Had

“My nipples explode with orgasmic delight”.

That’s a little confused. From what I remember, it’s the server that matters, not the domain when being blocked. If you self-host this is a problem, but not if you use your own domain on a commercial service.

The “MX records and such” are all a function of domain management. You’ll have to do this whether or not you self-host.

Proper pickled onions and Branston pickle.

Bob’s Red Mill makes an adequate substitute. It’s not as uniform as McCann, but it is good.