Caz 25 Posted August 15, 2007 Report Share Posted August 15, 2007 OK..what I was going to ask is, I have noticed in some of your postings relating to food in particular,that you appear to have a problem sourcing what we call Pommy foods. Is that just in your area or is it Canada generally? I always assumed there were a lot of Poms/Scots/Irish folk living there etc, so there would be a call for all that homeland nostalgic type of grub?Another question I wanted to ask is does Canada as a whole have areas where migrants have settled in large numbers or are you spread out all over the place?The reason I ask is , not so much here in Victoria but cetainly in Western Australia some parts are known as little England, & thats just as an example. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Anne Posted August 15, 2007 Report Share Posted August 15, 2007 Well me duck..seeing as I've only just got up...I'll have to get back to you on this one..but I will. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Limey 242 Posted August 15, 2007 Report Share Posted August 15, 2007 I can't speak for Anne, but around here most English foods are fairly easily obtainable (for a price). Even our local mega-market (Meijer) stocks Bird's custard, Heinz beans, tinned steamed puddings (including spotted dick), Branston Pickle, Pickled Onions, Salad Cream, PG Tips, etc. Some of the other more "exclusive" places carry more stuff - including clotted cream and tinned mushy peas! When I lived in Mississauga (Ontario) I could also find most of the British items I needed! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Frank 13 Posted August 15, 2007 Report Share Posted August 15, 2007 That's all well and good Limey - but the question now is - are you prepared to pay for the privalige or have you sucummed to the local snap?? !hungry! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Anne Posted August 16, 2007 Report Share Posted August 16, 2007 Hi Caz..I think it's where I live that is the problem getting British foods. Like Limey says places like Mississauga close to Toronto probably have a larger selection in their supermarkets than us here. I don't know about the rest of Canada..it's a big country you know..the second largest in the world. When I go to Hamilton (know it Limey?) there is a store there called Denningers that specialises in foods from other countries. I buy my pork pies from there and freeze them when I can. Like Australia..every-one here is an immigrant...or their parents were or their grandparents. Canada compared to England is a new country. Years ago Scottish immigrants landed in Nova Scotia ( New Scotland) while the immigrants from Ireland landed in Newfoundland. The rest of Canada is what they call a melting pot of every nationality imaginable. Yes...some of the immigrants are often inclined to settle in the same areas, so we do get Italian and Portugese and Chinese etc areas in the big cities. Before we arrived the Indians, who I believe were chased up here by Custer from the States were the first settlers, they still live on their reserves. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Caz 25 Posted August 16, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2007 Thanks for filling me in Anne. What made you leave old blighty? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Limey 242 Posted August 16, 2007 Report Share Posted August 16, 2007 That's all well and good Limey - but the question now is - are you prepared to pay for the privalige or have you sucummed to the local snap?? !hungry! LOL! A bit of both actually! I will admit that I enjoy a good steak, hamburger and even a hot-dog on occasion. However, I do make a mean roast beef WITH Yorkshire pud, and I am prone to breaking out the spotted dick and custard from time-to-time! If Mary has an evening meeting, I will have beans on toast - something Americans just do not understand! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Frank 13 Posted August 16, 2007 Report Share Posted August 16, 2007 Beans on Toast ....mmmm It's like coming back home after a week in a hotel in Spain - anything to eat (after living on it for a fortnight) except CHICKEN!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Anne Posted August 17, 2007 Report Share Posted August 17, 2007 Reasons for leaving good old blighty...God it's been such a long time I'll have to think about it. I always wanted to see other countries..especially Australia or Canada. I guess emigrating was as good a way as any of doing that..I couldn't afford to travel the way I would have liked. I also wanted a better life for my kids than I had. As to whether it was the right thing to do...who knows. Beans on toast..mmm I like em too. I've heard Canadians ask if everybody in the UK eats them because on Coronation Street they serve them all the time in Roys Cafe. !hungry! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Limey 242 Posted August 17, 2007 Report Share Posted August 17, 2007 I had beans on toast for me dinner last night! Washed down with a nice glass of Shiraz! Kinda odd if I think about it, a Brit, living in the states, eating beans-on-toast and drinking Australian wine! Mary is convinced I am nuts - but what do those colonials know? Slightly different topic - our local supermarket went out of business about 6 weeks ago and a somewhat "upscale" chain bought the premises and opened up two weeks ago. Last night I discovered they have a small, but decent, "British" section complete with Typhoo and PG Tips, Branston Pickle, and (my all time favorite), McVities Chocolate Digestive biscuits! They also have Roses marmalade and Robertsons jam! !! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted August 17, 2007 Report Share Posted August 17, 2007 What kind of price do you pay for these things Eric? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
katyjay 5,091 Posted August 17, 2007 Report Share Posted August 17, 2007 We still eat beans on toast, the grown up kids included. [and American grandson, he loves them] My hubby always sprinkles curry powder on his. The baked beans are passable here, but the sauce they're in is not a patch on the UK ones. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Limey 242 Posted August 17, 2007 Report Share Posted August 17, 2007 What kind of price do you pay for these things Eric? Oh, it aint cheap! An 80 count box of PG Tips teabags is about $4, and Roses marmalade is also about $4. I'll check on some of the other items next time I am there but they seem in-line with what other import places are charging. We know other Brits who won't pay these prices and say "why don't you buy it in England and bring it back with you?" - I agree, but a trip to England ain't cheap either! The biggest problem I have with stuff over here is freshness. Not a problem with canned or bottled items, but teabags can go "off". Fortunately, they seem to have a decent turnover of those so usually it is O.K. - There was a small local "British Foods" store that also stocked crisps - but they tended to be a bit on the stale side after sitting for a year or more! Needless to say, that store is no longer in business! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted August 17, 2007 Report Share Posted August 17, 2007 Just off to our local Morrisons I will find you the prices of your list ,and make you sick when I tell you LOL We can get Beef Jerky over here now ,it's about a quid for a tiny packet 100 grammes I think , I tried it twice and both times it made me feel sick so I have given up on the idea of ever being a cowboy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Limey 242 Posted August 18, 2007 Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 I was off on the teabags - $7 for 80 PG Tips! Other prices were about right - and my choccy biccies were $4.99 for a 250g container! Cowboys? In Cheshire? Somethin just aint right with that picture! !rotfl! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Anne Posted August 19, 2007 Report Share Posted August 19, 2007 Wow Limey $7 for 80 PG tips..that's pretty expensive isn't it. I bet the choccy biscuits were worth every penny though LOL Nooo I can't really imagine even one cowboy in Cheshire singing "I'm an old cowhand..by the Rio Grande" So Calgary it has to be in 2008 BF. The last two weeks of July are always expensive anywhere you go.. it's the peak season so if you have to have those two weeks you'll just have to pay up. If you do go to Calgary, you'll have to go to Banff and Whister. I've been to Banff and love it there..the mountains are fantastic and elk wander through the town. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Limey 242 Posted August 19, 2007 Report Share Posted August 19, 2007 Wow Limey $7 for 80 PG tips..that's pretty expensive isn't it.I bet the choccy biscuits were worth every penny though LOL Nooo I can't really imagine even one cowboy in Cheshire singing "I'm an old cowhand..by the Rio Grande" So Calgary it has to be in 2008 BF. The last two weeks of July are always expensive anywhere you go.. it's the peak season so if you have to have those two weeks you'll just have to pay up. If you do go to Calgary, you'll have to go to Banff and Whister. I've been to Banff and love it there..the mountains are fantastic and elk wander through the town. Good skiing too! But not in July! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted August 19, 2007 Report Share Posted August 19, 2007 I have a very good freind who lives in Cochrane and we intend to base ourselves there. It's not far from Calgary to the East and Banff is off to the West but well within driving distance I tried skiing once but there was no snow,I'll tell that story another day Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bip 88 Posted August 19, 2007 Report Share Posted August 19, 2007 Not wanting 2 sound condescending but I 2 have been 2 Banff, whistler and Calgary on a Hockey trip some years ago now. We had a great time out there and yes the countryside was beautiful even though when we went it was wintertime and the snow in whistler was several feet thick. If my fading memory serves me right isn’t there a very large hotel in whistler the name escapes me at the moment which I believe every year have ice sculptors. Lake Louise rings a bell, if so, my wife god bless her and I have walked upon that frozen lake also we caught the C train 2 the ice rink in Calgary also walked the length of Banff high street, which again if my fading memory serves me right isn’t all that long. Had a Brunch meal in the revolving tower they have in Calgary, the hotel we stayed in was only across the road from that, it has a covered wagon outside. While we were in Calgary we paid a visit 2 where Eddy the Eagle made his first sky jump 4 Great Britian from, also we went up the ski tower from where he made it. Weren’t the 19** Olympics held in Calgary? The trip was an organised one taking in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Vancouver, and Edmonton where there is the larges indoor shopping centre and finally Calgary. Paid a visit 2 Niagara Falls and went on a helicopter flight over the falls also down in the tunnels that are at the bottom of said falls. Been up Toronto’s tower CN, stood outside of Ottawas Capital Buildings and watched them make giant ice sculptors and seen the famous steam clock 2. Been over the lion bridge in Vancouver also which was nice, the coldest place we visited was Ottawa, it was that cold that just taking a breath hurt. Bip. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Anne Posted August 21, 2007 Report Share Posted August 21, 2007 I've been to Cochrane..we stayed overnight there before taking the Polar Bear Express...that is quite an experience. If you get back to Banff BF...you can take an old tram right to Chateau Lake Louise. As BIP says Lake Louis is gorgeous..when I saw if it was frozen and turquoise in colour and you can see the glazier in the distance at the far end of the lake. BIP it sounds like you practically did it all in one condenced trip. You are right about Ottawa..during the winter it is so cold it does hurt to breathe. Did you see them skating on the Rideau Canal?? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Anne Posted August 21, 2007 Report Share Posted August 21, 2007 I'm not too sure which Whistler Hotel you mean BIP...it could be either Delta Whistler Hotel or Fairmont Chateau Whistler but I am pretty sure they have ice sculptures outside. Every winter in Quebec they build a complete hotel out of ice..absolutely everything is made from ice..they do give you some kind of fur covers for your beds though!! Banff High Street isn't very long..and the gorgeous little town is surrounded by snow capped mountains. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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