In search of

I have been here awhile now, and I have to admit I am missing American foods big time. So much that I am craving things from back home that I would not normally eat or drink.

Like Kool-aid !!!

I miss our sausage too , and can't seem to find anything that taste similar to our breakfast sausage.  

When it comes to drinking something outside of beer/rum , milk, water and orange juice it's hard to find anything with alot of flavor. The coke don't taste the same, there is no mountain dew, the fruit drinks aren't very tasty. So I am looking for something like fruit punch.

I have had a really hard time with the beef in general , I assume because it is grass fed and not corn fed.

I am craving American cheese , that I can slice and put on bread or make tacos with. any suggestions?

I am craving American cheese , that I can slice and put on bread or make tacos with. any suggestions?

Do you mean like processed American cheese (like Kraft slices)?
Or do you mean nice orangey-coloured cheddar similar to Longhorn?

If the former, try Aldi or Lidl... I have seen processed cheese slices there.
If the latter, try Red Leicester.

Do you mean like processed American cheese (like Kraft slices)? ...try Aldi or Lidl... I have seen processed cheese slices there.

You can find genuine Kraft slices at Tesco and Sainsbury's.  The trick is that on the packaging Kraft is really small and Dairylea is really big, but they taste the same as the ones in the US to me:

http://www.mysupermarket.co.uk/tesco-price-comparison/Cheese/Kraft_Dairylea_Thick_Slices_16_per_pack_400g.html

A good alternative to Kool-aid, in my opinion, is squash.  We buy the No Added Sugar Cherries & Berries Tesco squash which is double concentrated, so it lasts forever.  One thing I've never seen, though, is grape flavored drinks.

For sausage I googled Jimmy Dean copycat recipes and found some great suggestions.  I've actually made them a couple of times.  Not the exact same flavor, but that's probably because there's MUCH less salt in it.  There's even recipes for maple flavored sausage.  If you just ever want a breakfast sausage fix quick, the patties at Mc Donalds taste the same.

Never been a fan of coke so I don't notice a difference in flavor, but if you like Dr Pepper, the Dr Pepper Zero tastes much closer than the regular.

Cheese is a tough one sometimes because it can be quite different.  If you're looking for anything like Velveeta, I don't think it exists here.

Let me know if you ever find a good steak 

You can find genuine Kraft slices at Tesco and Sainsbury's.  The trick is that on the packaging Kraft is really small and Dairylea is really big, but they taste the same as the ones in the US to me:

http://www.mysupermarket.co.uk/tesco-price-comparison/Cheese/Kraft_Dairylea_Thick_Slices_16_per_pack_400g.html

Dairylea is not even in the same league with the American processed cheese, dude. You are talking to a serious Dairylea fiend... LOL. It's one of my vices. Best grilled cheese ever made with that stuff. 

Definitely just make your own breakfast sausage. It's really easy to do. Just get a package of ground pork (pork mince) and add whatever you like to it, depending on if you like it sweet or spicy or whatnot. As adotlane says, there are some copycat recipes online for a lot of things. Just google Jimmy Dean or Owens sausage copycat recipes.

Have you tried Vimto? Nectar of the gods???

Dairylea is not even in the same league with the American processed cheese, dude. You are talking to a serious Dairylea fiend... LOL. It's one of my vices. Best grilled cheese ever made with that stuff. 

 

Have you tried Vimto? Nectar of the gods???

Vimto reminds me of something we used to drink as kids called Delaware Punch. I don't think they make it any more.

Thank you all for your suggestions. Yes I have had vimto it's pretty good, tastes similar to grape kool aid mixed with cream soda to me.  There is also an alcoholic version to vimto that I do enjoy. Blue WKD 1 bottle topped with about 2 shots of port wine. Yummy!


I will try the sausage and I will definitly try McDonalds Sausage, was worried that wouldnt be the same, since I had a burger there once and it wasn't the same.

I am certain there has to be a way to make beef taste better here, either through seasonings or a good marianade? Any one have any ideas on this?

It's not that the beef is bad, it's just alot different , and I miss our beef alot!!


Thanks again

Thank you all for your suggestions. Yes I have had vimto it's pretty good, tastes similar to grape kool aid mixed with cream soda to me.  There is also an alcoholic version to vimto that I do enjoy. Blue WKD 1 bottle topped with about 2 shots of port wine. Yummy!


I will try the sausage and I will definitly try McDonalds Sausage, was worried that wouldnt be the same, since I had a burger there once and it wasn't the same.

I am certain there has to be a way to make beef taste better here, either through seasonings or a good marianade? Any one have any ideas on this?

It's not that the beef is bad, it's just alot different , and I miss our beef alot!!


Thanks again

First of all, that alcoholic concoction sounds lethal!!  I think I would vomit! If you drink that, you must be a total bada$$!

As far as the beef goes, you just have to experiment and find what you like. I make my own burgers at home, which evolved from a copycat Fuddrucker's recipe I found online. I also make my own taco seasoning (the stuff here is a bit weird since it usually has curry in it) and for steaks, I find a nice peppercorn crust to be ideal. It is worthwhile to buy organic beef over the basic stuff, if you can. I notice a big difference in burgers and burritos by using the premium stuff. For things like meatloaf, it's best to use the cheap stuff, as it has more fat. Just start looking up copycat recipes online for things you like and that should get you started. Also, have you tried Oasis? I really like their fruit punch. 

I will try the sausage and I will definitly try McDonalds Sausage, was worried that wouldnt be the same, since I had a burger there once and it wasn't the same.

Now that I've thought of it... could have been Burger King, but whichever you try, make sure it's the patty sausage. 

I've never noticed a difference in the burgers, just a difference in the service, 'fast food' service is crap here.  I'll never complain about the snotty teenagers in the US again.  They're 10 times worse here!   

They have Kool aid in the Tescos in Hammersmith, it's in the Caribbean section, they had a purple one and a tropical punch (I think!) one. I'm a brit, so I didn't pay much attention and just grabbed Jerk seasoning 
They also had cream of wheat cereal but it seemed to have bananas in it!

The sausage is different in McD's/Burger King, so I wouldn't suggest that.  It's milder, not smokey and more 'English' style.

However, like someone else said you can make your own very easily with copycat recipes...mostly minced pork with sage, thyme, cayenne, the kitchen sink, etc. thrown in.

Cheese singles are extremely easy to find!  Every store does their own brand and they taste just fine on a sandwich or burger.

I am certain there has to be a way to make beef taste better here, either through seasonings or a good marianade? Any one have any ideas on this?

It's not that the beef is bad, it's just alot different , and I miss our beef alot!!

The beef tastes different here?   

Mostly, you will have to learn to make the things you miss at home. It's really not that hard, and it often tastes better when it's homemade, anyway. As far as real American junk food and things go, you can order those things online, if you are desperate, or check out the threads on the forum regarding where to find American foods here. It can be expensive, but probably worth it if there are a few things you are finding it hard to live without and would really help your homesickness. Otherwise, try to find things here that you like. There are lots of foods here that aren't like anything in the US, which can be a very good thing, too. Be adventurous!

Oh, and if you need cheese for tacos, it's often best to buy the cheapest coloured mild cheddar you can find. It tastes very similar to the cheddar in the US. Steer clear of the extra mature cheddar for Mexican food! It's definitely no bueno in enchiladas and things like that. One brand of cheese that I really like a lot is called Wexford's, I think. It's a really mild Irish cheddar that is great for Mexican food and things like that, surprisingly.   They have it at our local Sainsburys, so you might find it there. Otherwise, just gorge on things they do have here, like Ritz crackers, Oreos, and Doritos (the tangy cheese are the same as nacho, and the cool original is the same as ranch!)