Weird Regional British Foods - Episode 161

 

Image: Mia (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Everybody knows British cuisine is the best in the world, right? There's absolutely NO stereotype that says its bad! Okay, Okay, Maybe it has a bad reputation in some parts of the world, largely thanks to rationing during World War 2 and then the microwave revolution of the 1970s where most food was ultra-processed and absolutely gross. But besides all that, there are some weird stuff the Brits eat.What exactly IS a 'Manchester Egg' and 'Stargazy Pie'?

Have you heard of these weird regional British foods?

British Words Erica Loves To Use - Episode 159

When you marry someone from another country, especially if that country speaks the same language as you but a bit differently with different words, you begin to pick some of those up. Some you don't care for, some you like and want to use. Today, Erica is sharing with us all the British words she likes to use in everyday life.

Do you have any words that aren't native to you that you like to use?

Living In America: American Kitchens Vs British Kitchens

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So an American kitchen differs from a British one in many ways. Perhaps the most notable difference is the lack of a washing machine in an American kitchen. Now, you folks from the US might be going "Wait, what? You have your washing machine in the kitchen and not the laundry room? What kind of crazy kitchen is that?" Well, in most older British homes in the kitchen, a laundry room doesn't exist. The newer builds might make a provision for this, or detached houses might even have the space for a laundry room where you can store a washing machine and a dryer. Me? Well, I grew up in terraced (that's "Row houses" for those not familiar) houses. So space was at a premium. We had the washing machine in the kitchen and we dried our clothes outside on a washing line or inside on a clothes horse or a radiator.

Another difference is the lack of a kettle in the American kitchen, usually replaced by a coffee maker. I've learned that because the voltage in the states is quite low, it takes longer to boil a kettle than it would in Britain, because of the much higher voltage.


Which would you prefer? An American kitchen or a British one?

The Choconopoly of the Hershey Empire - Episode 159

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Hershey Chocolate. It's a well known brand in America. Not so much beloved I think, but perhaps there's a group of die-hard Hershey lovers out there who will step up if Hershey ever got into trouble to bail them out?

I, on the other hand, am a firm Cadbury loyalist. If Hershey had made milk chocolate during the Revolutionary War, Americans would still be speaking English today. My dislike of Hershey Milk Chocolate is well documented. Why would anyone take that over Cadbury? That's possibly why Hershey so vehemently enforce their license on imported Cadbury goods and any chocolate from the UK and EU.


Have you ever had Cadbury chocolate? Do you like it?

The British Speech Inflection - Episode 158

This episode, we examine whether Erica's speech patterns have changed since being married to Dominic, who is me. Does she really speak with a British inflection? We notice American vloggers we watch who live in the UK seem to have developed it, so has Erica?

Do you notice any differences to your own speech patterns if you've lived in another country?

British Weddings Vs American - Episode 157

Our humble Wedding Cake!

A wedding can be a fun event, perhaps even stressful for those planning it. There can't be too many differences between a British and American wedding, right? Things are surely the same in the UK and the US, right? The two people go down the aisle, they are met by an officiant and are married by all those who witness it. Well, basically that's the same yes but have a listen for the different traditions there are between Weddings in the USA and the UK!


Have you been to a wedding in both countries? What did you notice that was different about it?

British Foods An American Has Never Heard Of - Episode 156

Before coming to Britain, Erica had never heard of most of these foods. Marmite? Sausage Rolls? Surely Erica would have heard of these! But Egads! No! Listen to Erica talk about all the strange and wonderful foods she had never heard of before she visited the UK!


Have you heard of all of these foods?

Manners and Etiquette - Episode 155

Image: Pxfuel

Manners, good and bad. Etiquette, good and bad. Do they differ very greatly in the USA and the UK? Well, apparently they do! Especially table manners and the way British people interact with each other are curious to Americans unfamiliar with the unwritten rules and customs of people from the "Motherland"


Do you use a Knife and a Fork when you eat a meal? Or just a fork?

The Weather - Episode 154

An F5 Tornado in full force, 2007. Image: Justin1569. (CC BY-SA 3.0)

"Been a bit drizzly today, hasn't it?" That's something you'll hear a lot of in the UK. Talk of the weather. Usually a good conversation starter! When Dominic first moved to Texas, he had never experienced the threat of a tornado. He still isn't a fan of being awoken by his phone buzzing at 5am to warn him that there was a tornado on the ground close to him. Erica will wake the neighbourhood up though!

Have you ever been in a tornado? If not, what kind of scary weather do they have in your part of the world?

Living In America: Why Is Food Something You Miss The Most?

The Traditional British Chip is something I miss terribly.

When you move to another country, you might miss home a lot, depending on how attached you were to that place. Most times however, you find that you miss the food a lot. I've heard people say that only two weeks away from their home and they miss their favourite restaurant.

Since moving to Texas, I have missed a variety of things about the UK. Most especially, the chips. Chip shops are and probably never will be, a staple of Texan culture. They are quite possibly, a huge favourite of mine and my waistline shows it. Growing up in Wales, I had access to some of the best Fish and Chip shops in the world. Yes. The WORLD.

I'm giving Llanelli's The Oyster Bar a shout out here as I must have gone there well over a thousand times in my life and I never had a bad batch of chips from there. Perfectly cooked, a little crisp on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. Doused in salt and vinegar. Yes, I've gotten YOU hungry now, haven't I?

I have sat here laughing myself into silliness from reading that review. I wonder if they got their curry sauce and chips?? If you're ever in Llanelli, try it out if you want to be dragged into the Twilight zone like this person seemingly was...

Are you an expat? What foods do you miss from home??

Questions About Wales - Episode 153

Erica with a rather festive Welsh Dragon. Image: Tea & A Butty.

This podcast is brought to you by a special request by one of our patrons. If you would like to support us, then please check out our patreon for exclusive episodes of our podcast and benefits!

This episode, we're answering questions about Wales and accents for one of our patrons, Aven Ellis! Aven is a successful author of 'Deliciously Swoony Romantic Comedies' and they are wonderful! You can find out more about her by visiting her website!

Do you have a question about Wales? Let us know!