Cookery - UK versus N. America

Whilst struggling to interpret an American recipe I came across this
handy translation guide:
http://marycontrary.tripod.com/food/charts.html
--
Bruce Fletcher
Stronsay, Orkney UK
"I went to a restaurant that serves 'breakfast at any time'. So I
ordered French Toast during the Renaissance." (Peter Kay)

"Bruce Fletcher (remove dentures to reply)"
wrote in message ...
Whilst struggling to interpret an American recipe I came across this handy
translation guide:
http://marycontrary.tripod.com/food/charts.html
--
Thanks Bruce, this will be useful. But a further translation: North
American-pertaining to the continent of North America, which includes the
United States of American and Canada
American-pertaining to the United States of America.

Canadian cooks are bilingual--recipes usually appear in metric and imperial
measures. (I prefer to cook in metric, but keep "old" measures around for
old cookbooks plus American recipes)

I found it interesting to see how Canada bridges the linguistic gap, using
some American terms and some British terms (this might differ somewhat by
region). And sometimes we go off on our own--neither scallions nor spring
onions, but green onions.

Dawne

"Bruce Fletcher (remove dentures to reply)"
wrote in message ...
Whilst struggling to interpret an American recipe I came across this handy
translation guide:
http://marycontrary.tripod.com/food/charts.html
--
Bruce Fletcher
Stronsay, Orkney UK
"I went to a restaurant that serves 'breakfast at any time'. So I ordered
French Toast during the Renaissance." (Peter Kay)

Thanks Bruce, that answers a LOT of questions!!
Carolyn, UK

"Bruce Fletcher (remove dentures to reply)"
wrote in message


Whilst struggling to interpret an American recipe I came across this
handy translation guide:
http://marycontrary.tripod.com/food/charts.html
--
Bruce Fletcher
Stronsay, Orkney UK

I did happen to notice, on further study of the tables, that it does not
mention the main difference between U.K. "icing sugar" and North
American "confectioners sugar".

Icing sugar is pure sugar, very finely ground. Confectioners sugar has
a small amount of cornstarch added, supposedly to avoid lumping. This
means that it will not make real royal icing,(the kind which sets like
concrete). Nowadays, if I want real royal icing I can go to my local
import shop and buy icing sugar. In past years, I had to take regular
sugar and grind it really finely, a small amount at a time, in my
blender. Mind you, my dh says he prefers the American kind, it makes it
easier to cut the Christmas cake (yes, Gillian, I still make one, old
family recipe, complete with marzipan, royal icing, piped flowers on
top, the whole bit).

Olwyn Mary in New Orleans

Olwyn Mary wrote:

"Bruce Fletcher (remove dentures to reply)"
wrote in message


Whilst struggling to interpret an American recipe I came across this
handy translation guide:
http://marycontrary.tripod.com/food/charts.html
--
Bruce Fletcher
Stronsay, Orkney UK

I did happen to notice, on further study of the tables, that it does not
mention the main difference between U.K. "icing sugar" and North
American "confectioners sugar".

Icing sugar is pure sugar, very finely ground. Confectioners sugar has
a small amount of cornstarch added, supposedly to avoid lumping. This
means that it will not make real royal icing,(the kind which sets like
concrete). Nowadays, if I want real royal icing I can go to my local
import shop and buy icing sugar. In past years, I had to take regular
sugar and grind it really finely, a small amount at a time, in my
blender. Mind you, my dh says he prefers the American kind, it makes it
easier to cut the Christmas cake (yes, Gillian, I still make one, old
family recipe, complete with marzipan, royal icing, piped flowers on
top, the whole bit).

Olwyn Mary in New Orleans

Olwyn Mary

want to hear of the last Christmas cake I made?? Disaster all the way.

Jim and I were together, unmarried, but SOs. WE lived in Maryland. We
were invited to Miami for the Christmas holiday to be with the old MIL
and the rest of the tribe. I thought I would make a real English
Christmas cake. I made it in November, marinated it faithfully; I had
all the ingredients to make marzipan and icing ( I don't like it hard,
so always added a smudge of glycerin..my Mum's trick.).

Well we arrived in Miami; it was about 85 degrees, hot as hell...and we
were in the RV in the front yard. Her house had no A/C...just open windows.

At the right time I made the marzipan, and slathered the stuff on the
cake. I then made the icing, and put that on the cake. In my family we
had Father Christmas and Trees on the cake; I had bought some, and
decorated with that. It really looked good, and my Mum would be proud of me.

I took it into the old lady's kitchen, and it sat there for a few hours
until they were ready to eat it. (No-one EVER was in time for a meal in
that place),,maybe why I hate Miami.

By the time we were ready for the cake, I took the inverted tin off the
plate.....you guessed it, the whole damn stuff had slid off the cake and
was puddled around the cake.

That is the last Christmas cake I ever made!! About 23 years ago.

Gillian

Olwyn Mary wrote:

"Bruce Fletcher (remove dentures to reply)"
wrote in message


Whilst struggling to interpret an American recipe I came across this
handy translation guide:
http://marycontrary.tripod.com/food/charts.html
--
Bruce Fletcher
Stronsay, Orkney UK

I did happen to notice, on further study of the tables, that it does not
mention the main difference between U.K. "icing sugar" and North
American "confectioners sugar".

Icing sugar is pure sugar, very finely ground. Confectioners sugar has
a small amount of cornstarch added, supposedly to avoid lumping. This
means that it will not make real royal icing,(the kind which sets like
concrete). Nowadays, if I want real royal icing I can go to my local
import shop and buy icing sugar. In past years, I had to take regular
sugar and grind it really finely, a small amount at a time, in my
blender. Mind you, my dh says he prefers the American kind, it makes it
easier to cut the Christmas cake (yes, Gillian, I still make one, old
family recipe, complete with marzipan, royal icing, piped flowers on
top, the whole bit).

Olwyn Mary in New Orleans
here in Canada we can buy super fine sugar. works great
ruby

Olwyn Mary wrote:

"Bruce Fletcher (remove dentures to reply)"
wrote in message


Whilst struggling to interpret an American recipe I came across this
handy translation guide:
http://marycontrary.tripod.com/food/charts.html
--
Bruce Fletcher
Stronsay, Orkney UK

I did happen to notice, on further study of the tables, that it does not
mention the main difference between U.K. "icing sugar" and North
American "confectioners sugar".

Icing sugar is pure sugar, very finely ground. Confectioners sugar has
a small amount of cornstarch added, supposedly to avoid lumping. This
means that it will not make real royal icing,(the kind which sets like
concrete). Nowadays, if I want real royal icing I can go to my local
import shop and buy icing sugar. In past years, I had to take regular
sugar and grind it really finely, a small amount at a time, in my
blender. Mind you, my dh says he prefers the American kind, it makes it
easier to cut the Christmas cake (yes, Gillian, I still make one, old
family recipe, complete with marzipan, royal icing, piped flowers on
top, the whole bit).

Olwyn Mary in New Orleans
I make royal icing on a fairly regular basis to decorate my over-the-top
cookies. I find that mixing some meringue powder into the
confectioner's sugar does the trick - you can make it as stiff or soft
as you like for piping and it dries like rock candy.

MelissaD

On Nov 26, 6:31*pm, Olwyn Mary wrote:
"Bruce Fletcher (remove dentures to reply)"
wrote in message
Whilst struggling to interpret an American recipe I came across this
handy translation guide:
http://marycontrary.tripod.com/food/charts.html
--
Bruce Fletcher
Stronsay, Orkney UK

I did happen to notice, on further study of the tables, that it does not
mention the main difference between U.K. "icing sugar" and North
American "confectioners sugar".

Icing sugar is pure sugar, very finely ground. *Confectioners sugar has
a small amount of cornstarch added, supposedly to avoid lumping. *This
means that it will not make real royal icing,(the kind which sets like
concrete). *Nowadays, if I want real royal icing I can go to my local
import shop and buy icing sugar. *In past years, I had to take regular
sugar and grind it really finely, a small amount at a time, in my
blender. *Mind you, my dh says he prefers the American kind, it makes it
easier to cut the Christmas cake (yes, Gillian, I still make one, old
family recipe, complete with marzipan, royal icing, piped flowers on
top, the whole bit).

Olwyn Mary in New Orleans

A short video on the behaviour of icing

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xp7...bohmiens_music

Dora

bungadora wrote:

A short video on the behaviour of icing

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xp7...bohmiens_music

Dora

Very good!!

Olwyn Mary in New Orleans

"lucretia borgia" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 29 Nov 2008 08:24:49 -0800 (PST), bungadora
opined:

A short video on the behaviour of icing

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xp7...bohmiens_music

Dora

Too funny Dora.

Actually the rules do not apply to the icing sugar in NS, it is put
out by Atlantic Sugar and is simply powdered sugar, I don't know what
you get in Alberta though.


Here in Florida, and back in New York, it was called different things, but
they were all supposedly identical. At least I was told that they were
interchangeable and never had a problem. IIRC it was either confectioners,
superfine, icing sugar and there was one more but I don't remember what it
was called.