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]