Heinz Baked Beans: English style

There aren't that many foods I miss over here in America. I'm certainly not one of those Englishwomen abroad who spends her days dreaming of playing supermarket sweep in the sausage section of Myers of Keswick on Greenwich Street before sipping cups of cruelly over priced Earl Grey in Tea & Sympathy, (surrounded by curious Americans) and moving onto (a portion of) fish & chips (vinegar, wrapped) at A Salt & Battery just up the block.

But Heinz Baked Beans get me every time. I've ranted about it before but I really do object to paying several dollars for imported cans of them over here. (American Heinz Baked Beans are a very different beast: more molasses, very sweet, very odd to an English palate.) Which is why I eat a lot of them when I go back to England. Babysitting for C the other weekend, she realised there was no supper for me.

Not a problem, I replied, lead me to the larder.

And, sure enough, as in all proper English homes, was a supply of the red gold. Even more impressive were the new microwave portions: I know they aren't very environmentally friendly but for a one person supper, they are super convenient.



I cooked them for twice as long as recommended, so they went super-sludgey, then toasted thick white sliced bread, which was then slathered with an inch of Kerrygold. Boarding school days means I also like beans on bread as opposed to toast. Why choose? I muttered.



Heaven. Especially considering American white sliced is DISGUSTING. Instead of the floppy fresh stuff we get in Britain, it's hard, almost stale in both feel & taste. And as for the butter...it just doesn't taste very buttery. I am reduced to buying Kerrygold for $4.99 a packet and eeking it out.