Milk, Cream, Half and Half, Double Cream, Squirty Cream

I love watching Americans in my local evil-chain-but-I-love-their-muffins-cafe ask for a regular coffee with cream. They are always somewhat flummoxed when the cashier goes diving into the refrigerator and pours cream out of what looks like a yogurt container. What they're getting is what they know as half and half, sometimes I even get to watch as they pour it into their skinny lattes, commenting on how thick the milk is here.

Here's the rundown.

• Skimmed Milk = Skimmed Milk. It has an orange or red lid.

• 2% Milk/Semi-Skimmed = Semi-Skimmed Milk. It has a green lid.

• Vitamin D/Whole Milk = Whole Milk or Full Fat Milk. It has a blue lid.

• Half and Half or Cream = Single Cream. This comes in a yogurt like container

• Whipped Cream = Double Cream. This comes in a yogurt like container and is shaken to thicken. Not sweetened

• Squirt-Bottle Whipped Cream = Squirty Cream.

And then there is clotted cream. This is a gift from the gods. It has a butter like texture and is put on scones or fruit.