Byron- Proper Hamburgers

We were going into town to go on a Cambridge Ghost Tour, so we thought we would eat before hand. A new restaurant has popped up on Bridge Street in Cambridge. If you are looking for the American burger in the United Kingdom, Byron Burger is the place to go!

It feels like an American diner, as you see in the picture below. It serves American sodas and beers. You can get a root beer float from here! I had a cream soda (proper American cream soda high fructose corn syrup and everything! Okay actually I had two- that ruined my no caffeine rule!) and my hubby have a Brooklyn beer now that he has had a taste while we were in New York City. They serve a range of hamburgers, the American way with American style sides. It was great! Jon is a lover of burgers as it is and I usually eat them when out due to my allergy so we were happy.

They had plenty of staff so you were never waiting too long to be served or get another drink. They were super friendly and attentive. It was a comfortable place to go to. It was also affordable. Not a dinner that will break the bank, just the way I like it!

The sign says Byron- Proper Hamburgers and it is 100% correct! I feel as an American I have the qualifications to make this judgement :) I have a place to go when I am home sick and just need a proper hamburger.

Saving money on Food

I found out that I had a milk and soya allergy in 2008. This has made a huge difference in my life. This changed the way that I shop and cook and I lost 45 pounds because of it. I thought I would share some tips.

I think that many people do not know that 'cooking from scratch' really takes the same amount of time that cooking a packet of Hamburger Helper does. It is also way better for you. I never realized how many things had milk in it until my allergy was identified. They use milk as a cheap filler. If you like the flavors of things like Hamburger Helper, like I like the Beef Stroganoff, it is easy to locate a recipe that tells you the spices that are used so there is no need to buy the packaged stuff. So you are saving your family from all the unnecessary preservatives as well as the costs of the packaging!

First thing everyone tells you to do a meal plan. I have done a Google Calendar and I choose meals that kind of need the same items so that it ensures that I do not waste anything. I have also taken to preparing 12 meals in one day to freeze. I could not do the 30 day cooking that many people in America do because I do not have the freezer space but this way one day a week I pull one of these meals out in the morning before I head off to work and we have it in the evening. There are so many recipes available online to do this.

I am against shopping at the commissionary and I did not buy much from there when I was in. Again, I couldn't eat many of the American products anyways but the meat is frozen and shipped here, the vegetables and bread go off faster than if bought offbase and has additives that are banned by the UK and EU.

This goes for the meat too. There are things that American farmers are allowed to do with animals that the EU does not permit such as antibiotics and growth hormone. I go to my local butcher and buy what I need for the next 5 days and its fresh and he knows where it came from.

There are some foods that are VAT free. Generally they are the healthy food so keep this in mind when shopping offbase. 

I do a big shop online via Mysupermarket.co.uk every two months. It links your accounts from the grocery stores and tells you where the cheapest store to place your order. What I buy when I do this are all the staple items such as canned tomatoes, flour, toilet paper and all the nonperishable. I have been watching Extreme Couponing on the television and that doesn't work over here. Stores do not accept coupons from other stores and they do not double coupon either. However, sometimes they give you double points towards your loyalty card, which I use to get vouchers to go out to eat or go to the movies. I know that you have to pay for the delivery but I find it more convenient and it often keeps you from not buying things off your list. I check my meal plans against what is in my pantry and then buy it. 

I tend to buy my vegetables from the Co-op or market. I am bad at making sure I use up my onions, carrots and mushrooms so I have taken to chopping a whole bag full of them in my food processor and freezing it in small pots. Then they can be pulled and added to my cooking as I go. This has not only made cooking a bit faster but I have reduced what I throw away. I have to warn you, we got very teary when we were doing the onions!

The fridges here are a lot smaller than the ones seen back in the US although you can get the American styled ones but I like them this size because we waste less items and we do not consume so much, everyone eats too much anyways :)!

What you eat can make a huge impact on your life and I know first hand once I got my diagnosis and I would not change a thing. I hope this gives you an insight on ways you can save on food!

Chocolat Chocolat

If you didn't know already, which I am surprised because I talk about it all the time, it is a daily function for me, I am allergic to cow's milk. I found out in 2007 and it has impacted my life ever since. Think about what you ate just today. Cafe latte? Biscuit with your tea? Milk in your cereal or butter on your toast? Cheese in your sandwich? Starting to get the picture? Oh, did anything have whey in it? This is a common filler for the food manufactures and also is a product of milk. I also am unlucky because I am allergic to soya too.

Anyways, I got a message on Twitter from a lovely shop in Cambridge, Chocolat Chocolat (a shop I would instantly avoid, I mean, chocolate and milk go hand in hand, right?), asking  me "what were the weirdest combination of chocolate I had ever had?" I wrote back and said that I was allergic to milk.They informed me that they do a chocolate for people like me! I was so excited because no one ever caters to 'us'. Do you know how many times I have had fruit salad because there wasn't anything else for dessert? I am soooo over fruit salad.

Jon and I were in town for a play and stopped by to see what Chocolat Chocolat had to offer. It is such cute little shop with beautiful chocolates decorating the shelves. It was busy because it was a Saturday but the staff were very helpful, pointing out which ones that I could have. The other thing that also impressed me is that they knew the difference between the allergy and the intolerance.

I got some chocolates and maybe its because I have haven't had chocolate in a long time, they were fabulous. I think this might be my guilty pleasure when I am in town.

Well done Chocolat Chocolat!

Cambridge Beer Festival

Every year the CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) holds a beer festival in Cambridge. I wasn't sure what to expect but found the atmosphere to be laid back and got to try Mead (honey based alcohol- traditionally given to newly wedded couple because it was believed that it increases fertility.

You buy a glass to use for the day but if you give it back when you leave, you will get your money back. Be ready for queues but its worth it. Make sure you have a DD and they get free drinks (not very common here!).

Last year they had 200 real ales, 80 ciders and perries, foreign beer, English wine, mead and cheese.

So get a group of you together and try the ales of England.

Easter Simnel Cake

This is a recipe for a traditional cake eaten at Easter. It has 11 balls on top to signify the true disciples of Jesus.

Simnel cake

Preparation time: less than 30 mins/Cooking time: 1 to 2 hours/Serves 10-12

Ingredients
For the almond paste (or you can buy marizpan premade from the grocery store)

• 250g/9oz caster sugar
• 250g/9oz ground almonds
• 2  eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp almond essence

For the cake

• 175g/6oz butter or margarine
• 175g/6oz soft brown sugar
• 3  eggs, beaten
• 175g/6oz plain flour
• Pinch salt
• ½ tsp ground mixed spice (optional)
• 350g/12oz mixed raisins, currants and sultanas
• 55g/2oz chopped mixed peel
• ½ lemon, grated zest only
• 1-2 tbsp apricot jam
• 1 egg, beaten for glazing

Directions

1. For the almond paste, place the sugar and ground almonds in a bowl. Add enough beaten egg and mix to a fairly soft consistency.
2. Add the almond essence and knead for one minute until the paste is smooth and pliable.
3. Roll out a third of the almond paste to make a circle 18cm/7in in diameter and reserve the remainder for the cake topping.
4. Preheat oven to 140C/275F/Gas 1. Grease and line a 18cm/7in cake tin.
5. For the cake, cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs until well incorporated and then sift in the flour, salt and mixed spice (if using) a little at a time. Finally, add the mixed dried fruit, peel and grated lemon zest and stir into the mixture.
6. Put half the mixture into a greased and lined 18cm/7in cake tin. Smooth the top and cover with the circle of almond paste. Add the rest of the cake mixture and smooth the top leaving a slight dip in the centre to allow for the cake to rise. Bake in the preheated oven for 1¾ hours. Test by inserting a skewer in the middle - if it comes out clean, it is ready. Once baked, remove from the oven and set aside to cool on a wire rack.
7. Brush the top of the cooled cake with the apricot jam. Divide the remainder of the almond paste in half; roll out a circle to cover the top of the cake with one half and form 11 small balls with the other half.
8. Place the circle of paste on the jam glaze and set the balls round the edge. Brush the cake topping with a little beaten egg.
9. Preheat the grill to high. Place the cake onto a baking tray and grill for 1-2 minutes, or until the top of the marzipan begins to brown.

 Happy Easter!

Branston

You might see this in the grocery aisle and wonder what it is.

Branston is relish that the British like to put into their sandwiches and part of a ploughman's lunch.

It is like a pickle chutney.

The UK version has sugar in it but the US version has high fructose corn syrup instead.

When you are making a sandwich, "Bring out the Branston!"

Pancake Day

Pancake Day is also known as Shrove Tuesday. It is the day before Ash Wednesday and starts the celebration of Lent. The history behind it is that they would make pancakes to use up the stuff in the pantry because during Lent you are supposed to abstain from sweets.

My husband and I try to remember when Pancake Day is and celebrate it. The first time we did this was after his accident and I had to take him to an appointment so I said that we should have pancakes for lunch. He said that we should have them after lunch. I was thinking that it would be too much to have lunch and pancakes so I went to the kitchen and got out my American cookbook and my English cookbook and show him both the pictures. That’s when I figured out their pancakes are different than ours.

The pancakes that they make are more like crepes, here is a good recipe for them. Typical fillings will be lemon and sugar or something savoury like sausage meat.

Happy Pancake Day!

Saving money on Groceries

Well I have been thinking about this post a lot lately!

I will not try to replace what The Budget Loving Military Family covers because she is clearly an expert. But I do shop here in the local shops and eat here so I am my own little expert.

I watched Extreme Couponing recently and one thing is for sure is that it won't work over here. Stores would never pay you for shopping, they do not allow you to bring coupons from other stores and they do not do double couponing. It just seems like to me that the things that have coupons are highly processed and are junk food. However there are ways to save:

1. Use Mysupermarket when shopping online at the local grocery stores. It compares your cart with what it costs at all the major grocery stores and also suggests ways to save. It then sends you to checkout through that store's website. Has saved me quite a bit. You can still use your coupons if you have them. Also get the membership cards, you get deals and rack up points BUT do not use the points on food use them for other things.
2. Vegetables, fruit and bread are almost always fresher offbase. Shopping at the markets is cheaper but not everyone has time for that. Only buying what you need really cuts down on costs. That is why I like my small fridge, I really can't over do it.
3. I buy vegetables in bulk like, onions, garlic, carrots, peppers and mushrooms and use my food processor to chop all of them and divide them up into containers and freeze. It saves you having to do every time you cook. You can cook straight from frozen and it uses them up. I am really bad at allowing these items go bad so this has helped me cut down on my waste.
4.  Look at what you are wasting. I started making meal plans in my google calendar. That way I can buy what I need for the week and have variety.
5. I only do one big shop every month or every other month. Then I get the things that I need from the Co-op or other little store. The less I am in store the less things I buy that we don't need. I also tie this in with if they are giving a coupon on petrol for spending a certain amount.
6. I do a pantry challenge once a month to get rid of those lingering items because you should think of the food in your pantry as money sitting there.
7. I buy my meat at the butchers. The prices are comparable and the quality is higher than you will get at the grocery store.
8. Eat less processed food. "Cooking from scratch" like the perfect moms like to say that they do, does not take as much time as you think. I have a food allergy to milk and soya so I have to avoid a lot of processed food because it is in everything. If you care about the preservatives that are in your food, you should shop offbase, the US allows chemicals in their foods that are not allowed in the UK. http://www.shape.com/blogs/shape-your-life/13-banned-foods-still-allowed-us
9. I have made an attempt to do the 30 day cook in one day- see I told you I was American and I do have some American tendencies! It did not work because our freezer is not big enough. But it allowed me to make 6-8 meals that I pull out over the month. 
10. Buy in bulk. I like to buy my spice in bulk from The Daily Bread  in Cambridge. It really spreads out the cost especially when my husband likes to add chili flakes to everything.
11. Forage! There are times in the year that you can get free food! I have my freezer stocked with pears and apples given to me by my neighbors that I chopped and forzen. This weekend I made apple cinnamon muffins to freeze and take with me to work.
12. Finally, DO NOT BUY BOTTLED WATER EVER! Not only is it ridiculously priced, it is harmful for the environment and the water here is perfectly fine. In fact in many area in the UK they do not add flouride because it is a natural occurring item. Just bring a water bottle with you and fill it up when you can. The only taps that you cannot fill from will have a sign saying that you cannot drink from it.

I hope you found this helpful!

Kimx

American to Britain

Kendal Mint Cake

Kendal Mint Cake comes from the Lake District and is used by Sir Edmund Hilary and Tenzing Norgay to become the first people to the top of Mount Everest in 1953. It is made out of sugar, glucose and water, it gives a quick boost of energy because of the sugars.

If you are in the area and climbing the hills, make sure to have this in your backpack.

Mincepies

Mince pies are another Christmas tradition. They are made of sweet pastry and filled with mince meat (apple preserve, dried fruits, spices and shortening). Even though they aren’t filled with meat, they are not suitable for vegetarians as suet is made from fat from beef or mutton. However, you can make your own mince pies with vegetarian suet (found in any grocery store in the baking aisle).

Here is a link for you to make your own mince pies.

If you don’t have time to make your own, don’t worry, you will be able to buy these at the local grocery store as well.

Mill Road Winter Fair

For many years I wanted to go see what the Mill Road Winter Fair. If you don't really know much about Cambridge or this area, what you should know is that this is filled with independent shops. It is also the best place for you to find those Asian ingredients that are so hard to find.

I was not sure what to expect but when I got there, it was busy, the restaurants had food stalls in front and I couldn't resist having a burger from the steakhouse which I didn't know existed (it was great!). There were so many craft stalls so a great place to buy some Christmas gifts. There were choirs and dancing. A real celebration!

They had a parade and it was amasing to see how this community came together to put this on. You often think that Cambridge lacks a sense of community like the villages have but this is proof that it even it exists here.

La Margherita

Cambridge is definitely not short in Italian restaurants but what it is in short of is Italian restaurants that do not belong to chains and are family-owned. This is where La Margherita comes in.

La Margherita is on Magdalene Street in Cambridge right near Magdalene College. I ate here when we were going to a wedding whose dinner started late.

The food was good, all of the people that were eating with us really enjoyed it. The service was great, they were very helpful in accommodating my allergies. The venue is nice and the location is good especially if you get a table near the window, you can watch the people walk by.

I am becoming a fan of independent owned shops and restaurants for many reasons. They generally utilize/boost the other local businesses. They take care of their employees better. Yes it sometimes costs a bit more but I can sleep better at night. Okay that is enough of me rattling on.

If you are in town and want Italian, not looking for the chains (because you can eat them anywhere), this is your place. You will not be dissappointed.

Christmas Pudding

You should be starting your Christmas pudding around this time.

Traditionally Christmas Pudding is served on Christmas day but made weeks in advance and fed regularly with alcohol which allows the flavours to develop. Why don't you try to bring in this tradition to your home and make a Christmas Pudding. Make it a few weeks in advance! Alternatively you can buy one from the grocery store. Here is a recipe on how to make your own:

Preparation time: 1-2 hours/Cooking time: over 2 hours/Serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 225g/8oz golden caster sugar
• 225g/8oz vegetarian suet
• 340g/12oz sultanas
• 340g/12oz raisins
• 225g/8oz currants
• 110g/4oz candied peel, chopped
• 110g/4oz plain flour
• 110g/4oz fresh white breadcrumbs
• 55g/2oz flaked almonds
• 1 lemon, zest only
• 5 eggs, beaten
• 1 evel tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 level tsp mixed spice
• 5g/1 level tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• pinch of salt
• 150ml/5fl oz brandy or rum

Preparation method

1. Lightly grease 2x1.2 litre/2 pint pudding basins (glass bowl.
2. Mix all the dry ingredients and stir in the eggs and brandy and mix well.
3. Spoon the mix into basins. Put a circle of baking paper and foil over the top of each basin and tie securely with string. Make a string handle from one side of the basin to the other so it is easier to pick the basin out of the pan after cooking.
4. Put the basins in a large steamer of boiling water and cover with a lid. Boil for 5-6 hours, topping the boiling water up from time to time, if necessary. If you do not have a steamer, put the basins in a large pan on inverted saucers on the base. Pour in boiling water to come a third of the way up the sides of the pudding bowls. Cover and steam as before.
5. Cool. Change the baking parchment and foil covers for fresh ones and tie up as before. Store in a cool cupboard until Christmas Day.
6. To serve: steam for 2 hours and serve with brandy butter, rum sauce, cream or homemade custard.

For show, right before serving flame the cake.

Enjoy!

Cockles

When you go to the seaside, it is a British tradition to have cockles. Cockles come from clams. You can get sauces to eat them but Jon just eats them straight. I have not come around to loving them but I always try them. They are a bit seafoody and salty.

There is guaranteed to be a van selling these at the seaside, go on and be adventurous!

Hot Toddy

You will often hear a British person say they are feeling ill and need a hot toddy.

A Hot Toddy is a drink made up of whisky, hot water, honey, lemon and tea. The idea is that whatever is making you sick will be killed by the alcohol. They say ‘vitamin for health, honey to soothe and alcohol to numb’

Need to warm up try this hot toddy recipe.

British Grocery Terms

I am often at the grocery store looking for something for an American recipe and when I can't find it, I ring my husband and ask him what they call it. I thought that you would like to have a list so that you might find what you are looking for.

English                                          American

• Aubergine                                                        Eggplant
• Bicarbonate of Soda                                        Baking Soda
• Fairycakes                                                       Cupcakes
• Courgette                                                        Zucchini
• Jelly                                                                 Jello

Gourmet Burger

I just ate at Gourmet Burger when we went to Nottingham for the weekend. It was a very interesting approach to burgers, I should know, I eat a lot of them!

You pick what type of meat you want and then can pick the sides and toppings so it suits you.

I had the Wild Boar with sweet potatoes chips and it was amazing!

If you love your burgers, like I do, this place is for you!

Is England Child Friendly?

I had to write about this topic because it often comes up in the forums that I am in with other Americans.

It really frustrates me because England is child friendly, but there are still certain expectations that the English  have. I guess one way to explain it is that there are certain unwritten rules that the English follow when conducting themselves in public, (and many Americans have the same expectations regarding children). Not everyone follows them, but the majority do, and it allows things to tick along nicely.  For example, standing quietly in queues no matter how long it is.

The unwritten rule is that children are generally welcome but they are expected to be well behaved. It also depends on where you go. If you go to a two Michelin star restaurant such as Midsommer House in Cambridge, you should not bring your children.

If you go to a place like Prezzo, you can bring your children but it’s expected that they sit at the table with you and that you will not allow them to be overly loud and run around the place. Apart from the danger of them colliding with a food server, it is discourteous to the other diners.  Remember eating out in England is much more expensive than in America, so for many people going to a restaurant is a treat, and often for a special occasion. 

If you take your children to a pub with a beer garden, that's fine to let them loose out there while you sit back and enjoy your pint. You can apply this guidance to anything, but first of all you must be honest with yourself about what kind of situations your child can handle themselves and behave because if they can’t behave it will be stressful for you and the people around you. If you are honest with yourself and curtail where you go to suit your children, you shouldn’t run into any problems.

Before picking a place to eat with children, do a little research as to what type of place it is, what their opening hours are, and how child friendly it is.  That way you can be more confident with your choice of restaurant and so avoid a stressful situation.

The Varsity Rooftop Bar

For my birthday, my husband and I went to the Varsity Hotel rooftop bar.

The view is amazing and it is quite a nice place to sit after a long day.

The drinks and food are a bit expensive so its best to save this for special occasions.

English Full Breakfast with Black Pudding

There are several variations of this breakfast but generally it comes with bacon (cooked the English way), sausages fried eggs, fried tomatoes, fried mushrooms, toast, baked beans and black pudding.

Black pudding is cooked blood and I think it is spicy like Haggis. It is very good and worth a try.