No doubt Debi. My hubs... his family... let's just say they'd be in trouble if they were asked to cook their way out of damp tissue paper, let alone a paper bag! 
But you know, this brings us around to something I've been pondering for a long time... obviously food is so subjective, whether something is *good* or not is all about the person eating it (to an extent). So, I have to guess that my inlaws feel that they are good cooks, KWIM? They are used to the way they cook, they cook for how they like to eat, etc. It's not their fault that I'm such a friggin' gourmet snob. And maybe they don't actually like my cooking! Maybe I use too many herbs, garlic, seasoning, FLAVOR for them. Maybe they actually LIKE bland. (That's the only thing I can figure...)
And maybe, maybe they don't realize their cooking is not very good. My SIL says that my lasagne is not 'real' lasagne when I use cottage cheese instead of ricotta. Any living human that has tasted my 'fake' lasagne has wanted to eat until their stomach exploded, then clean it up and eat some more! She made her 'real' lasagne on Saturday and had us over... worst dry, grainy lasagne ever. I'm sure she thought it was amazing because it had ricotta in it. I couldn't even eat it. It was B...A...D...! But, I bet in her mind she really thought she showed me what real lasagne is. And maybe in reality I'M actually the bad cook. Even though people actually pay me for my food. Yah, ok, I'm guessing I'd be out of business if I were a bad cook.
Can someone shut this broad up? Hehehehe. 
Melvira, yours is a post that can be applied to the great mix vs scratch debate, too. It's not that mix or scratch is better ... it's the talent of the cook. It's not that mix or scratch is better ..... it depends on what the person grew up on and what they like, or maybe even that they've never been exposed to one or the other.
I worked with one lady who figured the "just add water" pancake mix wouldn't taste as good as the one where you add the egg, oil, etc. She tried it and was amazed that she couldn't tell a difference.
I know others who have never had made from scratch food and they are amazed at how much they like it.
They'd never been exposed to the "other kind" before on either side of the argument. 
I've noticed that things like "one stick of butter" is foreign to non-Americans. And I've noticed that a lot of americans have no idea that 1 stick is 1/2 cup or 1/4 pound.
That can actually be confusing for Americans now, too, as I keep seeing new butters in the grocery store - half sticks (what the ???), more and more European butters are coming in and a few are slightly off weight than our traditional 1/4 lb. sticks we're used to so that old "one stick of butter" in a recipe isn't gonna cut it anymore.
Absolutely Debi! And I have to say... with me there is NEVER a 'just add water'. Not because I don't believe in them, but because I have to add seven things to it to put my stamp on it and make it this fantastic scratch tasting *thing*. And trust me, it works. People can't tell it ever started as a mix. And on the opposite side... I will make something from scratch that seemingly could've been accomplished with a box of Hamburger Helper, but you'd better believe it's twenty times better! My 4.5 year old is so cute when he asks me to make him "Home made Chuck E Cheese"! Over-the-top adorable. But he's a junior gourmet. He can tell when it's mommy's scratch or doctored cooking.
My mother often sends me recipes, which is great, but she is writing them down from her memory. So, I have a recipe for a cornbread which says "Heat oven until hot" and "bake for 20 minutes. Or 40. Check and see, when it's done take it out". Her most famous recipe was for a soup called "Hodge-Podge". I loved it as a child, but I think she must have made it up. Her recipe says: "Cook potatoes and other hard vegs. Add beans, corn, etc. Don't forget the milk."
I have my great grandmother's cookbook and it's really a trip going through it when you see ingredients like: half an eggshell of Milnot (not sure that's still around) or a good heavy hand of flour. She was a phenomenal cook and baker (oh, Lord, the pies!!!) but I'll never for the life of me figure out some of her recipes. Sure makes for some fun and memorable reading tho! 
Thank you for this post as a great deal is "lost in translation' from one country to the next. I transplanted here 18 yrs ago & still come across things I don't know how to interpret. In general the US uses alot of prepared/packaged foods in comparison to other parts of the world.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think pudding as we know it here in the US is really eaten outside of the the US (maybe is in Canada?).
As for fruit-flavored gelatin (which is what Jello is), I have no idea if that is something that is eaten outside the US/NA or not.
Vegetable shortening is called vegetable fat in other places (I know there is at least one brand of it in the UK and in Australia, not sure about other countries), but is still pretty uncommon, I think most of the things we use it for in the US aren't eaten or are traditionally made with other fats (butter or lard I'm guessing).
Are pumpkins and other squashes (other than zucchini/courgettes) eaten outside the Americas? Or are canned veg just not as common outside of the US?
I know a lot of what we find commonplace here in the US isn't in other places (and visa versa), but then things like sweetened condensed milk and various extracts I would think would be available in Europe. Are you able to order from online sources, such as Lorann's and have it shipped, or are the shipping costs prohibitive?
I wonder if it's easier to get things that are more common in Europe here in the US than the other way round? For example, if I want Devon (clotted) cream, there are stores here in the US that import it, but I guess other than at US military commissaries, many US food products aren't shipped overseas?
I'm so glad to see I'm not the only one with recipe problems. I would love to try some of the recipes in the gourmet flavour thread, but as someone else said, often have to give up because I have no idea what the ingredients are.
I think the problem is that Denmark has very VERY strict rules about food and the e-numbers and additives in it. Instant jello and pudding probably has something in it that the Health Department here think is dangerous to our delicate Danish stomachs 
I can get hold of pumpkin, squash and courgettes when they are in season, (my father grows squash and I LOVE squash cake with cream cheese frosting) but not canned. And all that work with a pumpkin to try a pumpkin pie just doesn't seem worth it.
There used to be a store in Copenhagen selling American food but it closed last year and I haven't been able to find another. It's probably too expensive. And ordering in from US isn't a possibility either because it's outside the EU and that means there's a duty.
I guess I just have to be inventive and work with what I've got.
You'd be surprised how many of the things I see in recipes here on CC that are impossible to find in Denmark; coffee dreamers, instant jello, pudding mixes, strawberry flavored gelatin, strawberry flavoured cream cheese, bettercreme, shortening, pumkin puree, and all those extracts always mentioned. I can get vanilla, almond and rum extracts.
Wow. You can't get instant jello? pudding mixes? shortening? My goodness! Can you get lemon extract? Raspberry? That just makes me sad! You want us to send you a big old goody package with all the stuff we have and take for granted?
Nope, no lemon or raspberry flavours, and I'd love a goody package, just think of all the lovely tastes I could play around with. I'm now sitting here with a dreamy look in my eyes, heaving great big sighs.
Lomfise,
For condensed milk, try stores that sell Asian and/or Middle Eastern foods. There is an American store in central Malmö called Gray's (about a 20 minute walk from the central station right up the pedestrian street). They also sell canned pumpkin there.
As far as coffee creamers, jello, instant pudding and all that crap, why would you even want to put that in a cake? There are plenty of delicious cake recipes with real ingredients!
Lomfise,
For condensed milk, try stores that sell Asian and/or Middle Eastern foods. There is an American store in central Malmö called Gray's (about a 20 minute walk from the central station right up the pedestrian street). They also sell canned pumpkin there.
As far as coffee creamers, jello, instant pudding and all that crap, why would you even want to put that in a cake? There are plenty of delicious cake recipes with real ingredients!
I know there are many delicious recipes out there with "natural" ingredients, but after having read so many recipes here on CC I got jealous of all those strange flavours and combinations. I'd love to try a pistachio cake, but when I can't even find unsalted pistachios (have tried three different stores and keep looking) I don't know how else to do it. Instant pistachio pudding seemed a good solution.
About the store in Malmö, it isn't often I go to Sweden, but I don't live far from Copenhagen, so it should be possible. I could make a shopping trip out of it, any excuse for that will do
lomfise, do you know how jealous I am that you could just pop over to Copenhagen for shopping? I'd trade that over instant pudding any day.
As for e-numbers, I bet must Americans don't even know what that means! It seems so many Americans are so used to the artifical flavors and colors that they don't like the real stuff when they get it.
That being said, I don't want the government monitoring what I can and cannot eat that closely. If someone wants to eat stuff that's bad for them, that's their own business.
lomfise, do you know how jealous I am that you could just pop over to Copenhagen for shopping? I'd trade that over instant pudding any day.
As for e-numbers, I bet must Americans don't even know what that means! It seems so many Americans are so used to the artifical flavors and colors that they don't like the real stuff when they get it.
That being said, I don't want the government monitoring what I can and cannot eat that closely. If someone wants to eat stuff that's bad for them, that's their own business.
A British friend asked me what the expiration date is on my ketchup, and I said I had no idea, I never check the expiration date. She was horrified!! What a light bulb moment for me! As soon as I got home, I checked and it was for a year! Their ketchup expires in weeks.
This will not change unless the American public starts demanding fresher products. But the bottom line is money, are Americans willing to accept smaller amounts instead of super size gallon jugs of money savers that will last months or years on the shelf? Will we say NO to genetically modified foods, just because it grows in larger quantities? Injected hormones in cows? Hormones in the milk we drink?
Since living overseas for the past 13 years, I have realized how much we are persuaded into buying more than necessary by the American food corporations, our shopping carts get larger and larger because our food lasts forever on the shelf, we can get away with buying such quantities. Our refrigerators are also getting bigger to hold all of that food. In Japan, their shopping carts are hand baskets. They have a frame with wheels and you place your shopping cart onto the push frame and there is your grocery basket. (This is actually how ours started out in the 50's until a grocer realized his patrons would buy more if they had a larger basket and invented the grocery cart with wheels.) Japanese buy in very small quantities and put it in their very small refrigerators. Here in England, their refrigerators are a more reasonable size that works for their lifestyle of shopping for fresh serveral times a week. In Germany, they have meat markets, fruit market, and bakeries, where most shop as the British do several times a week or daily for bread. I have never ate so well as I have overseas. I do like their way of life. I have had the pleasure of going into European bakeries and will never forget the smell of that lovely fresh artisan style bread.
Just my personal observations...
Edited for spelling...
lomfise, do you know how jealous I am that you could just pop over to Copenhagen for shopping? I'd trade that over instant pudding any day.
Please don't take this the wrong way, but I have to correct you. If I go to Copenhagen (which I do daily since I work there) I go in to Copenhagen, not over.
I know this is stupid to waste time on but I remember once hearing a certain George W. Bush refering to Denmark as the capital of Sweden and it's not! It's a whole country of it's own, granted, not a large one, but if anyone dare calls us Swedish we might just remember we have viking blood in our veins and come for you... 
This will not change unless the American public starts demanding fresher products. But the bottom line is money, are Americans willing to accept smaller amounts instead of super size gallon jugs of money savers that will last months or years on the shelf? Will we say NO to genetically modified foods, just because it grows in larger quantities? Injected hormones in cows? Hormones in the milk we drink?
About this, I am actually quite glad thay the Danish government prohibits hormones, genetically modified food or anything with artificial vitamines in. It's illegal to sell any such things here.
When I shop I always consider how much I need of the things I buy, I mean if I don't need 500g of grated cheese, then I buy a smaller bag, because it wont last till I need it again. Saves both money and space in my fridge.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think pudding as we know it here in the US is really eaten outside of the the US (maybe is in Canada?).
As for fruit-flavored gelatin (which is what Jello is), I have no idea if that is something that is eaten outside the US/NA or not.
Vegetable shortening is called vegetable fat in other places (I know there is at least one brand of it in the UK and in Australia, not sure about other countries), but is still pretty uncommon, I think most of the things we use it for in the US aren't eaten or are traditionally made with other fats (butter or lard I'm guessing).
Are pumpkins and other squashes (other than zucchini/courgettes) eaten outside the Americas? Or are canned veg just not as common outside of the US?
I know a lot of what we find commonplace here in the US isn't in other places (and visa versa), but then things like sweetened condensed milk and various extracts I would think would be available in Europe. Are you able to order from online sources, such as Lorann's and have it shipped, or are the shipping costs prohibitive?
I wonder if it's easier to get things that are more common in Europe here in the US than the other way round? For example, if I want Devon (clotted) cream, there are stores here in the US that import it, but I guess other than at US military commissaries, many US food products aren't shipped overseas?
Here in England, pudding is a dessert molded of sponge or bread or which can also be savory, so it's not necessarily "dessert", it just depends on how they use the word. What we call pudding, they call custard. They do sell sachets of custard as well as pre-made custards at Asda (Walmart) here in the UK. I have seen many American products on the shelves here in the UK as well as in Japan. They have Betty Crocker at Sainsbury's, a grocery store chain here. I will have to look specifically for the jello gelatin, but I think I have seen it as well.
They do not carry canned solid packed pumpkin in grocery stores here. But do have a good variety of canned vegetables and beans. It is a special order item and there are American companies online that sell American items to cater to Americans that live here, but can't shop on military bases. They do sell a variety of whole baking pumpkins all over my village during the season. I live in a farming community, so I can stop anywhere in the village and pick up fresh from the farm produce or free range eggs at their driveway and leave the money in a box or tin! I have brought pumpkin muffins or cupcakes to my friends in my sugar paste class and they loved them. They just said they don't bother with pumpkins because of the process, but would use it more often if they had the pumpkin in a can. Interestingly enough, the solid packed pumpkin was disappearing off the shelf in September and I was having a very hard time getting it at the commissary for months!
For my little grocery store in the village, I have been so impressed with it! I can get sushi! They have an amazing variety of world foods in that small store. I am just amazed by it. They even have a Mexican food section! It's all the Old El Paso line. Oh and they even carry Dr. Pepper! The world food market is getting more global and is evident in this small village grocery store.
As for fruit-flavored gelatin (which is what Jello is), I have no idea if that is something that is eaten outside the US/NA or not.
I might be wrong (please do correct me!), but US "Jello" is UK "JellY" ("jelly" I think might be the American word for the British 'Jam' [like a fruit preserve]???). Jelly (e.g. from the brand Rowntrees) is eaten lots in the UK and it's readily available at most grocery stores.
I see interesting recipes here including pudding mixes, but I haven't a CLUE what their equivalent would be in the UK. Can someone explain what it is please?
Thanks
I just ruined a cake because it said 1 jar marshmallow fluff -- there are two vastly different sizes!!!
As for fruit-flavored gelatin (which is what Jello is), I have no idea if that is something that is eaten outside the US/NA or not.
I might be wrong (please do correct me!), but US "Jello" is UK "JellY" ("jelly" I think might be the American word for the British 'Jam' [like a fruit preserve]???). Jelly (e.g. from the brand Rowntrees) is eaten lots in the UK and it's readily available at most grocery stores.
I see interesting recipes here including pudding mixes, but I haven't a CLUE what their equivalent would be in the UK. Can someone explain what it is please?
Thanks
Angel Delight
But you are so right. When I was younger I used to go buy food almost every single day, just like has been mentioned. I liked just buying fresh for that night. I kept a few staples that you need of course, but I'd pick out my meat, veg, etc. fresh every day. (But still at the same old grocery store, so the food was probably sitting there for a week anyway.) I wish our country were more conducive to that, but we don't have the amazing fresh food markets that other countries have. Yes, in some places they do, unfortunately I live in the middle of the country, not in California or some big, fancy city that has 'everything'. The closest thing we have to a farmer's market is that creepy old guy that sits in his car at the bank with a bag of cauliflower on his front seat.
And yet, I live in farm country. Literally. I am surrounded by farms. I need to learn how to garden better, with my huge yard I could never go to the grocery store again. (Except for milk and cheese... I'm not keeping a cow! Hahaha!)
What about eggs, Melvira? Are you willing to keep chickens? I can't believe that a couple in our church have chickens in their backyard, and we live in a suburb of Chicago! They were trying to convince me one day that I should get some, that the eggs are fresher, better quality, etc. I told them that I used 72 eggs in one week recently -- well, they get 2 eggs per day from those chickens. I don't think that would cut it for me!
Actually there are many farms around me that sell fresh eggs! My cousin used to, but they got rid of all their chickens a few years back. They stick to corn now. He also used to raise a few hogs, but I don't think he's doing that now either. My uncle was a hog farmer. The stench was incredible, but he'd always laugh and take a deep sniff and say, "Smells like money to me!" 
As for fruit-flavored gelatin (which is what Jello is), I have no idea if that is something that is eaten outside the US/NA or not.
I might be wrong (please do correct me!), but US "Jello" is UK "JellY" ("jelly" I think might be the American word for the British 'Jam' [like a fruit preserve]???). Jelly (e.g. from the brand Rowntrees) is eaten lots in the UK and it's readily available at most grocery stores.
I see interesting recipes here including pudding mixes, but I haven't a CLUE what their equivalent would be in the UK. Can someone explain what it is please?
Thanks
I think your right about the jello/jelly/jam thing, i once told an american friend i had strawberry jam on toast for supper and he freaked right out, couldnt ever imagine combination of of dessert and toast lol
As for fruit-flavored gelatin (which is what Jello is), I have no idea if that is something that is eaten outside the US/NA or not.
I might be wrong (please do correct me!), but US "Jello" is UK "JellY" ("jelly" I think might be the American word for the British 'Jam' [like a fruit preserve]???). Jelly (e.g. from the brand Rowntrees) is eaten lots in the UK and it's readily available at most grocery stores.
I see interesting recipes here including pudding mixes, but I haven't a CLUE what their equivalent would be in the UK. Can someone explain what it is please?
Thanks
Jello is flavored & sweetened gelatine that comes in a box in a large variety of flavors. Jelly is the similar to jam, without the fruit & seeds.
American box pudding packages are the equivalent to your UK custard sachets, except that ours come in a large variety of flavors such as banana cream, chocolate fudge, pistachio, vanilla, French vanilla, cheesecake, pumpkin spice around the holidays, and so many more I probably don't even know about because I only get the basics here. You just add milk to ours and wisk well and set in the fridge to firm up. I have never made a British custard from a sachet but I have one in the cabinet. I picked one up at Asda for 9p and thought I'd give it a try. It may not be the exact equivalent or the best brand, but it is what I have. LOL. I should mention also the custard calls for adding boiling water and our Jello pudding mix calls for adding cold milk. Here is the breakdown of ingredients:
Asda brand Instant Custard Mix
sugar
maize starch
potato starch
whey
dried glucose syrup
vegetable oil
natural flavoring (contains wheat)
milk protein
acidity regulator
potassium phosphates
colour (annatto)
Jello Brand pudding mix -chocolate fudge
sugar
modified cornstarch
cocoa process with alkalai
disodium phosphate (for thickening)
contains less than 2% of natural and artificial flavor
tetrasodium pyrophosphate for thickening
mono and diglycerides (prevent foaming)
red 40, yellow 5, blue 1, artificial color
bha (preservative)
When I was younger I used to go buy food almost every single day, just like has been mentioned. I liked just buying fresh for that night. I kept a few staples that you need of course, but I'd pick out my meat, veg, etc. fresh every day. (But still at the same old grocery store, so the food was probably sitting there for a week anyway.) I wish our country were more conducive to that, but we don't have the amazing fresh food markets that other countries have. Yes, in some places they do, unfortunately I live in the middle of the country, not in California or some big, fancy city that has 'everything'. The closest thing we have to a farmer's market is that creepy old guy that sits in his car at the bank with a bag of cauliflower on his front seat.
And yet, I live in farm country. Literally. I am surrounded by farms. I need to learn how to garden better, with my huge yard I could never go to the grocery store again. (Except for milk and cheese... I'm not keeping a cow! Hahaha!)
You crack me up!
You do bring up an excellent point and I was thinking about this as I drove around my village today, to be fair about this subject, grocery stores in America are not as convenient as they are in a small village where you can walk to all the shops etc. Our stores are very well spread out and you may drive a good 15 miles or more to get to the store, so when you do make your purchases you want to make sure you buy enough. So our needs may be different because our lifestyles are different due to the way our towns are structured.
I do wish I could garden too! I have grown veg. in pots and that was fun, but it would be more fun to have a nice plot going.
As for fruit-flavored gelatin (which is what Jello is), I have no idea if that is something that is eaten outside the US/NA or not.
I might be wrong (please do correct me!), but US "Jello" is UK "JellY" ("jelly" I think might be the American word for the British 'Jam' [like a fruit preserve]???). Jelly (e.g. from the brand Rowntrees) is eaten lots in the UK and it's readily available at most grocery stores.
I see interesting recipes here including pudding mixes, but I haven't a CLUE what their equivalent would be in the UK. Can someone explain what it is please?
Thanks
To me at least in NY:
Jello - clear dessert that wiggles
Jam - goes on toast - seedless
Jelly - goes on toast - has seeds
Perserves - chunks of fruit, better for treats then toast
Instant pudding is like custard, made by the major brand name is Jello (not to confuse, but also the same company that makes the dessert Jello). Some instant cake boxes list 'instant pudding' included into the cake mix now for more moisture (someone finally caught on!). I don't know if you have instant custard in the UK in the same packaging sizes...but I hope that helps? I know an English family I could ask, if you need more specifics PM me.
.... to be fair about this subject, grocery stores in America are not as convenient as they are in a small village where you can walk to all the shops etc. Our stores are very well spread out and you may drive a good 15 miles or more to get to the store, so when you do make your purchases you want to make sure you buy enough.
We had friends from England who came and stayed a couple of weeks with us. They told us they never understood the American's fascination with their cars .... until they got here and saw how spread out everything was. THey, too, were used to EVERYTHING being in walking distance from their home. At my home, NOTHING was in walking distance!
To me at least in NY:
Jello - clear dessert that wiggles
Jam - goes on toast - seedless
Jelly - goes on toast - has seeds
Perserves - chunks of fruit, better for treats then toast
I think you switched a couple .... jam has seeds. Jelly does not.
I wish I could afford to spend more time in Europe. I LOVE Europe.
I don't use 95% of the convenience products in the grocery stores here in the US --- (we perimeter shop, the bulk of our purchases come from the produce section, just a few things from the middle aisles, such as cereal and coffee) and am trying to teach myself many of the "lost" or "old-fashioned" way of doing things so I don't have to rely on the mass-produced stuff. I'd keep chickens and even goats and a cow if it were legal here. Sadly, my large yard is NOT well-situated for growing veg. The best I can do is tomatoes and some herbs. --- so I seriously doubt I'd miss them (the convenience products).
I WISH we could shop here in the US the way y'all do elsewhere in the world. I HATE megamarts! I'd much rather go to the butcher's and then a few doors down to the baker and then across the street to the cheese monger, etc.
One of my main interests in baking is learning to make the traditional European cakes, tortes, and pastries. It can be frustrating at times, though, as I have to rely on the internet (including online translation for some) for recipes and some of the ingredients y'all have, we don't!
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Aaaaaand, because I'm a dork:
Jell-O: brand name belonging to U.S.-based Kraft Foods for a number of gelatin desserts, including fruit gels, puddings and no-bake cream pies. The brand's popularity has led to its becoming a generic term for gelatin dessert across the U.S. and Canada. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jell-O
Fruit Butter: made by slowly cooking fruit and sugar together until a smooth, thick "butter-like" consistency is achieved.
Fruit Curd: a dessert topping and spread usually made with lemon, lime, orange, or raspberry.[10] The basic ingredients are beaten egg yolks, sugar, fruit juice and zest which are gently cooked together until thick and then allowed to cool, forming a soft, smooth, intensely flavored spread. Some recipes also include egg whites and/or butter.
Jam: contains both fruit juice and pieces of the fruit's (or vegetable's) flesh. Properly, the term jam refers to a product made with whole fruit, cut into pieces or crushed. The fruit is heated with water and sugar to activate the pectin in the fruit. The mixture is then put into containers. Available in seeded and seedless varieties.
Conserve/Preserves: made of fruit (whole or large pieces) stewed in sugar. While some brands (namely, Smucker's) differentiate between "jam" and "preserves" (the former being smooth and composed of fruit juice and pulp while the latter is a chunky version containing whole or large intact pieces of the of the fruit).
Jelly (US): a clear fruit spread consisting of set, sweetened fruit (or vegetable) juice. Additional pectin may be added in some instances where the original fruit does not supply enough, for example with grapes.
Jelly (UK): generally used to mean a sweet dessert made by adding gelatin to fruit juice, or more commonly from commercially prepared concentrated blocks.
Marmalade: made from any of the citrus fruits, sugar, and water. Some recipes include some amount of peel and zest, which imparts a sharp, bitter taste from the bitter citrus oil.
Confit: most often applied to preservation of meats, especially poultry and pork, by cooking them in their own fat or oils and allowing the fats to set. However, the term can also refer to fruit or vegetables which have been seasoned and cooked with honey or sugar until it has reached a jam-like consistency. Savory confits, such as ones made with garlic or tomatoes, may call for a savory oil such as virgin olive oil as the preserving agent.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fruit_preserves
Chutney: a thick sauce of Indian origin that contains fruits, vinegar, sugar, and spices and is used as a condiment. http://www.answers.com/topic/chutney
Pickle: Food that has been preserved in a seasoned brine or vinegar mixture. http://www.answers.com/topic/pickle
Pudding (US): a sweet milk-based dessert similar in consistency to egg-based custards, though it may also refer other types such as bread and rice pudding. These consist of sugar, milk, and a thickening agent such as cornstarch, gelatin, eggs, rice or tapioca to create a sweet, creamy dessert.
Pudding (UK): rich, fairly homogeneous starch- or dairy-based desserts such as rice pudding and Christmas pudding, or, informally, any dessert. The word is also used for savory dishes such as Yorkshire pudding, black pudding, suet pudding, and blood pudding.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pudding
Custard: a range of preparations based on cooked milk and egg mixtures. While 'custard' may refer to a wide variety of thickened dishes, technically (and in French cookery) the word custard (crème or more precisely crème moulée) refers only to an egg-thickened custard. In the United Kingdom, 'custard' often refers to a dessert made from cornflour rather than eggs, although this is also called blancmange. UK Custard Powder is roughly the same as the US Instant Pudding Mix. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Custard
Confused yet? 
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