Two basics I cannot find...and I'm sure they are here in UK

I went shopping for taco soup ingredients yesterday and braced myself for the worst - but I found every type of bean on the list! What I did NOT find was stewed tomatoes. Just tomato paste and puree.

That's strange. Generally you can find lots of peeled plum tomatoes (those would be closest to what you are looking for.) Many people have those with their English breakfast. Also, there are usually several brands of chopped tomatoes.

Corn syrup just doesn't seem to exist here.

Like I said, I get my black beans in the international aisle, in the Caribbean/West Indian food section...maybe b/c I'm in S/SE London where there's a large Caribbean population??

I think many people substitute Golden Syrup for corn syrup.

Like I said, I get my black beans in the international aisle, in the Caribbean/West Indian food section...maybe b/c I'm in S/SE London where there's a large Caribbean population??

I agree with this. A Tesco (for example) in one part of the country will have very different stock from one in another part. Sadly, I seem to live in a non-black-bean area. 

I saw corn syrup some where recently, was it Whole Foods?  I think it was, but they only had the light coloured kind.

I agree with this. A Tesco (for example) in one part of the country will have very different stock from one in another part. Sadly, I seem to live in a non-black-bean area. 

Me too.  :\\\'(

I saw distilled white vinegar in a Tesco's in the Southeast today. I never would have noticed but for this thread...

I was in Waitrose today and noticed they have dried black beans. 99p for 500g. (didn't go down the canned food aisle, sorry!).

My English hubby doesn't even know what black eyed peas are...I guess I'll be missing out on those when I move to the UK.

Black eyed peas (beans) are widely available here, don't worry.

Well I might have to have them shipped in or something...because we went to 3 different asdas and it was nowhere to be found...trust me, I was very precisely investigating every shelf and making a list of all the things I would need mommy to ship to England for me...lol.  Literally, walking through the supermarket with a list of things they didn't have.

That's because Asda is rubbish  I am sure Sainsbury's has them or try an afro-carribean shop. In fact I am sure I have seen both canned & dried at Sainsburys.

That's because Asda is rubbish  I am sure Sainsbury's has them or try an afro-carribean shop. In fact I am sure I have seen both canned & dried at Sainsburys.

I'm definitely going to have a look for tinned at Sainsbury's next time we're there - but it's a 45-minute drive. And I'm pretty sure there are no Afro-Caribbean shops around here. 

I looked in two different Tesco's yesterday, but neither one had them. And, in the past, I've tried both Morrison's and the Co-op with no luck.

I'm definitely going to have a look for tinned at Sainsbury's next time we're there - but it's a 45-minute drive. And I'm pretty sure there are no Afro-Caribbean shops around here. 

I looked in two different Tesco's yesterday, but neither one had them. And, in the past, I've tried both Morrison's and the Co-op with no luck.

You will have to wait till October I guess

My English hubby doesn't even know what black eyed peas are...I guess I'll be missing out on those when I move to the UK.

I have had them in tins from Sainsbury's. I've never noticed any dried ones, though. DH thinks they are nasty, so I'd never bother cooking the dried ones anyway (so maybe I've missed them), I just buy a tin for myself now and then. 

Well I might have to have them shipped in or something...because we went to 3 different asdas and it was nowhere to be found...trust me, I was very precisely investigating every shelf and making a list of all the things I would need mommy to ship to England for me...lol.  Literally, walking through the supermarket with a list of things they didn't have.

Don't worry, you will soon forget a lot of things you think you can't live without once you get here and start finding other things you like. 

Waitrose absolutely carries black beans.

I've found distilled vinegar in various supermarkets before - I think it was in the condiments area that in some supermarkets is on the shelves above the frozen foods?

And Liz is right, black eyed peas are everywhere but they're called black eyed beans.

I don't remember seeing white vinegar in the stores, but I've not especially looked for it either.  I did finally find a bigger bottle (1 litre) of apple cider vinegar at a health food shop - Holland and Barrett.

I've not been able to find black beans in the grocery store - not tinned or dried.  However, I buy dried black beans as well as dried pinto beans (and just about any kind of bean or pulse you can imagine is available) from another health food store in Leeds called Out of This World.

So my suggestion is if you can't find these types of things in the grocery stores - try a health food store!