Goodbye Lunch

One of my favorite mums from the school invited some ladies over for lunch at her house. The setting was picture perfect.  She is the ultimate hostess and I just love her home and decor.  It was a beautiful afternoon with finger sandwiches, Victoria Sponge and scones in the garden while chatting about the school, summer plans, and demystifying peanut butter, American jelly and marshmallow fluff.

I was really touched that the mums also gave me some gifts and thoughtful cards including a book of Wirral, a lovely Heswall mug and a homemade lemon drizzle cake.

Afterwards, we all went to pick up our kids, and spent part of the afternoon at the park next to the school.  The kids had ice lollies, as it was so hot.  Anna and Michael went to a friend's house where they played, watched Home Alone 4, and marveled at their cousin's heroic skills of assembling a sandwich made of garlic bread, meat sauce and noodles.

Refrigerator Tetris

My childhood friend and her daughter are coming to visit (yay!).  It's always a tradeoff in the  supermarket, wanting to buy more and yet realizing our space limits.  I managed to squeeze it all into our little fridge along with the kids' lunch boxes.  It's a good thing that eggs and bread need no refrigeration here or we'd be doomed (or having french toast for dinner!).

By the way, interesting article today in the newspaper about no more 2-for-1's on junk food, a new government mandate to encourage healthier eating.  What a good idea.

Eating our Way through London

Spanish cold meat platter at Barrafina

Sardines at Barrafina

John and I were in London for three days, saw The Book of Mormon and The 39 Steps, went to the National Gallery, did some shopping and basically ate our way through London.  My friend Jen recommended Barrafina, a Spanish tapas restaurant which is all counter service and no reservations.  We went for a late lunch upon arrival into London, and it was well worth the wait.  For one thing, I was seated in front of a leg of jamon and not far from an octopus on ice.  The vibe was great, a mix of trendy lunch dates and business people.  My favorite food was the jamon and chorizo, John's the razor clams and artichokes.  The quail and sardines were also mas fina.

That night, after seeing The 39 Steps, we went for a very late dinner at Shoryu Ramen.  We'd read about it in the Sunday Times originally; this was our second visit.  I wish we had a photo of their hirata buns, the special of the day, incredible with slightly spicy breaded and fried chicken in fluffy white steamed buns.  We both loved the ramen; would recommend the extra bamboo shoots (menma) on the side.

Spicy Ramen at Shoryu Ramen

A couple years ago, John and I discovered Green Queen Street--a modern British gastropub with locally sourced ingredients--recommended to us by a local shopkeeper.  With its dark hardwood interior, the restaurant exudes cultural capital yet feels un-snooty and welcoming.  John pointed out that the wait staff all have classy accents and seem to wholeheartedly believe in what they are selling.  I ordered fish soup, spring greens and artichokes; John had corned beef and radishes and a pint.  We got there in the early noon hour--considered early for lunch by UK standards--took our seats and the place soon filled.

Menu of the day

Spring greens, my absolute favorite

Corned beef and radishes-- sounds unusual, but is really good

We went for a North African/Lebanese dinner at Maison Toureg in Soho.  John and I agree that the moussaka was a little heaven on a plate, especially with the rosemary bread.  We also had babaganoush, meat pastries and sardines.  There was a family near us that kept ordering the sausages.  Must be good too!

Meze selection at Maison Touareg

I should add that we stopped at Pret A Manger here and there for light bites and snacks.  I could eat their baguettes, chocolate covered rice cakes and almond croissants all day.  Too bad the food in London is so good.

Love the Pret advertising

Tweet/ads for Five Guys

Paper Products in the UK: A Theory

Paper plate or taco: your call

I mentioned in an earlier blog post that paper products are much fewer and harder to find here in the UK than in the US.  Whereas in the US, napkins, paper plates and disposable cutlery, Ziploc bags, aluminum foil and such take up vast shelf space on in supermarkets, their existence here is relatively scant.  I buy paper napkins in the bargain section of Tesco when they have them.  Our friends Tim and Alicia, my Mom and John have supplied us Press 'N Seal, Ziploc bags and Chinet plates when visiting from the US.

I'm sure a lot of this product product minimalism has to do with the cultural values of not being wasteful.  However, I decided to buy a few disposable items here to use on those occasions that we just can't face washing the dishes again.  (We don't have a dishwasher.)

Well, John was just eating a sandwich and his disposable plate buckled into a state of ruin as he ate.  John said it was "the worst" paper plate he'd ever used.

This got me thinking.  I used to think there was some additive that could be used in US products but not allowed here--kind of like that triangle you get on fine China which is only considered a health hazard in some US states and not others.  However, I now wonder if paper products here are purposefully lower quality, a behind-the-scenes eco-government initiative.  Think about it.  Product dissatisfaction dissuades usage.  Therefore, people waste less.  I mean, I won't be buying those plates again.  My plastic wrap gets tangled so I use a plate to cover my food.  Paper shmaper.  I will have to call my MP about this.

Marketing the "Great British Summer"

Marks & Spencer has changed the packaging on some of its food to reflect the season-- "Great British Summer".  I bought teacakes back in January, and this packaging is now charming its way back into my shopping basket.

Heaven in a package.  (Next to Triscuits.)

P.S.  If you don't know what teacakes are, they are a little slice of heaven.  Marshmallow on a chocolate biscuit/cookie, enrobed in chocolate.  They are individually wrapped in colorful foil, thank goodness, to slow you down.

The Day the Triscuits Arrived

This is what I call happiness.

We got a surprise package that made our day.  We had run out of Triscuits almost 2 weeks ago.  I didn't have the heart (or nerve) to tell Michael so I tried to hide that fact by plying him with other lunch box treats and after school snacks.  ("You'd like a whole Bounty bar today?  Why stop at 1 when you could have THREE?")  Sadly, Michael found out the other day when I let it slip at the school gates.  I told him we had to stay strong and hold out until my parents came from California.  Thank you, Auntie G!

It's a Pub Life

John and I went out on Saturday afternoon to do some planning.  With notebook in hand, we drove to Raby and enjoyed a lovely pub lunch at the Wheatsheaf, definitely one of my favorite places on the Wirral.  The pub is along a country road in a beautiful old farmhouse building with a thatched roof and thick wooden beams, a place seeping with character.

We sat near the stone fire at a wooden table among other patrons.  I picture them all in cable knit sweaters though I know the couple across from us were buff and wearing instructor gear from The Underground training centre.  A little boy with his dad and grandpa at the next table swept his finger across his dad's beer foam and licked it with a smile.  Three pub pooches were gently slumbering under their respective tables. Dogs in pubs tend to be old, gentle and sweet.  I think even our kids would be pleased to have them at their feet.

John went to order our drinks, and the bartender asked how Michael was enjoying his half-term break.  It turns out that the bartender was Mr. __, the manager at St. Peter's Primary.  He works at the pub on Saturdays and has been doing so for decades.  I chatted with him briefly later and yesterday at school pickup.  A nice man, clearly respected and looked up to by the kids at school.

We clearly aren't in America but instead in Postman Pat's village.  We will have to bring Michael and Anna to the Wheatsheaf one Saturday to say hello and have some chips.

http://www.wheatsheaf-cowshed.co.uk/

Where is the fast food?

"You can almost tell someone's background by their weight." --Anne Soubry,  junior health minister 

Photo from The Daily Telegraph (24 Jan 2013)

I just stumbled across that quote while reading the morning paper (The Daily Telegraph).  Coincidentally, I was just thinking yesterday about fast food restaurants and the fact that there are no McDonald's (or equivalent) restaurants within the vicinity of our house.  Fast food options do exist for sure, but not at the same level of mass production as a burger chain.  There are a couple family-owned chip shops but no chain restaurants.  You can get sandwiches or Costa Coffee on the run, and Tesco and the Village Shop have a selection of sausage rolls and cornish pasties, and the small Dominos in town will deliver pizza.

The nearest McD's that I can think of is about a 25 minute drive from Heswall.  In State College, there is a Burger King around the corner from our house and three McDonald's within a 10 minute drive.  If you live in a bigger town or city like Ellesmere Port or Chester or Liverpool here in the UK, I'm sure it would be the same.  But our village, and the well-heeled enclaves around us, are insulated from these options.  I haven't even caught a glimpse of a burger bag or a soda straw in weeks.  The families we see at the school tend to be fit.  Walking up School Hill helps.  The lack of fast food probably does too.

John told me that he didn't see fast food until he was a teenager.  As a child, caravan holidays meant stopping at pubs for lunch.  For me, holidays were a family road trip to LA or Vegas, and french fries were invariably a staple.  I grew up in a modern city with highways and big shopping malls.  Definitely a different background than a quiet, quaint village of sandstone cottages and history, easily predating the 20th century.  The latter is seeping with high cultural capital and seemingly at odds with the material mass consumption of fast food.

Pret A Manger (photo taken by Alicia when she visited us!)

Even if you live near McDonald's in the UK, you may find fresher fast food options along the same block.  Higher end "fast food" options here like Pret a Manger, Marks & Spencer Food, Eat, and Upper Crust are plentiful--portable and freshly baked bread, homemade soups, attractive salads and sandwiches, edamame (!)  Marks & Spencer food has an incredible selection of fancier lunch items like hoisin duck wraps, smoked salmon sandwiches, goats cheese salads, made recently and presented in windowed boxes rather than squished into cellophane.  The last time we were at a train station, I thought the kids would be excited to see a Burger King.  They seemed surprisingly apathetic.  The line was long, so we picked up sandwiches from M&S Food accompanied by a bag of cheese curls that Anna picked to up the sodium a bit.

On balance, I find that the longer I'm away from McD's, the less I personally desire it.  This is odd coming from someone who's big treat was going to McDonald's as a child and who likes having it as a tasty fall back option when busy.  When we were at the outlet mall recently, we huddled with the kids at a McD's booth with kids happy meals on one end and Pret sandwiches and salads on the other.

On a related note, I drink far less soda.  Coke used to be my "thing" with a burger or after teaching or going out for dinner.  I am just less interested in it now and don't enjoy it as much as I once did.

The kids sometimes ask about McDonald's.  I sometimes wish there was one nearby. However, now that Krispie Kreme is here in the UK, I can satisfy my American carb intake in other ways.  That's one thing I can't resist.

Sunday Dinner

Yo, don't mess with my Sunday dinner

The tradition of Sunday dinner in England is very grounding.   Families gather around the table for a traditional roast meal--some type of meat, roast potatoes, yorkshire pudding, brussel sprouts or broccoli, mashed root vegetables.  The meal varies a bit each week, but the general predictability of the food provides a sense of warmth and stability.  Hectic Mondays are cushioned by cold roast leftovers in the evening whether in sandwich form or reconfigured into bubble and squeak (leftovers fried together).

Sunday dinner is a nice way to slow down before the rush of the next week, and a good excuse to get together with family on a regular basis.  We occasionally invite relatives over for a Sunday meal here (and vice versa)--the wonderful thing is, there's no decision about what day of the week and limited decisions about what we should make or what people will eat.

Similarly, when invited to someone's house, you are always offered a cup of tea and you are never asked what type.  Life is much easier.

Ode to our Small Fridge

Have you ever seen our fridge in State College?  It's huge.  And we have an extra freezer in the garage where John surreptitiously stores half cows and whole sheep that he gets from the meats lab.  Our fridge in England is small.  It is sized for Anna.

Refrigerators here are generally smaller, though the variation in size is huge.  I've been to Michael and Anna's friends' houses with fridges as big as a standard American one.  But lots of people have these little ones, which has all sorts of implications for household behavior, purchase patterns, packaging, location of storage, one's relationship with food, consciousness of overbuying.

Eggs, bread, peanut butter-- those don't go in the fridge.  We'd either lose them or they take up too much space.  (Eggs are not refrigerated here.)

Being just the right size, Anna looks in the fridge pretty much every afternoon for a snack.  She even bends down slightly to grab a yogurt.  It's a nice independent task she can do.  Most kids can't open the wide swinging door of our US fridge, and most of the food is really high up since we have a big freezer on the bottom.  Anna will have to start weight lifting and learn to ride a pogo stick when we return to America.  Being oversized for our England fridge, I tend not to just open it and stare at the contents for a snack like I would in the US.  I might herniate a disc.

Packaging is definitely slimmer (e.g., sodas bottles are very tall and thin) and smaller (family sized yogurt is done in one sitting).  The fact that we have to pause and rebuy probably makes us skinnier.  Or perhaps we start mirroring our packaging?  How about that.  If the food is big, we are big.  If the food is small, we are small.  We are what we eat.

While shopping, "stocking up" just doesn't come into play unless it's a non-refrigerated item I can shove somewhere and remember it later.  I buy milk and yogurt all the time because I pretty much replenish as we consume-- a form of just in time consumption.  We are very lucky to have shops in the Lower Village, so popping out for basics can be done in no time.  (I will miss that.)

On a related tangent, I noticed that stores here run out of items more often than in the US.  Yes, occasionally I'd go to Wegmans and be miffed that they are out of basil, but I've been out of luck on spinach, eggplant, apples, Pudsey supplies needed for school, Christmas items.  I don't think it's that the inventory system is all that faulty here; I think it's just a different value system.   Less about waste and more about rationing, patience and coping.  Just like in the fridge, we may run out of something but we can get it tomorrow.

Salads in a Non-Salad Country

I grew up eating a lot of Chinese food, but also having my fair share of going to American restaurants and friends' homes for western food.  Often, salad plays a role as a starter or accompaniment to the meal.  One of my favorites restaurants in California is Souplantation, which is basically a huge salad bar and an excuse to have clam chowder, brownies and muffins with your meal.  In the modern American supermarket, salad dressing dominates a large section of an aisle.  There are a multitude of choices and brands, not to mention salad fixings like croutons of every description, bacon bits, soy crisps, seed toppings.

So oddly enough, I've started getting really into salads here in England.  Part of my obsession is the types of lettuce here.  (That last sentence sounds really boring, doesn't it?)  Rocket, watercress, cos, little gem-- different varieties than we typically have in the States-- typically bagged.  Unlike the wall of salad lettuce options at Wegmans in State College, there are fewer choices and there aren't a lot of the "low end" bags of salad to wade through.  They also rarely come with dressing and fixings, except Caesar.  It's just the basic nice bags.  I find that having fewer, better options is quite nice.

Monday's lunch (with soup)

I've been making my own salad dressing these past few months, but thought I'd check out the options in Tesco earlier this week.  Funny, I couldn't remember ever seeing salad dressings, so I had a look around.  Yes, there is a section.  It's tiny.  Paul Newman has three facings, perhaps one other brand, and then it's all Tesco labels.  But there aren't that many varieties.  Also, I stumbled upon three types of croutons in very small bags.  In Wegmans, we can get at least a dozen types and the bags are 3x larger.

Mary Berry and another PRO-puh dessert

I now have bottled Mary Berry's vinaigrette on hand.  I bought the Mary Berry dressing on a whim one day at Thornton's cafe because I thought Anna would get a kick out of it.  She imitates Mary Berry, the British Martha Stewart, who talks about "PROH-puh (proper) ice CREAM."  While in London, the four of us happened to catch her on "Great British Revival" in which she admonished those who ate store bought ice cream that was not full of simple ingredients.  We had the dressing the other night during dinner with Grandma and Grandpa.  I must admit, we all thought it was amazing.  Definitely proper.

Aromatic Crispy Duck and Other Foods in a Box

Food in a refrigerated box has become one of my favorite aspects of UK grocery shopping.  You can get Chinese, Thai and Indian meals in a box for 2 people, a family or sides/individuals.  There are Spanish and Greek tapas type options, all sorts of individual pots of lentils, curries, etc.  And there are Gastropub foods like beef bourguignon, hunter's chicken, casseroles (e.g., red wine infused lasagne, fish pie, shepherd's pie), or traditional English roasts.

And they are all tasty, much nicer than anything frozen.  You feel like you are eating a meal prepared by a person rather than a machine.  When John is away, an easy meal for the kids and I is a half Peking duck in a box, which comes with the little tortillas, sauce and trimmings.  We all love it and I all I have to do is pop the duck in the oven.

The tight distribution system makes refrigerated meals possible here but not in the US.  Wegmans comes the closest with its own foods put into trays that can be heated up (e.g., Chinese noodles, mushrooms stuffed with crab).  The range is more limited by comparison, but of course will do in a pinch.

Spoon Sizes

Measurement constantly confuses me here.  The teaspoon and tablespoon are not the same size as their US counterparts.  They are slightly bigger (6 ml and 18 ml cf. 5 ml and 15 ml).  There is also a dessert spoon (12 ml).  Measuring cups are also sized differently--I believe slightly bigger here--and not used for measurement as often as a kitchen scale (which we don't own).  As you can imagine, cooking and baking poses its challenges.  I've resorted to guessing and it always turns out close enough.

Here is an invention idea.  Design a universal measuring set with two-sided spoons or a large spoon with lines demarcating each measurement.  I've looked on Amazon and Google and haven't found one yet.  Perhaps someone will scoop this idea.  (Sorry fork the bad joke.  I'm sure you've heard eknife.)

Bad Gingerbread Houses

For the past several years, the Chang/Couplands make a gingerbread house at Christmas time.  One year, the roof caved in, but my sister-in-law caught it from collapsing.  Another year, my nephew  commented that it looked like the house was bombed and Santa was bleeding to death.  (He was right.)  The year with the Christmas Village was uneventful but unattractive.  This year was pathetic.

Grandma and Grandpa Coupland bought us a beautiful, gourmet German gingerbread house kit from a boutique near Blenheim Castle.  When we opened the box, the smell of gingerbread was gorgeous.  The gingerbread was soft and thick, not the hard cardboard stuff you get from Target.  The candies were bright, beautiful and very tasty.  

Unfortunately, we had some issues with the icing.  Apparently, "Whisk until stiff peaks foam" is important.  At least we had fun watching the gummy bears slide down the A-frame.  It all tasted good too.

Anna's face says it all

Mince Pies and the Spirit of Christmas

Mince pie and sherry for Santa. We thought he'd like the napkin.

In the US, the holiday season is shared among different religions and occasions.  You might see a Christmas tree and menorah in downtown State College, a Kwanzaa flag or candles on display, festive holiday lights strung across the streets, people ringing bells for the Salvation Army.  There might be a nod to the holiday season in the public schools.

Here, it is all Christmas all the time.  Images of Santa (or more iconically called Father Christmas), mince pies, Christmas crackers, Rudolph ears, Christmas trees all along the road, kids in nativity costumes, Christmas ties, flambed Christmas pudding... very spirited and festive. I've learned to say "Happy Christmas" instead of "Happy Holidays".  I have had nice conversations with shopkeepers about Christmas traditions.  Most people have turkey at dinner.  A lady at the Village Shop told me that Father Christmas' reindeer used to leave magical glitter footprints in their living room.

Not being familiar with mince pies in the US, I did a little reading up on the tradition.  Apparently, they traditionally represent Jesus' cradle and started out large, oval shaped and filled with different types of minced meat in addition to fruit, sugar and peel.  They became popular in the 1400's and then modified and reshaped and resized over time with the introduction of new spices brought back from the Medieval Crusades.  A star on top represents Christ, though there can be other decorations.  Mince pies used to be quite a status symbol and have now completely infiltrated the masses.

Uncle Malcolm's family dinner

As part of the Christmas spirit, going out for a Christmas lunch with a group in December seems quite common.  Our art group organized a Christmas lunch at a nice pub.  The Year 1 mums at school invited me for Christmas lunch at Thornton Hall--very beautiful old oak room, all the mums were looking fabulous and donned crowns from our Christmas crackers, some had cocktails or wine, and enjoyed a traditional roast.  Uncle Malcolm invited our extended family for dinner at Pollard's.  There are always Christmas crackers.  It is good fun to wear a crown, exchange riddles and check out the prizes.  We struck gold at Uncle Malcolm's dinner where we got little brushes in our crackers, perfect for cleaning school uniforms!

Mince pies and nibbles at our Christmas Eve gathering

It is also quite common to be invited for mince pies and sherry at a friend or neighbor's house.  Just a quick drink and a chat, meet a few people,, catch up.  We had family and our neighbors over on Christmas Eve for such an occasion.  Our neighbor across the road invited us around on another day for drinks and to celebrate her grandson's 1st birthday.  We had never met (though the kids know her through Sally)--it was a nice gesture, and we enjoyed meeting her family and neighbors over a celebratory drink.

Dressing up--whether a little bit fabulous or festive--also seems the thing to do.  Shopkeepers often wear holiday pins, ties, hats.  Michael and Anna got some pretty cool Christmas accessories at the Village Shop and in their comics.

Aren't you a little skinny for a stormtrooper?

Christmas breakfast

Buying Meat in England

I have never been big on buying different cuts of meat.  In the US, my typical monthly dinner rotation includes ground beef/turkey, chicken thighs/drumsticks, pork chops, meat for stir fry, seafood (fish, shrimp, scallops).  If I feel adventurous, I buy flank steak.  John will buy and try anything.

Since moving to the UK, I have become more tempted to buy meat and different varieties of it (lamb chops, sirloin steaks, pork in various forms, whole chicken).  Having more time helps, but a lot of this is driven by the presentation of the meat.  I often just see something and think, that looks good.  I wonder how to make that?  I'll buy it and figure it out later.

UK packaging (above) and
US packaging (below)

First, UK meat packaging seems far more appealing and appetizing to me than US meat packaging.  I'm used to seeing meat shrink wrapped onto foam trays or squished into vacuum packaging.  It looks mass produced and industrial to me.  It doesn't look like someone has "cared for" the meat or lovingly carved it for me.  In the UK, meat is usually in a deep plastic tray so you can actually see it--it's shape, texture, cut--for what it is.  When you see 6 lamb chops nicely fanned out like they are behind a butcher shop counter, it is very tempting.  Distribution is much tighter here (much smaller country) so perhaps stores can afford to allow more air in the packaging?

Second, the meat section is more naturally a part of the grocery shopping experience.  American grocery stores often relegate meat to the back of the store, because the butchers prepare it in the back room and place it in refrigerated compartments as it's prepared.  In Britain, meat is in a standard refrigerated aisle, flanked by an aisle of refrigerated prepared foods like lasagne, tapas, pizzas on one side, and an aisle of dairy products on the other.  You are going to pass the meat aisle on the way to get yogurt, cheese and milk, so might as well have a look at the meat.  (As a side note, I have never seen more yogurt and cheese varieties in the US).

Third, meat is displayed on shelves at eye level rather than in bins at hip level.  You don't have to look down to find the meat.  It is at eye level, practically shouting out "See me! Buy me!"  You can't avoid seeing meat, even if you walk right past the aisle.  If you are lured in, you see lots of choices propped up, from hip level to above eye level.  It is everywhere.

Fourth, the shelves are angled so the meat appears more upright.  It seems more "awake", while in the US, meat is lying flat and "asleep" in bins.  The former seems more fresh and shall we say perky?  Perhaps Clotaire Rapaille would agree.  (He studies culture codes--e.g., cheese in America is dead and cheese in France is alive.)

Finally, I think meat is also more appealing because it is part of everyday life, not viewed as mass produced (even if it is).  Having a local butcher reminds me that meat comes from a farm and is often carved by a person.  And he's a nice person who waves.

Cupcakes and the (Near) Absence of Tupperware

Anna was beaming this morning as she brought in her little cakes for the school fundraiser for Children in Need.  (Remember the sticker she got the other day?)  We made chocolate Rice Krispie cakes, and all of the ingredients came from the shop in the village, which somehow made them even more homey.  Anna picked the yellow and polka dot cake cases so they would fit the theme colors of the event.

There were quite a few kids with cakes/biscuits this morning which made it all feel more special.  I noticed the containers that people brought their treats in.  Given that paper/disposable products are not as common here, I saw the process of wasteless culture first hand.  There was repurposed packaging-- a Quality Street candy tin, a biscuit tin, a cereal box with the side cut off (clever!)-- as well as carefully marked kitchenware from home--an actual round cake box with lid, roasting tin, and I did see one large plastic Tupperware-like box.

I was going to craft a cakes holder out of an Amazon.com box and foil, but I then remembered that John had brought me back Chinet paper plates and Glad Press 'N' Seal on his trip to DC last week.  (You wouldn't believe my excitement!)  So the 12 little cakes went neatly on a paper plate, covered in wrap.  Sometimes I can be so American.

I Don't Know How She Does It

I was greatly entertained by the fact that Anna and her friend marched out of school last week, each wearing one of these stickers on their uniforms.  Anna was proud to have volunteered and I thought it was rather sweet, and also somewhat hilarious as an idea.

John and I were talking about how this approach probably wouldn't work in American schools.  Allergies and food safety are a big concern, and I think there would be a few complaints about the marketing tactics.  But this approach works here, and I am excited to help Anna with her baking tomorrow after she returns from Tesco with the ingredients.

Wasteless Culture: Where are the napkins, and will you please finish up your lunch?

As much as I love America, it is admittedly a wasteful culture, particularly when contrasted with UK living.  Relatively speaking, the UK is a wasteless culture.  Some examples of consumer products based on my narrow window of observation:

• Napkins are typically specialty items and cannot be purchased in large bundles at Tesco; napkins and condiments are usually handed to you at restaurants upon asking rather than serve yourself.
• Paper towels (a.k.a. kitchen roll) are much smaller.
• Paper plates and cups are not readily available and not typically used unless at a barbecue; we've also had our fair share of hot dogs and burgers (and crepes in Paris!) handed to us on a napkin without a plate.
• Fewer options in cling film, foil, tupperware-type storage.
• No plastic bags (or few) to put meat in at the grocery store.  (The packaging is more secure.)
• You bag your own groceries so you are made aware of how many plastic bags you use; most people seem to have reusable bags.
• Pre-packaged produce is modestly sized.
• Cookies (a.k.a. biscuits) are often packaged in strips (one row) rather than boxes (multiple rows) or bags.
• Juice is commonly sold in the thin carton rather than the wider one.
• Eggs are most commonly sold in 6's instead of 12's.
• Due to smaller storage space, we tend to just buy what we need. 
• We have one garbage bin and it is collected every 2 weeks, so you must be conservative in throwing things away.
• Recycling is really easy; we have one garbage can for all recycling.
• Smaller food portion size in restaurants, and no doggie bags to take food home (that is literally a foreign concept).
• Cultural value of "finishing up" one's meal.

Look at this standard bag of chocolate chips--smaller than a tea box!

Related to the latter, Anna exasperatingly told me one day that I put too much food in her lunch box everyday.  Apparently, she saw a couple kids get reprimanded for not finishing their lunches.  It never occurred to me that finishing one's lunch was important.  I have such a different cultural referent-- kids can stop eating when they are full, give them choice, leftovers are no problem.  But I can see how in the British culture, the value of not being wasteful, the cultural experience of rationing, and the continuity of tradition over time, this makes sense.  

Right or wrong, I've started packing smaller lunches for Anna as a way of coping.  In fact, one day, Anna was spotted by a teacher for finishing her lunch and as a result, earned a "Lunchtime Superstar" sticker.  The child was delighted.

WWI sign posted on Facebook

The UK also has its version of plenty in consumer products.  Whereas Wegmans in PA has loads more paper products and bigger product sizes, in my observation, Tesco has more shelf space devoted to certain products for which there is greater consumption:

• Prepackaged yogurt types and varieties
• Refrigerated foods (these are amazing)
• Beer and wine (which isn't even sold in PA grocery stores)
• Biscuit and cake varieties