Delightfully British

My grandmother (my dad's mom) came to America on a huge ship at the age of 13 and arrived at Ellis Island. I remember her telling me how her first view of America was of the Statue of Liberty. What promise the new land held, but for a 13 year old, what fear. She had left her homeland in Wales and her family settled into the land in this country that most resembles Wales - Pennsylvania. The Welsh influence is still strong in some parts, and they lived there where the coal mines were plentiful. My grandfather (dad's dad) was born in the U.S., but his parents made the same voyage from Wales, and so he, like his dad, worked the coal mines. I remember his coal lamps that he used to show me, of how he had used down in the deep, dark mines. He suffered from Black Lung from breathing the coal dust in all day and into the night.

My grandmother took me to her native land when I was 12 years old, and we stayed there, visiting relatives and seeing the sights for a month. I developed a fondness for certain British delicacies, such as Fish and Chips (wrapped in newspaper, of course), salt and vinegar crisps (long before they came to the U.S.), Welsh cookies, Salad Cream, and Beans on Toast. My sis and I went back to Britain a few years ago, and I once again enjoyed a good cup of Earl Grey with my Beans on Toast for breakfast. It brought back the memories of my grandmother making it for me every once in a while as a special treat, to bring back the memories of our wonderful trip. Cat and I even got to travel down into a coal mine on a tour. You have never seen such darkness and the absence of light until you've gone down in a coal mine, with the doors shut, and the lamps off. You can feel the darkness, it's so powerful. There are approximately 300 ways you could die in a coal mine, and it was enough to make me appreciate why my grandparents left the coal mining profession behind and came to Texas. It was a fascinating tour, and I really learned alot from it.

Fast forward to this past Sunday, when I was doing my grocery shopping at my favorite Kroger. Thankfully, it is a new one, is close to my home, has a rather large Organic section, and as I discovered, a itty-bitty British section. What's a girl going to do when she sees Heinz Baked Beanz imported from England? Well, purchase a loaf of white bread to accompany them, of course. Last night I was on my own for dinner, and so I decided that I would, for the first time, make my own Beans on Toast. So, I popped two slices of bread in the toaster oven, popped the top of the can off the Beanz, heated, and then assembled the two together.







Memories were made last night as the first bite was devoured. It didn't have quite the pizzaz, as Nana didn't make it for me, and I'm not in England, but it was still good just the same. I like getting back to my British roots. I'd like it so much more if were able to enjoy it "across the pond" in the land of my ancestors. Maybe someday!