My Trip to London: Observations...

[Stella]

Wow, I've been London based since '99 and I've yet to find a place that sells decent Scrumpy, thanks for the tip fella. Cider = mmmmmmmmmmmm

Try going down to the south west - say, Somerset: The Home and Cider and Scrumpy.

What you've drunk in London is probably a poor relative...

 

[jelloshotsrule]

and I am partial to rowers (just not the really really skinny/lanky types). I like me some meat.

i know just the person for you then!

 

[devilot]

i know just the person for you then!

Yes I know, when I first started posting more on MR we exchanged a few PMs... it was fun to chat about a common interest other than Apple.

 

[Ugg]

Mmmm. I'll take a doner any time of the day. (Is is spelled 'doner' or 'donner'? All the places I saw in France spelled it with one 'n', but that might just be the French spelling.)

In Germany it's döner.

 

[kwajo.com]

That is London - baby!

you should visit St. John's Newfoundland

 

[iGav]

Try going down to the south west - say, Somerset: The Home and Cider and Scrumpy.

What you've drunk in London is probably a poor relative...

Cornwall makes the best scrumpy IMHO, some of the brews I've had down there. Yummy. it's because of the storms they get... they need the strong stuff.

That said, it's also really easy to stumble upon farm micro breweries in Devon, Somerset and Dorset that produce really plum ciders, though I do have to be careful... because I have a reaction to some ciders that causes my throat and uvula to swell, making it sometimes difficult to breathe and often makes me gag... Dry Blackthorn is the worst cider for doing that to me, my preferred cider is Strongbow, which is a moderately strong, crisp, dry cider

For the record though, London has a rich history of brewery and micro brewery production, particularly regarding ales which I'd bet were unmatched by anywhere else in the country.

 

[iGary]

Scrumpy Jack is what I remember. Liked that stuff.

 

[iGav]

Scrumpy Jack is what I remember. Liked that stuff.

I like Scrumpy Jack too it's a strong, dry brand cider, much like Strongbow or Dry Blackthorn for example.

It's not to be confused with proper scrumpy though.

 

[Lau]

t's not to be confused with proper scrumpy though.

iGav, right, my bloke's parents brought us some scrumpy from a brewery in Devon, and it was literally undrinkable. It tasted like a farmyard smells, if that makes any sense. It was soo strong tasting, and the taste weren't good. It was so strong tasting, in fact, that after we decided it was undrinkable, I used a bit of it in a chicken casserole, as in about a cup in a casserole for 6, and I had to leave the room whilst it was burning off the alcohol, because the smell was so bad, and even later, after 3 hours cooking or so, the casserole tasted very faintly of it.

My question to you is - is that normal? Is that what hardcore scrumpy tastes like? I'm sure I had Scrumpy Jack in my youth and it was fine. I'm partial to a cold, dry cider, but this was awful. If that is what scrumpy is supposed to taste like, remind me to steer clear.

 

[iGary]

iGav, right, my bloke's parents brought us some scrumpy from a brewery in Devon, and it was literally undrinkable. It tasted like a farmyard smells, if that makes any sense. It was soo strong tasting, and the taste weren't good. It was so strong tasting, in fact, that after we decided it was undrinkable, I used a bit of it in a chicken casserole, as in about a cup in a casserole for 6, and I had to leave the room whilst it was burning off the alcohol, because the smell was so bad, and even later, after 3 hours cooking or so, the casserole tasted very faintly of it.

My question to you is - is that normal? Is that what hardcore scrumpy tastes like? I'm sure I had Scrumpy Jack in my youth and it was fine. I'm partial to a cold, dry cider, but this was awful. If that is what scrumpy is supposed to taste like, remind me to steer clear.

Cider and beer is about the only thing remotely culinary we can thank you Brits for.

 

[EGT]

Cider and beer is about the only thing remotely culinary we can thank you Brits for.

Marmite? HP Sauce? Worcestershire Sauce? Tea? The Sandwich!?

... Haggis? !!

I'm going to New York next Saturday. Looks like i'm gonna have to smuggle some nice food with me.

 

[MacRy]

Cider and beer is about the only thing remotely culinary we can thank you Brits for.

You cheeky bugger! We've given the world.......erm....there's the.....mmmm.....erm....the......hmmm......fish & chips?

 

[Applespider]

Cider and beer is about the only thing remotely culinary we can thank you Brits for.

Whisky? With haggis, naturally!

When I go out to visit my friends, I have a backpack full of McVities Digestives, Cadbury's Milk, ale and whisky. We introduced her to a Scottish delicacy this time, tablet - a very, very sweet candy made with condensed milk and sugar - that's now added to the list for next year.

 

[iGary]

Well, I do like HP. Good stuff, bought some back with me.

Honeycomb toffee is the schnizzle. I bought back like two cases of it in 2001.

I would have bought some Scrumpy jack back, but I was afraid it would break.

You guys suck at breakfast; end of story.

Shrimp Scampy (your style) is actually quite good.

So candy, yeah you guys are good at candy and beer.

Fish and chips - yeah, that was good - got mine in newspaper at some seedy joint near the gay area (wherever that was) in London.

And I used to LOVE single-malt Scotch whiskey. Then I puked on it one night after consuming WAY too much. Now I can't even smell it without gagging. Pity, really.

 

[MacRy]

You guys suck at breakfast; end of story.

*gasp* How can you say that? The great english fryup is legendary. This coming from a nation that has icing on french toast and steak for breakfast!

 

[EGT]

You guys suck at breakfast; end of story.

Is it the beans? A whole tin of 'em with a nice fry up (must have hash browns) Ahhh.

They go with anything. Beans on toast ... just beans ... beans with mashed potatoes etc.

 

[gwuMACaddict]

*gasp* How can you say that? The great english fryup is legendary. This coming from a nation that has icing on french toast and steak for breakfast!

agreed...

i think that english breakfast is amazingly delicious

 

[iGary]

Is it the beans? A whole tin of 'em with a nice fry up (must have hash browns) Ahhh.

They go with anything. Beans on toast ... just beans ... beans with mashed potatoes etc.

Beans and stewed tomatoes and the greasiest eggs on the planet.

<insert puke emoticon>

A real breakfast is pancakes, maple syrup, over easy eggs and nice crispy bacon.

Mmmmm.

 

[MacRy]

A real breakfast is pancakes, maple syrup, over easy eggs and nice crispy bacon.

Eggs, bacon and SYRUP! Seriously that's just wrong.

 

[iGav]

iMy question to you is - is that normal? Is that what hardcore scrumpy tastes like?

Depends on who brewed really, the type of apples etc even the strong stuff should be drinkable though. I've yet to stumble across anything that was not drinkable, actually that's not true... my ex-girlfriends vineyard produces not very nice wine but that's another story. You can get different strength scrumpy's though... although the really good stuff is frequently unmarked.

I think I remember you posting about your 'scrumpy' in another thread... it had plastic bottle that looked like a stone one and the bottom had 'popped' out yes? oh... and the bottom popping put is completely usual for scrumpy in a plastic container, and funnily enough the bottom should automatically pop back in once you've consumed it.

I drank a bottle of something similar in June one afternoon, damn was it good sh*t too.

 

[Plymouthbreezer]

I love Boston, so I'd probably love London.

 

[Lau]

Depends on who brewed really, the type of apples etc even the strong stuff should be drinkable though.

Thanks. Either I'm a big girl, or it was bad scrumpy.....