How do YOU use Branston Pickle?

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My partner is Scottish and since moving to Chicago, we've had fun visiting different stores in the area, trying to find various U.K. foods.

In India Town, we've found Ribena, Flakes, Robinson's and HG Curry Sauce. But, the one thing that made her squeal the most was finding Branston Pickle!!! She'd been talking about it for 6 months and held it in her hands like gold.

I'll try anything, but my first taste of this dark pickle spread raised my eye brows to my scalp. Several more tries and I'm as addicted as she is.

Question though: what else do you use this spread on? She has used it only on cold chicken sandwiches, but, she says "You can use it on anything!", yet I never see her do it.

I've gone to a website that said, "Branston Pickle used to be served with cheese sandwiches in London,", but the operative words are USED TO. Would you dip the sandwich in it? Spread it on the top?

Any other suggestions you have would be appreciated.

If you've never tried Branston's Pickle, the ingredients sound NASTY, but taste great together. It's carrots, rutagagas, garlic, dates, onions, apples, zucchini, gerkins and sugar/vinegar. I've got 3 recipes for it and I'm trying to make it this weekend.

Cheers!

― Psychokitty, Thursday, 4 March 2004 20:58 (twenty-one years ago)

i have finally wandered through the wardrobe havent i?

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 4 March 2004 20:59 (twenty-one years ago)

I'll try anything, but my first taste of this dark pickle spread raised my eye brows to my scalp. Several more tries and I'm as addicted as she is.

I feel so Dan Perry right now.

― El Diablo Robotico (Nicole), Thursday, 4 March 2004 21:00 (twenty-one years ago)

but do you feel dan perry's dark pickle?

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 4 March 2004 21:03 (twenty-one years ago)

Just the other day I took a chance on a cheddar-and-Branston sandwich and oh God the horror. Is there some kind of olive paste in that muck? By "pickle," do they maybe mean "pickled feces?" I'm still recovering.

― nabiscothingy, Thursday, 4 March 2004 21:05 (twenty-one years ago)

It is nice to see Nabisco posting, even if it is on a perverted pickle relish-dealio thread.

― El Diablo Robotico (Nicole), Thursday, 4 March 2004 21:38 (twenty-one years ago)

BEST THREAD EVER (etc)

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 4 March 2004 21:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Pickled Feces < Picket Fences

― nabiscothingy, Thursday, 4 March 2004 21:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Just the other day I took a chance on a cheddar-and-Branston sandwich and oh God the horror. Is there some kind of olive paste in that muck? By "pickle," do they maybe mean "pickled feces?" I'm still recovering.
-- nabiscothingy (--...), March 4th, 2004.

THAT was my first reaction, but, I persevered and quite like it now.

However, seems the U.K.'ers that I know that come over here aren't quite as happy about OUR food. Introduced several of them to Biscuits and Gravy (which they compared to dog food); Pumpkin Pie (which they claimed was an awful way to defile custard); and Macaroni and Cheese (which created comments unprintable!).

And all this from a country that produces Mushy Peas; Haggis, and Black Sausage.

The Curried Beans and toast is nice, though.

― Psychokitty, Thursday, 4 March 2004 23:14 (twenty-one years ago)

I am tempted to leave this thread just to the Americans.

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 4 March 2004 23:18 (twenty-one years ago)

I've never had it and clearly, I need this.

― luna (luna.c), Thursday, 4 March 2004 23:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Taste the dark pickle.

― El Diablo Robotico (Nicole), Thursday, 4 March 2004 23:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Buttered. Baked. Potatoes.

― Matt (Matt), Friday, 5 March 2004 00:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Matt: Now THAT sounds great! It will be on the table tomorrow...thanks!

― Psychokitty, Friday, 5 March 2004 04:11 (twenty-one years ago)

It's part of the "English Plowman's" at the local English Pub -- it took forever for me to figure out what the hell it might be. I guess it goes with the cheese, though it doesn't seem to particularly go with anything...

― Casuistry (Chris P), Friday, 5 March 2004 06:22 (twenty-one years ago)

It's great in a sandwich with cheese & as Chris said, it rocks as part of a plowmans. I also like to put some in a jacket potato with loads of cheese, mmmm yummy!

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Friday, 5 March 2004 09:08 (twenty-one years ago)

I really have to try this, it sounds amazing....

― Broheems (diamond), Friday, 5 March 2004 09:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Do you have nothing similar? It's really just a kind of sweet chutney.

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 5 March 2004 09:11 (twenty-one years ago)

Branston is FANTASTIC with cheese on toast, although not as good as Worcestershire sauce, which is surely the king of sauces.

Branston also great with cheese sandsich, but only if some kind of salad is also involved; lettuce or cucumber or something of that ilk.

― Johnney B (Johnney B), Friday, 5 March 2004 09:12 (twenty-one years ago)

It's also good on cream crackers with cheese. (spot the theme!)

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Friday, 5 March 2004 09:30 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't use it, it's vile. All pickles are vile.

(I sound like Morrissey)

― Rob M (Rob M), Friday, 5 March 2004 09:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Pickle hatah!

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Friday, 5 March 2004 09:39 (twenty-one years ago)

What is HG's curry sauce, btw?

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 5 March 2004 09:39 (twenty-one years ago)

i would rather eat pickled feces than regular feces

― the surface noise (electricsound), Friday, 5 March 2004 09:42 (twenty-one years ago)

It makes an excellent partner to a nice Melton Mowbray pork pie, particularly if it's the fine cut stuff.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Friday, 5 March 2004 10:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Mmmm pickle is good. But piccalilli is the foulest thing on this green earth.

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Friday, 5 March 2004 10:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Cheese and pickle is the classic British sandwich - traditionally served stale and tasteless in a railway station cafe.

I, also, used to eat it a lot on cold chicken. When I was small, every week we would eat roast chicken for Sunday lunch, followed by cold chicken and chips for Monday tea. We did this even though poultry cooked by my mother always ends up dry and tasteless, so I would always load the cold chicken with a big heap of Branston Pickle to make it vaguely edible.

― caitlin (caitlin), Friday, 5 March 2004 11:01 (twenty-one years ago)

I always used to have branston pickle with chicken & chips.

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Friday, 5 March 2004 11:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Who'd have thought Branston would use one of those young edgy stylish people to loudly spread the word about the goodness of its products.

(thumbs up from me though)

― Markelby (Mark C), Friday, 5 March 2004 11:16 (twenty-one years ago)

We always have lots of different pickles at Christmas tea - red cabbage, gherkins, onions, piccalilli (urgh!) and Branston. I just put a dollop of it on the side of my plate and eat it by the forkful. Christmas isn't right for me unless I've removed a layer of skin from the roof of my mouth.

I prefer the original chunky version to the fine cut stuff, even in sandwiches. I like it when you have a cheese sandwich with pappy white bread and chunky Branston and you push it down and the top slice goes all lumpy.

Doing nothing to dispel the "likes food" rumour, then.

― Madchen (Madchen), Friday, 5 March 2004 11:17 (twenty-one years ago)

I should add that if you're comfortable with Branston, you're ready for Marmite.

― Madchen (Madchen), Friday, 5 March 2004 11:19 (twenty-one years ago)

I would politely disagree with Machen there. I have been a confirmed Branston eater from an early age, yet find nothing so disgusting as the foul brown goo that is Marmite.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Friday, 5 March 2004 11:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Heathen!

― Madchen (Madchen), Friday, 5 March 2004 11:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah - Branston is vinegary and sweet. Marmite is yeasty and savoury. What is the connection, other than brownness?

Delia confirms my hunch that Branston is not actually a pickle at all:

What is chutney? What are pickles? Chutney is a combination of chopped fruits or vegetables (or both) that has been simmered with vinegar, sugar and spices until reduced to a thick puree, which is then potted and sealed, and should last for ages. Pickles, on the other hand, are not minced or chopped, but fruits and vegetables preserved whole or in chunks.

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 5 March 2004 11:35 (twenty-one years ago)

They've been scamming us for far too long

― Mr Mime (Andrew Thames), Friday, 5 March 2004 11:37 (twenty-one years ago)

The connection is they're both typically British foods that furriners find kinda gross.

― Madchen (Madchen), Friday, 5 March 2004 11:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Branston - numnum. Fine cut spreadable stuff on a sarnie with corned beeff and onions. Have decided today's lunch. Marmite - satan spunk. Ugh.

― Dave B (daveb), Friday, 5 March 2004 11:47 (twenty-one years ago)

To be honest I had no idea that furriners found Branston gross.

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 5 March 2004 11:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Possibly my main complaint is that the taste of this sludge has very little to do with the taste of pickles or pickling. It tastes like someone pureed black olives and beets. And then urinated on them.

You all have my blessing, though, in terms of enjoying it.

― nabiscothingy, Friday, 5 March 2004 17:14 (twenty-one years ago)

We always have lots of different pickles at Christmas tea

misread as "We always have a dollop of pickle in Christmas tea" and given the content of this thread, not all that surprising.

― teeny (teeny), Friday, 5 March 2004 17:20 (twenty-one years ago)

So I went to the shops and bought some branston pickle just now.

You know it's okay, tasty with roast beef and cheese on a sandwich but nothing earth shatteringly good or bad. Just pickley.

― ipsofacto (ipsofacto), Monday, 15 March 2004 01:58 (twenty-one years ago)

An american friend once came round to our house and asked whether you'd eat Branston Pickle with rice and I said yes, not expecting him to take me seriously. After trying it, he didn't look as displeased as I expected him to look, but he didn't look pleased either.

Grated cheese and branston pickle in pitta pockets = YESS!

― Steve.n. (sjkirk), Monday, 15 March 2004 16:51 (twenty-one years ago)

two months pass...

I hate Branston yet love all other kinds of pickle. I think the fact that it is brwon compounds the basic fact that I don't like the taste. There's something rather revolting about a dollop of it on a slice of yellow cheese.

― MarkH (MarkH), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 19:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Mmmm. It has a fruitiness to it that makes it unlike other pickles. Wait - what's the difference between pickles and relishes?
I grew up on Branston...the only American food that caught me in quite the same way (spread it on evereything etc), is standard American hotdog mustard. Delicious!

― paulhw (paulhw), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 20:32 (twenty-one years ago)

I just can't comprehend that Americans have neither Branston nor Marmite - I mean no wonder you had to invent peanut butter and jelly (jam) sandwiches!

Anyway, I've found that if you put a bit of mayonaise on one slice of your sangwidge and some Branston on the other slice it tastes a bit like hamburger (in a good way).

― dog latin (dog latin), Thursday, 20 May 2004 08:06 (twenty-one years ago)

I pop some on the heads of Marcello and Doomie, they sigh contentedly, smile at each other and walk away in different directions...

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 20 May 2004 08:08 (twenty-one years ago)

ahahaha

mark h i think the colour co-ordination goes well personally, and the taste is of course tres classic (add some ham in there tho)

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 20 May 2004 08:10 (twenty-one years ago)

branston pickle and tasty armpit ham C/D?

― dog latin (dog latin), Thursday, 20 May 2004 08:14 (twenty-one years ago)

The Branston Smooth which comes in a squeezy bottle looks like a wrong. However the notion of squeezing the bottle as hard as possible to see just how far you can shoot a jet of smooth brown paste is almost irresistably tempting.

(all misquotes welcome)

― clive (Clive), Thursday, 20 May 2004 09:38 (twenty-one years ago)

branston smooth looks wrong but it's actually really great!

― dog latin (dog latin), Thursday, 20 May 2004 09:48 (twenty-one years ago)

it's good in Breville toasties (ham n' cheese again obviously), as long as it doesn't ooze out too much

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 20 May 2004 09:52 (twenty-one years ago)

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