Differences in eating habits and eating out between US & UK!

[kandmwedding]

Originally posted by 2BoysMum&Dad
When it comes to eating habits, there is the one obvious one people always know. That's how us Brits will hang on to our knives throughout the meal and cut as we go along. Where as in the US, it is customary to cut your food up first, then dispense with the knife and move the fork to the right hand to eat.

My husband is British and this quote really surpises me. My whole family (Americans) cut our food as we go, while he and his mum cut everything before they eat it. I always thought that was a British thing. Strange that you think it's the opposite!!

What I have noticed that is different is how my husband and his mom turn their forks upside down when they put them in their mouth. They always stab (for lack of a better word) their food with the prongs facing downward and then put the food in their mouth upside down. I tried it one day, and the meal took me three times as long as normal to eat, cause I keep poking myself.

 

[sha_lyn]

this reminds me of what happened the first tiem we ate at Prime Time Cafe. A family was seated next to us at about the same time we were seated. Their sever walked up and said "so how is my family from the UK". The father asked how did he know where they were from, since they had not spoken yet. The server said it was the way they set the table (at Prime time the kids in the party place the silverware on the table)

 

[bubblefactory]

Originally posted by wuv tigger


Blood Pudding


David

Have to disagree with this i'm afraid. I live here in Ramsbottom, Bury (Lancashire) the traditional home of the Black Pudding. It's a local delicacy

We also host the world black pudding throwing championship:

World Black Pudding

How's that for a strange use of food ?

 

[NCRedding]

I noticed several things on our trip to the UK in 2000:

I could never eat green peas the way they were served in the UK--hard and cold everywhere I had them, which was most restaurants. (Like greens beans in the south, they appear on each menu)

I drink a lot more with my meal than the staff was used to. I had a hard time getting refills of anything. At one restuarant, I spent more on drinks and refills than I did on my meal.

The staff we had was adequate, but not overly friendly or efficient.

I found that people in the UK do walk on the left, while we walked on the right, which meant I was constantly bumping into someone, because I wasn't following their rules.

I had a great trip, with beautiful scenery, so if I sound too negative, it isn't my intent.

 

[2BoysMum&Dad]

If your peas were hard and cold it was because they weren't cooked quite long enough (but shouldn't be cooked for too long either). Peas should be hot, but I suppose it is easy for them to cool down quickly before the plate gets to your table.

Blood pudding is normally called black pudding in the UK and is great stuff!

I didn't know we had any rules about which side we should walk, just have to try avoiding anyone coming in the opposite direction!

2BoysMum&Dad

 

[graygables]

Do you know if my Mom will be able to bring clotted cream back with her? I can't get it around here (although I can get Nutella just about anywhere!) She and DDs are heading over the pond this week, so I wasnt to know what to ask for!

 

[2BoysMum&Dad]

US customs are likely to be more of a problem than British, I expect - so I don't know. Which bit of Britain are your family visiting?

2BoysMum&Dad

 

[graygables]

All of it, I think! My Dad and 18yo will only be there for a week, so they will be mostly in London, then over to Wales, but my 15yo and Mom are staying on until the end of the month and will go north into Scotland and work their way back south, just bed & breakfasting as they go. I am sooooo jealous!

I'm really hoping my mom can get some back with her (or at least find me a resource!) Although I don't like my tea "white", I do love clotted cream and scones!

 

[TwingleMum]

Tinkerbelle6- I think the problem your experiencing with "bad" cups of tea here in the USA have more to do with them not boiling the water or my personal "favorite" bring a lukewarm cup of water with the tea bag on the saucer. The water isn't hot enough to properly steep the tea leaves.

Graygables - here in ny we have stores called Fairway, they specialize in imported and specialty items. I think they have a website. They sell Devonshire cream.

I just went to the Plaza in NYC this weekend for high tea and it was such a wonderful experience I highly recommend it.

Love this thread, it was a great read.

 

[TwingleMum]

2boysMum&Dad - there are 2 excellent BBQ places in Orlando you should definetly check out while your here. Bubbalous and Sonny's. They both have websites and would give you an idea of what we call BBQ.

 

[Chuck S]

OK, I have to ask, I've seen it in the store but have never purchased it. What is Devonshire Cream like? Is it similar to fresh very heavy cream from a farm (almost, but not quite butter) or what?

I wonder what the Brits would think of the American bacon with Maple flavor already in it. It is pretty sweet all by itself.

 

[TwingleMum]

Chuck- its hard to describe but its thick almost like real whip cream and its slightly sweet. You put it on scones and generally spread a dollop of jam on top. Its wonderful. Hope that answers your question.

 

[HaleyB]

I just have to say
Proper tea. I must have been born on the wrong side of the pond! I love tea (Earl Grey is my favorite) but it must be made right. The water must boil, the cup should be warmed first, and if you make a pot of tea you really need to use a cozy to keep it warm. My electric kettle is in use every day. I like milk or even cream in my tea and a bit of sugar too. I can't ever let anyone but my DH make tea for me around here. I learned to put cream in tea in Canada, is this a Canadian thing?
English muffins in the states are nothing like the wonder full crumpets I had in London.
It seems to me we eat dinner earlier here than across the pond, but this may be a big city thing too.
Fresh fruit... I could not believe how expensive fresh fruit was in London. My last trip was almost 10 years ago, I wonder if it is better now?
Take care when ordering mixed drinks. American bar tenders do not seem to know what a Snake Bite is and when I tell them they give me a funny look (Dark beer with hard cider). I drank them in pubs all over Europe.
My DS just pointed out to me the other day that we could go to London for a week for the same $ we are spending on our next WDW trip... Maybe next year.

 

[k&a&c'smom]

Chuck S

I was thinking the same thing about the maple-flavored bacon (and sausage) after going to the store this afternoon!!

2BoysMum&Dad - I don't think we have any "rules" about walking on the right side of the hall/aisle/path, but we seem to do it subconsciously. Either because we are mostly right-handed, but, more likely, because we drive on the right!!

This is so much fun - I love learning about our cultural differences!!

 

[2BoysMum&Dad]

To make a proper cup of tea, the water has to boil, otherwise it's horrible. When I have been to the US before, it doesn't seem like many Americans have an electric kettle. You will rarely find an English home without an electric kettle.

The other descriptions of clotted cream above seem about right.

Bacon already flavoured with maple syrup - OH NO! YUK!!!

Graygables - tell your family they have to visit Oxford (I lived there for a while). It is a beautiful city with HEAPS of history. You can walk through loads of streets swarming with buildings which are hundreds and hundreds of years old and made with lovely creamy coloured local stone.

2BoysMum&Dad

 

[Julie Sutton]

I am from england and i LOVE pancakes / syrup and bacon / sausages on the same plate.

I also Love Marmalade and cheese sandwiches and corned beef and ketchup sandwiches

Clotted cream mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
my favorite!


When I was at school we were always told to walk on the left down corridors and up and down stairs

 

[2BoysMum&Dad]

Julie,

You must be the exception to every rule I have mentioned in this thread! Trust there to be someone different!!

2BoysMum&Dad

 

[time101]

We are very close to a couple from the UK, and we have had many discussions along these lines.

Two years ago, when they came to visit us, we went on a picnic to Ravinia, an outdoor concert facility in the north suburbs of Chicago. One of the items we brought was raw vegetables (and dip), including broccoli, cauliflower, green peppers, and carrots. They had never heard of eating most of these vegetables raw, especially the broccoli and cauliflower. I think they tried it, but I'm not sure they liked it.

When we went to see them last year, they prepared a salad with a very good vinagrette-type dressing. The husband also planted a dollop of Heinz Salad Cream on top. I tried some, too. It tastes a lot like Miracle Whip here in the States. That was rather strange.

We also discovered Indian food when we were over there. I think Indian food is to the Brits what Mexican food is to us. Now we crave it just like we do Mexican. The problem is, the nearest good Indian restaurant is an hour away.

 

[2BoysMum&Dad]

You are right about Indian food in Britain. In fact, certain types of "take-away" Indian food are more popular than some traditional English "take-away" food.

Before I go any further, I would like to explain that "take-away" translates as "take-out" or food "to-go"!

Have any of you come across Yorkshire pudding? This is normally made as an accompaniment to roast beef and have it along with your roast potatoes, vegetables and gravy (probably made with onions). It is generally a savoury item made with batter, probably similar ingredients to a pancake batter - but the difference is that a Yorkshire pudding looks more like a "dumpling" but is very light and fluffy. I believe the proper Yorkshire puddings are plate sized and you would put all your savoury items and gravy on top of it with the fluffy edges rising up around the edges.

People have been known to use Yorkshire puddings in the same way as pancakes and made them into a sweet item by adding fruit or syrup in the same way you would treat a pancake.

Now I am really really really really hungry!

2BoysMum&Dad

 

[BCV23]

I make Yorkshire pudding whenever I roast a prime rib. My family loves it.

They think mine is much better than the one served at R&C.

My son and I were in Ireland in February and people did tend to walk on the left side of the sidewalk it seemed to me. We didn't encounter a single tea bag other than the ones in some rooms for self service. At Ashford Castle when I would order a pot of tea first thing in the am, they also brought an extra little silver pot with hot water. I would add it to my tea cup as I got toward the bottom of the pot and it was getting stonger. Great tea!

I'm from the midwest and my husband is from the east and we both grew up with applesauce as a common side dish with pork.