Rah Rah to Cheerleading!

I have decided to try my youngest daughter in a cheerleading club in the fall.  They cheer for a local rugby club.  I have had her on the waitlist for gymnastics at the local leisure center for some time and thought this might be a good second option.  Supposedly, cheerleading is one of the fastest growing 'sports' in the U.K.  We have a handful of university squads in our area and a few dance schools offer it up as well.  There however seems to be some controversy on whether cheerleading is actually considered a sport though.  It's unique combination of dance, gymnastics and drama doesn't equate to sport in

some peoples mind. I look forward to my daughter learning the positive cheers,

 tumbles, splits and dance routines.    

Happy 4th of July

Most 4th of July's I've spent away from the U.S. have been quiet. We might frequent a KFC and call it a day. This year we decided to have a little 4th of July celebration.  On the menu was chicken wings, hot dogs and pulled pork, with some mac n cheese and potato salad.  For desserts, brownie cake and key lime pie.

The Key Lime Pie was the star.  I can't remember the last time I made it, but the Joy of Baking recipe I used this time was simple and fool proof......digestive cracker crust (instead of graham cracker) , topped with a mix of 3 egg yolks, 1 can sweetened condensed milk and 150ml fresh lime juice. (I opted out of the whipped cream topping this time).  I did have to bake it a bit longer than the 15 minutes it said, but I find that quite common with my oven over here for some reason.  Both the kids had 2 helpings so no leftovers, I'm afraid. 

                                       Happy 4th of July!

Polony Bologna

My favorite sandwich as a kid was bologna with mayo and pickle.  I had a revelation this morning when I opened a small sausage like package of Pologny Slicing Sausage and found out it is just like a good American Bologna. Evidently, the Brits have been eating it since about the 16th Century.  It was the Tesco Value Brand (I love Supermarket value brands)....150g for 54p.  My bologna has a 'new' first name.

Cornbread in UK

My family and friends always like it when I make cornbread. It's just one of those things that you can't really get here unless you make it homemade. That and corndogs! But that is a whole other post.   It took me a while to source the right kind of cornmeal for my cornbread. I initially tried some polenta that was partially cooked and that really didn't work.  Finally, I came across Natco brand cornmeal (sold in ASDA & Tesco). They sell both yellow and white cornmeal and it is quite reasonable.  I started doing a little baking for the Country markets in my area.  I mostly make brownies but I have sold some of my cornbread as well. I have had to rebrand it here as Polenta, though when I do sell it, to get the British to even try it! 

Snowshill Lavender Farm

Tucked a bit out of Oxfordshire but nearby popular tourist stops, Stow on the Wold and Bourton on the Water.  The Farm is worth going to for great photographic opportunities and to try their special Lavender teas, Lavender Scones and shortbread. It's not a huge place and can probably be done in 1-2 hours or less depending on how far you want to walk around the fields. A good place to bring a picnic lunch.   It was interesting to see all the different varieties of lavender some of which they sell at the giftshop. I bought some lavender essential oil (great to put on bruises) and culinary lavender oil.  This year the fields are suppose to be at their finest the first couple of weeks in July.  They also have a small field where sunflowers grow in August. 

TKMaxx and Homesense

I recently discovered TkMaxx does online and has a sister store called Homesense.  It has been around for 3 years and only has about 24 stores in the U.K.  None in Oxfordshire yet. Our closest ones are Gloucester and Reading. It is just like the home section of TKMaxx, only bigger.   I recently went to one at the Trafford Centre and found myself a bit delighted coming away with American Laundry Detergent and a ice cream sandwich mold.  

Updates on American Food Chains

I seem to have a common theme of food going on here. Subway keeps growing and growing and I heard there are more subway chains in the world now than McDonalds! There are over 1399 subway restaurants alone in UK.  We have 10 of them now in Oxfordshire.  I am in West Oxfordshire and we just recently had one open here in the Carterton/Brize Norton area, inside a BP petrol (gas) station. I really love their salads. I also noticed that Papa John's Pizza has arrived in the area and there is now one in Rose Hill, Oxford.   Outside of Oxfordshire area,  in the Milton Keynes Shopping Center, they have Quiznos Subs and Annies Pretzels. Also, heard there is a couple of Outback steak houses just outside of London.