[HPFGU-OTChatter] Re: Brit Food: Pancakes and flapjack

[Jordan Abel]

On May 28, 2007, at 11:55 PM, Laura Ingalls Huntley wrote:

>
> Speaking of food items that I learned of while in Scotland, can I just
> mention the abomination known as 'pickles'?  I can hardly believe this
> stuff has escaped the attention (and condemnation) of the world, while
> poor Vegemite has gotten such a bad press.  For those of you in the  
> UK,
> in the US, 'pickles' are pickled cucumbers (such as a gherkin).  For
> those in the US, 'pickles' in the UK is a gelatinous, dark green
> condiment.  So far, no one has been able to explain to me what exactly
> is in it, although the consensus seems to be that it is, in fact, made
> from pickled vegetables of some sort.  In reality, however, I suspect
> it is actually a type of alien goo.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branston_Pickle appears to explain it,  
or at least something consistent with your description.