Could you link a specific product so we can see what you're talking about?...ETA: I was reading coracle's description to my husband and he said "Sounds like Kool-Aid."

Kool-aid would be a similar product, but when I googled it, it looks like kool-aid is a sort of powder you mix with water, rather than a liquid which is what we mean.
Trusty already linked to a Cottee's cordials advertisement, which is also in the quote I used down below. Unfortunately, I can't find the Mynor ones, which we preferred, but I did link to Robinson's barley water cordials instead.

Lucy's cordial, on the other hand, is a sort of medicine. It's a drink that is good for you, and I have met it in Tolkien too I think (didn't the Fellowship get a mouthful each of something while trying to cross the mountains?).

Yes they did. And I agree that Lucy's cordial would have been rather special. Sort of like the sorts of concoctions housewives, like my mother-in-law would make in UK like Dandelion drinks or Elderflower wine, or something sold as a children's tonic, like Ribena. Your description of the sorts of cordials you had as a child are very much what Trusty and I are trying to describe. Was it Kia-Ora or Tutti-Frutti by any chance? We got Kia-Ora here in Sydney but that was years ago and I haven't seen it anywhere else.

That's a good definition of cordial. In Australia it's very popular with kids. In fact, the melody for a 1980s cordial ad (view here) still remains pretty much a national icon haha.!

Yes, I'll check if Cottee's Cordials are still available next time I go shopping at Coles or Woollies. So many of the old brands have disappeared, it isn't funny. We used to have Mynor cordials as well, usually in a violently green lime flavour or in raspberrry.

Nice to meet you. But are you a Maroon supporter & should I hide next March?

I'm afraid so! But I really only follow State of Origin passively so you're safe!

Oh good! Because after more than 7 years straight of Maroons beating the Blues, I'm rather hoping this year the Blues might just win more than one State of Origin match, for a change.

W4J sounds very Australian. Rilian sounds like a mixture of American and English. The other podcasters sound American.

Well, it's certainly reassuring that I sound Australian. Many South Australians typically sound more British than those from other states. My ancestors arrived here from Prussia, back in the late 1830's, so we've been in the area awhile.

Usually it is the "ance" isn't it such as chance and dance?

I should very much like to hear what Americans sound like through a foreigner's ears . I mean, it is blatantly obvious to us that we sound different from others, but. . . I don't know. . . it's kinda like everybody else sounds like they changed from us. . . like we're the default

This reminds me of a scene from the UK '70s/'80s sitcom "Two's Company" which starred Elaine Stritch as a middle-aged American woman living in London and Donald Sinden as her terribly upper-crust and uptight British butler. Her grandson rings her up to wish her a happy birthday and she says, "Oh, Robert! Say something to my grandson. He just loves your accent!" and the butler replies indignantly, "Madam! I am British! I do not have an accent!"

One thing that often confused me when I visited the States was the American habit of pronouncing "t"s as "d"s, so that the words "writing" and "riding" sounded the same. Especially confusing when you're staying at a ranch.

I suppose we don't really notice some of this stuff until someone points it out to us, so yeah, now that you mention it in that context our T's and D's do sound a lot alike in certain words.

Another question or two for Wild Rose

I have watched a few specials on TV about Russian, and of course your cuisine. Have you ever adopted any Western foods, like hamburgers, pizza, or steaks? Actually do you guys grill foods at all? And boy would I love to give a lengthy diatribe on this one Does everyone there eat lots of caviar? I hear a lot about Russian caviar, not to mention their vodka, which friends tell me is exquisite, although I'm not a vodka drinker, so I can only take their word on it.

King_Erlian. Your mentioning the t's, and d's reminded me of a short film put out by the Robertson's of "Duck Dynasty" fame. It is titled "I Am Second". The family is from Louisiana, and have the southern accent. Phil, the family patriarc, pointed out that where they come from second is pronounced secont, with an stress of the t.

When watching tv the average american accent and the middle class British accent seem normal. When I hear an Australian I think oh he sounds different which is ridiculous because I hear Australian accents all the time. I guess it is the contrast of the accents(this only usually occurs when I am watching on of the many British panel shows I watch and someone like Adam hills, Tim minchin or Colin lane is on).

wild rose, my husband's family grew up on Borsch[t] soup, and his mom always loaded it with cabbage and sausage. Beans too, if I recall. What do you put in yours?

ah, that sounds like Ukrainian borscht, it varies a little from Russian borscht in incrediants . We don't add sausage or beans to ours, just carrots, beet roots, onion, potatoes, sometimes pepper, meat or chicken (depending on what we used for the broth) and of course cabbage. My mom also adds quite a bit, my sister is very sparing because she can't stand cabbage in soup, sometimes she doesn't add it at all. Oh and greens, fresh greens in borscht really give it a wonderful flavor, and basil leaves, no Russian soup is completet if you don't add basil leaves.

Another question or two for Wild Rose

I have watched a few specials on TV about Russian, and of course your cuisine. Have you ever adopted any Western foods, like hamburgers, pizza, or steaks? Actually do you guys grill foods at all? And boy would I love to give a lengthy diatribe on this one Does everyone there eat lots of caviar? I hear a lot about Russian caviar, not to mention their vodka, which friends tell me is exquisite, although I'm not a vodka drinker, so I can only take their word on it.

Pizza has become very popular, people make at home all the time. Though it is sort of like a special food, like 'ooh, we're going to make pizza today' (and of course there are plenty of pizzerias where you can buy ready made pizza) hamburgers and steak isn't something that people make at home though. Sure you can buy it at fast food resurants, and you can have steak at a resturant, but as for home cooking neither is popular at all. Grills aren't done at all here, we've got shashlik, which is marinated meat roasted over hot coals, very popular here, everyone does it in the summer (and in the winter too sometimes lol ) I think it's originally a Georgian dish, and there are hundreds of different ways to marinate the meat, these days everyone has got their own recipe of how to do it
Oh, caviar, how I hate that stuff . I wouldn't say people eat lots of it all the time because it's considered a delicacy, it's expensive and something you eat at parties and celebrations. But most everyone loves it and when they do buy it they just can't get enough of it, put in on bread, put in on boiled eggs, it's something associated with celebration. My mom and older sister just LOVE it! As for my dad and the rest o my siblings, don't bring it near us. I once had to eat it out of politeness, and I just held my breath and swallowed it down (along with the boiled egg half it as on ) Red caviar is more popular and a lot cheaper than black, which is onsidered a real delicacy and not everyone likes it.
I can't say much about vodka, but I asked my brother-in-law and he said that if the vodka is good quality and if you drink it right then it goes down easily with just a tint of bitterness in your throat. If you don't drink it right, it's going to burn your throat, nose and you really won't feel very well

I feel like sending a grill to you and a bag of charcoal briquettes . How about hot dogs or spaghetti, lasagna, and things of that type? Are they common there? What kind of specialty dishes might you have in Russia that we may not have here? And I think it's safe to say that I wouldn't at all mind having a nice borscht recipe along with several others here...willing to share?

Is beef and/or pork common? If so what kinds of specialty Russian dishes would one make using those? In fact what kinds of foods do you and your family eat during the course of an average week?

Also, shashlik...what kind of meat and marinade? The only thing I know of where the meat is placed directly on the coals (for authenticity) is flank steak when one is making fajitas, a popular grilled Mexican meal.

All I know of Russian cooking is Beef Stroganoff which is a nice slow-cooking stew or casserole-type dish, like the sauce for Spaghetti bolognaise. I expect that this sort of cooking is very popular in Europe as a whole, as chopped up meat allowed to simmer in stock with mushrooms, onions and other vegetables allows it to go a long way. The only difficulty I have with dishes like Beef Stroganoff or Gulyas is adding the sour cream at the end.

Do the Russians have sausages, like their neighbouring countries?

This conversation is making me mighty hungry.

ah, that sounds like Ukrainian borscht

Which totally makes sense, since my husband's parents were from the Ukraine. Cool! Oh yes, beans were a staple of Borscht as well. I haven't had/made it in years.

All I know of Russian cooking is Beef Stroganoff which is a nice slow-cooking stew or casserole-type dish, ... The only difficulty I have with dishes like Beef Stroganoff or Gulyas is adding the sour cream at the end.

Beef Stroganoff is a big favourite of ours. We serve it over rice. Talk about tasty. In fact, that is my dad's birthday meal request (he turns 87 this week and we are celebrating his special day on the 26th). I don't add the sour cream at the end, wagga; I add it with everything else (worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, sometimes tomatoes, loads of little cubes of beef, onion, black pepper).

wild rose, what does your beef stroganoff consist of?

As for accents, I can't do accents worth anything (but I wish I could!), and like South African, New Zealand, Australian, and British the best.

How about hot dogs or spaghetti, lasagna, and things of that type? Are they common there?

hot dogs, very popular! Spaghetti and lasagna are like pizza, people do cook it, but it's something special, something you do for a special occasion.

What kind of specialty dishes might you have in Russia that we may not have here?

Salted salmon is a great treat here, I don't know if you eat it there, it's raw salmon salted and eaten with bread (I can't stand it, ) And of course there is blini, pancakes with meat or cottage cheese. Covered mushroom pies and potato pies are super popular here, I don't know if you have them there. Generally, in Russian meals, it's not one big thing, it's a million little things. Besides the main course usually there will be lots of little bowls filled with marinaded mushrooms, different seafood products (also usually maraniaded or salted) salads like winter salad and Vinaigrette salad. Also Russia is popular for it's thick soups, besides borscht, there is schi, solyanka, yha (fish soup) rasolnik (pickle soup) and of course there is ocroshka, summer soup, you cut up different fresh vegetables, boiled eggs and sausage into a bowl and pour kvas over it, it's a cold soup for hot summer days

And I think it's safe to say that I wouldn't at all mind having a nice borscht recipe along with several others here...willing to share?

here's the receipe that my sister and I always use when we make borscht (sorry if it came out a bit rough, I had to translate it from my cookbook, and I always multiply everything at least by three because I'm cooking for 11 people )
borscht recipe

Is beef and/or pork common? If so what kinds of specialty Russian dishes would one make using those? In fact what kinds of foods do you and your family eat during the course of an average week?

I'd say pork is more common than beef, simply because it is cheeper, but both are used very often, I'd say the most common meat dish would probably be meat paddies, which is minced meat mixed with onion, flour (or oatmeal) and an egg, then made into these little paddies and either fried or roasted (sort of like meatballs, only larger) sometimes a simple sauce will be made to go along with them, sometimes they are eaten without a sauce. As wagga mentioned, there is beef stroganoff, which is basically just beef cut up small, some onion and perhaps some tomatoes and of course the sour cream sauce in the end, it's not really beef stroganoff without the sour cream sauce, and black pepper, no other spices allowed.
In my family, we eat a lot of soup, every day for lunch basically (like most Russian families soup is the most popular food here I think) Lunch generally in Russia is probably one of the most important meals, you have soup then seconds (meat and a starch of some sort) and then still tea and dessert. Except for my mom, older sister and brother-in-law we're not so big on seafood and fish. We eat a lot of bread, bread is a very important part of every Russian meal, it just won't be a proper meal without bread. In the winter times we usually eat a cot of cabbage and carrots and beets, the saladas can be a little monotonus (or you have to spend a lot of time coming up with something unique ) Summer provides a more variety of vegetables and summer salads are something I partiularly love

Also, shashlik...what kind of meat and marinade? The only thing I know of where the meat is placed directly on the coals (for authenticity) is flank steak when one is making fajitas, a popular grilled Mexican meal.

Any meat will do, be it pork, beef, chicken, turkey or lamb, the kind of meat doesn't really matter. I like pork best, lamb is good too, though it is a bit greasy. Marinades are very different, either vinegar (apple or grape or just plain), wine (my personal favorite), tomatoe and lemon. Basically, you cut up the meat, place it in a pot with any of the marinades I mentioned, cut up onion circles and add different spices and leave it for a couple of hours (or a day in some cases) then you spike it on metal spikes and roast it over hot coals, spraying it every now and then with water or lemon juice or wine and rotating it until the meat is cooked. It really yummy if it is made right (we once had a Georgian friend cook it for us the traditional Georgian way and it was so good, beyond words honestly)

Do the Russians have sausages, like their neighbouring countries?

Yes, sausages are extremely popular here, it's something you almost always put on your bread when making a sandwhich, and a good meal will usually include some kind of sausage (though these days, finding good quality sausage isn't very easy, or cheap )

Holy mackerel...the borscht recipe looks simply delicious! We should get some sort of International Recipe Exchange program going here .

Do you hunt for extra meat during the course of the year? In any areas outside of the major cities here many people will either go rifle hunting for deer or bow hunting when it's allowed and in season. One can also do their share of fishing, duck hunting, and all sorts of things like that. Most state governments tend to encourage deer hunting because without it the deer populations would get unruly and overwhelming within a couple of years.

We do have salmon here but the only time anyone eats raw fish (that I'm aware of) is when they eat sushi, the Japanese style of fish eating. It's not my personal preference at all, although I do like a good, fresh salmon. I usually bake a fillet and put butter, lemon juice, and salt and pepper all over it before I put it in the oven, and then it comes out like a dream. We also have lots of flounder, trout, and catfish here. I know up north around Minnesota and Wisconsin they have a fish called Walleye that is simply delicious. I don't generally get much fish because my wife doesn't eat it and it doesn't make much sense to buy a big fillet and eat it by myself

Do you have tuna fish sandwiches there? Or tuna salad even...actually any of the meat "salad" dishes might serve well for you if meat is something that most crave but you need a creative way to present it. Basically we just by tuna in a can at the store (solid white albacore is the best, in my humble opinion), put it in a mixing bowl, mix in just enough mayonaisse to keep it together, and then spread it out on some bread of your choice. I prefer it on pumpernickel but almost anyone will love it on white or wheat bread if it comes to it. I usually mix in bits of celery and green onion in mine and put lettuce, tomato, and onion as a topping. It's pretty hearty fare. You can do it with chicken and ham too, and even eggs.

Is there any one sport in Russia that is more popular than the rest? I suspect if there is it may be hockey, but you may answer "curling".

EDIT: I think you and I have talked about blinis at some point in the past because I had seen them on TV and thought they looked delicious. I think here in the US they're called blintzes, although I've never had one of those either. When I see pictures of them they look almost like crepes, but not quite. The guy on the TV show had ordered one with meat and cheese in it and I couldn't help but think of it as a sort of Russian Burrito of sorts .

I am from Tasmania where my mum believes all the best seafood comes from and I can't say she is wrong. Tasmanian salmon is the best not to mention whitebait paddies and lobster(before it become illegal to catch without a license).

Though going back to salmon I like it cooked not raw. I always go for vegetarian or chicken sushi.

wild rose. Those meat patties you mentioned sound a bit like meatloaf here in the US. though we commonly have a sort of tomato sauce over it when it is served.
With all the talk of food I am curios whether there are any common foods distinctly from other countries that have become popular? I know here Asian diners, especially buffets are all over.
Before I forget, I heard an interesting story, and am wondering if anyone can verify it. It was related to me that many years ago an Ambassidore from China was a guest in an American home. He was asked to make an authentic Chines meal. Having no ingredients he needed he made something up with what was available, and made up the name Chop Suey. Heard that many seasons ago
I have also seen several that claim to be German, though the Mrs. claims non make potato dumplings like her German mother did while she was an exchange student there.

speaking of international food I am a fan of curries(though limited to chicken and vegetarian ones).

chop suey is not my cup of tea. Speaking of tea which leads me to coffee. I may of mentioned this before but I found it odd when travelling to new york that every coffee shop I went to you had to request milk. In Australia it is the opposite you have to request no milk. They also looked at me strange when I asked for mind in one place and replied they didn't sell coffee with milk. I find coffee without milk terrible.