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

[Circus-of-Power 0]

It's the corn syrup

High fructose corn syrup ......its in everything (I wouldn't bet against it being in the tap water too )

Everything is sweet and it takes some getting used too ....oh!!! and can we please have some real bacon

[paulinespens 3]

yes its the corn syrup.

Ive become obbsessed with reading food labels in the states. I say to my fiancee look thats for corn syrup in it.

[kittykatwoman 0]

You just didn't know what to buy haha

The French host family I stayed with made most of those decisions.

I had a lot of Americans at my table and I still hear a lot about the difference. From th bread to the chocolate, the cheese, the sorbets, the desserts and pastries and all the things I bought and cooked for them, I never heard what you say. But eh "tous les gouts sont dans la nature"!

*shrug* Tell an American that he/she is eating French food and they sort of accept whatever it is as being 'better' or 'gourmet' because French food has that reputation here. It's often undeserved. I didn't think French food was any better than anything else I've had.

Don't call my American friends sheeps that just don't know to make the difference between what they eat and what they are marketed for... And I was not talking about the Americans eating at my table here but the friends I have in France.

Also not all French people are good cook and don't get me wrong I don't say that you can only buy excellent food in France there is ####### for people that like ####### but I really think you ate at the wrong table and that you didn't try what makes our table one of the best, but again tous les gouts sont dans la nature...

Question : Did you go to school through an exchange programm on high school or did you live there? How many years? Which cities?

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

I have never had a bad meal in France - from a humble bistro to top restaurants (Moulin de Mougins near Cannes being the best meal in, like, my entire life) the quality is always excellent.

kitty - do you know the brand name of french yoghurt that comes in a glass container with a foil top with fruit on the bottom. probably a bit random and vague, but I have been trying to track it down!

[Cry_Tuff 0]

Pete doesn't put any extra salt or owt on his food....or sugar. Now I was use to drinking my brews real sweet...as in 4 or 5 teaspoons of sugar..and sometimes honey if I didn't feel well...plus milk!!! Until I went to the UK and had a fantastic cup of PG Tips....so now, I only have 1 teaspoon of sugar and a wee bit of milk.

Pete loves Burger King...I can't stand it..lol. I've had my gal bladder out and can't eat the fried greasy foods.

Oh..for the "using butter as a condiment"...lol I put it on my toast..and will add to potatoes if I'm making buttered potatoes..but nowt much more...Now when I was in the UK, my future mum in law did put butter on every piece of bread...even for tuna sandwiches...just butter..and tuna.. That to me was a bit odd...lol..but it shows the differences in the cultures as well. Here in the US, there are tooooo many food places if ya ask me. My mother's side of the family are farmer's...so I was raised doing gardens, and eating fresh foods...and canning/freezing your own. Best way to go still...

[homesick_american 1]

Don't call my American friends sheeps that just don't know to make the difference between what they eat and what they are marketed for... And I was not talking about the Americans eating at my table here but the friends I have in France.

Also not all French people are good cook and don't get me wrong I don't say that you can only buy excellent food in France there is ####### for people that like ####### but I really think you ate at the wrong table and that you didn't try what makes our table one of the best, but again tous les gouts sont dans la nature...

Question : Did you go to school through an exchange programm on high school or did you live there? How many years? Which cities?

Well gee, there's nothing noteworthy about French people thinking that French food is good. The French are their own biggest fans. I'm not criticizing that; we Americans are the same way...but it's an unavoidable fact.

[kittykatwoman 0]

I have never had a bad meal in France - from a humble bistro to top restaurants (Moulin de Mougins near Cannes being the best meal in, like, my entire life) the quality is always excellent.

kitty - do you know the brand name of french yoghurt that comes in a glass container with a foil top with fruit on the bottom. probably a bit random and vague, but I have been trying to track it down!

La laitiere? Is it a lady that pours some milk from a old clay jar? I miss the texture of those just like the homemade one in the yogurt machine.

Edited July 16, 2007 by kittykatwoman

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

I have never had a bad meal in France - from a humble bistro to top restaurants (Moulin de Mougins near Cannes being the best meal in, like, my entire life) the quality is always excellent.

kitty - do you know the brand name of french yoghurt that comes in a glass container with a foil top with fruit on the bottom. probably a bit random and vague, but I have been trying to track it down!

La laitiere? Is it a lady that pours some milk from a old clay jar? I miss the texture of those just like the homemade one in the yogurt machine.

I think that is the one - the ladies at the little french deli near my house told me they would try and order it for me if I remembered the name. It is very luscious!

[C and J 1]

I emailed the link to this thread to Josh to prove that english food isn't too bland, it's american food that's too sweet

I love American food in general and eating out over there is wonderful, but I always wondered why after my 2-3 week holidays I always ended up craving something purely savoury by the end of the trip. And no matter what savoury foods I ate, it never took the edge off. This appears to be the reason.

[Amby 490]

Neil agrees. He thinks everything is too sweet. He thinks beans here are disgusting, the bread is too soft and too sweet. But he's making a sandwich right now haha!

[Leney 0]

If you're lucky enough to live near an Amish (or Mennonite) store, my hubby has enjoyed their fresh baked bread the most. I've tried several types of bagged "country" white brands, but he didn't enjoy them and they were 120 calories per slice (not that he cared but I was in shock ) He also liked the walmart brand called "English Toasting Bread" it was thicker and bigger, but he still wasn't fully impressed. He is amazingly picky though and he wants his "crusty" Scottish bread to dip in Scotch broth (though he's not been able to find any Scotch broth yet either hehe)

[Dan&Tiffany 0]

Yes, the bread is a common complaint I hear from Dan as well. It's already been sorted to get a bread maker so he can have acceptable breads.

[Dr_LHA 3]

If you're lucky enough to live near an Amish (or Mennonite) store, my hubby has enjoyed their fresh baked bread the most. I've tried several types of bagged "country" white brands, but he didn't enjoy them and they were 120 calories per slice (not that he cared but I was in shock ) He also liked the walmart brand called "English Toasting Bread" it was thicker and bigger, but he still wasn't fully impressed. He is amazingly picky though and he wants his "crusty" Scottish bread to dip in Scotch broth (though he's not been able to find any Scotch broth yet either hehe)

So when your husband posted this back on May 8th:

I will not miss any food from the UK with the exception of bread.

Was that entirely true?

[selly 0]

The coke / pepsi is also extra sweet to the point where it is horrible. Diet varients taste really artificial and not pleasant so it was good to see something like Coke Zero come out, I got Leigh on to it recently and for a non soda drinker she was impressed. Brits that think the same of the coke /pepsi if you havent tried it, I would recommend it as the nearest thing to UK flavoured soda.

[Leney 0]

If you're lucky enough to live near an Amish (or Mennonite) store, my hubby has enjoyed their fresh baked bread the most. I've tried several types of bagged "country" white brands, but he didn't enjoy them and they were 120 calories per slice (not that he cared but I was in shock ) He also liked the walmart brand called "English Toasting Bread" it was thicker and bigger, but he still wasn't fully impressed. He is amazingly picky though and he wants his "crusty" Scottish bread to dip in Scotch broth (though he's not been able to find any Scotch broth yet either hehe)

So when your husband posted this back on May 8th:

I will not miss any food from the UK with the exception of bread.

Was that entirely true?

Nah it's not true As he says "I can do without it but I'd really like..." But I knew he'd miss more things hehe Hell I miss a lot from living in the UK so I figured at some point he would too hehe

Cherry coke zero is brilliant Just gotta watch the sodium hehe

Edited July 18, 2007 by Leney