It was the first time I ever had the stuff; I ordered a jar on whim while getting a new jar of Marmite. Branston Pickle is just bizarre to my American taste buds. It’s like an uneasy blend of apple butter, worcestire sauce and chunks. So, I thought maybe a spoonful straight from the jar wasn’t the right way to try the stuff. Following the suggestions on the jar, I spread some on a cold roast beef sandwich. May the Beef Gods forgive me.
Any of you Branston Pickle eaters got a suggestion for how I might properly use the stuff?
OK…this might sound weird, but I use Branston Pickle like I use chutney. The most amazing synergy of flavors happens when you use chutney as a dip for Cool Ranch Doritos.
You put it on a cheese sandwich and eat it. I normally eat it with either Cheddar or Lancashire. For a more striking visual effect, use white bread and leave the sandwich in a lunchbox for a few hours.
Make yerself a plougham’s…cold ham, fresh crusty bread, big hunks of cheddar & stilton, and Branston Pickle. And beer.
Works well with a sharp cheddar cheese sandwich, or with a corned beef sandwich.
Speaking of Branston Pickle…
I bought some & used it on a sandwich, trying to recreate Pret A Manger’s Cheese & Pickle sandwich. Branston Pickle is too firm & has the wrong tang to it. Then I tried something called (I think) Chef Sandwich Pickle, but that wasn’t right, either.
Can a Brit doper recommend a brand of commercially available pickle that comes close to what Pret uses?
Bumping just in case some of our UK dopers are awake & loafing at work…
Cheese tomato and (Branston)pickle sandwich - any kind of bread, buttered, a generous slice of mature cheddar, a good layer of thinly-sliced, ripe tomatoes, spread some Branston on the other slice of bread and flip it carefully on top. This sandwich is greater than the sum of its parts.
It’s worth mentioning that Branston, although it is a great product and deserves every bit of its popularity, is very much an ‘ordinary’ pickle - it’s the vanilla ice cream of chutneys, if you like.
how did you guess?
nearest alternative may be branston sandwich pickle, which has smaller chunks…
branston is good with a lot of cheeses and cooked meats or on the side of a salad with crudites, but my favourite (and this probably sounds wierd) is in a grated cheese, cucumber and boiled potato toasted sandwich…
::Comes over all nostalgic::
Spent three years selling the stuff to the Royal Arsenal Cooperative Society in Erith. Me mum’s still got a few jars from which the labels mysteriously fell off, resulting in a credit note to the store.
As well as cheese and pickle sarnies, it’s good in stews, curries etc.
Can I also ask about HP Curry?