American food sucks

The Spectator (U.K.) ^ | 08/21/04 | Ella Windsor

[2Jedismom]

Heh, stumbled on this old thread doing a Google search...

I ran out of PG Tips last night. Decided to have my last pyramid teabag watching Hitchhiker's Guide. Arthur Dent craving a good cup of tea got me to thinking about it!

I gotta find some more! But where??? Where in Tulsa Oklahoma?? LOL!

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Poor Ella doesn't know what to do because America has TOO MUCH FOOD.

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

The Cheesecake Factory is one of the most popular family food chains in the US

Wow, what a truly stupid statement. There are 96 locations in the U.S. There are 23 entire States without a single one. That is one restuarant for every 3 million Americans.

Her Statement would be as ridiculous as claiming a Restuarant chain with 20 shops was one of the most popular restuarants in all of the UK. Nonsense.

If she believe that The Cheesecake Factory is a favorite of Americans, it says more about the taste of her friends than the taste of this country.

[Ichneumon]

I just got back from a trip to the US, and I have to say the food portions are enormous. For lunch one day we want to "Black Eyed Pea" (I had the pot roast) and one of my friends ordered the chocolate cake for dessert. When it came it was the biggest piece of chocolate cake I had ever seen in my life. He ate some, then passed it round the table and 5 or 6 people took healthy spoonfuls.....and it WAS SO BIG THAT IT DIDN'T LOOK ANY SMALLER. He eventually had to get a doggy bag.

But that's the whole *point* of large portions. They're big enough to share, and/or take home and make a meal of the next day.

Since the majority of the cost of a restaurant meal goes towards overhead, labor costs, etc., and only a small fraction covers the the cost of the food ingredients, you can get a lot more "bang for your buck" at a restaurant if they serve large portions -- it doesn't increase the cost the restaurant has to charge for the meal much, if at all, yet you get a lot more food, and you can end up with two or more "catered" meals (one in the restaurant, another at home with the "doggy bag" portion) which saves you from the time, money, and effort of preparing another meal at home. Everybody wins.

Contrast that with the restaurants that charge an arm and a leg for tiny portions, after which you leave the restaurant still hungry.

And if you don't *want* to take any home, no one's forcing you to. But the option is there.

[Ichneumon]

Snail is good if cooked right.

I like escargot too, but let's face it, just about *anything* tastes good drenched in garlic butter.

[Ichneumon]

I read recently that Britain is the second-fattest industrialized nation, and gaining fast, so a little humility is probably called for here.

Old joke:

Q: Where are the most beautiful women in the world?

A: Wherever you go after leaving Britain.

[proudofthesouth]

You're making me hungry.

[Joe 6-pack]

With the exception of some Scottish upland game, fowl and salmon dishes, I would eat a Louisiana skunk's ass before I'd eat anything prepared in the british isles.

[girlangler]

ladtx,

Now you know something about eating some good Southern grub.

I made chicken and dumplings night before last, gravy and bisquits this morning.

Pinto beans, fried tators, cornbread, fried cabbage, homemade relish and homecanned beets tonight. Of course with a slice of onion and fresh homegrown tomatoes on the side.

[jpl]

This woman is just pandering to the European stereotype that every American restaurant is McDonald's. We may have lots of crappy restaurants, but there are lots of good restaurants as well. I enjoy having freedom of choice.

And if the portions are too big to eat all at once, I even have the freedom to box the leftovers up and eat them at home a day or two later. What a radical concept, huh?

[Squantos]

http://www.bigtexan.com/72oz.html

Nuff said..........:o)

[Ignatz]

English cuisine: use your yellow teeth to eat bangers, spotted dick, and steak-and-kidney pie.

'Nuff said.

[Kenny Bunk]

Basically, british-served beer is often served warm ...

Because Lucas makes Refrigerators?

[Ichneumon]

I've noticed my inlaws only cook with 4 spices: Salt Pepper Sugar Butter

Send them a catalog (or a gift basket) from here: Penzey's Spices.

Penzey's has absolutely the best spices anywhere, a huge selection (like *eight* kinds of cinnamon), and are ridiculously inexpensive (a fraction of the cost of the crappy spices they sell at the grocery store). Maybe you can start your inlaws out slow with some fancy salts and peppers. ;-)

If that doesn't convert them, they're beyond hope.

[chilepepper]

i'll take a Spam and Velveeta sandwich on wonderbread slathered with hellman's sandwich spread, accompanied by fritos and kraft nacho cheeze spread in the aerosol can any day over a bangers, neeps and mash.

washed down by a diet mountain dew, i'll be in heaven, particularly after topping off the meal with a moon pie...or two. maybe i'll have some sour cream flavored pringles too...

[Muzzle_em]

The brits were born without tastebuds...poor dears.

[Junior]

Half the problem, I think, is that food isn’t just food in the States — it’s an obsession.

That's because it's so good. I can see why Brits would not be obsessed with food; everything the British eat has been boiled to unrecognizability. The term "British cuisine" is an oxymoron.

[wallcrawlr]

Sheesh...a blast from the past.

Thanks Ick....thats nice from an evo that cares.

Maybe you can start your inlaws out slow with some fancy salts and peppers. ;-)
If that doesn't convert them, they're beyond hope.

When ketchup is used for salsa....well, I'd say they have reached the point of no return.
Major holidays (ya know like Christmas...our Lords birthday) are done at my house where I'm in control of the kitchen and quality of food. I am guaranteed then of at least something good to eat.

Thanks again for the link, I'll make use of it.

[LadyPilgrim]

Ditto on the Cheesecake Factory!

They serve HUGE portions, and the food is delicious!
Sweet Baby and I have to share when we go there. We both leave with our tummies full! ;-)

But this fleamale is just exposing her (we're in better health than you) opinion!

[rock58seg]

I think you boys done had enough beans!