First Time Shopping for Christmas Food at M&S (Americans Try British Christmas Treats)

[@A16AdamWalker]

Just to provide some background on the whole mince pies thing - they basically started cropping up in the UK around the 12th through to the 13th century (sources vary) but were basically a result of knights returning from the Crusades and bringing back spices as well as knowledge of how spices, fruit and meat were paired in middle-eastern cuisine (meat and fruit do predate this in European cooking but spices not so much). As spices were originally very expensive and hard to come by, most people (outside of royalty for example who would even use nutmeg to season grilled lamb chops purely because they could) might only use them once a year, so long with various other traditions they became associated with Christmas, although at first were mostly meat pies with a little fruit and spices. Over the centuries more fruit would be added as meat was harder to come by, but you still find minced lamb or beef involved through to the Victorian era, with best selling author of the time Mrs Beaton including it in her recipe for mince pies. The use of meat only really fell off as a result of WW1 and WW2 as meat was in such short supply that it didn't make sense to use it in such a manner (same with most food), so by the time rationing ended in the 50s, people were just used to it without meat being involved. The popularity hasn't really changed with generations... well among Christian and Secular families anyway... with an estimated 800 million eaten on average per year in the UK - that might sound like a lot but the brand behind the "Mr Kipling" range of baked goods sold 190 million last year by themselves, so add in all the supermarket, other brands and bakery made ones, you can see it's a lot. Sorry for the long post.

[@sarahvaughan4553]

OMG, I'm only at <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="110">1:50</a> and you're already practically British at this point. Welcome home :))

[@tricia4479]

Please try mince pies warmed up (not hot, in micro) with double cream poured over. Delicious….. 😋

[@rogerandroid2186]

Two US citizens stranded in UK due to a luggage avalanche. When speaking with the ambassador , they were quoted as saying "It was all the fault of Percy Pig !!!" The ambassador corrected them, saying: "I think that M&S are to blame."

[@what_im_eatin_uk]

You can get a Tesco meal deal it's just cheaper if you have the loyalty card

[@donnataylor7401]

Canvas tote bags can double up as cushion covers - just tuck the handles inside and pop a cushion pad in. Sew, or don't sew the top if you just want it as a temporary cushion.

[@grahamstubbs4962]

M&S have thoroughly perfected the art of parting you from your money at Christmas. Nobody begrudges them either 🙂

[@graham9881]

The iced mince pies you would not warm up only the traditional pastry ones. Mince pies are made with mincemeat which is traditionally made with raisins, currants, brandy, zest of lemon plus juice, shredded suet, dark brown sugar chopped mixed peel. There may be slight variations on family recipes. A raisins have a similar consistency to a sultanas.

[@Silentauditor974]

If you like things in your coffee, try Bailey’s double cream, add a coupla spoons and it’ll transform your coffee.

[@pin_spanner]

You two cheer me up. Lucky gits to get all that M&S stuff

[@NGT4LIFE]

Yes you can heat up mince pies. I think they're better warm with some custard or vanilla ice-cream.

[@Magenta80]

Love mince pies!! And iced ones 🤤 Christmas pudding warm served with cream 🤤 Oh I love M&S at Christmas!

[@nickymock]

I usually make my own- pigs in blanket. Usually I just buy bacon rashers 🥓 (similar to the bacon in the USA) then just wrap it around smaller sausages (chipolatas). Although these days a lot of people buy them already prepared. You can buy them from butcher’s too.

[@FalcomScott312]

I love ❤️ Mark & Spencer, which is short by M&S here in the UK 🇬🇧 We also have an M&S Food Hall store that has a display of foods too! The food selection here is so wonderful with a display of pizza, cakes, chocolates, chips, & more to choose from.

[@gaelsomerville5163]

We love mince pies (although home made ones are the best). But you need to warm them up and eat with either brandy butter or brandy/rum/whisky cream. Christmas pudding is also lovely but again has to be warm (you should then pour hot brandy/rum/whisky that has been set alight over the pudding before serving). You also eat pudding with brandy butter, brandy/rum/whisky cream. Love stollen too (but I adore marzipan). Also love the classic panettone. Yum yum.

[@robberntson8934]

LOVE LOVE LOVE me mince pie and Christmas pudding. To me, that is Christmas.

[@Dave-r4u]

Christmas puddings last well beyond their sell by date! The one we had last Christmas was 5 years out of date......tasted lovely! Just store them properly!

[@101xraydelta]

Honey glazed parsnips are the bestest ever

[@sandrabutler8483]

You can have Mince Pies warm, we used to eat them shortly after coming out of the oven especially at both sets of grandparents homes, we tend to have double cream or brandy butter, definitely not custard on either the pies or puddings, which the latter and Christmas Cake would be made and kept, this is why the top tier of the wedding cake if it's fruit of course would be kept and used when you had your first child christened. The cakes and puddings along with pickled onions etc would be made at least a year beforehand, we'd eat these items a few years after being made, my grandad's pickled onions would blow the cobwebs away 😁 they were a bit like having too much English Mustard, if you have grandparents enjoy the times with them you'll miss them when they're not around, I've been without mine for over 40 years for one of them and almost 40 for the other three. The Pigs in blankets and other foods come ready to go into the oven you don't need to use the baking tray, it looked like at least one of these came in the foil tray which saves on washing up. Some shops have now got your Christmas lunch /dinner in a box the turkey and trimmings, not the ready meals, but enough for at least four people ranging in price depending on where you buy it from, which is a good idea for some, especially if you're not sure on timings, for myself it's a busmans holiday being a chef for decades. My advice for anyone it's just a roast dinner, don't panic, you can cook a lot ahead of the day and put it in the freezer, and cook whatever meat from room temperature everything should be out of the fridge a good hour or more before putting in the oven, and make sure you turn the oven on especially electric one's at least ten minutes beforehand, and remember all vegetables which come from below ground can go into cold water and bought too the boil, above ground hot water then add the vegetables in, don't forget to salt the water, and if you're having cabbage or Brussels use the water for both and also use the water in the gravy. You can also cook the vegetables the day before, put them on a tray and warm through in boiling water on the day, when you take the meat out rest it, it'll stay warm and carry on cooking for a good hour if it's a turkey, and then put your roast potatoes and other vegetables in, by the time they're cooked and gravy made the joint or turkey will be ready for carving, and don't forget Boxing Day bubble and squeak, put everything in the frying pan until golden brown, cold meats and homemade stuffing with the red cabbage etc and fried egg on top

[@icecreamrollscraze]

Absolutely love seeing your reactions to British Christmas treats! M&S really does Christmas right-those pigs in blankets and festive crisps are iconic. You definitely need to try mince pies next time!

[@Kari_B61ex]

The land of good cheese- I can agree with that!

[@Foxbat320]

Pig in blankets are eaten with your main Christmas meal. Mince pie would be filled with brandy and they keep for months. mince pies are something we generally eat

[@floriaskite938]

Mince pie warmed in microwave for 30 secs, then add Bailey's extra thick cream, or just extra thick double cream ❤

[@rlfk71]

you wont get the full taste of the pigs in blankets without the rest of the Xmas dinner so you can have a bit of everything. Turkey. pigs in blankets, roast potatoes, swede & carrot mash, honey parsnips, sprouts and pancetta, cauliflower cheese and roasted honey & mustard carrots with a Yorkshire pudding, cranberry sauce and bread sauce, yum, lol of you are still in UK for Xmas come for dinner i always have enough :)

[@williamjohnchisholm1277]

Good choice to shop at M and S quality food if a little expensive.enjoy!

[@bobtheskutterbot]

The comment about Target reminded me that a few years back, Target carried M&S Christmas goods. I think this was during the pandemic when I really needed it as I was unable to travel back to the UK from the US for Christmas. edit: Oh now you reference that too! cool cool cool.

[@sarahspinks516]

One of the favourites in our household for Christmas eve is to bake a Camembert and dip pigs in blankets and pieces of baguette, preferably with red onion pickle to cut through the cheese and sticks of cucumber, carrot, celery to also break up the rich cheese. So yummy :) It's really cool to see you try things in the UK, loved the video :)

[@edinval]

While spring rolls and mini filled Yorkshire puds are not in themselves traditional Christmas fare, what is traditional is having parties - at home, in the office, wherever - social gatherings, inviting friends or neighbours round for a drink... and supermarkets go all out at Christmas making tempting finger food, coming out with new or on trend flavours... the sort of thing the host can pop in the oven and then pass around on trays. Warmed mince pies (not the iced ones) are usually traditional too - they go great with a glass of something alcoholic.

[@flibblesan]

M&S Food is fantastic quality and prices aren't that much more than other big supermarkets in the UK. Although on quite a few lines they are actually cheaper. Fresh chicken for example.

[@darrenwilson8042]

That red car with the tree on the roof rack and snow on the windscreen makes me laugh - we have snowy scenes on our cards and look out for snow on the big day but in reality you are more likely to have snow at Easter than on Christmas Day. One day in the 70's I got a Raleigh Chopper bicycle as my big present - I rode it all Christmas Day and was sweating like mad as I was in a jumper and a coat and it was 17 degrees lol

[@cazziefores2183]

Aldi has some really nice Christmas stuff in atm xxx 🎄🤶👌😘🇬🇧✌️

[@lorrainemoynehan6791]

I first started following you before you visited the UK and you were trying nice cream with flake. Now you are distinguishing between what is a traditional, old fashioned "we just eat this at christmas' to something that is an innovative spin. Seriously, why don't you consider making this your base and nip back to the states from time to time? You honestly belong here. I would sponsor you!

[@smeechdog1]

You need to put some brandy in a ladle - heat it up with a lighter, set it on fire and pour it over the Christmas pudding - it looks super pretty and helps disguise the taste of Chrismas Pudding lol - just, you know, don't burn down your house!

[@Paul_Allaker8450]

Cara is going to need a shipping container to bring back her Percy Pig merch! 😂😂

[@markjones127]

Just send yourself a parcel home! I've never had a truly great mince pie from any UK supermarket including M&S, just buy a jar of mincemeat and then make your own shortcrust pastry using half lard and half real butter, then you have insanely good mince pies and they're super quick easy to make.

[@Stitch-dx4uc]

Anyone can buy a meal deal in Tesco, you just need the clubcard to save 40p on the price! 😊 Love watching your videos and always love a look around M&S 😁

[@bubblesz80]

Give crumpets another go but cook them till they are well done. I saw you try them on another video but they were way undercooked when you ate them.

[@erikdalna211]

You have achieved true Britishness. You like the idea of a mince pie but not an actual mince pie.

[@Annalise2409]

My family Loves M&S.. but we believe you pay for what you get! X

[@davidfenn4444]

You can use yoghurt with Christmas pudding. Most Americans don't like it.

[@abnormallyfunny]

The browned butter mince pies are next level. Game changing.

[@craftyclaira]

Great video!

[@jedidarkside]

Good to see you both enjoying yourselves, great vibes. Using a spoon to eat a mince pie made me laugh, it's completely cool to pick it up and yam on it. 💥😜😁😋

[@user-ch9if6px6r]

Where the meal deals are in M&S are two in a pack cronuts that we love. I brought home calendars, percy pigs, reverse flavor, nepresso coffee, beautiful Christmas cards and cadbury snowballs. My mom always made a mince pie so love them.

[@eileenhildreth8355]

I have a gold wire Christmas tree which we fill with chocolates and other wrapped lollies every year

[@kimspicer9038]

Hundreds of years ago, in the early 1980s when I was a student nurse in London., each year one of my friends, Joan, made a tradition of making her own Christmas cake. She'd start it months before and she'd soak the dried fruit in various alcohols in, as I remember, in a large plastic bowl. The scent of the alcoholic fruit could be smelled in the lift as we neared her flat, somewhere near the top of the building. So 6-months matured means that the pudding itself is made and then kept for 6 months in the run-up to Christmas. There's a similar tradition with wedding cakes, where the top tier of a traditional fruit cake would be wrapped and kept until the celebration of the Christening of the first baby. My aunt was the only one brave enough to try the top tier of my cousin's wedding cake. She said it was fine, but dry.

[@philiptomlinson8834]

Just a quick tip if you didn't know already, if you set the camera you're using to 50FPS (25/33/100 also work) it will stop the flashing/strobing effects of lights in the UK when being recorded. It's due to the Hz frequency of our power grid.

[@markthomas2577]

Love hot mince pies with cream. You have to read te packet because some mince pies need cooking, others can be eaten straight from the pack, but no spoon .... never seen anything like that !

[@CHEEKYMONKEY2647]

local butchers do a good spiced sausage that then wrap in streaky bacon and cook... good with mashed potato and chestnut stuffing with a good gravy

[@relayer27]

Can't remember hearing Cara so excited 😊❤

[@lilyanaharforde3374]

Put a pastry-filled mince pie in the microwave for 30 seconds and have it with a dollop of ice cream on top... Delish!

[@susansmiles2242]

The Brie and cranberry tartlets are my favourite along with the stollen slices We had the mini Yorkshire puds and pigs in blankets last night along with prawn toast and mini coquilles St Jacques yummy. Must look out for the halloumi in blankets next time we go they look good Those iced mince pies look very sweet. The Xmas pud we usually eat with brandy cream, brandy butter or a rum sauce it is also similar to Xmas cake and mincemeat as the ingredients are mostly the same

[@dufflepod]

Love you guys. Happy Christmas. P.S. Iced minces pies are an abomination. Fie, FIE I say!

[@amfwelsh]

Always get the m&s food for Christmas. And always spend a fortune

[@TomNoCaptainTom]

You can get the Tesco meal deal, just without the Tesco Club Card you have to pay 50p extra so it'll be £4

[@alisonrodger3360]

It takes all my willpower not to buy every M&S 'thing in a tin'. Thinking about it, in my lottery winning house it would be ' ..and welcome to the M&S tin room..'😂

[@philb2085]

I have to buy twice as many pigs-in-blankets as I need to allow for how many I'll nibble while plating up 😂

[@rogerb68]

M&S is my favourite store, especially at Christmas..

[@srf-f4e]

Baked bacon wrapped dates as well as pigs in blankets are tasty. This usually a supervised task for the grand children and it keeps them occupied for a while. 😊😊

[@theextremebudgeter2775]

M&S do different novelty biscuit tins every year. We always get one and save it and then play the music while opening advent calendars. They are such good value as well as coming with delicious treats!

[@pjgtech]

Thanx for the video, cheers. Mince pies are an absolute MUST in our house, luv them all, but especially any all butter pastry ones, they are just yummy.... 8-)

[@WIlfredWibbles]

For Pigs in Blankets it's really up to you how you do it. You can buy cocktail sausages or full size chipolatas and then wrap them in streaky bacon or you can just buy them ready made to cook. For Christmas Day most people on cooking duty (me !) would want the premade ones because there's enough to be getting on with. Also, best Mince Pies in my view are Waitrose No. 1 Brown Butter mince pies - those are dangerous and I could eat an entire pack in 20 minutes and live with the consequences... In our house we have Christmas Pudding with rum butter (I make it myself) and clotted cream (I live in Cornwall so this is easy).

[@Xtremeraverbaby87]

You could always post a big box of stuff back to yourselves if you dont have luggage room x

[@longlivefreedom9853]

The best flat white coffee can be found in the automatic coffee vending machine in Marks and Spencers... better than Starbucks and costa coffee

[@claregale9011]

Hi Guys , , we do Christmas food really well here. M&S high end I get a couple of bits from there for Christmas, but lidl and Aldi , Asda and sainsburys still do lots of Christmas food too .

[@dominique8233]

Warm mince pies with brandy butter from M&S. Oooh yum

[@grrfy]

chipolatas and streaky bacon make great pigs in blankets.The hal;loumi ina blanket is a really random , but very tasty sounding thing.

[@jamesb821]

The home bakery brought out white chocolate and gingerbread cookies for Christmas however due to overwhelming demand, they’ve sold out already, they were truly amazing!

[@alaskayoung7476]

Where I live in the US, pigs in blankets are sausages wrapped in crescent roll or something similar.

[@steviegibson5847]

Great video. Really enjoyed it. I want to go to m&s now! BTW - your hair style and colour is the nicest it's ever been. 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@robvinton1628]

I’m going to M&S tomorrow for food shop! Christmas dinner in our household is roast turkey, cranberry, pork and chestnut stuffing, pigs in blankets … roast potato’s made with goose fat, honey roast parsnips, turnip, carrots, cabbage, gravy and yorkie puds. 😅 mince pies 🤮 work of the devil as is Christmas pudding 🤮 so sticky toffee or a pavlova for desert! Merry Christmas to you both 🥳🎅🏼🎄 drink and be merry xx

[@timglennon6814]

You can warm pre packaged Mince pies up. I do it and then put Brandy Cream on the top. If you can find Brandy Cream in the Supermarkets, then you should get some. It’s delicious.

[@Mach_One_Photos]

Tesco meal deal is a little bit cheaper with the club card but if you don't have a card you can still buy the meal deal at the higher price

[@illya7]

In a lot of homes you make the pudding for next year this year, They mature and get better!

[@daveh966]

Use greaseproof paper to set your pigs in blankets on or anything else for that matter your sticking in the oven your baking experience will be much easier

[@JohnyG29]

I (and most people I know) absolutely love mince pies. You should really heat them, but they also taste great cold. However, I've never seen an iced mince pie before, that just seems wrong.

[@craftyclaira]

Matured Xmas Pudding and/or Cake means steeped in brandy, cognac or spiced rum and cooked months in advance so that you get maxim7m flavour hit by Xmas. People take great pride in making their puddings/cakes months in advance - tradition and recipes carried on for centuries .

[@angelajones2093]

Is it bad that we knew that was Bath M&S from the layout of the food section. I went to M&S the other day for chewing gum and came out with 3 different tins.

[@user-cv8ud8qo9f]

The best thing to have with the christmas pudding is brandy butter (good quality one, like M&S) or failing that, double cream ... but it's full of dried fruit and nuts, incl raisins, so you might not like it and it's traditionally topped with burning brandy to give it a blue flame when brought to the table although it might not be worth it with an individual one ... and yeah mince pies are very much a tradition, a bit like stollen is in Germany.

[@YeahShaw]

I’m with you on the sultanas & raisins. I hate the texture but love the smell of mince pies & xmas pudding baking.

[@markc1793]

The six month matured thing on the pudding is as you guessed, traditionally you make it many months in advance and then keep it to “mature” until Christmas. Not sure how many people actually do that any more, i think everyone i know just goes for the ease of buying one like you did.

[@Defender200tdi]

A good Christmas pudding is made well in advance. It is not unusual to make next years Christmas pud the year before. Traditionally it is served hot and anointed with warmed brandy which is ignited as the desert is brought to the table. It is customary to dim the lights so the children can see the blue flames dancing around the pudding, much to their delight.

[@craig5066]

Personally I love anything with dried fruits in them especially Christmas cake,pudding(with rum or brandy sauce) or mince pies but they can be divisive especially if dried fruits aren’t your thing.

[@holbeckmax]

Tesco meal deal is available without the Clubcard it’s just a little more expensive. Tesco and Sainsbury’s have a fair number of items that have a cheaper Nectar/Clubcard price.

[@suegermaine5730]

Jeremy you did not shake your drink up enough. When you took a sip there was still loads of caramel on the bottom of the bottle.

[@dawnsheard4786]

Mince pie warm with double cream & a cuppa tea 😘 I think mince pies are for everyone… depending on your taste buds… my kids eat them with 🫖 I can honestly say I’ve never had a mince pie with icing though 🤔

[@davidburton5335]

I could eat the mince pies every day of the year. Clotted cream if with anything. Always cold though.

[@carolineskipper6976]

I love the idea of pigs in blankets- but in practice they are too salty for me. The spicy mix (seems to be Bombay Mix with chocolate added) looked intriguing - I'd love that! I also love a mince pie- I always make my own with quite thin short crust pastry rather than the thick sweetened pastry bought ones tend to be made with.

[@0saintsfan0]

You need to set your video frame rate to 50fps when standing under mains lighting in the UK, which operates at 50Hz, 60fps will cause pulsing as seen at times in this video

[@martinquinn9007]

Love the new hair and glasses

[@terencewilliams789]

The trees are clockwork wind up music. X

[@Michelle-bo4hj]

Mince Pies are a very traditional so is the Christmas Pudding with thick cream or custard . Christmas pudding is a Marmite thing love or hate it .M & S puff pastry mince pies are the best . Yes M & S do so many things you can give as presents Cake or Biscuits etc in very pretty box's , but they are expensive .

[@PJM74-gm8fg]

Erm - why not box up items you can't fit in your luggage and mail it back home. Then you can have all the cute merch! Win-win!

[@jasmineteehee3612]

Hi Cara and Jeremy, we have hot honey at home, I use it on porridge with fruit for breakfast.

[@Ash-pr6oi]

The cherry liqueur chocolates are my fav for christmas

[@JohnCraig-y6f]

Hot minced pies served with whipped cream or custard are wonderful delight to eat all year round, not just at Christmas 😃😃😃

[@crazystarwarsguy1006]

Jeremy is a teddy bear and his confectionery should be available in M&S in the near future.

[@djpalmer31]

Mince pies cold can be eat with your fingers. The non-iced versions are nice warmed with some custard. You should have also bought a decent Christmas cake.

[@colinbennington4157]

Hi guys. Looks like you are enjoying the UK again and a pleasure to have you here. If you like cheese then try Snowdonia cheese company. They have a website and ship worldwide. They have a great selection of bespoke cheeses. They produce the best cheese in the UK. And more importantly it is produced in Wales.🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@suekirk1448]

Historically mince pies were made with actual meat and spices.