Do you like to eat toad-in-the-hole?

Its many varieties appear to be popular in the U.K.

No!!, I love them.

It's a British staple. Yes, yes, and Yes!!

Anna, you are my spirit animal. <3

I've seen a few US folks have it over here and are blown away. It's basically a huge Yorkshire Pudding (preferably made from scratch), cooked with some good quality sausages embedded in it, and doused in really good, thick gravy. It's to die for, not even kidding.

One thing I miss about Merry Ole 🇬🇧 is the food for sure.

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on April 18, 2025, 06:25:15 PMDo you like to eat toad-in-the-hole?

Its many varieties appear to be popular in the U.K.

There is only one 'variety'.. that is Wall's bangers and a Yorkshire pudding as big as yer face.. lashings of Bisto and maybe, just maybe (as a special treat) a dollop of mint sauce on the side or Coleman's mustard.. I would say it is a northern thing (northern England) rather regional.. the Londoners can have their pie and mash with liquor.. The Scottish their boiled sheep's stomach and the Welsh have their Rarebit or Lava bread.. But 'up north' we know how to feast...

Living in the USA I have to have the Bisto flown in.. but the sausage, and coleman's is readily available, and making the 'pud is something I learnt to do as a kid.

Quote from: SoupSarah on April 18, 2025, 06:52:43 PMThere is only one 'variety'.. that is Wall's bangers and a Yorkshire pudding as big as yer face.. lashings of Bisto and maybe, just maybe (as a special treat) a dollop of mint sauce on the side or Coleman's mustard.. I would say it is a northern thing (northern England) rather regional.. the Londoners can have their pie and mash with liquor.. The Scottish their boiled sheep's stomach and the Welsh have their Rarebit or Lava bread.. But 'up north' we know how to feast...

Living in the USA I have to have the Bisto flown in.. but the sausage, and coleman's is readily available, and making the 'pud is something I learnt to do as a kid.

Yeah, Sarah, you get it. Girl after my own heart. <3 Colemans all the way.

You can take the girl out of the North but you can't take the North out of the girl... <3

Oxo vs Bisto... Discuss...

Being a  Lancastrian I love it. 

With a dollop of mash and peas its as good as a roast.

Quote from: davina61 on April 19, 2025, 03:52:07 AMWith a dollop of mash and peas its as good as a roast.

You must also like "bangers and mash" too!

I am exploring the Internet to try to find places that serve UK style food.
But, I am limiting the search to cities for which I may actually be there or am planning to be there perhaps someday.


Chrissy

I would not dream of eating a toad yuk, poor toad too

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on April 19, 2025, 07:14:44 AMYou must also like "bangers and mash" too!

I am exploring the Internet to try to find places that serve UK style food.
But, I am limiting the search to cities for which I may actually be there or am planning to be there perhaps someday.


Chrissy

Chrissy, just make your own. It's way less hassle.

For the best mash, get yourself a potato ricer. Amazon sells them. Boil potatoes in a pan until soft. Put them in the ricer, squeeze into a bowl. Add a small amount of butter, milk, salt and pepper, and mix until smooth. This is a personal thing but I would also suggest a spoonful of cream cheese. For the sausage... that's likely harder over there. Because everything seems stuffed full of crap. But... if you can get a really good quality sausage, gently pan fry, or air fry with a touch of spray oil. Mix together and you're done.

yeah so sausage in the USA is wildly different from sausage (what we call sausage) in the UK.. American sausage, often called 'breakfast sausage' is quite course, has no filler (bread as in the UK) and is heavily seasoned and usually has a sage aftertaste.. British sausage (what we call a banger) is very soft minced pork , lightly seasoned with pepper and ground together (minced) with bread or rusk to absorb the juices more. UK sausage is plump and even tender, inside a crisper skin, whilst the American stuff is more meaty and herby.

The British varieties of sausage (like Cumberland or Linconshire) can not be found, even Irish sausage is unheard of. However, you can buy some really, really good 'German' sausage, Brats and other varieties that are much much closer to the UK banger. I particularly like some of the Polish style sausage available here and those would make quite decent 'bangers and mash' and indeed, that is something I regularly feed my hubby.

On the 'mash' topic..  using a ricer or masher is a very British thing.. the thought of me ever using hydrated potato (smash in the UK) was horrific.. I have chastised many an American when they even suggested the idea of making mash from a packet.. that was until I tried their version .. and I must admit it is rather good. Idahoan mash, in packets, comes in loads of 'flavours' and is very easy to make and, seriously, I find it very hard to tell the difference from my lovingly crafted, riced, buttered and seasoned mash that takes me a while to make, to this packet stuff that literally is boiling water and mix.. It is available in the UK too.. I am quite a fan and rarely mash now.

So, Bangers and mash in the USA is a real possibility.. Use 'Turkey Gravy' (sold in jars in the grocery store!!) as the 'Bisto' and it is then only a small step to making your own batter, and enjoying 'toad in the hole'.. Its very easy and makes an amazing (and very British) meal.

Quote from: Sephirah on April 19, 2025, 05:32:16 PMChrissy, just make your own. It's way less hassle.

For the best mash, get yourself a potato ricer. Amazon sells them. Boil potatoes in a pan until soft. Put them in the ricer, squeeze into a bowl. Add a small amount of butter, milk, salt and pepper, and mix until smooth. This is a personal thing but I would also suggest a spoonful of cream cheese. For the sausage... that's likely harder over there. Because everything seems stuffed full of crap. But... if you can get a really good quality sausage, gently pan fry, or air fry with a touch of spray oil. Mix together and you're done.

Okay.

Quote from: Sephirah on April 19, 2025, 05:32:16 PMChrissy, just make your own. It's way less hassle.

For the best mash, get yourself a potato ricer. Amazon sells them. Boil potatoes in a pan until soft. Put them in the ricer, squeeze into a bowl. Add a small amount of butter, milk, salt and pepper, and mix until smooth. This is a personal thing but I would also suggest a spoonful of cream cheese. For the sausage... that's likely harder over there. Because everything seems stuffed full of crap. But... if you can get a really good quality sausage, gently pan fry, or air fry with a touch of spray oil. Mix together and you're done.

Never had a ricer before.

Quote from: SoupSarah on April 19, 2025, 05:46:43 PMyeah so sausage in the USA is wildly different from sausage (what we call sausage) in the UK.. American sausage, often called 'breakfast sausage' is quite course, has no filler (bread as in the UK) and is heavily seasoned and usually has a sage aftertaste.. British sausage (what we call a banger) is very soft minced pork , lightly seasoned with pepper and ground together (minced) with bread or rusk to absorb the juices more. UK sausage is plump and even tender, inside a crisper skin, whilst the American stuff is more meaty and herby.

The British varieties of sausage (like Cumberland or Linconshire) can not be found, even Irish sausage is unheard of. However, you can buy some really, really good 'German' sausage, Brats and other varieties that are much much closer to the UK banger. I particularly like some of the Polish style sausage available here and those would make quite decent 'bangers and mash' and indeed, that is something I regularly feed my hubby.

On the 'mash' topic..  using a ricer or masher is a very British thing.. the thought of me ever using hydrated potato (smash in the UK) was horrific.. I have chastised many an American when they even suggested the idea of making mash from a packet.. that was until I tried their version .. and I must admit it is rather good. Idahoan mash, in packets, comes in loads of 'flavours' and is very easy to make and, seriously, I find it very hard to tell the difference from my lovingly crafted, riced, buttered and seasoned mash that takes me a while to make, to this packet stuff that literally is boiling water and mix.. It is available in the UK too.. I am quite a fan and rarely mash now.

So, Bangers and mash in the USA is a real possibility.. Use 'Turkey Gravy' (sold in jars in the grocery store!!) as the 'Bisto' and it is then only a small step to making your own batter, and enjoying 'toad in the hole'.. Its very easy and makes an amazing (and very British) meal.

I admit, I do not do any sort of potato product that comes in a packet. It just feels all kinds of wrong. Goes against every fiber of my northern being, lol. Considering I spent a good portion of my childhood picking them out of the ground for pocket money. But... if anyone knows how to condense food into an astronaut feeding system, it's the US.

I wouldn't call a ricer a British thing, though. Most people where I live have never heard of them. They just have your bog standard potato masher and rely on elbow grease and lumpy mash.

This sounds like yuck

Quote from: Tig58072 on April 19, 2025, 07:19:14 PMThis sounds like yuck

Try it. You might like it.

The whole thing is very simple. You put boiled potato into the uh.. cage? And squeeze down on the handles. And it spurts through the holes. No lumps. Better than packet stuff.

Quote from: Sephirah on April 19, 2025, 07:46:12 PM

The whole thing is very simple. You put boiled potato into the uh.. cage? And squeeze down on the handles. And it spurts through the holes. No lumps. Better than packet stuff.

This is what I used to make spaghetti ice cream. Use soft vanilla ice cream and squeeze it through for the noodles. Then top it with semi-frozen strawberries for the "sauce" and meatballs. You can grate a little white chocolate on top to resemble Parmesan cheese.

Quote from: Lori Dee on April 19, 2025, 07:50:24 PMThis is what I used to make spaghetti ice cream. Use soft vanilla ice cream and squeeze it through for the noodles. Then top it with semi-frozen strawberries for the "sauce" and meatballs. You can grate a little white chocolate on top to resemble Parmesan cheese.

Mhm, it's a very versatile bit of kit.