# No British Food shops left in Madrid?



## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

Several years ago, the little British food shop that I occasionally used (admittedly not very often as they didn't have much) closed down, so I started using one near Calle Alcala which was bigger and better, it even had frozen stuff like English sausages and a decent selection of Xmas stuff (which is really the only time when I really want UK food).
But I have just discovered that it too has closed down!!

As far as I can see, there is now no retail outlet for British food in Madrid! 

I have previously had problems using the bigger, more established shops on the coast as some refuse to deliver to Madrid completely, and some refuse to deliver frozen veg like swede because it will be defrosted by the time it arrives (even though I have said that I accept this and will cook it upon arrival).

So, does anyone know of any shops in Madrid specializing in UK products, or even a shop further away but who might deliver to Madrid?

I am staying in Spain this Xmas, and the thought of a Xmas with no Mince Pies, no Xmas pudding, no trifle and no Swede is hard to imagine!


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

Overandout said:


> Several years ago, the little British food shop that I occasionally used (admittedly not very often as they didn't have much) closed down, so I started using one near Calle Alcala which was bigger and better, it even had frozen stuff like English sausages and a decent selection of Xmas stuff (which is really the only time when I really want UK food).
> But I have just discovered that it too has closed down!!
> 
> As far as I can see, there is now no retail outlet for British food in Madrid!
> ...


Can’t help with location but there is an online one

https://www.britishcornershop.co.uk...Oo8ujMkaFjHNQihvM_zLA4atDbedcbFhoCkQsQAvD_BwE


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Amazon.es do mince pies and christmas pudding, they aren't cheap though. You can get sprouts in Mercadona and use boniato instead of swede - with enough butter and black pepper you won't tell the difference. I make my own sausagemeat using minced pork and lots of herbs and spices. And I'm sure you can improvise a trifle!


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

Megsmum said:


> Can’t help with location but there is an online one
> 
> https://www.britishcornershop.co.uk...Oo8ujMkaFjHNQihvM_zLA4atDbedcbFhoCkQsQAvD_BwE


Thanks, I've seen this, and like most of the similar services offered, they don't offer fresh or frozen veg, so no swede available.... OK for the rest of the stuff though. Thanks!


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

Alcalaina said:


> Amazon.es do mince pies and christmas pudding, they aren't cheap though. You can get sprouts in Mercadona and use boniato instead of swede - with enough butter and black pepper you won't tell the difference. I make my own sausagemeat using minced pork and lots of herbs and spices. And I'm sure you can improvise a trifle!


I "half-liked" your post!!

I agree that most things I can shop around for, but swede has no substitute.

I have discovered that it has not only one translation to Spanish "nabo sueco", but also others like "nabicol" and "colinabo", although some of these are sold as "white" which clearly are not swedes and some are sold as "yellow" which do appear to be swedes. The problem is that now every time I find "nabicol amarillo" it is listed as "unavailable"....


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Have you tried El Corte Ingles gourmet? They have things like cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving, so they might have mincemeat.
There was a teashop in a road going off Alonso Martinez that was supposed to be British and there was a small shop, extortionally expensive, attached to that. Don't know if it's still there...


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Overandout said:


> I "half-liked" your post!!
> 
> I agree that most things I can shop around for, but swede has no substitute.
> 
> I have discovered that it has not only one translation to Spanish "nabo sueco", but also others like "nabicol" and "colinabo", although some of these are sold as "white" which clearly are not swedes and some are sold as "yellow" which do appear to be swedes. The problem is that now every time I find "nabicol amarillo" it is listed as "unavailable"....


There seems to be global confusion over its name!

https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and...e-say-turnip-let-s-call-it-rutabaga-1.3751144

I have bad childhood memories of a watery orange blob on the plate next to the potatoes, but agree it can be quite tasty if seasoned properly. Sourcing it isn't a problem here, the small English community organises regular raiding parties to Morrisons in Gibraltar.


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

I've previously been offered rutabaga in Spain with the claim of it being the same, but it is not always the case. According to Wikipedia it is, like swede, a cross between turnip and cabbage, but even Wikipedia states that the inside edible part can be white or yellow. The white one is usually what you can find in Spain, and to me, this just isn't the same.

I have found this on offer though:

https://saborverd.es/epages/con1099...th=/Shops/con1099901/Products/"sab81 Npi 5kg"

Looks like proper swede to me.

Not cheap, but price includes delivery it seems.....


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Overandout said:


> Thanks, I've seen this, and like most of the similar services offered, they don't offer fresh or frozen veg, so no swede available.... OK for the rest of the stuff though. Thanks!


Actually they do offer some fresh veg and, in fact, we got parsnips from them last year in time for Chrissy mouse. It may be that they will not have them in until just before it is time to send out. Send them an e-mail and ask if they have any of whatever you want, I have always found their staff very helpful.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Alcalaina said:


> And I'm sure you can improvise a trifle!


For some folks that is a trifle difficult and no trifling matter.


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

baldilocks said:


> Actually they do offer some fresh veg and, in fact, we got parsnips from them last year in time for Chrissy mouse. It may be that they will not have them in until just before it is time to send out. Send them an e-mail and ask if they have any of whatever you want, I have always found their staff very helpful.


Thanks for the tip about asking for stuff not listed.

By the way, I can get parsnips easily in Madrid, they sell them in Hipercor.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

baldilocks said:


> For some folks that is a trifle difficult and no trifling matter.


Possibly because you're supposed to put the sherry _into_ the trifle, not drink it beforehand!


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Alcalaina said:


> Possibly because you're supposed to put the sherry _into_ the trifle, not drink it beforehand!


I always find that by the time I get to the point in the recipe where I have to add the sherry, there is none left.


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## Tigerlillie (Apr 7, 2015)

Overandout said:


> Several years ago, the little British food shop that I occasionally used (admittedly not very often as they didn't have much) closed down, so I started using one near Calle Alcala which was bigger and better, it even had frozen stuff like English sausages and a decent selection of Xmas stuff (which is really the only time when I really want UK food).
> But I have just discovered that it too has closed down!!
> 
> As far as I can see, there is now no retail outlet for British food in Madrid!
> ...


I always make my own trifle cos I hate jelly (obviously if you like jelly you can add it) and use this recipe yum yum  :

https://pennysrecipes.com/12275/sherry-trifle

And if you can't get custard powder it's so simple to make:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/realpropercustard_65614

You can't go wrong with a Mary Berry recipe.


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

Thanks for that! It looks good. Does is set like Bird's though?

My family never put jelly in it either, just pureed fruit. Much nicer. Jelly is for kids!


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## Tigerlillie (Apr 7, 2015)

Overandout said:


> Thanks for that! It looks good. Does is set like Bird's though?
> 
> My family never put jelly in it either, just pureed fruit. Much nicer. Jelly is for kids!


To thicken it so it sets properly for trifle just add a little more cornflour, what I tend to do is make it to the recipe and then make a little more cornflour mix and just add it a little at a time until I get the right consistency.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Overandout said:


> Thanks for that! It looks good. Does is set like Bird's though?


It's the cornflour that makes it set. Birds is just cornflour with a few E numbers added for flavour and colour.


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

Alcalaina said:


> It's the cornflour that makes it set. Birds is just cornflour with a few E numbers added for flavour and colour.


Not that I didn't trust you, but I did look up Bird's Custard Powder on internet just to satisfy my curiosity... apart from effectively being just coloured cornflour, it is apparently explosive.... 

I am strongly leaning towards the recipe posted by Tigerlillie now...


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## Tigerlillie (Apr 7, 2015)

Overandout said:


> Not that I didn't trust you, but I did look up Bird's Custard Powder on internet just to satisfy my curiosity... apart from effectively being just coloured cornflour, it is apparently explosive....
> 
> I am strongly leaning towards the recipe posted by Tigerlillie now...


Once you've made homemade custard you'll never use tinned or powdered custard again.


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

Tigerlillie said:


> Once you've made homemade custard you'll never use tinned or powdered custard again.


Only ever make homemade custard... it’s so much better than that powered rubbish!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Overandout, you could also try making your own, new traditions. When I did Christmas at home (here I mean) we used to have roast meat with a homemade mushroom sauce and a chocolate log filled with fresh cream (whipped by me). Our Christmas outing was to the open air life sized nativity "show" in San Lorenzo de El Escorial which is spectacular followed by drinks/ hot chocolate in a nice little old café/ bar called Cafetin Croche. I would be quite happy to see another mince pie in my life and I don't like Christmas pud either.
Now, at my sister's in the UK we have profiteroles and meringue nests filled with cream and frozen berries, YUM!!


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

To a certain extent I agree. I am usually the last person to try to continue with my English life, but strangely, the longer I am away, the more I miss things which I did without for years.

After moving to Spain I went for years without having a cup of tea, but now I have to have a box of PG Tips in the cupboard (although I only really "want" tea when it rains!).

But the Xmas traditions are hard to shake off. I love mince pies and trifle. I even have my mum's old trifle bowl which she used to make it in and I follow her recipe to the letter so that it looks and tastes exactly the same!

I am 46 years old and this Xmas will only be the fourth time that I am not with my family in the UK, so I still have to maintain some of the old traditions!!


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## Williams2 (Sep 15, 2013)

Bearing in mind the latest threat to the Planet - will Spaniards be making a new years resolution to cut
down the red meat in their diet and will Christmas meals in Spain become more white meat than red meat
in the future ? We will see. Of course Vegetarians and Vegans are unaffected.

Radio Times on Meat a threat to our Planet documentary

BBC1 - Meat a threat to our Planet program


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Williams2 said:


> Bearing in mind the latest threat to the Planet - will Spaniards be making a new years resolution to cut
> down the red meat in their diet and will Christmas meals in Spain become more white meat than red meat
> in the future ? We will see. Of course Vegetarians and Vegans are unaffected.
> 
> ...


The Spaniards I know tend to eat fish or shellfish at Christmas, not meat...


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> . I would be quite happy to* never *see another mince pie in my life and I don't like Christmas pud either.
> Now, at my sister's in the UK we have profiteroles and meringue nests filled with cream and frozen berries, YUM!!


Edit to post...


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Pesky Wesky said:


> I would be quite happy to see another mince pie in my life and I don't like Christmas pud either.
> Now, at my sister's in the UK we have profiteroles and meringue nests filled with cream and frozen berries, YUM!!


I feel the same way, there are lots of things about traditional British Christmas food which I don't like and never eat, so I don't miss them at all - turkey, bread sauce, parsnips, mince pies, Christmas pudding, Christmas cake. Although I do like sprouts.

I am not fond of trifle made to the traditional recipe, but when I lived in the UK I sometimes used to make a version using orange jelly, mandarin orange segments and sponge fingers soaked in cointreau if we had friends round for Christmas dinner, which went down well.

Some British food I do like, though - today I have treated myself to some steak and guinness and steak and kidney pies from a shop not too far away which sells British food - they are really nice and far cheaper than the ones sold on the British Corner Shop website.


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## Alf Tupper (Jun 23, 2018)

Pesky Wesky said:


> The Spaniards I know tend to eat fish or shellfish at Christmas, not meat...


Sorry but as a vegetarian , fish & shellfish is still meat!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Alf Tupper said:


> Sorry but as a vegetarian , fish & shellfish is still meat!


 Don't say sorry, a terrible British habit.
To a vegetarian yes, but in general terms meat is from mammals I think. Most of the arguments against eating meat are aimed at red meat...


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

We always have a traditional English Xmas dinner on Boxing Day and invite our dear friends from the village. They, adore all our U.K. traditions from the turkey to bread sauce from mince pies to Christmas cakes. Three generations come to our dinner.

We spend New Year’s Eve with them. Traditionally it’s seafood etc and grapes at midnight, after which they all go out to parties, we being British go to bed 😂 LOL


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Don't say sorry, a terrible British habit.
> To a vegetarian yes, but in general terms meat is from mammals I think. Most of the arguments against eating meat are aimed at red meat...


"Carne" in Spain not only excludes fish and seafood but also jamón. That's according to what good Catholics aren't supposed to eat on Fridays, anyway. Very confusing to foreign vegetarians who ask for something without meat and then get salmorejo with chopped ham on top.

Does pork count as red meat?


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> Does pork count as red meat?


Never sure about pork and from what you say it could depend on the country.


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## dmfan16 (Jan 16, 2012)

You can try “living in london" store in Madrid. I just purchased pudding, mince pies and crackers there. C/ Núñez de balboa, 76 Madrid. You can check out their website livinginlondonshop.es. I don't post enough here to put proper link it seems  


Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk


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## 95995 (May 16, 2010)

Alcalaina said:


> "Carne" in Spain not only excludes fish and seafood but also jamón. That's according to what good Catholics aren't supposed to eat on Fridays, anyway. Very confusing to foreign vegetarians who ask for something without meat and then get salmorejo with chopped ham on top.
> 
> Does pork count as red meat?


Pork is meat and is carne, but not red meat. Good Catholics aren't supposed to eat meat on Fridays - their alternative is fish or seafood (not red meat, not pork and not chicken). It's quite surprising that in a Catholic country a dish without meat/carne would be served with ham. Back in the days when I lived in Spain that would not have happened, but the dish could well have been served with fish or seafood.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

EverHopeful said:


> Pork is meat and is carne, but not red meat. Good Catholics aren't supposed to eat meat on Fridays - their alternative is fish or seafood (not red meat, not pork and not chicken). It's quite surprising that in a Catholic country a dish without meat/carne would be served with ham. Back in the days when I lived in Spain that would not have happened, but the dish could well have been served with fish or seafood.


Can't remember where I read it, I think it was some Pope or other granting a special dispensation for jamón ibérico. Maybe it was Rodrigo Borgia ... Or maybe just the jamón marketing board.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

EverHopeful said:


> Pork is meat and is carne, but not red meat. Good Catholics aren't supposed to eat meat on Fridays - their alternative is fish or seafood (not red meat, not pork and not chicken). It's quite surprising that in a Catholic country a dish without meat/carne would be served with ham. Back in the days when I lived in Spain that would not have happened, but the dish could well have been served with fish or seafood.


When did you live here, EverHopeful?


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## 95995 (May 16, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> When did you live here, EverHopeful?


Lat 60s to early 70s - a VERY long time ago.


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

EverHopeful said:


> Lat 60s to early 70s - a VERY long time ago.


You will have seen some changes. Grandad had a house then and from a selfish point of view liked Spain better although it obviously wasn’t for the Spanish.


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## 95995 (May 16, 2010)

Isobella said:


> You will have seen some changes. Grandad had a house then and from a selfish point of view liked Spain better although it obviously wasn’t for the Spanish.


Ha ha, it is barely the same country. Can you imagine no music from Easter Thursday until midnight o Easter Saturday, even in important tourist resorts for example?


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

As for no meat on Friday rule, it has been dropped from universal law and is left to the judgment of local episcopal conferences. In England and Wales, no meat rule was reintroduced 8 years ago. In Spain abstinence from meat only during Fridays in Lent. On other Fridays the faithful can substitute some works of penance, such as prayers, devotions and acts of mercy (such as visiting the sick).


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

For those of you who were concerned about my swede plight... I eventually located some in a shop in Pozuelo de Alarcón.

Shop is called Fruits of the World in case anyone is interested, quite a selection of imported fresh fruit and veg.


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

Further update on fresh "British " produce:

I stumbled upon this interesting looking website whilst looking for sausages. I even had a quick chat with the owner last week, and I have just received a spectacular looking pack of sausages and bacon. The introductory offers include delivery in Spain.

https://www.henryhoggs.com/

I'll let you know if they're as good as they look!


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Overandout said:


> Further update on fresh "British " produce:
> 
> I stumbled upon this interesting looking website whilst looking for sausages. I even had a quick chat with the owner last week, and I have just received a spectacular looking pack of sausages and bacon. The introductory offers include delivery in Spain.
> 
> ...


Thanks, will try them out.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Overandout said:


> Further update on fresh "British " produce:
> 
> I stumbled upon this interesting looking website whilst looking for sausages. I even had a quick chat with the owner last week, and I have just received a spectacular looking pack of sausages and bacon. The introductory offers include delivery in Spain.
> 
> ...


Do you know where in Madrid they are based?


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Do you know where in Madrid they are based?


No, I only had a quick chat because I asked if there was a way to collect the produce instead of having it delivered. He said that at the moment they didn't have a retail facility, so e-commerce only, for now... but they would look to open a shop maybe in the future.

But he said that Madrid orders would be delivered the day after production (my produce delivered today is dated yesterday), rest of Spain would be a day later.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Overandout said:


> No, I only had a quick chat because I asked if there was a way to collect the produce instead of having it delivered. He said that at the moment they didn't have a retail facility, so e-commerce only, for now... but they would look to open a shop maybe in the future.
> 
> But he said that Madrid orders would be delivered the day after production (my produce delivered today is dated yesterday), rest of Spain would be a day later.


I put my order in an hour ago and they have just been on the phone to say it will be delivered here, in the wilds of Jaén, on Friday. Sounds good, wait to see what the stuff is like.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

baldilocks said:


> I put my order in an hour ago and they have just been on the phone to say it will be delivered here, in the wilds of Jaén, on Friday. Sounds good, wait to see what the stuff is like.


The order arrived this afternoon. It looks good. The bacon is cut a little thicker. Sausages and pigs in blankets look OK. Will try a pack of sausages on Sunday as beans, bangers and mash.


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

We tucked into a brunch yesterday with honey roast sausages and smoked bacon and we thought it was very good.
The sausages are very "meaty" and the bacon is certainly better than anything we had found in Madrid previously. We will certainly be ordering again!


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Overandout said:


> We tucked into a brunch yesterday with honey roast sausages and smoked bacon and we thought it was very good.
> The sausages are very "meaty" and the bacon is certainly better than anything we had found in Madrid previously. We will certainly be ordering again!


As part of the "introductory offer" there was supposed to be a pack of chipolatas but they had run out so they sent sausages with apple and cider as well. They were passable and OK as a part of beans bangers and mash. The back bacon was cut a little thicker than I would have liked for bacon sarnies. Will probably order again.


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