07/09/2003

Being a fabulous Ex-pat from the States, I was lost when I got to the British Isles and attempted cooking. Ingredients had different names, measurements were beyond me, and who the hell knows what the setting “3 1/2” means on a gas oven? I have done some hunting on the web, and I am here to help all you gourmets crossing “the pond.” If you need something to make, check out our “recipes" in the "fun stuff" section. If you need help figuring out how to cook these ingredients, check out the article on Cooking Temps and Measurement Conversions, etc..

This will be divided into a couple articles with the same title, so check them out! This one explains the different names of foods. If you ever wondered what a "cockle" or "marshmallow fluff" are, this is the article for you. There are also hints on what you can use to substitute in recipes, depending one whether you are in or the recipe comes from the US or UK.

On y va!

What do you need to start cooking?

Foods and Ingredients

|In the UK, when they say:|In the US, it means:

A | --

Aubergine | Eggplant

B | --

Bacon, Back | Bacon, Canadian

Bacon, Steaky | Bacon

Bap |Hamburger bun

Beans, Broad | Beans, Fava

Beans, French | Beans, Green or String

Beans, Haricot | Beans, Green or String

Beetroot | Beet

Beef, Bully | Beef, Corned

Beef, Cutlet |Beef, Chop

Beef, Fillet steak | Beef, Tenderloin

Beef, Rump Steak | Beef, Top Round or Sirloin

Beef, Salt | Beef, Corned

Beef, Silverside | Beef, Top Round

Beef, Sirloin | Beef, Porterhouse Steak

Bicarbonate of soda | Baking soda

Bread, Brown | Bread, Whole Wheat

Boiled sweet | Hard candy

Biscits | Cookies

Biscits, Digestive | Graham crackers or other crackers

C | --

Candy Floss | Cotton Candy

Capsicum | Bell Pepper, Green Pepper

Channel Island milk | Similar to light cream, only thicker

Chicory | Endive

Chips | French Fries

Cider | Cider, Hard or Alcoholic

Cling Film | Saran Wrap

Cockles | Clams

Cordial | Concentrated fruit syrup used for making drinks

Coriander (Fresh) | Cilantro

Cornflour | Cornstarch or Maizena

Corn, Sweet | Corn, Whole Kernel

Courgette | Zucchini

Cream, Clotted | No equivalent. Experiment.

Cream, Double | Cream, Heavy or Cream, Whipping

Cream, Single | Cream, Light or Half and Half

Crisps | Potato Chips

Crumpet | Muffin, English

D | --

Doughnut | Doughnut, Jelly

Doughnut, Ring | Doughnut

E | --

Essence | Extract

F | --

Fairy Cake | Cupcake

Faggot | Meatball

Fish Fingers | Fish sticks

Flour, Corn | Cornstarch or Maizena

Flour, Plain | Flour, All Purpose

Flour, Self-Raising | Flour, Self-Rising

Flour, Strong | Flour, Bread

Flour, Wholemeal | Flour, Wholewheat

G | --

Gammon | Ham

Gelatine | Gelatin

Ginger Nut | Ginger Snap

Greaseproof Paper | Waxed Paper

H | --

Hot Dogs | Vienna Sausages

Hundreds & Thousands | Sprinkles

I | --

Icing | Frosting

J | --

Jelly | Jell-o

K | --

Kernel, Pine | Pine Nut

L | --

Lemonade | Lemon-lime Soda

Lettuce, Cos | Lettuce, Romaine

M | --

Maize | Corn

Marrow | Large Zucchini

Mince meat | Ground meat

Mixed Spice | All Spice or Pumpkin Pie Spice

N | --

O | --

Onion, Salad | Onion, Spring

P | --

Pastry Case | Pie Shell

Pawpaw | Papaya

Pine Kernel | Pine Nut

Polenta (ingredient) | Cornmeal

Polony | Bologna

Porridge | Oatmeal, Cooked

Potato, Jacket | Potato, Baked

Prawns | Shrimp

S | --

Sausage, Liver | Liverwurst

Scrapple | Ingredient in hot dogs

Sponge finger | Lady finger or Boudoir Biscuits

Squash | Fruit juice beverage (Like a liquid form of Kool-Aid)

Stock, Brown | Stock, Beef

Sugar, Caster | Sugar, White (of a finer crystal size than granulated)

Sugar, Demerara | Sugar, Light Brown

Sugar, Icing | Sugar, Confectioner's

Sugar, Muscovado | Sugar, Raw or Unrefined

Sultanas | Raisins, Golden

Swede | Rutabaga or Yellow Turnip

Sweet Pepper | Pimiento

Syrup, Glucose | Syrup, Light Corn

Syrup, Golden | Syrup, Corn

T | --

Tart | Pie (or really easy woman)

Toffee | Taffy

Tomato Puree | Tomato Paste

Treacle | Molasses

Trex | A shortening. Try Cisco

Turnip, Yellow | Swede

V | --

Vegetable marrow | Yellow squash

Vermicelli, Chocolate | Sprinkles, Chocolate

|In the US, when they say:|In the UK, it means:

A | --

All Spice | Mixed Spice

B | --

Bacon | Backon, Streaky

Bacon, Canadian | Bacon, Back

Baking soda | Bicarbonate of soda

Bologna | Polony

Beans, Fava | Beans, Broad

Beans, Green | Beans, French or Haricot

Beans, String | Beans, French or Haricot

Beef, Corned | Beef, Bully or Salt

Beef, Ground | Mince meat

Beef, London Broil | Beef, Flank Steak

Beef, Porterhouse Steak | Beef, Sirloin

Beef, Sirloin | Beef, Rump steak

Beef, Tenderloin | Beef, Fillet steak

Beef,Top Round | Beef, Rump Steak or Silverside

Beet | Beetroot

Bread, Whole wheat | Bread, Brown

Buttermilk | Not available in UK.

C | --

Catsup | Ketchup, Tomato

Cider, Hard or Alcoholic | Cider

Cilantro | Coriander, fresh

Cheese, Swiss | Emmental

Clams | Cockles

Cookies | Buscits

Corn | Maize

Cornmeal | Polenta

Cornstarch | Cornflour

Corn, Whole Kernel | Corn, Sweet

Cotton Candy | Candy Floss

Cream, Half and Half | Cream, Single

Cream, Heavy | Cream, Double

Cream, Light | Cream, Single

Cream, Marshmallow | Not Available in the UK.

Cream, Whipping | Cream, Double

Cupcake | Fairy Cake

D | --

Doughnut | Doughnut, Ring

Doughnut, Jelly | Doughnut

E | --

Eggplant | Aubergine

Endive | Chicory

English Muffin | Crumpet

Extract | Essence

F | --

Fish Sticks | Fish Fingers (why do they say this? fish don't have fingers!)

Flour, All Purpose | Flour, Plain

Flour, Bread | Flour, Strong

Flour, Self-Rising | Flour, Self-Raising

Flour, Wholewheat | Flour, Wholemeal

Fluff, Marshmallow | Not available in the UK

French Fries | Chips

Frosting | Icing

G | --

Gelatin | Gelatine

Graham Crackers | A type of biscuit. Substitute digestive biscuits or a mix of 50% digestive biscuits (for the right texture) and 50% rich tea biscuits (for a hint more sweetness)

Ground "meat" | Mince meat

H | --

Ham | Gammon

Hard Candy | Boiled Sweet

J | --

Jell-O | Jelly

Jelly | Jam or Preserves

L | --

Lady Finger | Sponge finger

Lemon-lime Soda | Lemonade

Lettuce, Romaine | Lettuce, Cos

Liverwurst | Sausage, Liver

M | --

Maizena | Cornflour

Marshmallow Cream or Fluff | Not available in the UK

Meatball | Faggot

Molasses | Treacle

N | --

Nut, Pine | Pine Kernel

O | --

Oatmeal, Cooked | Porridge

Onion, Spring | Onion, Salad

P | --

Papaya | Pawpaw

Pepper, Bell | Capsicum

Pepper, Green | Capsicum

Pie Shell | Pastry Case

Pine Nut | Pine Kernel

Potato, Baked | Potato, Jacket

Potato Chips | Crisps

Pumpkin Pie Spice | Mixed Spice

R | --

Rutabaga | Swede

Raisins, Golden | Sultanas

S | --

Saran Wrap | Cling Film

Sausage, Italian | “Thick coarse-cut pork sausage with hearty herb seasoning”

Sausages, Vienna | Hot Dogs

Scallion | Salad Onion

Shrimp | Prawns

Shortening | Butter, Margarine, or Lard

Shortening, Vegetable | This refers to Crisco, though shortening can be used.

Sprinkles, Chocolate | Vermiceli, Chocolate

Sprinkles, Colored | Hundreds & Thousands

Squash, Yellow | Vegetable Marrow

Stock, Beef | Stock, Brown

Sugar, Brown | Sugar, Demerara

Sugar, Confectioner's | Sugar, Icing

Sugar, Raw or Unrefined | Sugar, Muscovado

Sugar, White | Sugar, Castor

Syrup, Corn | Syrup, Golden

Syrup, Light Corn | Syrup, Glucose

T | --

Taffy | Toffee

Tomato Paste | Tomato Puree

W | --

Waxed Paper | Greaseproof Paper

Z | --

Zucchini | Courgette

Zucchini, Large | Marrow

Also: Check out [->31]