Assuming all goes well the SO will be joining me here in June. I've already found quite a few things that will do as substitutes for what he's used to there. I have Fox Soccer, planning on having the Guardian delivered once a week and found a small brewery that he's quite happy with.

Stumbling blocks are non-premiership football and sausages. I suspect there is no way to get around the fact they don't broadcast the football here, but was hoping for some suggestions on the sausages. On his visits we've tried various Italian sausage brands, but they just aren't the same apparently. I should mention I'm completely clueless on the issue as I'm vegetarian.

I know this is just little stuff in the scheme of things, but they're things he loves..he's giving up so much seems the least I can do to have ready substitutes when possible.

Thanks in advance.

I would love to know how to get a copy of The Guardian, I have always missed that when I visit and interview permitting will be moving in early March.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/guardianweekly/

There you go. Not quite the same, but once a week beats not at all.

Thank You

There is a TV channel run by Sentanta - www.setanta.com - they also show UK soccer including the Championship and some league 1 and 2 games. Also rugby and European football. In the UK they show NASCAR, baseball, college football and ice hockey.

English sausages have defeated us so far. We have found a butcher who makes what he calls English sausages and they are close, but none of the larger supermarkets sell anything close.

I want to know about sausages too...you can, of course, buy them online but they're very expensive like that....

Also, wasn't sure but I just asked Craig, and Fox Soccer Channel does broadcast other games other than premiership..for example...FA Cup games today and tomorrow... Good luck! M.

All the standard US sausages have a HUGE amount of sugar in them. UK sausages don't taste sweet; why you need sugar in them in the first place is beyond me...but hey, the Americans like them and we ARE in their country, so I guess I'll just shut up and not eat sausages anymore...

P.S. I DO miss bangers and mash with onion gravy though....*sigh*

Fox soccer channel shows at least 2 premiere league games on Saturday and Sunday. Setanta's residential package at the moment is only available on sattellite (not cable TV). I plan to switch when we get a house so I can keep up with the rugger !!

I've given up on sausages. The closest I can find to fresh pork bangers are fresh made pork bratwursts but they are still not quite the same.

Thanks for the Guardian link !!

Mark

Hmmm. May have to look into switching to satellite..SO is a major sport junkie.

I found the closest tasting (not looking) to bangers are Bob Evans maple links. I use them in toad in the hole and are much better than italian sausages which I find too greasy.

Also I recently made sausage rolls with Bob Evans Sage Sausage Meat and they tasted very close too.

UKNova is great for downloading UK shows and they have Match of The Day, which I'm sure he'll miss if he's a footie fan. It sometimes take a while to get an account with them as they only allow so many per week so you might want to start trying now and keep it active.

Hope this helps.

Helen

This thread is exciting. As far as I know, Pigu doesn't need me to find things from his homeland - he can entertain himself on the internet and we already found a source of Marmite, so we should be good. But it's fun to plan being together.

I mentioned in another thread...for sausage rolls...for a milder flavour you might consider a turkey breakfast sausage. Had it again this morning and to me it is fairly close..or as close as you can get!!

We made toad in the hole during his last visit and I still can't believe the way the kids inhaled it! I don't think they chewed much at all...quite proud my first Yorkshire pudding turned out well.

Alright, so have sausage schemes, and access to football and rugby plotted. I suppose someone having a wonderfully easy way to watch cricket is too much to ask for? I admittedly haven't checked out ESPN for it yet as I still don't quite get it...almost, but not quite.

I use Jimmy Dean sage sausage meat for sausage rolls..they're yummy! Corey and I like 'em too.

Mark, did you order any "English" (whether they are or not, I dunno!) sausages online or anything over here? They're about 7/8 bucks a pack, but hey...if you're really cravin em...I've considered it, but haven't yet. If anyone has, where did you get 'em from and were they authentic, or at least authentic tasting?? You're right Mark...we have an *abudance*!! of bratwurst here in WI and they don't taste like English sausages...that was one of my fave things, foodwise, when visiting England.

Fox Soccer Channel is on Charter Cable here...we only have to pay 4.00 extra for the sports tier and it includes a load of different channels... M.