Chixe

Borough Market is good for perishables while you're here.

For really good chocolate, the best place you can go is (IMO) L'Artisan du Chocolat, 5-10 minutes walk from Sloane Square tube station. An more central alternative is La Maison du Chocolat in Piccadilly. That's a French chain, rather than English, but quite tasty.

Both are ridiculously expensive but oh, so good.

Fortnum and Mason, Harrods and Selfridges will all do you a good line in very pricey non-perishables. (Avoid Harrods on the weekend. Nightmare to walk through) Otherwise Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury's are the supermarkets where us commoners go for biscuits and things. Marks & Spencer's and Waitrose are the higher-end supermarkets.

What sort of biscuits and teas do you like, where you're from?

Stock up on Earl Grey. That's all you need.

As Rich said - Ear Grey tea is king.

Thornton's for chocolates. Cookies, erm not that good to take home for too long but great are actually Sainsbury's oatmeal and raisin (maybe on my own there). Tea - meh I am coffee drinker but you could get some earl grey to be 'english'. Jam - oddly enough you'd have to go with Bon Mamon (not sure on spelling) but that is insanely good and yes I know not strickly british.

If you fancy being different this is the 'care' package we sent to a mate in the US. All of these you can get from most supermarkets - no harm in being different. I have no clue whether you can get any of these where you are.

1. Kellogs Cornflakes.
2. Weetabix.
3. Heinz backed beans.
4. Shortbread.
5. Packet of fishermen's friends - hate them think ungodly BUT nothing says a UK winter like them.
6. Heinz tomatoe ketchup.
7. A box of Bachelors cuppa soup - any flavour it's just a main stay.
8. Pot Noodle.
9. Kit Kat.
10. Marmite.

That's what most of us commoners eat. Well, bar the pot noodle - you eat that at your own health risk.

Ooh. Bring me some shelf-stable meals. Oh, just kidding.

Weetabix, Heinz Baked Beans, and Marmite are all available in the U.S. I saw Marmite last night at my neighborhood chain grocery store. It was in the baking section, which makes sense because it is made of yeast, but also doesn't make sense because it was the only non-ingredient/sandwich spread in the baking section. Yes, I was freaked out.

Weetabix is in the cereal aisles here and Heinz Baked Beans (plus other Brit canned foods) are at (Cost Plus) World Market.

I say, purchase duty free goods on your way out of the airport (yes, on your way into England), then you can pack them in your suitcases for your trip home.

By 'duty free goods' I mean booze.

Are Kit Kats from the UK different?

Are Kit Kats from the UK different?

Chocolate bars' ingredients are different all around the world (unless they're an import). Different contries prefer a different flavour of chocolate so there are regional varieties -- just like Coke.

So yeah I wouldn't be surprised if there was a regional variance in kitkats

I'm not sure where you're coming from OffTheBroiler, but if you wanted to bring me some Mountain Dew, you'd be more than welcome =) That's near-on impossible to find around here.

See, that will be me never having been the US and hence not having a clue.. I stand corrected and embaressed by my lack of ever having been there (yes I am probably one of those few that hasn't gone there, I so want SXSW one year to be my first US visit...).

I think that the neatest thing to get would be things you see back home but in regional flavors. I recently received Green Tea Kit Kats from Japan. Neat stuff.

Maybe Marmite-flavoured Kit Kats?

Tam- Come to America! It is a fantastical and unbelievable continent! Also, Austin is very fun and cool.

Flakes!!! Oh man i miss flakes. Yummy.

Marmite, and tomato sauce. UK ketsup is so different then the ones here in the US.

I remember when I went over to an 'authentic British tea room' in MA they described what Ribena was on their menu.

You have Ribena over their?

Also, remember to stock up on our sweets (candies)!

When I was in the UK, I brought back a random selection of digestives, Cadbury chocolate and Scrumpy Jacks (cider beer). One can find digestives in the States at gourmet food stores and other markets, but it's not the same.

Now if only there was a good way to get the yummy 40 pence baguettes back...

Earl Grey tea is the topper.
Second in line, scone mix, all flavors.

Oh get some real english mustard and horseradish if you can't get it there too!

Just don't use it like you might use your wussy american mustard or you might blow your head off.

I thought HP Sauce was the only thing you ever needed. Goes with meat, chips, sandwiches, muesli, ice cream, chocolate... You can even just drink it from the bottle.

Well, perhaps not that, but then again: I am addicted to it.

I think you should get yourself along to a farmer's market and get some authentic, produce made by small scale producers. We're in Devon and we have great food - hand made chocolate and biscuits as well as loads of handmade jams and chutneys. Try a cream tea if you venture out of London or a pasty - great food from The West Country! or if you're staying in self catering get something delivered for your arrival by shopping online from someone like us (www.thelocalfoodcompany.co.uk) or Riverford Organic (www.riverford.co.uk) or Own Online (www.ownonline.co.uk). Enjoy your trip!
Dee

I have friends & relatives who live in Canada, they are usually after UK chocolate! Here's a few suggestions:

1) Cookies/Biscuits:
Double Decker

2) Jams/Preserves:
Mmm, not sure about this one.

3) Teas
Scottish Blend teabags (a common request by canadian friends!)

4) Anything else?
Barrs Irn Bru (fizzy drink)

The Farmer's market is a great suggestion too, check one out if there's one near where you'll be.

A few other things you won't find commonly in the US

1) Salad creme. They don't use hardly any dressing over there, but they use this. It's like a dumbed down ranch. Texture a bit closer to mayo, flavour almost nonexistant. I'm pretty sure it has a huge shelf life before opening.

2) Crisps! They have all sorts of potato chip flavours you'll never find in the states.

And as a perishable note, one thing I love in england but it's a good thing I can't get easily over here: black pudding.

Salad cream is based on vinegar and oil. It never goes off. And I'm not sure what you tried when you thought you were eating salad cream because it has a very strong flavour -- mainly from the vinegar and mustard.