So what have we missed from or about the UK?
well here is our lists (as its changed over 4 years) and the solutions - the first list is general, the second is food and drink related
what things we miss
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the solution
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family and friends
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some visit us and we have visited the UK
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UK TV - well some of it anyway For Ted mostly sport, for Jan detective series
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For Ted there is the compensation of most Premier League matches live on Melita Cable. For Jan its watching old episodes on Hallmark,
Living, Granada (but its a channel for the Arab world) and BBC Entertainment (everything on it is years old)
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And specifically Cricket on the TV
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we have the ball by ball commentry on www.cricinfo.com
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A decent choice in books and cds
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we use www.play.com
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Jan misses radio 2
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she listens on the internet, and doesnt even have to listen live, shows are available for a week after going out on the ordinary radio
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what food and drink we miss
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the solution
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Ted misses draught English bitter
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well there is the odd trip to the UK and M&S sell bottles of Burton Brewed IPA, Scotts Supermarkets sometimes have bottled
Youngs Chocolate Stout(!) and Shepherd Neame Spitfire and Bishops Finger and Hansa in Qawra sometimes have Shepherd Neame Bishops Finger too
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Belgian beer
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Well we did when we arrived here 4 years sgo but now there is beer from Van Steenberge which we import and sell to the bar and restaurant trade and deliver to consumers homes
- see www.thebelgianbeershop.com.mt Then there's Duvel and Maredsous which we source locally and also sell to consumers from the website and there's Leffe and Hoegaarden at the George at Qawra who also buy our beers |
Staffordshire Oatcakes
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Unless from the Potteries you probably have not come across these. But in Malta , Freds Sweets on Gozo produce "Plain Pancakes" that are similar.
They are available from Scotts Supermarkets. But we found a recipe on the www and occasionally make our own,
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Proper English Sausages
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We dont mean plain fatty supermarket sausages, we mean the speciality ones. Some Maltese sausages tend to be salty but during our 4 years here we have seen more availability of both
imported and locally produced Lincolnshire and Cumberland and we have discovered less salty Maltese ones |
hard/crumbly white cheese like cheshire, white stilton or wensleydale
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Well that was 4 years ago now Scotts supermarkets, which seem to be a member of NISA of the UK are offering some
interesting British cheeses. They have cheshire and wensleydale.
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Tesco - well 4 years ago it was some of their own label foods like Texan style tomato and chilli relish and popadums -
which now we cant even get from
Tescos when we visit the Uk now!
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But Scotts Supermarkets have Bicks BBQ Relish and it tastes like how we remember Texan style tomato and chilli relish tasting
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Pork Pies - not something we ate often in UK but one of those traditionally English things that seem nicer when not readily avaible
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Miracle Frozen Food used to sell frozen Bowyers Mini Melton Mowbray Pork Pies but at present they don't
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Oxo cubes - apart from beef
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Beef are easy to get but not Chicken or Vegatable and the alternatives are salty and fattier. We ask friends to post us packets!
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And what dont we miss from or about the UK
The British weather
British Newspapers
British TV - well most of it