The best known and best loved of all English
gastronomic and social institutions is afternoon tea
time, generally from 4 to 6 p.m. There’s nothing more
uniquely tied to England than this daily custom,
whether it’s just pausing for a simple cup of tea and
a cucumber sandwich or gathering with friends for
a spread of petite thinly sliced sandwiches, delicate
cakes and pastries, scones, butter, jams, marmalade,
lemon curd, clotted cream and berries served on
china—always accompanied by a pot of tea.
The English and Scottish Costcos (see
www.costco.com’s locator for information and
locations) are finely tuned to the desires of their
members. Very popular at the moment are the
ready-to-cook meals, as well as locally produced
food, particularly in the fresh categories, and olive
oil. Costco’s prepared foods speak of international
cuisine with a typically British flair. Look for lamb
shanks, pork Normandy, beef bourguignon, sausage
and mash, and mild curry dishes such as lamb
rogan josh and chicken korma.
Of course, food diversity abounds within United
Kingdom Costcos. Find haggis, sliced sausage meat
and Scotch pies in Scotland’s warehouses, red hard
cheese (as opposed to white) in warehouses in the
north of England, Banks’s bitter beer in the Birmingham
Costco, and mushy peas (canned) in Leeds. Also not
to be missed is spotted dick (a suet pudding with
sultanas and raisins), mince pies (a sweet mix of dried
fruit usually served in a puff pastry case), chicken
tikka massala (a mild curry dish that actually originated
in the United Kingdom), sausage rolls (seasoned
sausage meat inside a puff pastry case), Wensleydale
(a moist, crumbly cheese made for Costco in a small
region of Derbyshire) and Marmite (a concentrated
yeast extract paste).
Costco basics are also big sellers, with fresh
Kirkland Signature chicken breasts, ground beef,
Scottish sirloin steak and lamb chump steaks,
lagers, beer and granulated sugar rounding out
the warehouses’ top 10 food and beverage list.
Just don’t expect to find corn dogs, flavored bagels
or cinnamon rolls. AE
