British Expatriate Network

Can I get this here?

We have some people coming into town next week and they are always asking if they can bring something. I'll ask them to bring marzipan for my Christmas cake unless it's easy to buy locally.

I know it's easy enough to make, but I find that visitors are always anxious to bring small gifts and can be a little offended if we turn them down.

Haven't seen any, but haven't really been looking. Why not ask for it anyway? It'll save you hassle and probably quite a bit of expense even if you can get it here. Another good thing to ask for in the Christamas baking line is mixed fruit, Brit-style (if you use it). Easy to find and relatively inexpensive to buy in the UK, and seasonal for your visitors to bring.

I managed to get everything for the baking stage of the cake here. Although I did substitute the locally available peel for Sainsbury's brand.

I think I will get the marzipan imported - it's a nice and compact, and, as you say, seasonal. I think I'll also ask for some Cadbury's selection boxes too.

I'm also going to ask for children's tights as I'm very disappointed with the offerings here. Our friend will be very relieved as the last time we asked him to bring us a Maclaren buggy.

Yes.

Ameriscot, you can definitely get marzipan here. The americans actually buy it and just bake it as it is for a dessert.

It is in the baking section of the supermarket and you can get it in like a sausage shaped package and I think you can also get it in a tin smile

If you haven't found it next time I go to the supermarket I will try and get the name of the makes for you smile

We can get marzipan here, but I've never tried it so don't know if it will be like the stuff back home. I always pulled it off the cake, it's yukky stuff. wink

In our store it's in the same section where they have those candy sprinkles & icing in tubes.
Janet

I can't stand marzipan either....but for something seasonal, why not ask your visitor to bring the chocs that you hang from the Christmas tree?

And a fairy for the top of the tree if you don't have one as it will be amusing for your children - they don't seem to sell fairies in the States! grin

A box of Roses would be a good idea?

Yes you can get it here. I've never baked a UK style cake, but I need marzipan for some layered almond cake cookies I make each Christmas. It's available in foil or plastic wrapped small sausage shapes in the baking section, or in cans. I've found it's safer to buy the cans because occasionally the wrapping on the other type isn't air-tight and it's dried out and rock hard. Be careful though, the same company that markets the canned marzipan (sorry, mental blank, can't remember the company name) also sells something called almond FILLING in nearly identical looking cans. It's not the same thing and can't be substituted like for like in the recipe if you buy it by mistake. Marzipan always makes me think of Christmas, I can remember my grandfather making little marzipan "potatoes", dusted with cocoa powder.