Americans and Canadians culture Q&A Thread.

I’m curious Canadians, does Canada do anything special for Epiphany? I’m making a three kings cake tonight (Spain’s version) to be eaten tomorrow.
I don't know anybody that does, even though I leave our decor up as a nod to the liturgical observance. This is also Orthodox Christmas. There are quite a few people of Eastern European descent here in the West so many celebrations are going on. And this year is special; Canada has welcomed over 70,000 Ukrainian refugees since early 2022. There are lots of Christmas events being put on especially for them, here in Calgary. :goodvibes
 
Does your family have a recipe I could try?
I’m trying to find different versions you may like from YouTube. My family’s recipe is a secret that my dad is the current holder of that he learned from his grandmother. I actually don’t know the whole recipe. But there are many versions to try on the web.
 
I’m trying to find different versions you may like from YouTube. My family’s recipe is a secret that my dad is the current holder of that he learned from his grandmother. I actually don’t know the whole recipe. But there are many versions to try on the web.
That's okay. I don't need another video. I can look up a highly rated recipe on my own.
 
That's okay. I don't need another video. I can look up a highly rated recipe on my own.
I did post some on my edited post on the previous page, if you’re interested. There’s no real wrong way to make this classic American cookie. It was one of my favorite desserts as a kid. I hope you and your family enjoy them just as much. :-)
 

I don't know anybody that does, even though I leave our decor up as a nod to the liturgical observance. This is also Orthodox Christmas. There are quite a few people of Eastern European descent here in the West so many celebrations are going on. And this year is special; Canada has welcomed over 70,000 Ukrainian refugees since early 2022. There are lots of Christmas events being put on especially for them, here in Calgary. :goodvibes
I’m proud of both our countries for what they have done for the Ukrainian people.
 
I did post some on my edited post on the previous page, if you’re interested. There’s no real wrong way to make this classic American cookie. It was one of my favorite desserts as a kid. I hope you and your family enjoy them just as much. :-)

That’s probably why you posted those butter tart recipes. There’s definitely a wrong way to make them. Seems like your cookies are pretty generic tbh if there’s no wrong way to make them lol

As far as the holiday you mentioned, I’m not religious, so it’s a no for me, but we have a vibrant Ukrainian population here so there will no doubt be events.
 
That's okay. I don't need another video. I can look up a highly rated recipe on my own.
My mom's chocolate chip cookies are something she's attempting to pass down to me. Many people over the years in our lives have the recipe my 4th grade teacher has it, my high school french teacher has it (I'd get extra credit for bringing them in lol), bosses of years past have it, etc. She does sell them (last I checked $25 for 36 cookies) to people too. Many fond memories growing up eating the cookie dough (which yes does contain eggs).

But alas even with her making it at my house it just doesn't turn out the same way. Part of it is her pans were old pans (well seasoned) that you just can't find the same anymore. The other part was her oven (she'd been living in her house since the mid-90s with the same oven). My house has gas and that does cook differently. The pans I had also cook differently. But even her new electric oven she got 2 years ago cooks differently.

Her "secret" if you want to call it that ingredient is vanilla instant pudding mix (you do not make the pudding you just mix in the pudding mix). I do have the recipe printed, anyone (genuinely saying this) who is interested can quote me or PM me if they want for a picture of it. Everyone who has the recipe comments how good it is even if they also say "I just can't get it like you can" (meaning my mom). It's not a celebration of any kind (holiday, birthday, graduation, etc) without her cookies.
 
Can Americans sing along with the Canadian national anthem? Can you actually name all of our provinces and territories?
This one can without cheating, but I’d say the overwhelming majority of Americans can’t.

I know the Canadian anthem by hearing it before NHL games.

West to east, north to south:
Top row
Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut.

Bottom row
British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland & Labrador
 
This one can without cheating, but I’d say the overwhelming majority of Americans can’t.

I know the Canadian anthem by hearing it before NHL games.

West to east, north to south:
Top row
Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut.

Bottom row
British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland & Labrador
I learned them in school, so it might be more of where the school is in relation to states close to Canada.
 
That’s probably why you posted those butter tart recipes. There’s definitely a wrong way to make them. Seems like your cookies are pretty generic tbh if there’s no wrong way to make them lol
Their not generic per say. NYC had a specific original recipe. As the recipe spread across the Tri-State area, each region change it slightly to fit local tastes. Families like to put their own twists on them too. So there is the basic recipe from NYC and modern twists on the recipe as well.
 
We tried the metric system in the 1960’s. It failed due to the 1st Cold War (we’re currently in the 2nd one?).
It was actually during the 70s. We learned the metric system in junior high. 1973-75. I still remember a good bit of it and can easily roughly convert in my head in many cases.

The US was supposed to be fully metric by like 1985 or so. Some baseball stadiums had the outfield fence distances listed in metric below the feet.

US liquor and wine has been in metric sizes since about 1981. Some bottled water and soft drinks are, but for the most part the conversion was vehemently rejected by the majority of Americans.

Delaware highway #1 was planned in the 70s but not fully completed until the late 90s. The exit numbers still retain the distance in kilometers. I think Interstate 19 in Arizona is the same.
 
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I learned them in school, so it might be more of where the school is in relation to states close to Canada.
Perhaps.

I don’t recall receiving more than perfunctory information about Canada when I was in school. I learned Canadian geography by looking at maps and atlases.

I especially like that due to ancient surveying errors, there are a few homes and a library that straddle the US-Canada border.
 
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Are they the ones with jam in the middle?

No - but perhaps there a variations that do have jam in them.

They are a thick white cookie (in my experience with lemon, almond, and/or vanilla flavouring) that is somewhat cakey in texture (not like a cupcake, but a somewhat cakey cookie) . And the icing is half chocolate (black) and half vanilla (white).

As far as I know (i.e. what I’ve been told and seen in recipes) is that they are a Northeast US thing, not a US-wide thing, staring in New York City (I think). But, again, in Buzz’s world, what happens in his area can be generalizable to the entire country.
 
Are they the ones with jam in the middle?
No, they look like a sugar cookie with one side iced in white and one side in chocolate. My husband said we had them in Ottawa and didn't like them, but I don't recall what they were like. Buzz has provided plenty of helpful videos where you can see what they look like if you need a visual.
 















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