Tag: recipes

I’ve noticed that I spend a lot of time raving about my new home life. I’m still in the “shiny and new” stage I suppose. That doesn’t mean that there are not elements of my old home that I don’t miss. Several have come to mind recently. In fact, I plan to be sure to have all of them wrapped into my visit at the end of November. Each one has sat as a small hole in my heart, waiting to be refilled on a return to the states.

Now you may be wondering what those few things are. Or you may not. Either way I’m going to tell you. Unless you decide right now to stop reading, but then it’s on you. If you are okay going through life with this small mystery in your mind…letting it grow…encompassing more and more of your thoughts until you can’t take it anymore! Well then that’s on you.

Just for clarification, I’m not mentioning all the wonderful people in my life who I truly do miss. Thank goodness for Zoom and WhatsApp!

Here they are, in no particular order:

1. Blue cheese salad dressing. I KNOW! I’m not quite sure why I am unable to find it anywhere in my corner of England. Perhaps because it is too French? Too posh? Too deliciously flavourful? Mind you, there are plenty of other types that are easy to come by. Honey mustard, French (hey, wait a minute. There goes my theory) Italian, ranch. And I know, I could simply buy some bleu cheese and make my own. It’s not the same. I want to grab a bottle of Wishbone Dressing and pour it on.
2. Jersey Tomatoes and Corn. There’s no getting around this. The fresh fruit and vegetable access here is great, but there will never be any way to replace the best. I was okay going for a whole summer with no corn fritters and no fried tomatoes, but that gives me a year to figure out a way around it.
3. The extremely hot weather. Ha! Tricked you. I’m loving the idea that a “heatwave” is in the mid 80s and lasts no more that 2 days. As opposed to 90+ and lasting for weeks on end. It would be like me saying I miss getting up at 5:30 am on Sundays, or having to drive everywhere. So no, I don’t miss the heat at all.
4. (Or the real 3:) Cynicism. More specifically, the opportunity to be cynical. Here’s a scenario – I order something that is to be delivered in 30 minutes. I wait over 45. Now, in NJ this is cause for righteous anger. I mean, how dare they! No tip for you. And a rotten review online. (Now it’s 50 minutes) TWO rotten reviews online. This is awful.

Then there’s a ring at the door. Perfect. Grab my keys and all my pent up anger. Swing open the door to see a young man with his bicycle, standing in the rain, my package carefully protected from the weather. “I am so sorry, I do not have a car, so this took a long time with the rain.” Stick a pin in me, clearly my privelege is showing. So I take my package, tell him it’s not a problem, tell him to be safe on the slick roads, and pull out my app to up his tip. I mean, really. Defeated by an honest apology.

Overall, there are few things I miss. Outweighed by the positive: walking everywhere, pleasant people smiling and saying hello, conversation on the buses, not starting work until 9 a.m. (Let’s be honest, I said 9 a.m. because I don’t want you to know I often don’t get going until 10.) Pleasant pubs with good food, good drinks, and football on the TV. If this is the shiny/new stage, I hope it lasts. Because I’m willing to trade off that bleu cheese dressing for the joy of being in Reddish.

UPDATE: You aren’t going to believe this. I was lamenting my salad distress with Sarah, the owner of my local coffee shop. She went into the back, came out with a catalogue and said she could order some. I thought that was such a sweet gesture. Then, a few days later, I was waiting at the bus stop and she came running out to tell me the dressing was here! I can neither confirm or deny that I ate a salad every day for the next 9 days. But I can confirm that it was heaven, and I’ve been incredibly lucky to find her shop. One checked off the list. And if you are ever in Reddish, be sure to stop at Sykes Coffee House. Best coffee, best food, best people.