Thinking ahead of time here before the big trip and looking at something my mother would appreciate, which is making preserves, particularly marmalade. Before she's been able to get Seville oranges to make marmalade but, it's been a few years. Is there a store in London, Bath or, around the Cotswolds that specializes in or, has a particularly large assortment of items for making preserves?
Posted by
Ontario, Canada
6226 posts
I doubt there is anything unique to preserve making in the UK, aside from the ability to find the Seville oranges. Anything else is readily available in any supermarket at home. And you can't bring foreign fruit into the US.
Posted by
Preston UK
1497 posts
In any event Seville oranges are only available in the early part of the year, mostly January. And if they were here you couldn't take them home.
Posted by
Lincolnshire, UK
2656 posts
When in Bath, go and find Lakeland on 21 New Bond Street. They specialise in homeware and particular cookery products. They sell tins of Home Cook Make your own Marmalade. This come as either thin or thick cut Seville Oranges or else Lemon (as well as everything needed to make your own preserves. )
Alternatively you may find the main supermarkets also sell the tins. As well as Home Cook, look out for Robertsons Ma Made.
All you do is add sugar and water. The marmalade is surprisingly good too.
Posted by
Arctophilia, Northamptonshire, England
35122 posts
another vote for Lakeland.
Make sure that the can is acceptable at the border.
They have all the supplies and kit. Make sure the weight and size won't mess up your luggage allowances.
There are Lakelands all over the country except London. The branch in Witney is convenient for the Cotswold too.
Posted by
UK (London - Chelsea Harbour)
302 posts
Not to pile on, but: third vote for Lakeland! Their stuff is high quality, not expensive, and sooooooo cute! :-)
If you were to move from preserves as a theme to pies, you could pick up some of their totally adorable traditional pie tins, in white enamel with a blue beaded edge. Useful, well made, and darling! Also, quite light to pack.
Posted by
OP
San Francisco, CA (USA)
573 posts
Thank you for all the replies.
As I dug a little deeper with my mother, in the past she had been using Hartley's Ma Made(!) but, claimed she couldn't get it in the US anymore. Quick search on Amazon and low & behold it's now listed as Robertson's and, there's a variety of sellers from the UK able to ship. Thanks for the hot-tip on Lakeland, sounds like a similar home goods retailer to what we have in the states called Williams-Sonoma and Sur LaTable.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
49 posts
Lakelane is not like Sur la Table, it is a real hardware and homegoods store in my opinion. Lot of fun to shop there. One item I've purchsed there for friends back home who make jam are the jar labels and to covers, they're so cute!
Posted by
14 posts
There is an amazing kitchen shop in Stow on the Wold, The Crock Shop.