Where can I get American food things in London?

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As a transplanted American, I get cravings for my favorite american food stuffs: lucky charms, oyster crackers, cherry pop tarts, smarties (the american kind), black beans, corn bread, pretzels, chex mix, bagels.

Often when I am cooking, my American cook book calls for something which is here called by a different name, e.g. ladyfingers (for making tiramisu), or is hard to find, e.g. pumpkin puree (for pumpkin pies)

So my question is, does anyone know where one can get American food things? are you looking for anything? any recipes throw out hard to locate ingredients?

― marianna maclean, Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I think ladyfingers are just called sponge fingers - you should be able to find them in the supermarket. Otherwise, you can use trifle sponges.

Jerry's Home Store had some American foodstuffs last time I went in, but I don't remember any of the things you've listed.

― Madchen, Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

There used to be a bizarre shop in Pimilico that did American food things, but unfortunately I couldn't exactly where or if it still exists. Am bewildered by the inclusion of bagels on the list: London is drowning under the things (or is it a quality issue there?)

― Mark Morris, Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Well, I just mentioned bagels, because that's an american food craving that I have and can satisfy. I figured out the lady fingers thing too. What I really want is a good bowl of clam chowder today and addresses people! addresses!

Note: I have not been to Harrod's Food Court which supposedly has lots of Cambell's Soups - I don't know what else.

― marianna, Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Let me think of more products/brands to spark your neurons and keep a lookout for: big marshmallows, jif peanut butter, graham crakers, salteens, big red gum, lemon drops, cinnimon hearts, colby cheese, monterey jack cheese, big pickles, thinly sliced bacon, WAFFLE IRON!!!, real maple syrup, bologna, pumpernickle bread.

― marianna, Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

No Marianna! Embrace the novelty and charm of strange English foodstuffs! Eschew culinary globalisation!

Proper bagels (in fact beigels if you are bona fide North London Jewish) can be had in many many places. My auntie gets hers somewhere round Stanmore and they are the best.

― Emma, Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Bread which has been BOILED!! The beigel is a remarkable item!!

― mark s, Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

the sandwich shop around the corner sells bacon bagels, which just seems wrong.

― kevan, Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Kevan, that's a goyim bagel!

Marianna, tell me where you are in London and I will direct you to nearest sources of US food. Sainsbury's actually does French's mustard, thankfully.

― suzy, Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I live in Crouch End. Note: I have found a lot of American Food Stuffs (I'm not hopeless) But am hoping to find a way to avoid having my Mom ship a package from home. I'm interested in this Home Store place.

― marianna, Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Never mind that, in London where are you supposed to get food, period?

― dave q, Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Then you need Rosslyn Hill Deli in Hampstead. I think they even do Bisquick. They're pretty customer-friendly and might even be able to take orders for weird stuff they don't have. Tend to be seasonal so you might have to wait until November for your pumpkin pureé.

― suzy, Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

man from canada make amusing interjection

― mark s, Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

There's a newsagent's in Weybridge that sells Big Red Gum. Proper maple syrup can definitely be bought in all sorts of places (I'm sure Sainsbury's must have this but if not, Jerry's in the Bentalls centre in Kingston definitely will) Nobody's mentioned Fortnum & Mason yet - their food hall has loads of good/weird stuff.

― Madchen, Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

There's a great Deli on Grey's Inn Road where the Barrister's come to eat lunch. They had pumpernickle bread. I tried to give them directions to make me a nice hot pastrami sandwhich/reuban type thing. It didn't turn out right. You can get an OK one @ Selfridges near where they sell the Men's ties.

― marianna, Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Which deli? Which deli? That, as all ILE picnic folk know, is my manor.

― suzy, Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I can't remember the name of the Deli on Grey's Inn Road. If you go south from Kings Cross it's just a block after the ITV building on the same side of the road. Or just a block before teh ITV buidling if you're walking from Chancery Lane. Worth a visit if you're in the area on a weekday afternoon.

― marianna, Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Just shut up and eat your Yorkie bars.

― Mike Hanle y, Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Marianna's idea of what American food is has me confused and somewhat ill.

― Sean, Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Sean, that's because you've failed to see the difference between the small subsets "AMerican foods that are not easy to make due to lack of ingredients in London", "Ingredients that are hard to find" "American candys that are hard to find" and "American Food that is easy to make in London". The later category includes Barbequed ribs, corn bread, apple pies, sloppy joes, and fajitas. My question is about the first three subsets.

― marianna, Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

At this point I will mention British food items/ingredients that are impossible to find in America: Blood sausage. Nasty flavored crisps. Jaffa cakes. Ribena. Most sausage types. English bacon. Non-sweet baked beans. Good ol' english tea. Lamb mince.

Confused and ill?

― marianna, Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Do you speak German?

― Madchen, Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

As well North Americans pastuerize everything. Their Brie comes in an injection mold. (no joke)

― anthony, Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

While I am not very fond of it, I think black pudding is a better name than blood sausage (if less accurate).

― Emma, Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

You can definately get French's mustard at Budgens in Crouch End. Bagels down on the Bagel Bakery either at Finsbury Park (all night natch) or the one on the Seven Sisters Road by the 91 bus stop.

I always though Ladyfingers was okra. Sponge fingers though - check in Budgens. ANd anything sweet like you Hershey's or our Reeces Pieces - well just place an order with me cos I sell them all in my shop.

― Pete, Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

And while I'm at it, I'd just like to add that toilet flush mechanisms are slightly different between the US and the UK. I can't seem to ge t the right flick of the wrist. For the first six months alone I don't think I ever managed to flush a toilet in this country. Go ahead, make a mental note never to invite me over to your house for a party.

I'll be practising in the meantime. Can I have a volunteer?

― marianna, Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Ha! Did you not know that during the war toilets were deliberately replumbed as a terribly funny practical joke against the Yanks!

― Emma, Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Good god, can you really not find colby cheese in London? What a terrible place.

― Josh, Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Black pudding = very tasty and should not be referred to as blood sausage cos it reminds folk of bad early 90s Wiija band of same name.

― Richard Tunnicliffe, Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Sometimes I wish Britain actually was shit so that you lot could feel justified in slagging it off.

― Greg, Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Blood Sausage were the funniest band ever "WHAT LAW AM I BREAKING NOW?" A: none at all. Also "You're so good...you've got your T-SHIRT TUCKED IN". Alex T - can you confirm that this song was actually called "T Shirt Tucked In"?

― Tom, Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Hey, I'm not slagging Britain or its food off. I'm just getting cravings for my old treats. It isn't widely known, but I make wicked beans on toast, shepherd's pies, fish and chips, and have a year's supply of black pudding in my freezer.

― marianna, Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Twas indeed called 'T-shirt tucked in'. Yeuch.

― Richard Tunnicliffe, Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

three months pass...

For really good bagels try The Bagel Bakery 394 Edgware Road London, W2 1ED Tel: 07723 4481. Slightly smaller than the monster bagels one gets in NY -- they are made on the premises and taste great. Avoid the bagels from the major supermarkets -- they have no taste.

― Steven Mindel, Friday, 23 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

There should be a Mels Diner in every city. I love their cheese-fries.

― helen fordsdale, Friday, 23 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

At this point I will mention British food items/ingredients that are impossible to find in America: Blood sausage. Nasty flavored crisps. Jaffa cakes. Ribena. Most sausage types. English bacon. Non- sweet baked beans. Good ol' english tea. Lamb mince.

Easy enough to find at stores run by ex-patriate Brits, like Myers of Keswick in New York, or owned by people from former crown colonies, like that deli at 12th and 3rd Ave in the East Village that stocks Ribena and Brit candy. But the problem comes from this: Brits in America get revoltingly patriotic, often to the point of supporting Man Utd, and will make special trips to buy their special canned beans, while Americans in Britain tend to be anglophiles who come back with a whole new set of vowels, and are delighted to eat fry-up and savory pies.

― Benjamin, Friday, 23 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

There is a store in St Albert i have to go to ( 1.5 hrs on bus) to find those flying sucers with the stuff inside hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm !

― anthonyeaston, Saturday, 24 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Anthony, I'll send you some flying saucers if you like. Newsagent has * tons* of them.

― suzy, Saturday, 24 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I would love that , and i have been prevented from sending you the package by post becasue it was not packed properly , so i had to repack it but my life is chaotic so really i have no excuse , you will get your package.

― anthonyeaston, Saturday, 24 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

one month passes...

Wow. Finally I don't feel so alone! I moved here from Canada almost a year ago, and am still getting over the shock of not being able to get Kraft peanut butter here!

I am an ex-caterer who was the founder of a food club in Victoria - and I was involved with real wood-fired oven baked bagels with a colleague. Anyways - the BEST bagels that I have tasted (including in Canada) have to be at Grodzinski's in Stamford Hill. There are also quite a few Kosher shops that are in this area that have stuff like JIF peanut butter and some other odds and ends that I have found.

I have passed by Selfridge's a few times and noticed that they do seem to have a deli there. Does anybody know if the sell knishes and blintzes and other yummy New York style kosher deli foods such as this? Or anywhere else?

Love to know! Thanks!

― Alyssa Blumenschein, Wednesday, 9 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

sometimes i would give my visa for a bottle of Kraft Creamy Italian

― christine*, Friday, 18 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Watch out for those impulses, the danger is following up on them. ;-)

― Ned Raggett, Friday, 18 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

one month passes...

Partridge's just North of Sloane Square had a fair bit of American looking stuff. Oreo's plus other odd biscuits. Meanwhile, where can I get Oyster Crackers????

Keith

― Keith Turner, Tuesday, 19 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Jerry's Home Store will have oyster crackers at ludicrously inflated prices.

― suzy, Wednesday, 20 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Europa Foods has many American products now, they just started stocking Lucky Charms and Capn Crunch - Also Panzer's Deli in St. John's Wood has excellent bagels and many American foodstuffs including cereals, baking mixes, marshmallow fluff, pumpkin, jellied cranberry sauce, etc.. etc.. Selfridge's, Harvey Nichols, Harrods, Partrdiges all good places also - of course, all this at a price -

― sandra, Saturday, 23 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

McDonalds!

― N., Saturday, 23 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I have just finished my last packet of american bacon that my brother brought from NY. Where can I buy it in London. UK streaky is not the same by any means. Help!

― doug cattanach, Saturday, 2 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

three weeks pass...

Hi not sure if you are still having your Aamerican food cravings but I have found a great website: www.uk-yankee.com particularly good is the madeinamerica.co.uk site, you should find what you want there.

― Jayne Lynch, Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Whither KD?

― dave q, Wednesday, 27 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

three weeks pass...

Just found http://www.skyco.uk.com/ on http://www.americanexpats.co.uk/ which looks pretty good. Still would be nice to find proper American bacon, though. Can't get streaky to crisp up - why is that, I wonder?

― Lisade, Friday, 19 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I myself am an american living in London and know exactly what you miss. I am in the search for Goya black beans. I did find Aunt Jemima maple syrup from Europa in Notting Hill Gate. Harrods sometimes has pumpernickle bread and so far the best bagles are from East London in Brick Lane. They are nice and straight from the oven. However not as big as the american ones but still fabulous. The one thing that I really miss are american deli pickles. They are just not the same here and believe me I should know, I have lived here for 8 years.

― Brigitta Crockett, Sunday, 28 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

one month passes...

Bluebird in King's Road, Chelsea sells lots of American products.

― john, Thursday, 27 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

forget London you all need to come down to the Isle of Wight and visit Yankeedoodles in Cowes. By the way where do I get a nonstick, non electric waffle iron?

― Virginia Warburton, Tuesday, 2 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I know this is changing the subject, but can anyone explain why Americans don't have electric kettles??!? I thort you were supposed to be The Future? Do canadians have them?

― Steve.n., Tuesday, 2 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

What are you talking about? There are electric kettles here, it's just that no one likes them.

― Dan Perry, Tuesday, 2 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

ps: I forgot their website:www.YankeeDoodleIOW.com they go online on 4th July.

― Virginia Warburton, Wednesday, 3 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

How can you not like an electric kettle?

― Steve.n., Wednesday, 3 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

It's probably connected to no-one in America having a washing machine.

― RickyT, Wednesday, 3 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

You befuddle me, RickyT.

― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 3 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I think not drinking much tea might have something to do with the electric-kettle issues: we have massive expensive artifically- intelligent near-robotic coffeemakers instead.

As for washing machines: WTF??? We have plenty. The only exception is Manhattan, where everyone's engaged in some sort of competition to see how many of their daily tasks can be subcontracted out to corner businesses.

― nabisco%%, Wednesday, 3 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

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