Tinned and Canned Pumpkin in the UK

Hi everyone!

I haven't introduced myself properly yet so please forgive me.  I live in Belfast with my husband and am sort of a food geek.  No, I am a food geek or better yet purist.  Anyway, you could also try tinned or fresh sweet potatoes.  Just use more of the spices eg..cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves to flavor it.  The flavor profile and texture is basically the same as that of pumpkin.  I use tinned sweet potatoes in my pumpkin bread recipe and I can not tell the difference.  However, I do agree with everyone else who says that fresh pumpkin is best.   Anyway, I hope this helps.

Rose

Well, I don't live near a Waitrose but saw canned pumpkin on their website.  I got all excited till I read they don't deliver here, argh! 

My best friend told me she'd send me some Libby's so.....I'll keep searching until the postman knocks with the goods! 

Speaking of tinned pumpkin, if any of you can get mail back home, here is a link for a feww Libby's recipe booklet by entering a contest.


http://www.verybestbaking.com/promotions/sweepstakes/superfoods/

Try looking for a jar of pumpkin puree, which is pretty much the same thing. You may be able to find a glass jar of French Organic Pumpkin Puree, it's got a white label on it. Our import shop sells them and I've used them for pumpkin pie many times. If you're looking for the tins you might overlook these.

I also do pumpkin pie with the fresh pumpkins as they are becoming easier to come by, but man! Carving a pumpkin is one thing but peeling one and cutting it into wedges, sheesh. Is there an easy way that I don't know about? Anyway once you get past that part you can also boil the wedges if you don't want to bake them.

Rose, our tradition is sweet potato pie and pumpkin pie, is that overkill or what?! But we love it.

Skyco usually have tinned pumpkin, though it appears that at the moment they only have Libby's pumpkin pie mix which I don't really like 'cause I like to spice it myself.... http://www.skyco.uk.com/catagories.asp

Have you checked to see if there's a Waitrose somewhere within a certain mile radius from you? Might be worth a nice weekend day trip to explore somewhere new and pick up your Thanksgiving supplies! I'm presently searching for a suitably picturesque apple farm for a day trip in preparation for Autumn's first pie! 

Stella:

That is not overkill at all, I certainly can appreicate that!  As my husband is not a pumpkin pie fan, I only get to make one pie and always try to do pumpkin. He will eat a slice of pie for Thanksgiving (which I still celebrate here) just to keep me happy and not break with my tradition. There is no way I could eat both pies all by myself, well I could but that would not be a pretty sight.  My clothes are tight enough after moving here and sampling all of the good food. 

I haven't found tinned pumpkin here yet, nor have I found fresh cranberries with which I make a cranberry chutney.  My poor pumpkin that I bought for decoration will probably be meeting his death very soon.   I did try to grow pumpkins this year and out of nine germinated plants I only have one left, albeit a small one.  It is mottled green and orange right now.  I had another pumpkin, but the cute bunny that lives out behind our house helped himself to it and I just couldn't bear to stop him.  Stella, if you do see tinned pumpkin in or around Belfast, please let me know and I will pick up a tin during my weekly shopping.  I check every week to no avail.

Rose

Rose, get yourself down to Sawers as they have the pumpkin puree I wrote about and it makes for good pies. I am having my mom send me some pie tins as the only ones I have found here are those very shallow tart tins. As for sweet potatos, I've no trouble finding them at Morrisons and the sweet potato pie is more like mashed sweet potatoes with nutmeg and stuff topped with marshmallow but it is good. Haven't seen cranberries but they aren't my cup of tea and I would only recognize them if they were shaped like a can with ridges. But I'll be you'll find something akin to what you need in Sawers, too. Anyway the pumpkin puree is at Sawers and should be for the next wee while til they sell out.

Stella:

Can I just say your Sweet Potato Pie sounds yummy!  I went to Sawers yesterday in town and found the Pumpkin Puree you were suggesting.  My gosh this pie should taste good at £2.99 for a jar, WOW.  But, when you want it, you gotta have it right?  They also had Panko Japanese Bread crumbs as well as Butterfingers and Reese's Cups.  I was delighted!  The only thing that I inquired about that they did not have was sweet pickle relish.  Have you seen that item by chance?  Thanks for the help.

Rose

Yeah, Sawers are expensive!! Only drawback from making what were staple dishes back home staples over here, over here they end up being treats. I haven't seen sweet pickle relish - anything like our pickles back home is a disaster here, I cannot understand why it is is so hard in a European country to get Dill pickles! -- I would imagine, the sweet pickles/gherkins here would be closer to our sweet pickles? If you find one of them you like you can always run it through the processor? I only like sweet pickles in my tuna sandwiches, so I haven't missed them. Although my mom did send me a jar for some reason once and it was nice to have them around. Anyway, glad you got the pumpkin - if I see sweet pickles I'll let you know where.

I would really like a piece of pumpkin pie now

My SIL is going to NY in a couple of weeks and said to let her know if I want anything. I'm so excited at the thought of being able to get pretty much anything I want from home that I can't even think of anything besides peanut butter! lol

But, I love love love pumpkin pie and would really like to have one for Thanksgiving, even though it won't be the same without the Cool Whip. I've never actually made a pumpkin pie myself before but I know you used canned pumpkin for it and I don't think it's available here. I wanted to ask you all first before I requested something from her that I can get here.

Can you find canned pumpkin in the UK?

Also, any other ideas of anything to add to my request list? I know that might be hard since you don't know what I like, but what would you ask for?

Thanks!

I have heard you can get canned pumpkin from waitrose, but i have not been there myself. I would ask for anything mexican...enchilada sauce, tamales,  and kosher dill pickles and maple syrup!

There's no Waitrose around me. I'm in Carlisle and only have ASDA, Morrisons and Tesco. I guess I'll have to put it on my list!

You can get canned pumpkin here in the UK but you have to search for it. But canned pumpkin pie filling we have never seen. The difference is spices and condensed milk. The pie filling is much easier,it saves a bunch of work!

also in the US they have powered cool whip- called dream whip i think.  it's a very good approxiamtion to cool whip.  and easier to travel with.