Food-related things I didn't know existed before I moved to London
Plus The Joy of Snacks and a literary supper club with Otegha Uwagba
A friend from work told me that all that books I recommend on Cheers! are depressing (Hi Sam!). He is absolutely right. So to prove that I take feedback well, I went out of my way to find a “happy book”.
The task proved to be extremely challenging as apparently my reading taste is based fundamentally on trauma, loss, and conflict of any kind.
Luckily, I was listening to Caroline O'Donoghue’s podcast Sentimental Garbage the other day. The guest was Laura Goodman talking about her second book, The Joy of Snacks. After drooling for the entire episode listening to Caroline and Laura talk about the meaning of crispiness (and unadvisedly going to the shop afterwards on an empty stomach), I ordered the book.
Just look at this cover – it does what it says on the tin. Joy! Crisps! Fun!
This book has been a really lovely read. One of my favourite things Laura does is list out miscellaneous Life Snacks she’s had over the years as they relate to memories and her favourite Snackettes.
Some of my favourites:
A crab sandwich eaten pregnantly on a rock in Newlyn, Cornwall, despite vague concerns about ingesting too much mercury
Sweet chilli coated peanuts at my friend Kate’s tiny flat in Islington. She had a foldaway cupboard for a kitchen, which was fine because we were both heartbroken and eating badly. There was no dinner to ruin by eating too many coated peanuts, and that was something
A chunk of mozzarella with an anchovy pressed up close
This book got me thinking about the way living in London has changed what I eat. When you move to a new place, food is one of the first things that tells you that you’re not in Kansas anymore. The brands of the chips (crisps!), the name of the supermarkets, and the produce available all look a little bit different. Having lived in London for five years overall, it’s easy to forget how at one point so many things were brand new to me.
(To this point, when I started my new job leading a European team, one of the sales reps on my team showed me the accounts in his territory. Staring at the list of unrecognisable brand names on the screen, I asked, “What’s Sainsbury’s?”)
So here’s a (non-exhaustive) list of food-related things I didn’t know existed before moving to London:
Sunday Roast
Sunday Roast was the first food thing I noticed when I arrived in London. During those honeymoon-phase weekends wandering around my new city alone, I was surprised by the amount of pubs advertising their Sunday Roast on chalkboards out front. (Reader: London has over 3500 pubs and it was almost every pub.)
Sunday Roast is a traditional roast dinner — usually served with a protein (chicken, pork, beef), roasted vegetables, gravy, and a Yorkshire pudding. Sunday dinner is traditional for families in many cultures, but I was still surprised by what a fixture Sunday Roast is in the UK.
Without family nearby, Sunday roasts became a way for me and my flatmates to gather on a semi-regular basis with our chosen London framily. It was (and is) the first plan I book in for any loved ones visiting London — carefully selecting the right pub to increase the chances that they would fall in love with the ritual as much as I did. Roast is a way to enjoy birthdays, going aways, day dates.
If you’re wondering, what’s the big deal about a roast dinner? Just imagine having Thanksgiving every week — but better because it’s not turkey.
Squash
Not the gourd. Not the sport. The cordial.
Squash is a sugary syrup that you add to water. It’s not quite juice, and it’s not quite a soda. Squash isn’t available in America (To my British readers, yes it really isn’t. I googled it to make sure because Charlie didn’t believe me) This seems weird because squash is probably full of the extra sugar and food colouring that we Americans thrive on.
I only discovered squash when I started dating Charlie and saw his family drinking it. When we were sitting in his parent’s back garden on a hot summers day, I did think it strange that his sister’s reply to their dad asking if anyone wanted a drink was “Squash please.”
I immediately pictured a pumpkin.
Squash has become my favourite hangover cure, a substitute for when I’m trying not to drink alcohol, and a good way to get hydrated and a little boost of energy when I’m feeling reluctant to head to a workout class.
Squash “Cherries & Berries” holds a particularly special place in my heart because the first time I had some was on my first trip to Cornwall with Charlie’s family last August. It was all I drank or ate for twenty-four hours when we all came down with a stomach bug. You’d think that would put me off it — but I love it all the more for sustaining me through one of the longest days of my life.
Sausage Rolls
Sorry to all my vegetarian followers, but I love living in a country that is this obsessed with meat.
Sausage Rolls are a British staple and are exactly what the title says: sausage meat wrapped in flaky pastry. There is no greater feeling than waking up on a Saturday morning with nothing better to do than walk over to the butcher for this porky snack. Biting into the crunchy, buttery pastry of a savoury sausage roll is the easiest way to soak up all the alcohol from the night before.
The experience of the sausage roll is made even better by where you buy it. There is a proper butcher (sometimes multiple) in every neighbourhood in London. I love that this makes buying meat feel like an event. Yes, most days I appreciate the frugality of buying my extra large package of Chicken Thighs from Tesco for under £5. But there’s nothing like sampling a brand new sausage or marinated pork belly, splurging on the fancy brand eggs that only the butcher carries, and having some friendly banter back and forth with the butchers who’ve started to recognise you as regulars.
Porn Star Martinis
A Porn Star Martini is a passion fruit martini made with vanilla vodka. Which, let’s be honest, sounds sickening.
In my first year in London, my best friend from work introduced me to them at a company celebration. I loved them so much that I had six and then felt nauseous for 48 hours. But when enjoyed in moderation (Two maximum) and in warm weather, the Porn Star Martini is a delight.
Created in London in 2002, the Porn Star Martini was the most named the most popular cocktail in Britain in 2022.
When I mentioned the cocktail to American friends a couple of years ago, they confirmed that they had never heard of them.
After all, you would remember the name if you had.
But recently, this sweet martini has been getting some coverage across the pond. My best friend from Boston sent me this Bon Appetit article exclaiming, “She’s going mainstream!!!!”
My favourite London Snacks:
Percy Pigs - Original Veggie
Cadbury’s Dairy Milk Marvellous Creations
Tesco’s Caramelised Onion Hummus
Tayto’s Rough Cuts Bang Bang Spicy Thai Crisps
Sensations Thai Sweet Chilli Peanuts
Outside of the food itself, the language and etiquette around food as an ex-pat is a mine field. I will still never get over that dessert is called “pudding” here. I will always picture chocolate goop when that word is said. There are manners I didn’t knew existed — like making sure your knife and fork are left together on your plate to signal to the waiter that you’re finished with your meal.
Potentially one of the most egregious misnomers for millennial Americans arriving in the UK is the use of the phrase “double fisting”. In the US, this is something you say to someone when they have two drinks in their hands. In the UK, this is known as being “double parked.”
Double fisting has an entirely different meaning in the UK.
I would encourage you not to google it on your work laptop.
The highlight of my week was attending an International Women’s Day Literary Supper Club hosted by bestselling author Otegha Uwagba with readings by Tolani Shoneye (Co-host of The Receipts podcast & Bestselling author of Keep the Receipts) and Harriet Gibsone (Guardian columnist and author of forthcoming memoir Is this Ok?).
I’ve recommended Otegha’s memoir We Need to Talk about Money on Cheers! before, and I was lucky enough to see Tolly interview Dolly Alderton at the launch of Dolly’s most recent book (Dear Dolly) a few months ago. So when I saw Otegha post about the event on Instagram, I immediately booked a ticket.
I was nervous to go the event by myself. Getting ready and walking to the venue felt very similar to the effort and nerves that come when you’re going on a first date. Besides the writing retreat I attended last summer hosted by Farrah Storr, I've done very few literary events. I felt a bit of imposter syndrome beforehand— was I really worthy of a spot at this “literary” supper club?
But I was delighted to find that the twenty-odd women who attended the event were nothing but friendly and fascinating — coming from all different backgrounds and careers. (Some of them now subscribe to this newsletter — hello!). Otegha was a consummate host, making the rounds to introduce herself to all the attendees from the beginning and having a lovely chat with us over the delicious three-course dinner.
Tolly and Harriet’s readings were gorgeous and funny. Tolly read from a work that is in progress, and I was in awe of her sharing it with us. I know how difficult it is to share your work — especially one that you’re still tinkering with. I can’t wait for the next thing she publishes, as if the reading is any indication, it will be an entertaining and moving read.
Harriet’s memoir “Is this Ok?” is out on May 25th and I have already pre-ordered it! Her reading had all of us laughing out loud — and cringing with recognition. Although she is a long-time Guardian columnist, this is Harriet’s first book. Pre-orders are huge for authors — especially debut authors. If it sounds like something you’re interested in, definitely give it a pre-order!
This event was like a big hug. It reminded me how many people there are in London that share my interests. We might be in different day jobs and from different countries. But we’re all reading the same books and articles. It was so lovely to be in that space to celebrate International Women’s Day.
There’s talk of turning this event into a series, and I will definitely be joining for a second round!
Cheers to the weekend and cheers to you!
Kelley
This made me laugh out loud, Kelley! Goodness me, I'd never yet read the word 'fisting' on Substack - I declare you a pioneer in the use of dubious vocabulary! 😉😮🤣
My SIL is from the US and we have many a giggle about what stuff means in our two varieties of the English language. I can't think of any snack food examples (apart from, perhaps, 'chips'!), but 'whenever', 'ottoman' and 'surgery' will ALWAYS raise exasperated eyebrows in conversations between us!
I absolutely agree with not quite understanding Sunday lunch to begin with after moving here. But now it is a regular fixture in our lives (one Californian, and one Brit), even for a non-meat-eater like me. It seems like the most wonderfully civilised way to slow down, enjoy family and friends, and some good food. Thanks for capturing all those feelings so well!