To the Brits - do you think everything here in the US is too sweet?

[Dr_LHA 3]

]

It's not like that; the very fresh stuff is much less likely to upset my stomach.

Fair enough. I'm the same with HFCS. I can't drink non-diet soda in the USA because it makes my physically ill within about 20 mins of drinking it. Doesn't happen to me at all in the UK (presumably because of the sugar instead of corn syrup).

Actually it took me a while to figure this out. Back in 1993 when I worked at Cedar Point for the summer, I would literally be doubled over in pain after every lunch time. I thought I was getting an ulcer or something, then it went away when I returned to the UK. Fast forward to 1999 when I move to the USA, it starts happening again. Suddenly I noticed the correlation between America and painful gut ache!

Luckily they don't put HFCS in beer.

[homesick_american 1]

]

It's not like that; the very fresh stuff is much less likely to upset my stomach.

Fair enough. I'm the same with HFCS. I can't drink non-diet soda in the USA because it makes my physically ill within about 20 mins of drinking it. Doesn't happen to me at all in the UK (presumably because of the sugar instead of corn syrup).

Actually it took me a while to figure this out. Back in 1993 when I worked at Cedar Point for the summer, I would literally be doubled over in pain after every lunch time. I thought I was getting an ulcer or something, then it went away when I returned to the UK. Fast forward to 1999 when I move to the USA, it starts happening again. Suddenly I noticed the correlation between America and painful gut ache!

Luckily they don't put HFCS in beer.

I think I've got a touch of IBS; odd things upset my stomach. Oatmeal makes me sick, for example. I like it but I can't eat it.

I will say this; I do correct Americans all the time about the food in the UK. The UK doesn't have a great culinary reputation but the food in the UK is perfectly fine. It's just different. Some British dishes are wonderful and there are some things I will miss. I'd kill for a beef stew with dumplings ready meal from Sainsbury's right now. Those were delicious.

[Lansbury 19]

I'd kill for a beef stew with dumplings ready meal from Sainsbury's right now. Those were delicious.

Did you have to mention those, I used to take one into work when I was doing an over night at Heathrow. I had managed to put them out of my mind now I'll spend weeks wanting one again

[homesick_american 1]

I'd kill for a beef stew with dumplings ready meal from Sainsbury's right now. Those were delicious.

Did you have to mention those, I used to take one into work when I was doing an over night at Heathrow. I had managed to put them out of my mind now I'll spend weeks wanting one again

Sowwee.

[mr and mrs 187]

<hoists this sucker up from the depths>

lots of interesting comments. and will certainly help jamie and i set up a grocery plan of action for when he gets here.

we cook a lot from scratch for the fun and for learning something new or improvising. i will have a large garden this summer in the community garden plots and ive already started lots of seeds for the coming season.

at the moment, i am growing (successfully):

6 heirloom varieties (for salsa, and sauces)

lots of corriader, basil, thai basil

40 heads of garlic (overboard i think.)

radicchio

sweet peas (for pretties)

cukes, acron sqaush, and little pretty patty pan

3 varietes of tomatillos

the soil temperature should be warm enough in the last week of may to plant just about anything out.

the next task is to get good at preserving the harvest.

[Krikit 1,163]

Whoa. There's a blast from the past. I see I even posted in here somewhere. lol. Okay, might as well add another....

I recently learned to make tomato soup from scratch because the tinned stuff here is like eating syrup. Won't mention the bread because I think that one's been done to death. But, hey..... if you're a n00b and haven't yet had your bread rant..... fire away!

Edited April 15, 2009 by Krikit

[Arthur Roberta 1]

Yes i go along with the high levels of sweetener in foods. whether it is sugar or not I don't pay that much attention. I cannot eat too much sweet stuff (except chocolate) so it doesn't bother me too much.

The thing I find so strange is how most americans use lots of dressing on their food especially salads. I cannot see what the point is as all you can taste is the dressing. I personally like my salad to be without any dressing. That way you can taste the individual ingredients.

Now in North Carolina the emphasis is on fried food yuk. Where for pork chops for instance they cover them in flour and then fry them in a frying pan. Oh my goodness major heart problems with the levels of fat consumed, between that and fried chicken they have a great time Ha! Chicken wings seem to be a favorite along with fried shrimp. As for chicken wings, where is the meat lol and fried shrimp I agree are more to my palate but huge amounts again too much fat. Its the difference in culture that is great, for instance my wife loves me making a stew. Also Cornish pasties are another of her favorites.

Then my coup de grat ., English Roast beef, yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, roast potatoes and gravy sends her into delirium Ha! So it works I eat salad with no dressing and she puts it on. It is super to compliment each other with the differences that we enjoy. I have found that the europeans do tend to eat more healthy, being more concious of fat levels, sugar and sodium content.

Still this is but one small facet of the differences that make our love for one another more enjoyable.

Best wishes to all the gourmets and sweet tooths out there

Arthur and Roberta

[Krikit 1,163]

Wow. I haven't seen you guys in forever! Welcome back.

My husband is from NC and I can totally relate to what you're saying about the food there. I pretty much starve when we're there visiting because I just can't get used to eating like that.

[Nicoxcx 1]

First the n00by part -Bread sucks-

Am I the only one that think the eggs taste funny??

[Brit Abroad 166]

Before you bite my head off, this is my first food rant since joining Vj.

Prior to meeting my husband I was a semi-frequent visitor to mainland US, and found many foods that I didn't like, rather than foods that I couldn't stand the sugar content or sweetness of. I'm not sure if it's because the people I was visiting were predominantly well-travelled Americans rather than the non-explorer variety, but it never seemed that their food was either over processed or overly sweet.

Here in Hawaii, so many foods are drowning in sugar. Bread, ugh, utterly inedible (is there a single Brit who finds it palatable in any way?). I think I miss granary loaves/rolls and French stick more than anything else from home. But, it's improving my cooking skills no end while I master the art making great bread, simply because I cannot live without toast and marmalade with my breakfast cuppa. I not only can't, I won't.

Tea. OMG tea sucks here. I carry a foil wrapped pack of teabags in my purse, just in case. The looks I get when I ask for hot water and a glass of milk are priceless. *evil grin* .. When I run out of supplies, I phone my Dad and beg him to mail me a new box of Yorkshire tea.

I also find that drinks are way too strongly flavoured and highly coloured. When we get drinks in restaurants (lemonade, fruit punch, iced tea), I ask them to pour half a glass and top the rest up with water otherwise it makes me gag. I miss my Tesco's squash drinks, badly.

Just have to share a comment my out-laws made during our rehearsal dinner:-

You can always tell who's cooked - if it was the Brit you get a little meat and lots of veg. If it was the American you get plenty of meat and little to no veg! Heh

Edited April 16, 2009 by Brit Abroad

[Krikit 1,163]

Yorkshire tea FTW!!!

[SteveWWW 0]

Yeah I would agree - especially the bread.. it was very hard to find good (or I should say something similar to what I'm used to) bread (generally was too sweet and waaay too soft) in NC.. and Baked Beans too.. but that said, could live with it to be with my wife again.

Having said that though.. the amount of butter used is more of an issue I think

[paulinespens 3]

Yeah I would agree - especially the bread.. it was very hard to find good (or I should say something similar to what I'm used to) bread (generally was too sweet and waaay too soft) in NC.. and Baked Beans too.. but that said, could live with it to be with my wife again.

Having said that though.. the amount of butter used is more of an issue I think

Paula Deene and her butter.