"Wazza" wrote in message >

> "Zspider" wrote in message
>> I'm a newbie cook. I've been writing down recipes in the books at
>> Borders bookstore and then trying them out at home. One thing I've
>> had trouble with is the cooking terminology from across the pond.
>> It took a while to figure out that caster sugar is close to plain
>> granulated sugar, and I eventually found out that digestive crackers
>> are graham crackers.
>>
>> Thinking that I was getting pretty good at deciphering Brit speak,
>> I nodded my head wisely when I saw a reference to using parchment
>> paper to bake coconut macaroons on. Obviously, I figured, they are
>> talking about wax paper.
>>
>> After the smoke cleared out of the kitchen, I decided to rethink
>> that translation.
>>
> try rice paper, Michael. Wax paper we call grease-proof paper, because
> its,
> er, grease-proof.
> Brit speak is called 'English', what you do with it is our problem, and
> they
> are digestive biscuits (from the French, to cook twice), they are
> supposed
> to help with digestion, obvious really! BTW, castor sugar is powdered
> sugar,
> not granulated, it dissolves more quickly.
> Have a nice, yaw.
> cheers
> Wazza

I agree with Wazza - we English do speak English, not Brit talk. Too bad
the USA changed the language, or we'd all be able to understand one another!

He's correct - use rice paper when baking macaroons. It sticks to the
macaroons after baking but is edible.

Caster/castor sugar is *not* powdered sugar. It's an ultrafine granulated
sugar used in baked goods such as cakes and cookies.

Digestive crackers? I only know digestive biscuits (cookies) - semi-sweet
wholemeal
biscuits but I don't consider them the same as graham crackers.

We have another English woman in this newsgroup who may have comments of her
own.

Dora