So You're Dating a Brit - He's Home!!!

Due to my new job, I have been slacking on blogging. I've been coming home from work and collapsing on the couch while dunking my aching/bleeding/blistered feet in a tub of cold water. My coworkers have told me that my feet will toughen up, but seeing as this is likely a temporary job, I don't think that it will happen in time to make a difference. On the upside, I am making a lot of money and losing weight. After every shift, I feel like I've run a half marathon in heels...because I practically have! This lack of blogging means that I didn't get through my entire Cost Plus mystery bag prior to Dan coming home from Europe. Not only that, but he brought a whole bunch of treats from both England and Sweden (I'm branching out beyond the UK) for me to try and use in this blog segment. Some of it's strange and exotic and a lot have quirky names and fun packaging. It all makes American snack food seem very dull.

I'm going to start with one of the Swedish treats. Dan lived in Sweden and he told me that this is a popular candy.

Made by Malaco, Gott Blandat Salt (naturally the only thing that I understand is the salt part) is black liquorice dusted with very finely ground salt. The salt gives it an initial bite, but then the taste of liquorice is so overpowering that the salt is drowned. I feel that this treat, although not terrible, must be an acquired taste. You must really love liquorice to find it appealing. The candy is shaped like shells and starfish, cute touch.

I am sticking with one review tonight, because I am still stuffed from the delicious Tuna Casserole that Dan made for dinner. I'm not sure that the casserole is English, but Dan said "Go take a picture for your blog"...so here it is...

It was really good and he made it for me even though he was exhausted from a very long day of travel. I am so happy to have him home!

So You're Dating a Brit - Sugary Treats Galore!

Last night, I was dead tired from a long day at work and just couldn't blog. This is a combination of activities and culinary adventures that happened yesterday and today. I may have been too tired to write, but not at all too tired to make scones! Now, the scones were a bit of a cheat and I'm coming clean. I didn't make them from scratch and they were from a mix that was not imported from the UK. The red raspberry scone mix was from Spokane, Washington. Cost Plus just didn't have any other choice of scone mix and I wanted scones to go with my Somerdale Double Devon Cream that was imported from England.

The scone mix is even a bigger cheat, because all I had to do was add water and form balls of dough on the cookie sheet. It couldn't have been easier.

They didn't turn out as pretty as when I have had them at local tea parlors, but they did taste yummy. I spread the cream right on it, rather than also adding a jam. The Double Devon Cream was good, but not nearly as good as when I have had it out. I think that might be the difference between a jar and making it fresh?

The best cream that I have ever eaten came from a place in Pasadenawww.rosetreecottage.com. The Rose Tea Cottage has great scones, tea and cream. They also have an entire section of their store dedicated to General Norman Schwarzkopf, whose apparently a big fan of afternoon tea. Weird, but true.

I enjoyed the scones so much, that I ate them for breakfast. As stated on the jar, I put the cream in the fridge. This didn't work out so well. In my sleepy stupor, I didn't notice that the cream had separated and needed to be mixed up again. This morning, I took a scoop of cream from the top and it was rock hard, barely spreadable.

Last night, I watched another episode of Downton Abbey. Speaking of which, here is a photo that ~~007~~ Dan took of a road sign near his home.

Awesome!

And also speaking of Downton Abbey...This afternoon, I went to see The Best Exotic Marigold Hotelthat starred (among other, definitely a major ensemble movie) Maggie Smith and Penelope Wilton. In the movie, Smith's character loves McVitie's HobNob cookies, which I happened to have in my Cost Plus bag!

Really yummy! I'm not going to delude myself into thinking these are a healthy snack, but they did seem more so than similar American types of cookies. Not at all greasy, HobNobs are kind of oatmealy and really crunchy. I would definitely go out of my way to buy these again. I understand why Smith's character filled her suitcase with them when she moved to India!

So You're Dating a Brit- Mushy Edition

Tonight, I wanted Mac and Cheese and thought that it would be a good time to bring out that can of Batchelors Mushy Peas. I washed it down with a bottle of Fuller's London Pride Beer.

The beer, brewed in Chiswick, was very good. To be honest, I'm not a great judge of beer. I don't possess a discriminating palate. I like nearly everything that comes my way. If it's beer, send it my way! I can best describe it as a heavy beer that went well with the Mac and Cheese.

I have always put peas in two categories. First, fresh peas. I love fresh, firm, sweet peas. Second, canned peas. Always a bit yellow in tone and semi soft, not a favorite, but I will eat them if it's the only veggie option. I love vegetables. Mushy Peas are now a third pea category for me and I didn't like them!

I followed the directions on the can which said to heat them gently in a saucepan on the Hob (which I am guessing means stove top and a new word that I've now picked up. ~~007~~ Dan has never called it "The Hob"). Here it is cooking, looking like a bad Science experiment, somewhat toxic. It's actually exactly the color of the slime that they use on Nickelodeon!

The consistency is odd. It's firmer than American canned peas, but it's also sitting in a thick mush that's almost like dried up pea soup. It's bland. I'm curious if people have ways of spicing it up and making it taste better. Also, what's it served with? I've seen it on menus at local pubs, but I've never ordered it or noticed what it was paired with. I am usually too busy wolfing down my Shepherds Pie! I gave it a go, but definitely not a fan of Mushy.

And, I of course enjoyed my dinner while watching the fifth episode of Downton Abbey. I loved the flower show part. Lady Sybil is also fast becoming one of my favorite characters.