[David.]

I have just read that in the U.S. sultanas are called raisins



Does that mean all that recipes (cookery & winemaking on U.S. websites really mean use sultanas where raisins are specified?

And what do they call raisins?

[splodger]

if my memory serves me right - raisins are from the muscat grape in europe - but in us - esp california they are from much bigger grapes and are more sultana size and can be bought with or without seeds.

currants are generally from small black grapes native to greece and sultanas are from the seedless white grapes traditionally grown in turkey although they are now grown all around the world.

at the end of the day - it's a dried grape -  

[David.]

Which one you use in winemaking makes a difference as raisins being darker brown as opposed to sultanas golden impart their own colour and flavour into a wine.

I notice the diffrence between them in cakes as well.

[mushroom]

Liquid glucose is not corn syrup, which contains fructose, a different sugar. In fact, corn syrup is properly called HFCS (high fructose corn syrup). Glucose, sucrose and fructose all have different intensities of sweetness.

http://www.westonaprice.org/motherlinda/cornsyrup.html

[David.]

And you get less potential alcohol from glucose/fructose than from the exactly the same hydrometer reading from a sucrose solution.

But it's confirmation of whether they really mean use sutanas in recipes from the U.S. that specify raisins that I'm interested in.

[Trillium]

just read your post on raisins. Over here, if sultanas are specifically required, then the recipe says so. 'Raisins' in general, are often Thompson variety of raisins, a good eating raisin though a bit expensive to cook with if you go for a particular name brand which will remain nameless. Personally we find sultanas better and cheaper for cooking. If you want to cook posh and charge huge sums, you'd use the Thompson raisins. Muscat raisins will be specifically named in a recipe, usually in fruitcakes and such.  

[Trillium]

Oh, and double cream is a bit tricky here. Heavy cream is 35% BF and used  whipped up for pastries and such. Double cream, usually comes from the UK, and is 40% BF and a fiddle to whip. We just dollop it on cooked beets then cook for another 15 minutes. True double cream is harder to find here and very pricey.
That said, Lyles golden syrup is found in most stores.

[Heather_S]

Boggle. Tomato chutney is nothing like chili sauce  :shock:
There's raisins (they are dark) and there's sultanas, which are called Golden Raisins in the US. They cost a fortune so everyone uses normal raisins instead.
Black treacle is much stronger than molasses too.
You don't get dessicated coconut much in the US, it's normally moist, sweetened shredded which I like quite a lot more than dessicated coconut which is like sawdust at times. It's quite a different product though and could cause problems in substitution.

I'm not sure i'd trust anything that decided to type cornflour as cornflower  :?

[Trillium]

 sultanas, which are called Golden Raisins in the US. They cost a fortune so everyone uses normal raisins instead.

I'm not sure i'd trust anything that decided to type cornflour as cornflower  :?

Sultanas might be called golden raisins in the US, but there is a true golden raisin called lexias which is hard to find and pricey. As for cost, the sultanas are much cheaper than the 'normal' Thompson raisins, particularly Sun Maid brand which costs far too much. Sun Maid is available in both US and Canada. Sultanas come mostly from Australia and New Zealand.

And cornflour? It's not that common really, cornmeal is more often used. And cornflower is never used.