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

[Summerwine]

megsmaw wrote:

Summerwine wrote:
CREAM CHEESE

I cannot for the life of me find the hard form of cream cheese. There are loads of soft cream cheese in all sorts of flavours, but I have found that when using them my recipes don't turn out right, more than likely due to the hardening of it once it is refrigerated again.

Any suggestions on this one?

Try Boursin cream cheese. It's in the cheese section in the fridges of any supermarket and comes in a little white box. It is a solid cream cheese which has no liquid and sounds like the one you describe. Hope this helps!
http://www.boursincheese.com/about/facts.htm

Oh wow! I've not seen this response! Thanks! I'll have to give it a go if I can find it.

[megsmaw]

scottish lorne sausage is like a large brick of sausage meat with no casing, which is then sliced into portions kinda like hamburger patties. It's usually known as square sausage. Thanks for helping!

[Summerwine]

megsmaw wrote:
scottish lorne sausage is like a large brick of sausage meat with no casing, which is then sliced into portions kinda like hamburger patties. It's usually known as square sausage. Thanks for helping!

I've never had it before maybe because it's Scottish, it's a regional speciality? I googled it and took a look. I'm going to have to enquire about it. Sounds great fried with an egg on top.

[megsmaw]

I think it must be a scottish thing! Usually if you go to a burger van or cafe up here and ask for a roll on sausage you get a roll with lorne sausage. I like it.

Also if you're looking for a brand name for the lorne sausage try Halls (usually found in any supermarket). Their factory is just along the road from me.

[Summerwine]

To be honest I would just like to visit Scotland! Believe it or not I haven't been there before but my neighbour spends loads of time there and tells me all about it. I will definitely look for it. I watch all types of food shows and the Scottish really look to have some good dishes (some a bit dodgy, but I'll give it a go once...lol) Thanks!

[megsmaw]

just don't believe the media's assumption that we all eat deep fried marsbars! i've never seen one in my whole life, and none of my local chippies have it on their menus! although i do have the odd deep fried pizza with loads of HP brown sauce. yum!

[Summerwine]

megsmaw wrote:
just don't believe the media's assumption that we all eat deep fried marsbars! i've never seen one in my whole life, and none of my local chippies have it on their menus! although i do have the odd deep fried pizza with loads of HP brown sauce. yum!

Oh dear!...LOL I'm not sure I could handle that one. I'm not a big fan of pizza or deep frying and the smell of HP sauce, which my British husband loves, is so pungent it can even change the taste of what I'm eating...weird. Actually, I've never heard of that before, who knows, without the HP it might not be that bad if it has loads of cheese. I do love me cheese.

[Tasty Tidbits]

Oh say it ain't so Summerwine? You haven't fallen in love with HP Sauce? I bet you don't like Marmite either! tee hee!
I won't let Todd near me with a ten foot pole after he has eaten that stuff!! It's horrid!

[Summerwine]

MarieAlice wrote:
Oh say it ain't so Summerwine? You haven't fallen in love with HP Sauce? I bet you don't like Marmite either! tee hee!
I won't let Todd near me with a ten foot pole after he has eaten that stuff!! It's horrid!

Helllloo Marie!

Yes, I'm afraid it's true. I can't stand the smell of the stuff. Just by the smell I wonder what it would do to the lining of my stomach. I've had marmite before, however I am an odd one because 'they' say you either love it or hate it. I think its okay, but I don't crave it or have an urge to go buy it.

[tootsie in Pacific Northw]

Digestive biscuits work beautifully.

[Britican]

megsmaw wrote:
I've seen a few american recipes needing ground breakfast sausage. Do you think scottish lorne sausage broken up would work the same? Thanks

Cumberland sausage has nearly the same flavor and texture as American breakfast sausage. I have several times just removed the casing and made a patty out of it.

[French Tart]

I had posted this in another forum, but thought it would be handy here too, and I know where it is too!

Measurements (British, metric and US)

1 ounce flour = 25g = quarter cup
4 ounces flour = 125g = One cup
8 ounces flour = 250g = Two cups
2 ounces breadcrumbs (fresh) = 60g = One cup
4 ounces breadcrumbs (dry) = 125g = One cup
4 ounces oatmeal = 125g = One cup (scant)
5 ounces currants = 150g = One cup
4 ounces shredded suet = 125g = One cup (scant)
4 ounces butter and other fats, including cheese = 125g = One stick
8 ounces butter and other fats, including grated cheese = 250g = One cup
7 ounces caster/granulated sugar = 200g = One cup
8 ounces caster/granulated sugar = 250g = One and a quarter cups
8 ounces meat (chopped/minced/ground) = 250g = One cup
8 ounces cooked, mashed potatoes = 250g = One cup
One ounce (1oz) = One rounded tablespoon
One tablespoon of liquid = 3 teaspoons
One teaspoon liquid = 5ml
One British teaspoon is the same as an American teaspoon
One British tablespoon liquid = 17.7ml
One US tablespoon liquid =14.2ml
8 tablespoons = 4 fluid ounces = 125ml = Half cup
8 fluid ounces = 250ml = One cup (Half a US pint)
Half pint/10 fluid ounces = 300ml = One and a quarter cups (scant)
Three quarters of a pint/15 fluid ounces = 450 ml =Two cups (scant) or one US pint
One British pint/20 fluid ounces = 600ml = Two and a half cups

Ingredients

Bacon rashers = Bacon slices
Bannock = Flat round bread cake
Bicarbonate of soda = Baking soda
Biscuits = Crackers/cookies
Boiling fowl = Stewing fowl
Broad beans = Lima beans
Cake mixture = Cake batter
Castor sugar = (Granulated) Superfine sugar
Celery stick = Celery stalk
Chipolata sausages = Cocktail sausages
Cornflour = Cornstarch
Chips = French fried potatoes
Creamed potatoes = Mashed potatoes
Crisps = Potato chips
Demerara sugar = Light brown sugar
Dessicated coconut = Flaked coconut/ unsweetened flaked coconut
Digestive biscuits = Graham crackers
Double cream = Whipping cream/Heavy Cream
Essence = Extract
Farls = Quarters
Fats = Shortening
Flaked almonds = Slivered almonds
Glacé = Candied
Golden syrup = Light corn syrup
Hough = Shank of beef
Icing = Frosting
Icing Sugar = Confectioner's Sugar
Jam = Preserves
Joint = A large piece if meat, eg. A Joint of Ham
Mince/minced beef = Ground beef
Mixed spices = Allspice is the nearest
Nut of butter = Pat of butter
Pinhead oatmeal = Irish oatmeal
Rasher = Slice
Ratafia biscuits = Almond flavoured cookies/dried macaroons
Roast Potatoes = Oven browned potatoes
Salt beef = Corned beef brisket
Scone = Shortcake, biscuit
Self raising flour = All-purpose flour with baking powder
Single cream = Light cream
Soft brown sugar = Light brown sugar
Spring onion = Scallion/green onion
Stewing steak = Braising beef
Stoned raisins = Seedless raisins
Strong plain flour = Unbleached white flour
Sultanas = Seedless white raisins
Treacle = Molasses
Unsalted butter = Sweet butter
Wholemeal = Wholewheat


Utensils and Methods

Ashet = Meat dish
Baking sheet or tray = Cookie sheet
Case = pie shell
Cling Film/Glad Wrap = Saran Wrap
Fry = Pan Fry (with fat)
Frying pan = Skillet
Girdle = Griddle
Grate = Shred
Greaseproof paper = Vegetable parchment or waxed paper
Grill = Broil
Gut = Clean
Jelly bag = Layers of cheesecloth
Knead = Punch down
Knock Back = Punch down
Large pot = Dutch oven or a deep cooking utensil with a tight fitting lid
Liquidiser = Electric blender
Mince = Grind
Polythene = Plastic wrap
Prove = Rise
Pudding cloth = Cheesecloth
Roasting tin = Roasting pan with rack
Sandwich tins = Round-layer pans
Sieve = Sift
Stewpan or pan = Kettle
Tartlet tin = Muffin pan
Vegetable mill = Food mill
Whisk = Beat/whip

Oven Temperatures

Gas Mark 1 = 275F = 140C
Gas Mark 2 = 300F = 150C
Gas Mark 3 = 325F = 170C
Gas Mark 4 = 355F = 180C
Gas Mark 5 = 375F = 190C
Gas Mark 6 = 400F = 200C
Gas Mark 7 = 425F = 220C
Gas Mark 8 = 455F = 230C

[BMac]

Just find a receipe for Thousand Island dressing and that is close to what McDonald's uses. If you can find the sweet pickle relish. There must be a recipe for that. My mom used to make the best. Thousand Island dressing is catsup, mayonaise and the relish..with a few other things. I know when my DD was at Uni in Scotland there were so many things she couldn't find.

[Irmgard]

Hi ladies! I'm wondering if you all could help me with something. I have this wonderful bread cookbook from Britain and in it, there are a couple of recipes I really want to try with my ABM, but they call for granary flour. We don't have granary flour in Canada and it is too expensive to order from Britain. The flour isn't expensive but the shipping cost is! Anyway, what can I use as a substitute? Many thanks!

[French Tart]

Irmgard wrote:
Hi ladies! I'm wondering if you all could help me with something. I have this wonderful bread cookbook from Britain and in it, there are a couple of recipes I really want to try with my ABM, but they call for granary flour. We don't have granary flour in Canada and it is too expensive to order from Britain. The flour isn't expensive but the shipping cost is! Anyway, what can I use as a substitute? Many thanks!

Just use a mixture of white and wholemeal with assorted mixed seeds and grains!