Chris’s English Marm (read: his mother) sent a package for the holidays. We opened it because she said we had to. Inside, there were some wrapped gifts that go under the Christmas tree, and some food items from England to make Chris feel closer his homeland, or some such thing.
Of course, there was a rather LARGE jar of Marmite in there . . . but some other odd things, too. Like cans of baked beans and some pastry type things called Pork Pie and Sausage Rolls.
Pork Pie???
And these . . . I think they are cookies . . . I’m not sure. I haven’t tried them - - but they are called “Digestives”
I say, “What on earth are digestives?”
“Cookies”, Chris responds.
“Really, they sound like something old people eat in order to regulate their bowels.” I say.
“Fine, don’t eat them”, he says.
I may not. You know, I’m rather picky.
There’s also some English Cheddar (Chesher?) cheese and English bacon. I guess English cows and pigs are different somehow.
Redfred . . . you have some insight here?
12:10 pm on December 21st, 2004
Lisa,
Digestives are great with marmelade and a cup of tea:!:
Cheerio!
All the Best,
Martin
12:14 pm on December 21st, 2004
Got a picture of those???
12:17 pm on December 21st, 2004
I had a tear in my eye as I read pork pie…. I’m jealous. you probably won’t like the pork pie, especially the “jelly”
Baked Beans I blogged about when I first started blogging, it is basically immoral that Hienz don’t stock them here in the US.
Digestives are the best busciuts, especially if they have milk chocolate on them, great for dunking… oh yeah Buscuits is the correct name for cookies.
British bacon is a different cut from American bacon, you will not want to eat the cruddy stuff they sell over here after you try the superior British cut, The cheeses come from different regions, thus Cheddar comes from Cheddar, BTW Cheddar is not in Vermont, just like Champaign is not in California.
I am envious, my Marmite is running low again, but my Mum is coming to visit in Feb, hopefully I can persuade her to bring a care package, Actually she is bring my daughter so I am so excited about that I probably won’t even notice one way or another.
12:17 pm on December 21st, 2004
Gift from Lisa
Lisa is more than a blog designer and blog host. She is also a friend. Today I received:
Hilary Hahn - Mndelssohn and Shostokovich - Violin Concerto’s
Thank you Lisa - from the bottom of my heart.
12:21 pm on December 21st, 2004
Awww … Chris’ mommy loves him. She apparently likes to torture you … mwahaaahaah.
(Forgive me, my sense of humor has been off lately …)
12:27 pm on December 21st, 2004
Do you do Christmas Crackers? Christmas is all about the Crackers, It wouldn’t be Christmas if your not sitting at the table with Turkey, a Large glass of Mulled wine and a paper hat scewed on you head, trying to get the ball in the cup and figure out what the hell the motto is going on about…..
12:28 pm on December 21st, 2004
Fred, I knew you’d come through! She sent the ‘regular’ digestives and the milk chocolate covered ones . . . and some type of fruit shortbread.
I’m unsure about this pork pie thing . . . I may just leave those to Chris. I might try the sausage rolls, though - those look interesting. But it’s that word . . . ‘jelly’ that you said in reference to the pork pie. To me, pork and jelly just shouldn’t be in the same sentence!
And of course the huge jar of marmite is alllllll Chris’s.
12:29 pm on December 21st, 2004
Oh! She sent a huge box of big Christmas crackers, too
12:37 pm on December 21st, 2004
Christmas Crackers
Digestives
Home of the Pork Pie
Proper Bacon
12:42 pm on December 21st, 2004
AND ?!?! wow Chris is a lucky bugger….
The Jelly is the best part, with out Jelly it is not a pork pie… it is just where the fat that came out when it was cooked has congealed under the crust…. Yummy!
We make sausage rolls, my mothe imparted her recipie one year
As I have said before Marmite is the best arguement I’ve heard for the existance of god, ’nuff said.
Where is Chris from in England, ‘Marm’ sounds a little northern, or a bad a Americain impression….
12:57 pm on December 21st, 2004
Thanks for posting those websites with the pictures RedFred! That was a big help in understanding what everything is!
1:05 pm on December 21st, 2004
More English foods….
Black Pudding
Haggis
Lisa, Christmas Pud?
1:38 pm on December 21st, 2004
Of course English cows are different! They have mad cow disease.
1:39 pm on December 21st, 2004
Moooooooooooo……dy
1:49 pm on December 21st, 2004
Chris spent most of his life in south east England and has informed me that my misuse of the term “Marm” is, indeed, a bad American impression.
1:56 pm on December 21st, 2004
1:56 pm on December 21st, 2004
Christmas care packages are the best!
I have many good memories of packages sent to us from my Oma & Opa from Germany.
4:07 pm on December 21st, 2004
Pork pies - tasty but you wouldn’t want to think about how much “pork” is actually in them…ie not a lot!
Marmite rocks!
7:25 pm on December 21st, 2004
Of course English cows and pigs are different… They all mutated after Mad Cow Disease and Foot and Mouth. Most have two heads and wall eyes.
Eating an animal that’s been fed its own relatives is bound to add flavour. Ask any British Government scientist!
Enjoy the Marmite. Did you know it’s made from the leftovers of the brewing industry? That’s why eating it puts hairs on your palms. (Or was that being bitten by a werewolf? Honestly - my memory these days).
8:14 pm on December 21st, 2004
Marmite vs Vegemite Showdown!
I got inspired to do that last month…
7:13 am on December 22nd, 2004
10 years of marriage to an Englishwoman has given invaluable insight into they mysteries of English comfort foods. And I still have no idea what the appeal is. The digestives are pretty good, though when they’re covered in chocolate. Pork pies are killer with salad cream, and Marmite cures hangovers. Or at least makes the alternative so much more appealing! Seriously though - the english got bacon right. What do we have to do to get bacon like that here?
12:59 pm on December 22nd, 2004
There is nothing better in the world than a rasher of British bacon.
Girl…have you heard that evildoers trashed my blog? I’m beginning again at a new address:
http://nickiegoomba.blogspot.com/
It’s good to be back! Merry Christmas
3:06 pm on December 22nd, 2004
As much as I love food of all kinds, I can think of one thing that’s better…
6:08 pm on December 22nd, 2004
Salad Cream does rule on a sandwich.
1:37 am on December 23rd, 2004
McVitties Digestives RAWK!
Hard!
Enjoy!!
xoxo
M
9:12 am on December 23rd, 2004
Mmmmm Salad cream, I have two huge bottles of that in the fridge.
11:23 am on December 23rd, 2004
I tried Pork Pie. Chris eats it cold. I didn’t like it that way - - but did like it heated up a bit.
I’m absolutely in LOVE with McVit chocolate digestives. LOVE THEM!
There were also these things called Ginger Nuts - - which are like cookies, but better. Yum!
Haven’t tried the sausage rolls or bacon yet.
Still won’t touch the Marmite.
2:17 pm on December 23rd, 2004
Did you butter the toast before you marmited? you must have done something wrong……..
Ginger nuts are nice but Milk Choc Digies are the best. If anyone wants to try them the link I posted above will ship stateside.
You are in for a treat with the sausage rolls, We just put ours in but the Oven broke… we are having a minor panic right now as we are cooking for 21 tomorrow !!!
I can fix the oven temporarily if need be but hopefully the electrician will be here in an hour or two.
12:09 pm on December 24th, 2004
Ginger nuts go with coffee, digestives with tea.
HOT pork pie … that’s just not right.
Marmite - as the adverts go, you either love it or you hate it. I’ve yet to hear of a non-Brit actually liking the stuff.
12:16 pm on December 24th, 2004
British Delights - incase you’re ever in need!
11:59 pm on January 9th, 2007
“More English foods….
Black Pudding
Haggis
Lisa, Christmas Pud? ”
Correction, those are SCOTTISH foods, I myself am scottish.