Pop Goes the Fizzy Drink

Britain has several of their own sodas (or "fizzy drinks" as they sometimes call them). I set out to taste as many as I could with some willing volunteers. Here are the results. 

Irn-Bru (pronounced "iron brew") is the number one selling soda in Scotland

Mary: Smells like orange cream soda
Kate: Tastes like fizzy cough syrup. A little too medicinal for me. 
Pamela: Not too much orange flavor. I wouldn't go out of my way to buy it.
Sara: I really like it, it tastes like dessert. This would be great with ice cream as an Iron Bru Float.
Rachael: I don't really like it. 

Who would buy it: Sara

Vimto Fizzy was first produced in 1908 as a health tonic. Contains grapes, raspberries, blackcurrants, and a secret ingredient.

Mary: I really like it. It reminds me of a melted popsicle. 
Kate: I wish it was a little more tart. The secret ingredient must be well kept because I can't tell what it is. It reminds me of a party punch. 
Pamela: I love the color but it smells like berry medicine. I like it. Not too sweet.
Sara: It tastes like candy.
Rachael: I like it but I'd rather drink a Coke. 

Who would buy it: Pamela, Mary would buy it as a dessert, and Kate would drink it if it was offered at a party. 

Dandelion and Burdock was originally consumed as a type of light mead in the Middle Ages but is now a soft drink. 

Mary: It smells and tastes like Jaegermeister without the burning kick.
Kate: I get a weak black licorice flavor from it. 
Pamela: It smells like Robitussin and looks like alcohol. It tastes like beer and liquor mixed together. 
Sara: It tasted like Halls...menthol Halls.
Rachael: It tastes like annis seed and herbs. I like it. 

Who would buy it: Rachael 

 Apple Tango is a fruit flavored soft drink sold in the UK, Ireland, Sweden, Norway, and Hungary.

Mary: It is really sweet, but I really like it. I think a kid would love this. Would be good mixed with Sprite.
Kate: It seems like something I'd like because I like green apples. It looks like champagne and smells like apple cider. It is sweeter than sparkling juice. I wish it was more tart. I couldn't drink a whole can. 
Pamela: I like it.
Sara: It looks classy and is super sweet. 
Rachael: I'd drink a whole can.

Who would buy it: Pamela and Rachael

Tizer (pronounced "tie-zer") is a red colored soft drink only sold in the UK. The name comes from "Tizer the Appetizer."

Mary: Is there ginger in it? The color would prevent me from buying it. This would be great for a sore throat. 
Kate: I like this one. It tastes like 7-Up with a hint of fruit. The look of the can isn't helping their marketing campaign.
Sara: What makes it red? It tastes like ginger ale and cherry. 
Rachael: It has a bit of a kick like ginger beer but much more tame.

Who would buy it: Mary, Pamela would buy if it was pronounced "tizzer," Kate, and Sara would drink it mixed with whiskey.

 Ribena* (pronounced "rye-bean-ah") was originally distributed by the British government as a Vitamin C substitute for children during World War II. 

Mary: It tastes like V-8 Splash.
Kate: It doesn't taste sweet after all the carbonated drinks. I swear there is a vegetable in here, a green leaf of some sort.
Pamela: Oh, there is a tomato in this somewhere. A Beet? Spinach?
Sara: The gals at work add a splash of this to their water.
Rachael: I kind of like it. 

Who would buy it: Mary, Rachael, Pamela would dilute it, Kate would try another flavor, and Sara would drink it if it was offered to her but wouldn't buy it.

Lucozade Energy is a carbonated energy drink that was created in 1927 as a source of energy for those sick with common illnesses. 

Mary: This is not the kind I've had before. It tastes like Red Bull diluted in fizzy water.
Kate: Ugh, there is a really weird aftertaste. Like bad fizzy Gatorade and bitter. 
Pamela: I do not care for the smell of it...or the taste. 
Sara: It is like Kool Aid without sugar. A friend of mine said her mom gave this to her when she was sick. 
Rachael: This is terrible.

Who would buy it: No one.

Lilt is manufactured by Coca Cola but is only sold in the UK, Ireland, Gibraltar, and the Seychelles. 

Mary: It reminds me of a Capri Sun with more sugar.
Kate: It smells like Squirt...tastes like Squirt with pineapple. This would be refreshing on a hot day. 
Pamela: Like a creamy Sprite.
Sara: You could make a fancy mimosa out of this.
Rachael: I like it. I like that the pineapple isn't overpowering. 

Who would buy it: Kate, Mary, Pamela, Rachael, and Sara would take it if it was offered to her.

 Cawston Press Rhubarb is sparkling juice of rhubarb and apple.

Mary: I love this.
Kate: Oh, I like this. I love the rhubarb, it doesn't taste artificial. If you could put this in a crust it would be the best pie ever. 
Pamela: I don't have words...I don't like it at all.
Sara: It tastes like Christmas.
Rachael: The rhubarb is the perfect thing to add to an apple soda.

Who would buy it: Kate, Mary, Rachael, and Sara would take one if offered.

Cawston Press Elderflower Lemonade is like lemon lime soda with Elderflower (a drink made from elderberries).

Mary: I have a love/hate relationship with it. I think I would buy it because I know it would take me a long time to drink. I think this would also be good diluted with Sprite.
Kate: It smells pretty but I feel like I'm drinking perfume. Flower flavors need to be used sparingly. It is too much in a 12 ounce can.
Pamela: I love the smell but I hate the taste. 
Sara: I like it. I would actually buy it!
Rachael: I don't like anything that tastes like flowers, including this.

Who would buy it: Sara and Mary

 Ginger Beer was created in the 1800s as an alcoholic beverage. Now it is a carbonated soda but it is still brewed and fermented and uses real ginger. 

Mary: I love it. 
Kate: I like this because it actually reminds me of ginger root. I really taste the earthy flavor. This would be super good with Chinese food. 
Pamela: It is smoother than Ginger Ale and with vanilla. I could buy this in bulk. 
Sara: It is burning my throat. I don't like it. Tastes too gingery. Like when I eat sushi with ginger. 
Rachael: I love it. I love that it is spicier and more flavorful than Ginger Ale. 

Who would buy it: Rachael, Mary, Kate, Pamela, but Sara would turn down even a free can. 

At the end of the taste test, I had everyone say what their new favorites were of all the sodas we tried. 

Mary: Cawston Press Rhubarb, Ribena, and Ginger Beer
Kate: Cawston Press Rhubarb and Ginger Beer

Pamela: Tizer and Ginger Beer

Sara: Irn-Bru for dessert and Cawston Press Elderflower Lemonade for a refreshing drink

Rachael: Ginger Beer and Tilt

Later on that evening Pamela's husband, Josh, tasted the leftover sodas and ranked them (from left to right). He had quite a different perspective than most of us, so it was interesting to get his input, too. 

*We tasted regular Ribena for this because we couldn't find Ribena Spark, which is the carbonated version. I went to over 20 stores and never saw it. 

A Birthday Feast

I celebrated my birthday with London friends before and after my trip to Amsterdam. It all started with Lisa, Warren, and The Breakfast Club on a Saturday morning. 

I had heard great things about The Breakfast Club and figured that it must be awesome since the line was so long. I got The All American but was a bit disappointed. No breakfast with the word "American" in it should be served with such a small amount of syrup. 

Lisa read about the Scotch Egg Burger at The Star of Kings pub near Kings Cross. A burger with a scotch egg instead of a bun? She knows me very well, indeed. 

These were available at the pub for a limited time and the cashier told us that we got the last ones! I love exclusive things, so I was thrilled to hear that I had the last one of the season. It was so salty! I'm still glad I tried it since it is a combination of so many of my favorite things. 

After I got back from Amsterdam a group of my friends gathered at Dinerama (a gathering of food trucks) for my birthday. I have been wanting to try Mama Wang's for so long and they had a stand there! The hand pulled noodles did not disappoint. It was delicious! Mama Wang's is definitely in my top three list of favorite food trucks. 

Since Warren was there to split everything with me I also tried the lobster tacos from Bob's Lobster. They were also really good. I would definitely get them again. 

Of course, I also got You Doughnut for dessert. Mary was so thoughtful and brought a candle to put in my doughnut 'cake.' 

Me, Pamela, Sara, Kate, and Mary at Dinerama

I am so lucky to have such amazing friends here in London. This was one of my favorite birthdays. 

I'll Have a Blauw Birthday Without You

My birthday was last week and I celebrated by packing my bags, leaving Warren behind, and heading to Holland to visit my sister and brother-in-law. We started out the day with appletaart from Winkel 43 for breakfast. This stuff is amazing!

We went out and explored some other smaller towns in Holland, starting with Edam. 

We made it for the last cheese market of the year. Farmers bring their cheese to the market by boat and they unload the boats by throwing these giant balls of cheese two at a time to each other. 

There were people at the market dressed in traditional clothing who handed out samples to the crowd. 

After the market, we went to Echte Edammer Kaas where they age cheese. We tasted tons of cheese and it was some of the best I've ever had. Definitely bought a bunch to take home. 

Next we headed to Volendam, which ended up being really touristy. We walked around a bit but didn't stay too long. We were mostly there to catch a ferry to the next town. 

The last town we visited was Marken, which was adorable. All the houses were painted dark green and loads of homes had goats, rabbits, or sheep in the backyard. 

There was a place selling poffertjes (little pancakes) that they topped with strawberries and powdered sugar. These were some of the best poffertjes I've ever had! We actually went back for another batch with just butter and powdered sugar, which are still my favourite. 

The whole town of Marken was really cute and not as touristy as Volendam. All three towns combined made for a really nice day. And the weather was perfect!

 For my birthday dinner we went to the Indonesian restaurant, Blauw (the Dutch word for Blue). We ordered the tasting menu so we could try a lot of different things. The food was amazing! 

Jackie, Zach, and me with our dinner

Fried bananas, vegetables, and sweetened coconut were just part of our dinner. I especially liked the chicken with peanut sauce and the curries. 

 I really love prawn crackers with sweet chili sauce. Everything was delicious!

I had a great week celebrating my birthday in Amsterdam. But I also had a fun time celebrating the weekend before and after my trip with my London friends. More on that next time. 

If Truth Be Told...I Met Dave Coaches

Today started off kind of rough. I had a root canal scheduled for 9:15am and it was pouring rain all day long. When I was out running errands I walked past a man who looked a lot like Steffan Rhodri (the actor from The Mentalists, Gavin and Stacey, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I). I caught up to him and confirmed that it was actually Steffan Rhodri! I told him that I loved seeing him in the The Mentalists and Gavin and Stacey. He asked me where I'm from and when I told him I'm from Nebraska he said, "How did you watch Gavin and Stacey?" I said that it was very challenging. He let me take a couple of selfies with him, then he asked my name and shook my hand. 

This might be my favourite celebrity sighting since he was super nice and I actually spoke to him (unlike when I saw Kate Middleton or Hugh Grant). Meeting Steffan Rhodri definitely turned around a potentially bad day. 

Shiny New Things

Living abroad has introduced me to so many shiny new things. I would have never known about these new favourites before I moved here so I thought I would pass along a few of the things I am totally into right now. 

Ginger Beer--This carbonated ginger soda is available everywhere and there are so many brands. It is much spicier and less sweet than ginger ale back home (some brands are spicier than others). I love trying new variations of ginger beer. It has the added benefit that ginger is good for an upset stomach and I've found that ginger beer helps with motion sickness (which can be particularly bad on buses, I've found).

Thornback & Peel--I stumbled across their printed handkerchiefs on Not on the High Street and was super excited to find that they have a store in Clerkenwell. I have now become a regular.

Thornback & Peel has amazing prints including pineapples, sardines, pigeons, rabbits, and many more. They make pillows, tea towels, lampshades...you name it. I originally went in for one handkerchief but ended up getting a lot more than that. 

The new season of The Great British Bake Off (GBBO) is back! GBBO pits twelve contestants against each other to compete for the title of best amateur baker. Each week has a theme (so far this season we've seen cake week, biscuit week, and bread week) with three challenges (signature, technical, and showstopper). GBBO is very popular here and I'm loving watching it live.

Living in London has more to offer than just 'Keep Calm and Carry On' merchandise, black cabs, double decker buses and red telephone boxes. I've discovered a deep affinity for Indian food, high quality locally made handicrafts, and publicly funded television. I came for the shiny bobbles but I stayed for the underlying culture of it all. Britain has so many more layers than I ever could have expected. 

So You Think You Know Britain Part 5

Sharp items (including steak knives) can't be sold to someone under the age of 18 no matter what store. This was at a stationary store but the same applies at hardware stores, grocery stores, IKEA, etc.

One store I miss from America is Target, where you can get just about anything you need under one roof. In London lightbulbs are sold at a hardware store, envelopes at a stationers, soap at a health/beauty store, and milk at a grocery store. The only way I can get them all at once is to have them delivered to my door from Ocado. 

Salad cream is often used on sandwiches and instead of mayonnaise in potato and egg salad. It has the consistency of mayonnaise and a hint of the taste of salad dressing. The only description close to describing it is if you made ranch dressing with mayonnaise. 

Mint is often served with lamb but I don't think Americans eat lamb as often as the English. So seeing mint jelly in a supermarket is something unique to me. 

There are so many more flavours of mayonnaise available in England. The British eat mayonnaise on their french fries and restaurants often have their own specialty version. My favourite is the baconnaise with sweet potato fries at Gourmet Burger Kitchen. 

I'm sure this happens a lot of places but I hear a lot of people complain about having spotty mobile phone service in their flat. I saw this lady trying to get reception out her window. 

I was surprised to see that it is common that a blowdry and style is not included in a typical women's haircut here. You often have to pay more if you don't to leave with wet hair. 

Queen's English as a Second Language Part 9

Tickety Boo--in good order or fine, as in "How are your classes going? Is everything tickety boo?" I wasn't sure if I'd hear this now since it is old fashioned (you hear it said in Call the Midwife) but a friend of mine has a professor who still says it. 

Rubber--eraser, as in "a good mum makes sure her children pack a rubber in their pencil case." This one really caught me off guard because in American English, a rubber is another name for a condom. Let the double entendres begin!

Choc ice--ice cream bar (typically a rectangle of vanilla covered with thin chocolate), as in "If you eat your vegetables you can have a choc ice after dinner." 

Loads--lots, as in "I've had loads of fun" or "We have loads of jammy dodgers in the cupboard." 

Stuff--a bit harsher than the word "forget" but not quite as harsh as a curse word. But definitely used to express anger. As in "They ran out of Harry Potter tickets. Stuff them!"

Prezzy--present (I think this is actually an Australian word), as in "You'd better bring me a prezzy from Paris!"

Hoarding--a billboard or barrier over a construction site, as in "I wonder what they are working on behind this hoarding." 

Chin Chin--cheers (but only used when drinking), as in "Here's to our trip to Rome. Chin Chin!" It comes from the sound of the glasses clinking. 

I found another restaurant with some cockney rhyming slang written out. I couldn't find examples for all of them, but here are the definitions. 

Hampstead Heath--teeth, as in "Better put me hampsteads in."

Scotch Eggs--legs, as in "Blimey, did you see the Scotches on her?" (I got this from a book, I didn't write it)

Swannie River--liver

Pie and Liquer--vicar

Stop and Go--snow

Skin and Blister--sister, as in "She's my skin and blister."