Where in London can I find..... ???

Today is our three-week anniversary in London. Woo hoO!  We're getting pretty good at translating our US recipies into UK food items and measurements. But there are some items we can't find anywhere, even at Sainsburys, Tescos or Marks & Spencer. Any ideas where we can find:

--RANCH DRESSING!?!?  Nobody seems to have a clue what the heck ranch dressing is here, let alone where to buy it. It's our favorite dressing. Help! And thre three bottles of creamy Caesar salad we've bought was so awful it went straight into the rubbish bin.

--ZIPLOCK bags. All the resealable bags here are the kind with the sticky ends that do not do a proper job of keeping closed.

--COMET or other scourring, abrassive power.  The eco-friendly stuff and the liquid comet type stuff here just doesn't cut it for cleaning the tub. (or maybe we're just really filthy people!)

--STRAWBERRY TWIZZLERS. (I could care less but they are my wife's favorite candy, and she says the generic local stuff in the Sweets shops just don't cut it).

Thanks!

Ranch dressing:  Morrisons have it in the fresh produce section... not in the salad dressing section.

Ranch Dressing-I got some at Waitrose (Newman's Own)

Comet- I've never seen it but they do the Ajax scrubby stuff

Ziplock Bags-Unless someone else knows I think you're out of luck unless you bring them over

Twizzlers-I picked some up somewhere it was either at a small sweet shop in Lakeside or the Canada Shop at Covent Garden.

Hope that helps!

Maureen

Not 100% sure, but from what I've seen shopping & read (on this forum) -- real Ziplock baggies and strawberry twizzlers might be things you end up having to get (or order) at an American import company or else have your friends/family send you in care packages from home.

I have seen ranch dressing at Sainburys on Finchley Road, but in the produce section.

I think my uncle sells ziploc bags and twizzlers at his shop in Surrey, not sure, as he caters to a lot of American expats in the area.

the other thing is Cybercandy store in Covent Garden......or off their internet site

Newman's own Ranch is ok...but not like Hidden Valley ranch.....they have that on cybercandy as well.......

Skyco has it as well.........

if you order so much you can get free shipping on cybercandy.......

Tesco have resealable bags with the little zips that you press together (the old, yellow and blue makes green kind, not the fancy ones they have today with the little plastic thingy on them.)  They call them freezer bags here though.  I use them for sandwhiches and all sorts of storage as they come in all different sizes.  I've seen them at Sainsburys too.  Just have a look on the box and it will have a picture.  The zips are pink and purple and there are writeable lables on the fronts of them.  Works like a charm! 

I get people to sent me the powdered form of hidden valley.  They are so light and easy to send in  a small envelope that I tend to get a lot of them.  (Far more than I can use!)  They last forever and I can just make ranch dressing of my own whenever I want with milk and mayo.  And I think it tastes much better than the bottled kind. 

I can recommend cybercandy as well for the twizzlers...and a bunch of other fun stuff you might be missing!  If you're in London, you can also take a trip up to Hampstead and stop by the Rosslyn Deli.  They have a whole section of American stuff there that was pretty good...pricey, but good!

i've only found ziplock branded bags at costco here in the UK

ranch dressing i've not seen, maybe once in waitrose

twizzlers, i think you are SOL there!

Tesco have resealable bags with the little zips that you press together (the old, yellow and blue makes green kind, not the fancy ones they have today with the little plastic thingy on them.) They call them freezer bags here though. I use them for sandwhiches and all sorts of storage as they come in all different sizes. I've seen them at Sainsburys too. Just have a look on the box and it will have a picture. The zips are pink and purple and there are writeable lables on the fronts of them. Works like a charm!

You got there before me!

They don't say "ziploc" but they work just the same.

I think Ziploc is like a few other brands here (i.e. Oscar Mayer). They sell under a different name for the UK market.

I have bought fancy zipper bags (with a zip) at 99p stores.  

I know this isn't entirely helpful right now, but next time you're in the US or know someone headed that way, pick up a big load of the dry packets of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing. Then you can add full or low fat mayo, milk, and PRESTO. It's a lot easier than trying to bring back a bunch of heavy bottles and the packets are well cheap, too....

Hey everybody thanks for all the great advice. And the CyberCandy store is a great find. I'll have to head down there this week, but not today. ALl of London is going crazy over the Ashes celebration and parade down here in Trafalgar Square which unfortunately is about 10 minute walk from my office.

Hey everybody thanks for all the great advice. And the CyberCandy store is a great find. I'll have to head down there this week, but not today. ALl of London is going crazy over the Ashes celebration and parade down here in Trafalgar Square which unfortunately is about 10 minute walk from my office.

Unfortunately?!  I'd give my right arm to be there for those celebrations!!

Well, 1) it's way to crowded here and I cant even go out and get a sandwich. and 2) I still don't have the foggiest idea how cricket is played. But my colleagues are attempting to teach me but its not going well!

I'll help out with that at some point (the cricket thing that is...).  I think it's best to come from an American who understands a bit of it then from those who seem to have been born knowing it!