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British foods in France, special treat or everyday


idun
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Eymet has been on british news a couple of times and showed the British food shop there.

Along with these programs ie new life abroad etc, it would seem that people 'need' their beans, HP and tinned pies etc etc.

We love such things, but we always had them as real treats. In fact the only thing that we had to have, I mean, had to have, was decent tea and fortunately eventually Carrefour started doing some, although they do not any more.

First time I saw a tin of beans after I moved to France was actually in Geneva and I paid a £1 for it, probably 20p or less in the UK. And in truth we would stock up a little when we went back to England, but no enough to eat anything more than say monthly or more, so a special treat.

It has made me wonder how folks diets actually change when they move to France. Embracing local produce, or using the traiteur, tinned french foods, frozen french foods, or just supermarket food.  All of which my french entourage do. The last three being the most predominant, economy  and time for preparation I suppose for those working.

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Wot is an idioyacht ? LOL.

Anyway, put any of those Eymetmupets in a hot suburb of Lyon, Grenoble, Paris or 'real' France and they will be crying their eyes back to Brexit Britain with their tails between their legs.

"Let us back in, we love you Boris".

Got no time for these people "oooh I want to be French"'. "I'm European". "People who voted Brexit are racist". "They don't embrace Europe".

Feck off.
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We bring UK products to France, for ourselves and indeed for French neighbours. As Idun says you can get certain UK things here but they do tend to be expensive. On the other hand, our car is just as loaded when we return with French goodies for ourselves and UK family etc. We make the best of both countries and their local treats. I must say I do agree with ALBF on Eymet, whenever it is shown on TV it makes me cringe. Last year we actually visited and stooped for coffee, we weren't impressed. We love the Loir et Cher. LOL
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Nick, like you, we get the best of both countries in most ways: food, of course, plants and seeds, clothes and shoes.

As to Eymet, well, each to their own.

ALBF, there are many areas round the big French cities that I am sure that neither you nor your wife and kids would be comfy visiting, so why make such a sneering point, or are you jusT bored with being a househusband!
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We were friendly with the english lady who sells british foods in the Gers markets. She has always done well, with many french customers too.
I always bought bread flour from her, usually Doves Farm brand.
I know you probably don't agree, Idun, but I think french bread flour is rubbish.
Otherwise we bought french.

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When I first moved to France and lived in a city, we bought flour directly from one of the artisan bakers. And then one fine day, it was full of grubs and I never went back urrgggghhhh!

After that I just bought cheap and cheerful and had very successful bread.

Once I did try and buy proper french bread flour and did a testing. One batch cheap and cheerful and the other, stuff probably 5 times the price. Did a blind testing with my french neighbours. They said that the dear stuff had more flavour, and then when I put some butter on it, yes I know that that is not quite french, but they happily tried too and could not tell the difference.

Recently I have been buying strong flour from Asda, as it is about the same price as plain flour, cannot say that I can tell the difference.

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I think ( hope) the longer you are here the more you tend to find alternatives. We used to bring baked beans but actually now we have supermarket haricot beans in tomato sauce ( with a dash of bbq sauce) and find them just as good. But then I was never a baked bean snob as some are ( Heinz or nothing!) Only must haves are good tea bags, marmite and horlicks. We do fetch other stuff back but not because we MUST have them. And I agree that car is as full going to the UK with stuff for our daughter and my parents. My Dad (93) loves tinned pommes dauphinoise and French soups.
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What no salt Lehaut?

I cannot use dried yeast, so never bought a bread machine as no one with one we know who uses one, has ever told me that I could use fresh in one. My husband is very seriously ill if he has dried yeast.

And so I make bread from scratch and thoroughly enjoy it, and have been teaching a friend recently.

Hand kneaded bread follows the following, 1 2 3.

Beautiful imperial measurements, which I appreciate no end and know that that is why we had our old fashioned measurements to start with, so nothing 'imperial' about it, just 'practical'.[:D]

1       =    I pint of water

2       =    2lbs of flour any will do

3       =    slightly rounded teaspoons of salt

Plus of course a little yeast and for that I would use about half an oz of yeast, no more and I wouldn't use more if I was making up three 3lbs of flour and just a tadge more if making up up to 7lbs.

A friend of mine once made up bread without salt as she never likes cooking with salt and she was very upset as it was actually tasteless, it was awful, so always used it afterwards. Hence my question Lehaut.

I must add that using so little yeast the proving time is extended, which is fine, as the yeast can do it's thing.

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I think it depends on what type of bread you like, we all make whatever suits our taste.
I've never used a breadmaker machine, but a few years ago husband bought a Kenwood with a dough hook which takes out all the hard work of kneading.
We like wholemeal bread, I use Allinsons, 60% wholemeal, 40% white. And I add a tbsp of black treacle to the warm liquid. Also some salt to the flour mix. As you say essential, Idun.

We can get fresh yeast from a Jewish bakery where we live now.  But I don't like their white bread  (challas etc.)  Too dry.

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Good idea to add sesame seeds to the dough. We bought a big bag of them online, just to sprinkle on top after the egg glaze. But they need to be used up before  the oil in them goes rancid.
I use sunflower oil in the dough. and sometimes honey instead of sugar.
We like moist, sweetish bread.

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I hardly use sunflower oil any more. I used to, did for years and years and years, but it is not what I thought it was, at all.

Scientific testing showed strangely that for frying at a high temperature, lard was the very best. Sunflower about the worst.

I still have some in, but have to watch the dates these days.

Here is a link (should be live)  and I watched the program on the BBC when it came out, with Dr Michael Mosley.

I realise that you would not eat lard Pat. Just passing on what I saw.

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Forgetting about lard, in which all my chips and other fried food was cooked from an early age, and doesn't seem to have done me that much harm, when I want English things like Colman's mustard, horseradish and mint sauce, I have found them available from on-line French sellers at similar or cheaper prices than from suppliers in England.

And quicker, cheaper delivery [:)]

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