23 traditionally British foods that Americans are missing out on

A Quora user asked the question: Are there any UK foods USA folk wish they had readily available & vice versa?

There are in fact quite a few quintessentially British snacks and drinks that are difficult to source in America.

Here are 23 of the best, according to Quora users and members of the Business Insider London office.

1. Crumpets

A thick, flat, savoury cake-like muffin, with a porous texture, best served slathered in butter and/or Marmite.

2. Cider

You can certainly buy the drink in America, but there are far less brands available compared to the UK, which is famed for its wide selection of home brewed ciders.

Peter Jacobs, news editor at BI US said: "In the states, when you’re getting cider it’s always apple, or if you want variety maybe you can find pear. Here, the amount of different types of cider is staggering and seems to make the drink a little more widely accepted. For the Americans: try the passion fruit.”

3. Cadbury's chocolate

4. Ribena

Ribena, a flavour, is a firm childhood memory for most Brits. The majority of Americans, however, have never even tasted blackcurrant.

Ribena also comes in squash form, a concentrated syrup which is diluted with water to make a drink.

"You can't get *any* kind of squash here," according to Quora user Dewi Morgan, a UK expat living in Texas since 2009.

5. Cornish pasties

As its name suggests, Cornish pasties are associated with Cornwall, in the West Country. They usually come in a "D" shape, resembling a cross between a sausage roll and a calzone.

pasty

6. Yorkshire puddings

A vital batter-based accompaniment to your Sunday roast, served either as small individual puddings or as one giant Yorkshire treat.

It is most often paired with a beef roast and lashings of gravy, but is increasingly served with every meat choice at pubs on a Sunday.

7. Scotch eggs

Fortnum & Mason, an upmarket British department store, claims to have invented the Scotch egg, which consists of a hard-boiled egg wrapped in sausage meat, coated in breadcrumbs, and deep-fried.

A trusty picnic snack, they have witnessed a resurgence in popularity in recent years and gourmet Scotch eggs are now sold in trendy gastro pubs as a bar snack.

8. Heinz baked beans

Baked beans are a staple of the classic full English breakfast.

Erin Brodwin, science reporter at BI says: "Initially, the idea of beans for breakfast weirded me out. Do you eat them plain? Put them on toast? Mix them with eggs? I quickly found out you could do all three. They're delicious, plus they're a great source of protein and fiber to keep you energized throughout the day. My personal favorite is the Heinz reduced-sugar version."

9. Hobnobs

"Oh my God I would kill for a decent Hobnob," says Quora user Morgan.

"It doesn't even have to have chocolate on I just want something I can dunk without it falling apart!"

"The difference in US cookies vs UK biscuits simply cannot be guessed without understanding that they are aimed at entirely different ways of consuming them. The majority of biscuits bought in the UK will be eaten with a hot drink, and will be dunked."

10. Real tea

It's well known that Britain is full of avid tea drinkers, and many claim that while herbal teas are popular in America, it's not as easy to find "normal" teabags in the states.

English breakfast tea is the most common kind in Britain, but Earl Grey is another favourite.

Alan Dawson, BI UK's sports reporter said his preference is for "one earl grey tea bag with a lady grey tea bag in the same tea cup. Where I'm from, that's called a dirty grey."

11. Jacobs cream crackers.

Jacob's cream crackers are a classic variety of cracker that most cheese boards will usually feature. They're square, plain in taste, and have a good snap on them. They taste great with a slice of mature cheddar and slather of chutney or pickle, or equally with jam and butter.

12. HP brown sauce

The tangy brown sauce is a key breakfast condiment. Best served in a bacon or sausage bap.

13. Decent bacon

Bacon is arguably the main component of a full English fry up. UK supermarkets sell multiple forms of bacon — smoked, unsmoked, streaky, back rashers, thick cut or thin — while in the states you can only get the streaky kind, according to Quora users.

14. Black pudding

Black pudding, a type of blood sausage, is nicer than it sounds. It's considered a delicacy in the UK and is often served fried or sliced with a tradition full English breakfast. In Scotland they apparently deep fry it at some chip shops and people eat with chips instead of battered fish.

15. Prawn cocktail crisps

16. Clotted cream

Clotted cream is an essential component of the quintessentially English "Cream tea" or "Devonshire tea" an afternoon tea consisting of scones, raspberry jam, and thick cream, originating from southwest England.

Quora user McKayla Kennedy, from the US, said: "Oh pretty please, someone send me some clotted cream!"

17. Meat pie

Meat pies, in particular classics such as chicken and mushroom and steak and kidney, are big business in traditional British pubs. Best served with thick gravy and chunky chips, and washed down with a pint of ale.

18. Jaffa Cakes

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19. Irn Bru

Irn Bru is a sugary fizzy drink from Scotland that tastes like no other. It's original taste is made to a secret recipe which contains 32 flavours. It's bright orange in colour but doesn't have the taste.

20. Branston pickle

Branston pickle, which is made from a mix of chopped vegetables pickled in vinegar, makes the ultimate cheese and pickle sandwich, also known as a Ploughman's.

21. Bisto gravy granules

Bisto gravy thickening powder is a staple in most British homes' food cupboard. Some people add several scoops of the granules to their meat and veg juices when making gravy for their Sunday roast, but people also just combine it with boiling water and serve over chippy dinners.

22. Pickled onion Monster Munch

Monster Munch crisps are shaped like chunky monsters' feet. Other flavours include roast beef and flamin' hot, but pickled onion is the most popular.

23. Salad cream

While from the same family, the tangy taste of salad cream is very different to the mild flavour of real mayonnaise — and like Marmite, people usually either love it or hate it. Apparently it tastes similar to "Miracle Whip" in America.