Spin-off: American and British/Irish culture Q&A thread.

[john7994]

You're not mistaken. My mother grew up on an Irish farm, and she made it from scratch.

English sausages are ... I'm sorry, but really not very tasty. They are bland pork sausages that have a lot of cereal filler. (A legacy from the World Wars, when meat was scarce. The closest equivalent I can think of are Armour Brown n' Serve.) When I'm in the UK and in the mood for sausage, I try to buy a European variety at a proper butcher shop.

I suspect that the reason for putting hot dogs in a jar or can also has to do with shortages after WW2. The US sent a lot of meats, including hot dogs ("frankfurter" was kind of a dirty word at the time) over to Europe, but with no freezing capability on the cargo ships, they preserved them in a way that did not require that. I think that UK mfrs later just stuck with the same packaging because it had become familiar.

Are the Dogs in a jar popular?

 

[BadPinkTink]

Is FL not the UK’s number one holiday/vacation location?

I would say that the average Brit holidays in Europe, predominantly Spain but closely followed by Portugal. Package holidays are popular, as are ‘all inclusive’ resorts. There is a market for ‘cheap as chips’, drink until you fall over resorts, that serve English food.

Independent travellers migrate towards Greece, particularly the islands, Cyprus, Italy and France. People also do City breaks to European capitals and ski in Europe.

For winter sun people aim for the Caribbean or as a cheaper option Spanish islands.

We are lucky as we are allowed quite a lot of paid holidays, compared to U.S. employees.

Same with Irish people. The cheap package holidays to Spain, Portugal and The Canary Islands would be the number one holiday destination. In the 1980's there was a building boom in the coastal towns in Spain and Portugal, the Mediterranean islands and The Canary Islands where huge complexes of self catering apartments and hotels were built. The travel companies charter flights and employ holiday reps in the locations. The holiday reps are there to organize activities and sight seeing and keep people entertained.

Different travel companies and locations are marketed for the different ages.

Teenagers and young people go to the party locations.

Families, middle aged and older people go to the more quieter areas.

But no matter the age and location, the main purpose is basically the same, during the day alternate between the pool and the beach, meals included at the hotel or at the expat pubs and restaurants which serve British / Irish food, an hour or two shopping or sightseeing or an organised excursion, and rarely having any contact with local people or local food. Then night time in the pub or nightclubs getting drink. Repeat for 7 to 10 days, come home hungover and sunburnt.

The cheap package holiday is the highlight of the year for most people. City breaks are popular with couples and older people, as a get away from family and the kids during the year.

Florida is seen as the one and done big blow out holiday that most people save for years to do. Its seen as the big thing to do for the kids. Most families are not repeat visitors to Florida.

The same with Disneyland Paris. If families dont have the money for Florida , they take the kids to Disneyland Paris instead.

Disney holidays are seen as something for the kids, while normal holidays are the package holidays to Europe.

Disney holidays are kinda a status symbol.

I’m curious, do you guys enjoy the American pavilion/Hall of Presidents/American Experience show? Or do you normally skip it?

I go to Disneyland California and on most visits I go into Great Moments With Mr Lincoln. Its half to escape the heat and sun and be in an air con theatre and half because I have an interest in American history and I find the animatronic Lincoln and how that whole show is put together fascinating.

I will put American pavilion/Hall of Presidents/American Experience in Florida on my YouTube watchlist and get back to you

I think black pudding is a blood sausage if I’m not mistaken.

Irish black pudding a blood sausage flavoured with herbs and spices and oatmeal. It is usually friend and served as part of a cooked breakfast with sausages , eggs, bacon etc.

 

[Jangles]

No idea what a British Sausage is,

https://www.daylesford.com/shop/meat-joints-cuts/organic-pork/organic-cumberland-pork-sausages-450g/

So this is a British sausage. They sizzle as you cook them in a frying pan and each region/farm will have a different recipe. So Cumberland, Lincolnshire, Cotswold etc. The good quality ones are very tasty. People sometimes eat them as part of a ‘full English’ breakfast or for supper as ‘bangers and mash’ and they are a staple at many bbqs. At Christmastime people wrap them up in bacon and call them ‘pigs in blankets’.
People also eat black pudding as part of a ‘full English’ along with back bacon, fried bread, tomatoes, mushrooms and fried eggs.

Brits also like smoked fish for breakfast, and not just smoked salmon. We enjoy smoked kippers, smoked haddock and cod and kedgeree. Mainly on weekends. https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/fish-recipes/kedgeree/

 

[Jangles]

Are the Dogs in a jar popular?

I think at fun fairs and as an easy to prepare item for campers. Supermarkets commonly stock them so someone must be eating them.

 

[BadPinkTink]

Are the Dogs in a jar popular?

that photo of the hotdogs in a jar is what I remember from family bbqs when I was a child. They are probably still popular for families as something for the kids.

 

[john7994]

https://www.daylesford.com/shop/meat-joints-cuts/organic-pork/organic-cumberland-pork-sausages-450g/

So this is a British sausage. They sizzle as you cook them in a frying pan and each region/farm will have a different recipe. So Cumberland, Lincolnshire, Cotswold etc. The good quality ones are very tasty. People sometimes eat them as part of a ‘full English’ breakfast or for supper as ‘bangers and mash’ and they are a staple at many bbqs. At Christmastime people wrap them up in bacon and call them ‘pigs in blankets’.
People also eat black pudding as part of a ‘full English’ along with back bacon, fried bread, tomatoes, mushrooms and fried eggs.

Brits also like smoked fish for breakfast, and not just smoked salmon. We enjoy smoked kippers, smoked haddock and cod and kedgeree. Mainly on weekends. https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/fish-recipes/kedgeree/

Its breakfast time here and now I am hungry

 

[john7994]

I think at fun fairs and as an easy to prepare item for campers. Supermarkets commonly stock them so someone must be eating them.

*shudders*

 

[Buzz Rules]

I will say that Wales has a pretty cool flag since it has a dragon on it.

 

[Buzz Rules]

*shudders*

I think even Jason V would stay away from campers who eat jarred hot dogs.

 

[Buzz Rules]

Do people in the UK/Ireland watch MLS during the summer when the European leagues are on break? Or do Brits/Irish people watch any North American sports leagues in general?

 

[BadPinkTink]

Do people in the UK/Ireland watch MLS during the summer when the European leagues are on break? Or do Brits/Irish people watch any North American sports leagues in general?

Watching American sports in general is not a thing in Ireland. The only thing that is shown on mainstream tv is the Superbowl. Other than that, or if an American Football team come to Ireland and play a game, most people would not know anything about MLS.

These are the main sports that people watch / follow in Ireland

Soccer
UK soccer / European soccer
Irish soccer
The highest level of Irish soccer is played at club level and players from various clubs are selected for the Irish team for international competitions like European competitions and The World Cup.

Irish Traditional Sports
In Ireland we have own own versions of soccer (Gaelic Football) and hockey (Hurling for men , Camogie for women) which are run by Gaelic Athletic Association known as GAA. The GAA in Ireland would be like MLS in America.
The highest level is played at county level and the main competitions run from February to September, when the National Finals are held.

Mens Rugby
The highest level is played at county and province level and then players are selected for the Irish team for international competitions like The 6 Nations

Athletics
Track and field is popular in Ireland but our athletes are no where near the standard of American athletes. We do compete at international level but don't make the finals.

Boxing
Mens boxing has been popular in Ireland but recently womens boxing has become more popular due to Katie Taylor.

Horse Racing
Horse racing is big business in Ireland and Ireland is famous for the breading and training of racehorses.

They would be the main sports popular in Ireland from a spectators point of view, the sports which are featured on Irish TV or people go to sporting venues for.

 

[Buzz Rules]

Watching American sports in general is not a thing in Ireland. The only thing that is shown on mainstream tv is the Superbowl. Other than that, or if an American Football team come to Ireland and play a game, most people would not know anything about MLS.

These are the main sports that people watch / follow in Ireland

Soccer
UK soccer / European soccer
Irish soccer
The highest level of Irish soccer is played at club level and players from various clubs are selected for the Irish team for international competitions like European competitions and The World Cup.

Irish Traditional Sports
In Ireland we have own own versions of soccer (Gaelic Football) and hockey (Hurling for men , Camogie for women) which are run by Gaelic Athletic Association known as GAA. The GAA in Ireland would be like MLS in America.
The highest level is played at county level and the main competitions run from February to September, when the National Finals are held.

Mens Rugby
The highest level is played at county and province level and then players are selected for the Irish team for international competitions like The 6 Nations

Athletics
Track and field is popular in Ireland but our athletes are no where near the standard of American athletes. We do compete at international level but don't make the finals.

Boxing
Mens boxing has been popular in Ireland but recently womens boxing has become more popular due to Katie Taylor.

Horse Racing
Horse racing is big business in Ireland and Ireland is famous for the breading and training of racehorses.

They would be the main sports popular in Ireland from a spectators point of view, the sports which are featured on Irish TV or people go to sporting venues for.

Thanks for the information. Do you have a favorite team that you support?

 

[BadPinkTink]

Thanks for the information. Do you have a favorite team that you support?

I'm that odd Irish person who doesnt follow sport

Most Irish people have a UK soccer team follow, and before Covid, going to a game in England was a big thing.

For the GAA sports, people usually follow the team from the county of their birth. There is huge rivalry between some counties which gets interesting at the middle and end of the season as the National finals get closer. Often times members of the same household will support different counties which results in hilarious family arguments on match days.

 

[Buzz Rules]

Are Medieval/Renaissance/18th century re-enactments/fairs popular in Ireland or the UK?

 

[Buzz Rules]

I'm that odd Irish person who doesnt follow sport

Most Irish people have a UK soccer team follow, and before Covid, going to a game in England was a big thing.

For the GAA sports, people usually follow the team from the county of their birth. There is huge rivalry between some counties which gets interesting at the middle and end of the season as the National finals get closer. Often times members of the same household will support different counties which results in hilarious family arguments on match days.

What about the WC this year? Anyone but England? Are you going to root for Wales or the USA, or just be a neutral fan?

 

[BadPinkTink]

Are Medieval/Renaissance/18th century re-enactments/fairs popular in Ireland or the UK?

Nope, not in Ireland. I have seen them on American TV shows and when I went to my friend Google I found they are very popular.

The only one I know of is Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, which is a real 15th century medieval castle which has been turned into a tourist attraction. They put on medieval banquets and other themed events, mostly for tour groups and corporate events. I have heard of other real medieval castles doing similar for tour groups and corporate events but Bunratty Castle would be the most well known.

 

[Buzz Rules]

Nope, not in Ireland. I have seen them on American TV shows and when I went to my friend Google I found they are very popular.

The only one I know of is Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, which is a real 15th century medieval castle which has been turned into a tourist attraction. They put on medieval banquets and other themed events, mostly for tour groups and corporate events. I have heard of other real medieval castles doing similar for tour groups and corporate events but Bunratty Castle would be the most well known.

The fairs and re-enactments are popular here in the USA. Unfortunately due to the pandemic, a lot of them can’t do as much as they usually do. I really want the pandemic to end so the fun can start again without having to worry about getting sick.

 

[Allison]

The fairs and re-enactments are popular here in the USA. Unfortunately due to the pandemic, a lot of them can’t do as much as they usually do. I really want the pandemic to end so the fun can start again without having to worry about getting sick.

That must depend on where you live. They are not a thing in my region and I don't know anyone who has ever been to anything like that.

 

[SirDuff]

You're not mistaken. My mother grew up on an Irish farm, and she made it from scratch.

English sausages are ... I'm sorry, but really not very tasty. They are bland pork sausages that have a lot of cereal filler. (A legacy from the World Wars, when meat was scarce. The closest equivalent I can think of are Armour Brown n' Serve.) When I'm in the UK and in the mood for sausage, I try to buy a European variety at a proper butcher shop.

I suspect that the reason for putting hot dogs in a jar or can also has to do with shortages after WW2. The US sent a lot of meats, including hot dogs ("frankfurter" was kind of a dirty word at the time) over to Europe, but with no freezing capability on the cargo ships, they preserved them in a way that did not require that. I think that UK mfrs later just stuck with the same packaging because it had become familiar.
(BTW, here is an interesting photo essay on C.A.R.E. packages sent from the US after WW2. There is a lot of canned meat in the photos. https://www.theguardian.com/artandd...e-internationals-postwar-packages-in-pictures

Weird. I've had some really tasty sausages in England that didn't seem to have any cereal filler (or at least a very limited amount of it).

 

[john7994]

That must depend on where you live. They are not a thing in my region and I don't know anyone who has ever been to anything like that.

I do remember them in Wisconsin (not talking Medieval Times - we had those in Chicago), but I have not seen them around Georgia.