apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

This is very timely, as I was walking through the international section of my local grocery and was looking at all the British food. Spotted Dick, Golden Syrup, Lion candy bars....

What's good?

What about "squidgy"? It means a little soft in the center. I love that one.

Try P&G tips (triangular bagged black tea) with milk and sugar... now i finally get why they're all obsessed w/a cuppa.

The first two that come to mind for me are tea towel, which is just a kitchen dish towel, and also rocket for arugala. I'm sure if I thought hard enough, I could come up with others.

kitchen paper = paper towels.

nice (as in, "Corr, that's nice") = tasty.

crisps = potato chips

Fairy cakes = cupcakes

And "Squidgy" can also apparently, be a term of endearment over there
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squidgygate

Hob = Cooktop

Knob of butter = a chunk; usually about a tablespoon, maybe a little more

The courgette one confused me---I saw a sandwich labeled that and thought it said cougarette----it wasn't till I had internet access that I finally figured out what it was. This was in Scotland and taking into consideration haggis and the like I figured it might really be cougar.

This isn't really a different term, but a different pronunciation...

I was the subject of much ridicule from my British friends when I lived in Manchester for not pronouncing the "h" in herbs. I never could make the transition as long as I was over there. Whenever I said "H-erbs", all I could do was imagine sprinkling little men named Herb all through my salad!

Capsicums = bell peppers

Nigella's show used to have subtitles when she used one of these British terms.

On a recent visit to Ireland, I discovered that aubergine was eggplant. I thought that word was exclusive to the color.

cweingarten, try Rocky biscuits. OH MY GOD. I picked these up on a whim at cost plus and I am hooked. Better than any american cookie ever. And this is coming from someone who loves American snacks. While you're at cost plus, pick up some Arnott's originals. They're Australian - known as Tim Tams there. Use them like a straw in some warm milk and be floored by the chocolatey goodness.

Some other great one are

Coriander (the herb) = Cilantro
Spud (particularly in Ireland) = Potato
Joint = a cut of meat (usually for roasting or boiling)
Chips = Fries
Bun= any kind of small cake
Tart (as in apple ) = Pie
Rasher = slice of bacon
Scones = Biscuits
Minerals / soft drinks = Sodas

And in Ireland we tend to put things in the press (not in the cupboard)

Aren't these differences what make language so interesting

My husband is English. He calls the range (stove plus oven) the "cooker". Paper towels are called "kitchen roll". A trash bag is a "bin liner". Ground beef is "mince". The evening meal is "tea" and dessert is always called "pudding" even if we aren't eating actual pudding. And of course, his idea of what constitutes a pudding is different than what I was raised with as an American (but I prefer the Brit version). Over the years I've started adopting a lot of these words without even thinking. For instance, we have a bottle of washing up liquid next to the sink that we use to wash dishes, but I usually can't remember the American name for that. Same goes for cling film.

One of the little differences that I never hear anyone talk about is how the Brits say "filets" differently than we do here in the states. In the states, we pronounce the "et" ending with the French "ay" sound. Not the Brits. They pronounce the word "fill-its".

Of all of the packaged English foods out there, my biggest weakness is McVitties chocolate caramel digestive biscuits. Good lord are they ever tasty!

My favorite digestives are Dark Chocolate Hob-Nobs. I could eat a whole roll! Which always leads me to the question, are they really "digestives" if you eat the whole package?

I've noticed that while the Brits usually pronounce short 'a' as 'ahh', as in 'Frahnce', 'glahss', 'dahnce', they don't with words like 'parmesan' and 'pasta', instead pronouncing them like the Americans' version of 'France' or 'dance'.

Or was that just my English housemate?

He was the one who confused me early on the day a bunch of us were sitting around the table having some wine. He got up to answer the phone and I overheard him tell the caller, 'Yeah, we're all pissed'.

And I thought we were having a good time!

Miabica, not all Brits say "baahth" and "graahss", etc. Those pronunciations are more common in southern England ... or simply amongst those who wish to sound more posh (like Hyacinth Bucket on "Keeping Up Appearances". The last name is pronounced "boo-kay", you know ;) ).

gorman - coriander and cilantro are two different parts of the same plant, aren't they?