International Vocabulary

BRITISH ENGLISH to AMERICAN ENGLISH

NOTE:  Most of the following were written while cooking & baking out of cookbooks during the 1980s in England.

INGREDIENTS

beef drippings = bacon fat

Black Pudding is a kind of sausage made of pig's blood, suet, breadcrumbs, & oatmeal, usually sold ready-boiled; it's fried and served with mashed potatoes or bacon.

black treacle = close to our molasses

brown ale = a beer

castor sugar = regular white/granulated sugar; some say superfine granulated sugar

cider = a type of English beer

cornflour = cornstarch; U.S. "cornflour" is finely ground cornmeal.

courgettes = zucchini, generally thin & shorter than 8"-or-so in length; the larger are called marrows.   

demerara sugar = granulated brown sugar (not common to us)

desiccated coconut = shredded coconut

digestive biscuits = graham crackers

double cream = whipping cream

gammon = ham

gelatine = Knox gelatin, only dissolve Knox according to usual method as per directions on the box & then proceed.

golden syrup = similar to our light Karo syrup

icing sugar = powdered/confectioner's sugar

Lancashire cheese = a cheddar of sorts

marrow = zucchini, generally larger than 8-or-so inches; the smaller are called courgettes. 

mixed peel = candied orange, lemon, pineapple, etc. peels

orange marmalade = bitter to many Americans; a #1 seller in England; has strips of orange rind in it.

plain chocolate = semi-sweet

prepared mustard = what we spread on hot dogs & sausages (vs. dry)

quince = of the apple family; not for eating raw, but or baking, jams, etc.

rolled oats = dry, quick-cooking oatmeal

sausage meat = pork sausage meat

seedless raisins = raisins

single cream = like Half & Half

smoked streaky bacon = a thick, slab bacon

soft brown sugar = our regular brown sugar

stock = beef broth, usually

streaky bacon = regular bacon

strong plain flour = all purpose white flour

sultanas = golden raisins

treacle = dark (Karo) corn syrup; could possibly substitute light molasses, but it'll be a modified flavor; (experiment)

vanilla essence = vanilla flavoring, extract

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

ADDITIONALS  -  BRITISH  to  U. S.

cling-film = Saran or Handi-wrap (the clear, see-through film)

deep cake tin = spring form pan or other 3" high sides

flan tin = quiche or tart pan

greaseproof paper = an unwaxed paper, i.e. parchment

to grill = broil

polythene bag = pastic bag

pudding basin = ovenproof bowl or "pudding mold" for baking

stoned (as in fruit) = pitted

Swiss roll tin = jelly roll pan, but usually half our 11 x 17"

tartlet tins = shallow muffin tins, sometimes w/sloping sides

whisk eggs = beat, whip eggs

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

ENGLISH RECIPE VOLUMES  -  BRITISH   to   U. S.  

1 teas. & 1 Tbls. are the same in British & the U. S.

2 Tbls.  =  2.5 Tbls. U. S.

4 Tbls.  =  5 Tbls. U. S. 

_ _ _ _ _ 

4 oz. flour  =  1 cup U. S. 

8 oz. sugar  =  1 cup (granulated sugar is twice as heavy as flour)

1 lb. icing sugar  =  3 c. powdered sugar

8 oz. rice  =  1 cup uncooked

1 kilo, kg, kilogram = 1.2 pounds (18 oz.)

_ _ _ _ _

1/4 pint  =  2/3 c. liquid U. S.

1/2 pint  =  1 1/4 c. liquid (10 oz.)

3/4 pint  =  2 c. liquid (16 oz.)

1 pint  =  2 1/2 c. liquid  (20 oz.)

1 1/2 pints  =  3 3/4 c. liquid (30 oz.)

2 pints  =  5 cups liquid (40 oz.)

1 liter = a bit more than 1 U. S. quart = 4 cups; (32 oz.)

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Information to come another day regarding words and terms of various languages which have become part of the American baking & cooking vocabulary.