British to American translation?

[Jester]

Okay, I need a bit of help with this one from my Brit friends, especially any of you that have been on both sides of the Atlantic and are familiar with the lingos of both of our fair countries.

Been watching "Come Dine With Me" on BBC America (what, me watching a cooking show? Shocking!), and while I understand most of the British jargon they use, they continue to use a couple of terms that confuse me. Specifically, "single cream" and "double cream." I am not familiar with these things. Are they just the British terms for "light cream" and "heavy cream"?

[rvdammit]

In this case wikipedia is your friend: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cream

Single and light cream are the same, double cream is extra-heavy cream.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Double cream is double yummy. XD Single cream just tastes watery to me.

[Jester]

Since we're on the subject, another term keeps popping up: "castor sugar." (Or perhaps caster?) What the hell is castor sugar? Looks just like regular ole white sugar to me.

Once again, I shrug confusedly.

[lupo pazzesco]

castor sugar, I believe is just super super finely ground white sugar. Dissolves easier because it's so fine.

There's a scone recipe i have that requires me to grind the white sugar it calls for until it's superfine. I'm assuming that's kind of like castor sugar.

[Jester]

And taking rvdammit's advice, I checked wikipedia, and it turns out that castor sugar, which I thought was just normal granulated sugar, is actually superfine sugar in the U.S. I don't bake, so I am not surprised that that one went way over my head and under my radar.

[TelephoneAngel]

Yeah, confusing to be not quite speaking the same language!

I remember my friend telling me she had lost her pocketbook, in an attempt to be helpful I asked her who the author was, and the title, so I could help find it.

How was I to know she was talking about some purse thing?

[Lace Neil Singer]

I still find it hard to suppress an immature giggle whenever I hear Americans use the term "fanny pack". XXD The term "fanny" means something different over here.

[Amina516]

I still find it hard to suppress an immature giggle whenever I hear Americans use the term "fanny pack". XXD The term "fanny" means something different over here.

Believe me....we giggle over here too... LOL

[dalesys]

I still find it hard to suppress an immature giggle whenever I hear Americans use the term "fanny pack". XXD The term "fanny" means something different over here.

My all-time favorite rock band is Fanny!
David Bowie: "One of the most important female bands in American rock has been buried without a trace. And that is Fanny. They were one of the finest... rock bands of their time, in about 1973. They were extraordinary... they're as important as anybody else who's ever been, ever; it just wasn't their time."

[Whiskey]

How was I to know she was talking about some purse thing?

It could refer to the entire purse or her wallet.

[Jester]

I still find it hard to suppress an immature giggle whenever I hear Americans use the term "fanny pack". XXD The term "fanny" means something different over here.

Oh, I know. And trust me when I tell you that most Americans have that same urge to giggle when your lot refers to "smoking a fag." Over here, if you said you were off to smoke a fag, most people would think you were about to go commit a hate crime.

By the way, what DO y'all call fanny packs? The only other phrase I've heard for it is not one to be used in polite company.

[Cazzi]

By the way, what DO y'all call fanny packs? The only other phrase I've heard for it is not one to be used in polite company.

Don't know about the rest of the country but round here they seem to be referred to as bum bags

[Lace Neil Singer]

^ This. XD Even tho, in order that you don't get robbed, you wear it round the front. XD

Oh, I know. And trust me when I tell you that most Americans have that same urge to giggle when your lot refers to "smoking a fag." Over here, if you said you were off to smoke a fag, most people would think you were about to go commit a hate crime.

Maybe to someone you'd call a donkeyhole? XD Ass = donkey.

[teh_blumchenkinder]

Huh. I always saw that in books as "caster" sugar-- the really annoying, yet fancy stuff. meh.