Posted on 10/13/2006 4:31:20 PM PDT by snugs
Winston Churchill famously said that American and Britain were 2 countries divided by a common language nor more so is this true than when it comes to food. We can eat the same sort of things but at completely different times of the day and serve it with completely different type of food.
A dessert in Britain is often looked upon as a breakfast dish in America.
American cookies are similar to British biscuits, American biscuits are similar to British sconces.
What is called a grill in England is a broiler in America.
A stove is a cooker and a cook book is a cookery book in England.
I thought it might be interesting to look at foods and confectionery that are identified with both countries, where they overlap, where they are different and personal tastes and traditions that have over the years shaped what we eat and when.
I posed the following questions to some American freepers and the following graphics reflect their answers.
1) What would you consider to be typical English food
2) What would you consider to be a typical English meal
3) What sweets (candies) do you identify with England
4) What would you consider to be typical American food
5) Would you consider to be a typical American meal
6) What candies do you consider are American
I have also compiled graphics from an English point of view regarding the above points.
Come and take a look at the food remember favourites from yesteryear and add your own thoughts and tastes. Lets make this an interesting, fun thread full of great memories of the past and present and that friendly homely feeling that familiar food conquers up. The memories and warm feelings of giving and sharing with the festivities that go with it or simply the pleasure of well cooked meal at the end of a busy and tiring day.
Food is also associated with different seasons and events such as Easter, Thanksgiving (US) Bonfire Night (UK) Christmas, New Year and of course birthdays and family traditions.
These events for singles can be fun time when they get drawn into a larger group plus made to feel part of a family but on the other hand often it can be the reverse. Christmas, New Year and Easter and of course for Americans Thanksgiving can be very lonely times for singles not fitting into any particular group and also sad for those who in the past have been part of family groups at these particular times of the year.
Below are Dolly's thoughts on this very point
We tend you do quite a lot of things on toast I suppose it is the English version of the pizza but plainer.
Egg on toast (poached or scrambled again nice with Worchester sauce or slice of tomato - if tomato pop back under grill (broiler to soften tomato).
Cheese on toast (either a cheese sauce or sliced or grated cheese) Toast bread one side complete turn over lightly toast then add cheese, put back under grill (broiler) to crisp and brown cheese slightly. Worchester sauce and or tomato on top again is nice.
Of course a starter to a meal that is popular in Britain is Pate on toast. Brown bread toasted cut into small triangles butter and pate added at the table by yourself.
Do the Brits have a Creme Soda like the Canadian Johnny Ryan? Canada has ruined it by placing it in plastic bottles. 6 ounces, ice cold, in a glass bottle is a treat that is most remembered about my youth. Some things shouldn't change.
Ice Cream soda as a dessert when my mum was young was cream soda with a spoon of ice cream. Nowadays it tends to be any fizzy drink with ice cream but again modern desserts seem to have over taken this one in popularity. It is easier to open a pot or a can than to prepare this - sad but true.
Not on toast for breakfast I always think stuff on toast is an early snack or light meal. Baked beans for breakfast can be served with tomatoes and bacon and eggs etc though not a great favourite of mine. I might just have a spoonful just to give some moisture to the meal.
early = early evening
Must go now need to get shopping or will be eating from freezer tomorrow and I am a traditional Brit must have my Sunday roast :o).
Oh! Early evening, yes definately! There's a brand here in the United States called "Bush's" (no relation to the president LOL) that is made with a syrup of brown sugar and has nice chunks of bacon in it. Tastes like homemade, or how my mother always makes it. That's my favorite baked bean.
Sunday traditions in my grandmother's household (I've lived with her since 1991) is a Sunday fried chicken dinner with mashed potatoes and gravy and a side vegetable like corn or snap peas. Even though she has been moved into a dementia care unit, I still try to hold onto that tradition. I take the chicken out of the deep freeze Saturday evening to thaw and start baking (or roasting) it early Sunday morning, usually after the Sunday morning talk shows are done.
The baked beans on toast..Is that a regional thing? something your mom served & now you like? just curious as I had never heard of it (raised in Cleveland area but have lived in Boston, Fla , Houston, & various places in south.
My grandmother could always make a breakfast meal with a slice of toast and a fried egg on top with a glass of instant decaf coffee (she don't like caffeinated perc coffee like I do LOL), although she would sneak a cup now and then. :) And she always had to have a dab of whole cream in her coffee.
good for you! I like the idea of tradional meals on various days.. Our family never had that as I recall. I do remember the idea of fish on Friday(even though we werent' catholic).. it seemed that growing up Fridays was fish day. Mom would buy the frozen packages & bread them up(the threee layers of breading) and pan fry them.. served with mash pot & various veggies & we almost always had a salad with every meal.
Do you ever take a plate of the Sunday Fried chicken Dinner to your grandma?
I love eggs benedict.. of course,now that I am a boring vegetarian, w/o the canadian bacon, it would not be the same.. but the yummy sauce atop was wonderful with the poached eggs.
I dunno if it's regional or not, I don't think so really.
I use the Bush beans a lot (they have a lot of types).. I make a favorite chili & if I dont' take the time with dry beans, I add a combo of chick peas, black beans, chili beans, garbanzo etc.. all Bush
The only way my grandmother wouldn't eat eggs is scrambled, but you could poach them, serve them sunny side up, folded over, or fry 'em and she'd eat them.
No we didn't have it either.
Drat.. all this food 'talk' is making me hungry & I normally do not eat before one or so.. I normally just drink a LOT of water (which I am going to go do now..) I take 1-2 quarts every morning before first meal.
wow, why not scrambled? that seems strange.
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