How much weight have you put on since moving to America?

[Alex & Rachel 78]

I am not too bothered by the portion sizes since I always bring half of the food home.

I thought that American and British desserts were pretty much the same? I know I like Shepherd's Pie, but that's not a dessert Ah Uk, UK, would not mind to live there.

Haha, Shepherd's Pie is like the one British dish I really do not like - I'll eat it, but NEVER choose to have it!

There are many desserts that we have in common - many pies originate from the UK, for example, or are at least as popular over there. But Brits just seem in general to take their desserts more seriously - there is a never ending variety of hot sponge puddings (mm, golden cap, chocolate-up-and-over); just a greater number of desserts in general, really! So much chocolate, too. Banoffee pie is a favourite of mine. Eton mess, summer pudding - another two you don't really see in the States. The list goes on... and as Ellesse says, Christmas pudding, oh my.

The US has a lot of cakes/cupcakes, whereas in the UK you find a great many more pastries, tarts, and mini pies (i.e. mince pies!). I'm not much of a cake fan, so I definitely miss the UK variety!

Edited January 12, 2012 by Alex & Rachel

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Haha, this is a great question. Has anyone gone to America and NOT gained weight!?!

I would disagree with the food being 'too good' though. I personally don't think the food is of a great standard. In fact, if anything, it's poor quality! Especially the meat.

Portion sizes are the problem. No need for anybody to eat a 20 oz. steak! Also, steaks in the EU and in most other places don't some that size. The reason being the growth hormones that are fed to cattle and poultry in the US.

Growth Hormones are banned in the EU and nearly everywhere else in the world.

Food is much cheaper in America, too. Again, down to the low grade of the food I would think.

http://www.bsas.org.uk/about_the_bsas/issue_papers/hormone_growth_promoters_in_cattle/

The beef in the US is #1 in the world. Unlike most of Europe, we don't get frozen seconds imported on a slow boat from Argentina. We use USDA grade choice beef hence the reason beef here is known as the best in the world. Straight from Texas, Iowa, and the rest of the midwest and west coast. Our pork is no slouch either.

Edited January 12, 2012 by Why_Me

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

The best beef is Kobe from Japan

[VanessaTony 3,567]

The beef in the US is #1 in the world. Unlike most of Europe, we don't get frozen seconds imported on a slow boat from Argentina. We use USDA grade choice beef hence the reason beef here is known as the best in the world. Straight from Texas, Iowa, and the rest of the midwest and west coast. Our pork is no slouch either.

Australian beef is no slouch. Australia is the third largest exporter of beef. Our standards are so rigorous we don't import beef or cattle from the US (presently) and many other countries because of BSE, it doesn't pass our standards (yet, they have to undergo more tests).

Anyway, all my reading agreed Japan's Kobe beef or Argentina.

**Edit - but I live in Iowa so I agree with that too

Edited January 12, 2012 by Vanessa&Tony

[fragola86 1]

Good grief, no! Some desserts are similar (like lemon meringue pie) but others aren't - I've seen all kinds of stuff over here that I've never seen before (such as elephant ears and funnel cake - at a local fair, no less), not to mention the American form of pudding, which has caused a number of misunderstandings with my husband his family! And come Christmas time, I noticed the differences as I didn't see Christmas cake or mince pies anywhere - ended up making mince pies myself as it was one thing I really missed. And, of course, I do miss my mum's chocolate cake as there's nothing like it!

Also agree about Hersheys - don't like it at all, and I had wondered whether I'd imagined that slightly nauseous flavour, so interested to read other posters' comments on that!

As for me - my weight is about stable, and I've been here since October. Do notice the sugar in lots of things (particularly bread (!!!) and peanut butter) and am conscious of not eating too much. We've both joined the gym as we spent a lot of time indoors online when we're apart and are now trying to counteract that!

L

Hersheys, you mean the chocolate? If so, I find it too sugary tasting, nothing great about their chocolate. Most of the chocolate I have in Italy and Germany tastes much better. I am not even sure they use real cocoa butter in their chocolate.

[fragola86 1]

Haha, Shepherd's Pie is like the one British dish I really do not like - I'll eat it, but NEVER choose to have it!

There are many desserts that we have in common - many pies originate from the UK, for example, or are at least as popular over there. But Brits just seem in general to take their desserts more seriously - there is a never ending variety of hot sponge puddings (mm, golden cap, chocolate-up-and-over); just a greater number of desserts in general, really! So much chocolate, too. Banoffee pie is a favourite of mine. Eton mess, summer pudding - another two you don't really see in the States. The list goes on... and as Ellesse says, Christmas pudding, oh my.

The US has a lot of cakes/cupcakes, whereas in the UK you find a great many more pastries, tarts, and mini pies (i.e. mince pies!). I'm not much of a cake fan, so I definitely miss the UK variety!

I had to google those desserts, never heard of them before. I might try to make a few of them if I have guests over

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

Mince pies

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

The best beef is Kobe from Japan

I can't argue that seeing how Iv'e never eaten Kobe beef or read up on it, but apparently there's a big shortage of it in Japan seeing how Japan imports most of it's beef from Washington state. It was Stuart Andersen Ranch in Eastern Washington (Black Angus Resteraunts) that pioneered crossbreeding Herefords with Black Angus. Where parts of Europe like Ireland and England have no open range and suffer from lack of certain nutrients in their pastures along with hoof rot, the US has no such problem other than Western Washington and Western Oregon where it rains a lot. Open range...the US has millions of acres of it a long with alfalfa hay and corn fed beef.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

I agree with you the US has good beef (as long as it's not injected with hormones)but Kobe beef is the best I have ever eaten.

I believe that a lot of stuff calls itself Kobe that is not really Kobe - like "Parmesan" from Wisconsin and "Champagne" from California

[Ellesse 11]

Hersheys, you mean the chocolate? If so, I find it too sugary tasting, nothing great about their chocolate. Most of the chocolate I have in Italy and Germany tastes much better. I am not even sure they use real cocoa butter in their chocolate.

Yep, I do mean the chocolate. I used to really love chocolate, but Hersheys doesn't taste right to me, so I give it a miss. I'm lucky that I can get the odd supply of Cadbury (from my parents or from World Market when we go near there), but I figure there's nothing wrong with eating chocolate every now and then, rather than how often I used to eat it in the UK!

[fragola86 1]

Yep, I do mean the chocolate. I used to really love chocolate, but Hersheys doesn't taste right to me, so I give it a miss. I'm lucky that I can get the odd supply of Cadbury (from my parents or from World Market when we go near there), but I figure there's nothing wrong with eating chocolate every now and then, rather than how often I used to eat it in the UK!

I don't usually eat chocolate, but if I feel like eating it, I can find other brands other than Hersheys.

One other thing that all Italians I have talked to find disgusting in the US is the tuna. I don't know how tuna is in other countries, but in Italy it is firm (and "in olive oil" which makes it taste pretty good) while here in the US it looks like cat food. You can find firm tuna in the US too but it usually costs twice as much as the normal "cat food" tuna. It seems like that if you want to eat something decent here, or made with healthier ingredients, you have to pay more.

I wonder if people from other countries have the same issue with tuna here?

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

I can't say the bog-standard tuna in Britain is any better. The fact it reminds me of cat food is the reason I won't eat it. A nice piece of fresh ahi tuna only for me - it's not that expensive where I live

[TBoneTX 45,273]

The fact it reminds me of cat food is the reason I won't eat it.

Cat food is so good that the eater can wolf it down, barf it up, and soon afterwards eat the barf. "If it was good the first time..."

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Cat food is so good that the eater can wolf it down, barf it up, and soon afterwards eat the barf. "If it was good the first time..."

[K&E2009 71]

The beef in the US is #1 in the world. Unlike most of Europe, we don't get frozen seconds imported on a slow boat from Argentina. We use USDA grade choice beef hence the reason beef here is known as the best in the world. Straight from Texas, Iowa, and the rest of the midwest and west coast. Our pork is no slouch either.

:bonk:

Irish Beef; enough said.