Roger E. Axtell has written about a dozen books on international
travel - the "Do's and Taboos" series. In more than one book, he
mentions such foods and says the top ones tend to be (in no order)

Corn-on-the-cob (it's considered livestock food by many in Europe,
plus it's messy to eat)
Ketchup
Rare steaks
Many fast foods
Peanut butter
Root beer
Hot dogs
Roast turkey
Grits
Sweet potatoes
Pecan pie (and pumpkin pie)
Marshmallows
Cheese
Gravy
Popcorn

I more-or-less understand the aversion to the first seven, even though
I like them, but what's with the rest?


Lenona.

Lenona wrote on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:31:03 -0800 (PST):

> Corn-on-the-cob (it's considered livestock food by many in
> Europe, plus it's messy to eat)
> Ketchup
> Rare steaks
> Many fast foods
> Peanut butter
> Root beer
> Hot dogs
> Roast turkey
> Grits
> Sweet potatoes
> Pecan pie (and pumpkin pie)
> Marshmallows
> Cheese
> Gravy
> Popcorn

> I more-or-less understand the aversion to the first seven,
> even though I like them, but what's with the rest?

Astell is retailing an unlikely list of personal prejudices. I can see
that some of the list might be appropriate to different parts of the
world. I think the Chinese have been known to refer to cheese as
"spoiled milk" and my mother in Britain long ago would not touch a rare
steak. I'm not fond of grits or sweet potatoes myself but those are just
personal.


James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

Lenona wrote:
>
> Roger E. Axtell has written about a dozen books on international
> travel - the "Do's and Taboos" series. In more than one book, he
> mentions such foods and says the top ones tend to be (in no order)
>
> Corn-on-the-cob (it's considered livestock food by many in Europe,
> plus it's messy to eat)
> Ketchup
> Rare steaks
> Many fast foods
> Peanut butter
> Root beer
> Hot dogs
> Roast turkey
> Grits
> Sweet potatoes
> Pecan pie (and pumpkin pie)
> Marshmallows
> Cheese
> Gravy
> Popcorn

What? No Jell-O?

The list would make more sense if it were correlated by which folks
hated which foods. I remember hearing that primarily vegetarian
cultures
think that USAicans stink of meat.

Teaching ESL, there was a lively discussion among the Polish
contingent - the ones who found peanut butter wierd and disgusting,
and the few who thought it was the coolest thing ever and regularly
mailed jars of this exotic delicacy back home.

Bulka

On Nov 16, 8:31 am, Lenona > wrote:
> Roger E. Axtell has written about a dozen books on international
> travel - the "Do's and Taboos" series. In more than one book, he
> mentions such foods and says the top ones tend to be (in no order)
> [snip the list]
One of the great joys and benefits of travel is the exposure to new
things. An open mind is the single most essential piece of travel
equipment. One can only hope that many foreign visitors to the U.S.
are exposed to, and learn to like, some of the new-to-them things on
the list. They exemplfy the great diversity of cultures that we have.

As to the list, it looks to me like an artificial construct, not
'real' in any meaningful way. Some things like corn and turkey and
sweet potatoes are not eaten widely but others like ketchup and hot
dogs are just local variants of something that is nearly universal.
You can't use tons of tomato sauce and yet find ketchup disgusting.
-aem

"bulka" > wrote in message
...
> The list would make more sense if it were correlated by which folks
> hated which foods. I remember hearing that primarily vegetarian
> cultures
> think that USAicans stink of meat.
>
> Teaching ESL, there was a lively discussion among the Polish
> contingent - the ones who found peanut butter wierd and disgusting,
> and the few who thought it was the coolest thing ever and regularly
> mailed jars of this exotic delicacy back home.
>
> Bulka

and kishka is a delicacy. (I married one of their kind)....
-ginny

bulka wrote:
> The list would make more sense if it were correlated by which folks
> hated which foods. I remember hearing that primarily vegetarian
> cultures
> think that USAicans stink of meat.
>
> Teaching ESL, there was a lively discussion among the Polish
> contingent - the ones who found peanut butter wierd and disgusting,
> and the few who thought it was the coolest thing ever and regularly
> mailed jars of this exotic delicacy back home.
>
> Bulka

Peanut butter is repulsive to my Swedish step-mom. I think they consider
it oily and slimy. Putting butter, sugar and milk on rice gives me the
creeps. My brother-in-laws and wife says they used to eat that. Yeachhh!

On Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:31:03 -0800 (PST), Lenona >
wrote:

>Roger E. Axtell has written about a dozen books on international
>travel - the "Do's and Taboos" series. In more than one book, he
>mentions such foods and says the top ones tend to be (in no order)
>
>Corn-on-the-cob (it's considered livestock food by many in Europe,
>plus it's messy to eat)

People love it here. But they cook it for way too long, and after they
complain it's hard...

>Ketchup

Widely used. I don't dislike it, but I hate it being used on
everything - it tends to annihilate the taste of the food you're
eating it with.

>Rare steaks

All of France eats rare steaks!!! Italians eat them too. And so do I
:-)

>Many fast foods

Sure. In most instances, fast food=bad food. Doesn't seem to stop
people from eating it though, including in Europe :-(

>Peanut butter

No, peanut butter is easy to find and many people love it. Now, if you
try to tell someone about PB and jam sandwiches, that's something
else...

>Root beer

Right. Tastes like diluted cough syrup to me...

>Hot dogs

Nah - easy to find and widely appreciated. I like mine with mustard
:-)

>Roast turkey

Traditional Christmas fare in France...

>Grits

Unknown, so they just can't be hated!

>Sweet potatoes

Yum. Never heard anyone say they didn't love them

>Pecan pie (and pumpkin pie)

Almost universally liked

>Marshmallows

You'll find them in every single supermarket, why do you think that
is?

>Cheese

Er..... You mean processed cheese I guess, since the countries which
produce the biggest variety of cheeses are France, Italy and
Switzerland?
Yep, processed cheese is considered as yucky - and rightly so, since
it resembles plastic more than cheese.

>Gravy

Define "gravy". If it's the roast meat juices, sometimes made up into
a sauce, yum. If it's either roast meat juices with lots of flour in
them or some mass-produced powder which you dilute to make a sauce,
yuck.

>Popcorn

Not hated by most people, on the contrary.

Nathalie in Switzerland

On Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:46:45 -0500, "James Silverton"
> wrote:

> I think the Chinese have been known to refer to cheese as
>"spoiled milk"

IME, when people from Eastern Asia discover milk and cheese, they
either immediately love it or hate it - there's no middle way.

Nathalie in Switzerland, fondue country :-)

Lenona wrote:

> Roger E. Axtell has written about a dozen books on international
> travel - the "Do's and Taboos" series. In more than one book, he
> mentions such foods and says the top ones tend to be (in no order)
>


I ordered a bakery cake for my son to celebrate his birthday with his
classmates and his italian preschool and was told by many that italian
kids don't like american food or american dessert....I think that was a
pile of crap..they devoured the cake and there are always long lines at
McDonalds.

Italians down here in Naples eat their steaks so thin, they are either
raw or well done/burnt.

--

bulka wrote:

> The list would make more sense if it were correlated by which folks
> hated which foods. I remember hearing that primarily vegetarian
> cultures
> think that USAicans stink of meat.

This was confirmed by a good friend when I lived in Japan. We smell
awful to the Japanese..
>

--

Nathalie Chiva wrote:

>
> > Rare steaks
>
> All of France eats rare steaks!!! Italians eat them too.

You'll never see a rare steak in southern Italy.

On 16 Nov 2009 17:55:51 GMT, "Ravenlynne" >
wrote:

>Nathalie Chiva wrote:
>
>>
>> > Rare steaks
>>
>> All of France eats rare steaks!!! Italians eat them too.
>
>You'll never see a rare steak in southern Italy.

Well, I never said "all Italians". But try and order a Fiorentina
"well done" in Tuscany, the look you'll get...

Nathalie in Switzerland

Nathalie Chiva wrote:
> On Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:31:03 -0800 (PST), Lenona >
> wrote:
>
>> Roger E. Axtell has written about a dozen books on international
>> travel - the "Do's and Taboos" series. In more than one book, he
>> mentions such foods and says the top ones tend to be (in no order)
>>
>> Corn-on-the-cob (it's considered livestock food by many in Europe,
>> plus it's messy to eat)
>
> People love it here. But they cook it for way too long, and after they
> complain it's hard...

I have had corn on the cob several times in Europe, usually served in
small pieces, less than an inch wide.
>
>> Ketchup
>
> Widely used. I don't dislike it, but I hate it being used on
> everything - it tends to annihilate the taste of the food you're
> eating it with.

I don't use it much, though I do like it with meat loaf or macaroni and
cheese.

>> Rare steaks
>
> All of France eats rare steaks!!! Italians eat them too. And so do I
> :-)
From my experience, it is hard to get cooked more than darned rare.

>
>> Many fast foods
>
> Sure. In most instances, fast food=bad food. Doesn't seem to stop
> people from eating it though, including in Europe :-(

Places like McDonalds seem to be spreading in Europe. Pity. I thought
that they had better taste.


>
>> Peanut butter
>
> No, peanut butter is easy to find and many people love it. Now, if you
> try to tell someone about PB and jam sandwiches, that's something
> else...

I was never a fan of it.


>> Root beer
>
> Right. Tastes like diluted cough syrup to me...
>
>> Hot dogs
>
> Nah - easy to find and widely appreciated. I like mine with mustard
> :-)

Weiners..... They are a German invention. It is a sausage on a bun.


>
>> Roast turkey
>
> Traditional Christmas fare in France...
>
>> Grits
>
> Unknown, so they just can't be hated!
>
>> Sweet potatoes
>
> Yum. Never heard anyone say they didn't love them
>
>> Pecan pie (and pumpkin pie)
>
> Almost universally liked
>
>> Marshmallows
>
> You'll find them in every single supermarket, why do you think that
> is?
>
>> Cheese
>
> Er..... You mean processed cheese I guess, since the countries which
> produce the biggest variety of cheeses are France, Italy and
> Switzerland?
> Yep, processed cheese is considered as yucky - and rightly so, since
> it resembles plastic more than cheese.
>
>> Gravy
>
> Define "gravy". If it's the roast meat juices, sometimes made up into
> a sauce, yum. If it's either roast meat juices with lots of flour in
> them or some mass-produced powder which you dilute to make a sauce,
> yuck.
>
>> Popcorn
>
> Not hated by most people, on the contrary.
>
> Nathalie in Switzerland

Lenona wrote:

> Corn-on-the-cob (it's considered livestock food by many in Europe,
> plus it's messy to eat)
> Ketchup
> Rare steaks
> Many fast foods
> Peanut butter
> Root beer
> Hot dogs
> Roast turkey
> Grits
> Sweet potatoes
> Pecan pie (and pumpkin pie)
> Marshmallows
> Cheese
> Gravy
> Popcorn
>
> I more-or-less understand the aversion to the first seven, even
though
> I like them, but what's with the rest?

I agree with you, the only things I don' like in that list are
peanut butter and marshmallows. I can't speak for root beer, though,
since I've never seen it in Italy.
--
Vilco
Mai guardare Trailer park Boys senza
qualcosa da bere a portata di mano
"Anche tu puoi diventare lesbica se lecchi il tappeto"

aem wrote:

> sweet potatoes are not eaten widely but others like ketchup and
hot
> dogs are just local variants of something that is nearly
universal.
> You can't use tons of tomato sauce and yet find ketchup
disgusting.

I agree. Maybe the thing in catchup that offsets many italians is
the sugar: many italians have never put a single pinch of sugar in
no tomato recipe in theyr whole life.
--
Vilco
Mai guardare Trailer park Boys senza
qualcosa da bere a portata di mano
Anche tu puoi diventare lebisca se lecchi il tappeto

Nathalie Chiva wrote:

>> Ketchup

> Widely used. I don't dislike it, but I hate it being used on
> everything - it tends to annihilate the taste of the food you're
> eating it with.

LOL, in 1996 I discovered that Maggi catchup was the most widespread
brand in Nepal and India.

>> Rare steaks

> All of France eats rare steaks!!! Italians eat them too. And so do
I
> :-)

Very true.

>> Hot dogs

> Nah - easy to find and widely appreciated. I like mine with
mustard
> :-)

For me, strong mustard and some freshly-grated horseradish, thanks
--
Vilco
Mai guardare Trailer park Boys senza
qualcosa da bere a portata di mano
Anche tu puoi diventare lebisca se lecchi il tappeto

I had a German friend who adored A1 Steak Sauce. I mailed him a
couple of bottles, but he never received them. Maybe they have A1
sniffing dogs at the port?

Ravenlynne wrote:

>> All of France eats rare steaks!!! Italians eat them too.

> You'll never see a rare steak in southern Italy.

Partly true, in the sense that people there doesn't do rare steaks,
but todays restaurants all started to offer them some 30 years ago
and they're conquering a place on people's tables, expecially among
the youngets part of the population. Here in Emilia it was very
similar but nowadays only the elder eats only well-done steaks,
probably we've been influenced by Tuscany more than the southern and
farther regions.
--
Vilco
Mai guardare Trailer park Boys senza
qualcosa da bere a portata di mano
Anche tu puoi diventare lebisca se lecchi il tappeto

Nathalie Chiva wrote:
>
> >Grits
>
> Unknown, so they just can't be hated!

Think polenta, pretty much the same thing, very minor differences.

"Lenona" > wrote in message
...
> Roger E. Axtell has written about a dozen books on international
> travel - the "Do's and Taboos" series. In more than one book, he
> mentions such foods and says the top ones tend to be (in no order)
>
> Corn-on-the-cob (it's considered livestock food by many in Europe,
> plus it's messy to eat)
> Ketchup
> Rare steaks
> Many fast foods
> Peanut butter
> Root beer
> Hot dogs
> Roast turkey
> Grits
> Sweet potatoes
> Pecan pie (and pumpkin pie)
> Marshmallows
> Cheese
> Gravy
> Popcorn
>
> I more-or-less understand the aversion to the first seven, even though
> I like them, but what's with the rest?
>
>
> Lenona.


Pure snottery.

In article
>,
aem > wrote:


> sweet potatoes are not eaten widely but others like ketchup and hot
> dogs are just local variants of something that is nearly universal.
> You can't use tons of tomato sauce and yet find ketchup disgusting.

I couldn't agree less. I could easily see somebody who consumed a lot
of tomato sauce viewing ketchup as a perversion. I don't think some of
us in the US realize just how much sugar and vinegar are in ketchup.

--
Dan Abel
Petaluma, California USA

In article
>,
Lenona > wrote:

> Roger E. Axtell has written about a dozen books on international
> travel - the "Do's and Taboos" series. In more than one book, he
> mentions such foods and says the top ones tend to be (in no order)
>
> Corn-on-the-cob (it's considered livestock food by many in Europe,
> plus it's messy to eat)
> Ketchup
> Rare steaks
> Many fast foods
> Peanut butter
> Root beer
> Hot dogs
> Roast turkey
> Grits
> Sweet potatoes
> Pecan pie (and pumpkin pie)
> Marshmallows
> Cheese
> Gravy
> Popcorn
>
> I more-or-less understand the aversion to the first seven, even though
> I like them, but what's with the rest?

I don't know, for most. I have several comments. The first is that
dividing the world into "us" and "them" seems a little simplistic. Many
of "them" have widely differing food preferences.

I have many German relatives, and many Chinese relatives. Their food
preferences aren't the same.

My aunt wrote a book about her experiences growing up in Nazi Germany.
After the war, there was a shortage of food, and no money. The soldiers
from the US said they could get food, just tell them what. Well, the
soldiers didn't know German, and the people in the town didn't know
English. The people wanted wheat flour, and the soldiers heard "corn".
So they brought large quantities of corn meal. The people in the town
were familiar with corn. That's what they fed the pigs. They didn't
know how to bake with corn meal, but they were very hungry, so there was
a frantic search for recipes.

Many Chinese do not eat beef, or at least don't prefer it. Cheese, and
other dairy, is not common sometimes.

The style of serving in the US is almost more strange to Chinese than
the actual food. My brother is a very good cook. He does almost all
the cooking in that house. The Chinese relatives all say (behind his
back, and in Chinese) that he is a really terrible cook and they feel
really sorry for his wife, who must be literally starving to death. The
cook in the kitchen is expected to cut everything into bite sized
pieces. Only chopsticks (and a spoon for soup, if there is soup) is
needed at the table. My brother doesn't do that.

It's kind of funny, really. Most of these Chinese have lived most of
their adult lives in the US, and speak fluent English (with an accent).
The children, some in college now, were all born and raised in the US.
I'm speaking only of my brother's relatives here, not other people of
Chinese ancestry in the US.

--
Dan Abel
Petaluma, California USA

Lenona wrote:
>
> Roger E. Axtell has written about a dozen books on international
> travel - the "Do's and Taboos" series. In more than one book, he
> mentions such foods and says the top ones tend to be (in no order)

> Corn-on-the-cob (it's considered livestock food by many in Europe,
> plus it's messy to eat)

"Corn is for cattle. Potatoes are for pigs." It's supposed to be a
translation of a French saying but it's definitely an exageration.

> Ketchup

It's gotten sweeter over the years here in the US.

> Rare steaks

Where did he pick? Regional variation.

> Many fast foods

I think this has the same degree of truth it has in the US - People like
to complain about fast food, but fast food places are busy. Talk and
action do not match.

> Peanut butter

I've never heard of that.

> Root beer

I take it root beer is native to the US. I remember when it was made
from sassafras before that was banned. I can understand the
artificially flavored version being disliked by anyone not raised with
it.

> Hot dogs

When you have a local butcher making regional sausages, who wants the
lower quality factory sausage? The folks who can't afford the better
type I suppose. That's true enough in the US as well - Why should I get
a hot dog where there's a good kielbasa available?

> Roast turkey

No idea where he got this one from.

> Grits

This one is common in the US as well. Ask a Yankee what he thinks of
grits. I think folks develope a taste for what they have as kids so
folks raised with grits like them. I was not raised with grits so I
don't get their point.

> Sweet potatoes
> Pecan pie (and pumpkin pie)

No idea where he got these from.

> Marshmallows

Cheap fluffy sugar stuff. I think will end up like the fast food
comment. Folks may like to insult marshmallows but I figure they are on
shelves all over the place.

> Cheese

American process cheese? When you have Brie, Gouda and so on why want
American process cheese? Then again Americans like to bad mouth
Velveeta but it's on a lot of shelves.

> Gravy

No idea where he got this from.

> Popcorn

?

On Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:27:28 GMT, "l, not -l" > wrote:

>
>On 16-Nov-2009, Nathalie Chiva <Nathaliedotchivaatgmail.remove.com> wrote:
>
>> >Grits
>>
>> Unknown, so they just can't be hated!
>
>It's an American variation on polenta


Hey, hey, hey... remember which part of the world corn came from.
They stole the concept from us.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

On Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:12:25 +0000 (UTC), Doug Freyburger
> wrote:

>American process cheese? When you have Brie, Gouda and so on why want
>American process cheese? Then again Americans like to bad mouth
>Velveeta but it's on a lot of shelves.

It's also hard to find decent cheese in a lot of places in the US. I
was shocked when I had to go to a cheese specialty shop in Corvallis
Ore (it's a college town fer crips sake) just to find a halfway decent
brie. I wasn't asking for anything special, just not the cr*p that
comes in a small round box and masquerades as brie.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

Lenona wrote:

> Rare steaks

Much of the world get lousy meat that isn't suitable for cooking (and
eating) rare.

From this list, people seem to have an aversion for corn-anything (grits,
popcorn, ears of corn, marshmallows). You might as well not lilke
potatoes, too.


-sw

On Nov 16, 3:16*pm, sf > wrote:
> On Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:27:28 GMT, "l, not -l" > wrote:
>
> >On 16-Nov-2009, Nathalie Chiva <Nathaliedotchivaatgmail.remove.com> wrote:
>
> >> >Grits
>
> >> Unknown, so they just can't be hated!
>
> >It's an American variation on polenta
>
> Hey, hey, hey... remember which part of the world corn came from.
> They stole the concept from us. *

Before corn came to Italy, polenta was made with other things.
Chestnuts were one, if I recall correctly.

Cindy Hamilton

Nathalie Chiva wrote:
>
>
>> Roast turkey
>
> Traditional Christmas fare in France...
>
>> Grits
>
> Unknown, so they just can't be hated!

Think Polenta, but pale.


>> Sweet potatoes
>
> Yum. Never heard anyone say they didn't love them
>
>> Pecan pie (and pumpkin pie)

Pecans are expensive here in Canada, but we have butter tarts, which are
basically the same thing, pastry with a filling made of sugar, syrup and
eggs, usually with nuts and/or raisins. Then there is tarte au sucre...
sugar pie.


>
> Almost universally liked
>
>> Marshmallows
>
> You'll find them in every single supermarket, why do you think that
> is?


Marshmallows are not unique to the US. They were made in Egypt many
years ago and have been in Europe for years. In Spain they are called
clouds. Personally, I have no use for them. One is not enough. Three is
two too many. It is fun to cook cook them over a fire, as long as you
can get someone else to eat them.




>
>> Cheese
>
> Er..... You mean processed cheese I guess, since the countries which
> produce the biggest variety of cheeses are France, Italy and
> Switzerland?
> Yep, processed cheese is considered as yucky - and rightly so, since
> it resembles plastic more than cheese.

Cheese is not popular in most parts of Asia because the people seem to
have a high incidence of lactose intolerance. It is universal
throughout Europe.



>> Gravy
>
> Define "gravy". If it's the roast meat juices, sometimes made up into
> a sauce, yum. If it's either roast meat juices with lots of flour in
> them or some mass-produced powder which you dilute to make a sauce,
> yuck.

Gravy and similar meat juice sauce are ubiquitous in every part of
Europe that I have visited.

>
>> Popcorn
>
> Not hated by most people, on the contrary.
>
> Nathalie in Switzerland

Lenona wrote:
> Roger E. Axtell has written about a dozen books on international
> travel - the "Do's and Taboos" series. In more than one book, he
> mentions such foods and says the top ones tend to be (in no order)
>
> Corn-on-the-cob (it's considered livestock food by many in Europe,
> plus it's messy to eat)
> Ketchup
> Rare steaks
> Many fast foods
> Peanut butter
> Root beer
> Hot dogs
> Roast turkey
> Grits
> Sweet potatoes
> Pecan pie (and pumpkin pie)
> Marshmallows
> Cheese
> Gravy
> Popcorn
>
> I more-or-less understand the aversion to the first seven, even though
> I like them, but what's with the rest?

I don't know what's with the rest. Glad to see Spam ain't on the list. Yay!

>
>
> Lenona.

l, not -l wrote:
> On 16-Nov-2009, Nathalie Chiva <Nathaliedotchivaatgmail.remove.com> wrote:
>
>>> Grits
>> Unknown, so they just can't be hated!
>
> It's an American variation on polenta


Curiously, I can get cornmeal flour to make polenta, even ready made
tubes of polenta in almost any grocery store around here, but no grits.

On Nov 16, 6:26*pm, Kalmia > wrote:
> I had a German friend who adored A1 Steak Sauce. *I mailed him a
> couple of bottles, but he never received them. *Maybe they have A1
> sniffing dogs at the port?

A college friend of mine spent a year in Russia, studying. Another
friend sent her a care package at Christmas, it contained amongst lots
of other things all-sorts liquorice (we were all living in the UK at
the time). The package arrived, having been taken apart by customs,
with a note (in Russian) that importing dog food was illegal, and so
the bag of dog food had been confiscated. All that was missing was the
bag of liquorice.

Of all the things on OP's list, I don't like root beer or peanut
butter (both personal taste) and grits is not found here, so no-one
would know what that is.

Hanne in Denmark

Lenona wrote:
> Roger E. Axtell has written about a dozen books on international
> travel - the "Do's and Taboos" series. In more than one book, he
> mentions such foods and says the top ones tend to be (in no order)
>
> Corn-on-the-cob (it's considered livestock food by many in Europe,
> plus it's messy to eat)
> Ketchup
> Rare steaks
> Many fast foods
> Peanut butter
> Root beer
> Hot dogs
> Roast turkey
> Grits
> Sweet potatoes
> Pecan pie (and pumpkin pie)
> Marshmallows
> Cheese
> Gravy
> Popcorn
>
> I more-or-less understand the aversion to the first seven, even though
> I like them, but what's with the rest?
>
>
> Lenona.
>

Dindonneau (turkey) is very popular in France and as for "Cheese" i
wonder if the author meant "cheese food product" the "cheese" in a can
or the hydrogenated oil "american cheese"?

And gravy, even given its etymology is just another word for sauce.

And just about any Chinese market will have a wide selection of american
peanut butters.

And while corn on the cob may not be as popular elsewhere, corn
certainly is.

I have never understood 'marshmallow' either

--

Mr. Joseph Littleshoes Esq.

Domine, dirige nos.
Let the games begin!
http://fredeeky.typepad.com/fredeeky.../sf_anthem.mp3

Doug Freyburger wrote:
>
> > Ketchup
>
> It's gotten sweeter over the years here in the US.

HFCS is cheaper than quality ingredients, so it gets added to increase
profits.

> > Grits
>
> This one is common in the US as well. Ask a Yankee what he thinks of
> grits. I think folks develope a taste for what they have as kids so
> folks raised with grits like them. I was not raised with grits so I
> don't get their point.

I am an (ex)Yankee, and I like grits. The point is just like other
neutral starchy foods, they are a carrier for stuff like butter, cheese,
sour cream, etc.

wrote:
> On Nov 16, 6:26 pm, Kalmia > wrote:
>> I had a German friend who adored A1 Steak Sauce. I mailed him a
>> couple of bottles, but he never received them. Maybe they have A1
>> sniffing dogs at the port?
>
> A college friend of mine spent a year in Russia, studying. Another
> friend sent her a care package at Christmas, it contained amongst lots
> of other things all-sorts liquorice (we were all living in the UK at
> the time). The package arrived, having been taken apart by customs,
> with a note (in Russian) that importing dog food was illegal, and so
> the bag of dog food had been confiscated. All that was missing was the
> bag of liquorice.

My English born grandmother loved licorice all-sorts. I never cared for
them much. They always seems much to hard, even when freshly opened.
There is a Dutch store near here that sells various types of licorice
candies, including the various types that end up in a bag of all-sorts.
Wen though sold in bulk bins, they are always very fresh and there is a
world of difference between them and the packaged kind I was used to
from my youth. They really are good.

Cindy Hamilton wrote:

>> Hey, hey, hey... remember which part of the world corn came from.
>> They stole the concept from us.

> Before corn came to Italy, polenta was made with other things.
> Chestnuts were one, if I recall correctly.

yes, and wheat polenta too. Many norhern regions also make a white
polenta with some grains I don't know. And ome medieval VIPs were
used to polenta, including Leonardo da Vinci.
--
Vilco
Mai guardare Trailer park Boys senza
qualcosa da bere a portata di mano
Anche tu puoi diventare lebisca se lecchi il tappeto

ViLco wrote:
> Cindy Hamilton wrote:
>
>>> Hey, hey, hey... remember which part of the world corn came from.
>>> They stole the concept from us.
>
>> Before corn came to Italy, polenta was made with other things.
>> Chestnuts were one, if I recall correctly.
>
> yes, and wheat polenta too. Many norhern regions also make a white
> polenta with some grains I don't know. And ome medieval VIPs were
> used to polenta, including Leonardo da Vinci.

Did they even have corn in Italy in da Vinci's time. It was brought to
Europe in the 1500s, and he died in 1529.

l, not -l wrote:
> Nathalie Chiva <Nathaliedotchivaatgmail.remove.com> wrote:
>
>> >Grits
>>
>> Unknown, so they just can't be hated!
>
> It's an American variation on polenta

But it's polenta that's consistant with the name "grit". Think ot
polenta that has been mixed with gravel. For the extra texture of
course.

"l, not -l" wrote:
>
> On 16-Nov-2009, bulka > wrote:
>
> > Teaching ESL, there was a lively discussion among the Polish
> > contingent - the ones who found peanut butter wierd and disgusting,
> > and the few who thought it was the coolest thing ever and regularly
> > mailed jars of this exotic delicacy back home.
>
> Given that most of Europe seems to like a ground-hazelnut-with-chocolate
> spread, I don't blame them for finding
> plain-old-ground-peanuts-with-sugar-and-oil less than satisfactory.

I'm old enough to remember when peanut butter could be had fresh ground
at the deli counter and did not contain any sugar or extra oil.

Doug Freyburger > wrote:
> Lenona wrote:

> > Peanut butter

> I've never heard of that.

When I lived in France I remember a French woman asking why
Americans liked peanut butter, she thought it was awful.
Then one day I bought a French brand of peanut butter
and it was indeed awful, and there was really only one kind.

> > Roast turkey

> No idea where he got this one from.

Though turkey is an American bird originally, the French
certainly have them at Christmas, and I was able to find
a pretty much standard frozen turkey in England. There
were a lot of them, so somebody there must like them.

I suspect that whole list is the figment of some pompous ass'
imagination.

Bill Ranck
Blacksburg, Va.