that is to die for!