Lasagna soup anyone? American recipes that just never sound quite right...

[MaryIsA]

www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/lasagna-soup-2268968

Partly its all the low sodium chicken broth, half and half, sticks of butter - but very often its the actual recipes. Just a bit off?

American scones just aren't scones! Tgey offend my Scottish sensibility as they are meant to be plain and fit when you're in the mood for something simple or too slow off good jam. I made some rock bins v recently and think American scones must be like them but less craggy, ie. Richer mixture with more sugar and butter and added bits, therefore crunchy on the outside. Nice for a change but not a scone, first saw them on an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm, they were triangular and eaten with nothing on them! I did a good impersonation of Larry David myself aftet seeing that!

Have not RTFT because it made me feel slightly not envy.

I watched to my great shame an american reality telly where they had tatertot casserole...

Aha, ive just looked up Wikipedia and they list all the National variations on scones and say that American scones are more like rock cakes, i feel vindicated and will shut up now.

Lasagna soup is awesome! It has the ‘flavors’ of lasagna but in a tomato base. We love it.

@terrywynne if you put a bit of lemon juice in milk you get buttermilk. Leave it ten minutes.

I spent 3 summers working at summer camp whilst I was at uni
Camp food was beige, beige, beige - tater tots, spaghetti, burgers, fries, although there was a salad bar every day. This is to be expected when 450 people need to be fed every mealtime! By my third year I lived off the salad bar because I was completely fed up of all the beige fried food! Though I imagine if summer camps were a thing in the UK the food would be similar.
Food outside of camp was amazing - great Japanese and Thai food nearby, fresh tacos, good local ice cream.
Since my fiancé and I have travelled to New England and we found most of the food there to be incredible, but made a point of eating in small local restaurants/diners. Food in Vermont especially was amazing. I am partial to a Chipotle though!

Buttermilk is one of those things that's oddly hard to find in the UK. Some supermarkets stock it but only in tiny cartons.

What are tater tots? Potato croquettes? Or different?

How does one 'casserole' them?

I've always eaten well in the US, love the delis and they have some of the best Jewish food. Russ and Daughters in NYC for example!

[quote LunarCatAndDaffodils]**@BlackAmericanoNoSugar* @knittingaddict*

Flan is a Mexican dessert...but it is also the same origin as creme caramel.

It arrived in Mexico via the Spanish Conquistadores, but having spread through Europe at the hands of the Romans.

A lot of “set custard with something sweet” type desserts originate from a Roman recipe using honey.[/quote]
Don't flans exist in the UK?

I remember custard flan being a childhood staple.

Baked custard sprinkled with cinnamon and nutmeg in a pastry base.
Yorkshire.

Is it not a standard pudding?

@Wbeezer

Aha, ive just looked up Wikipedia and they list all the National variations on scones and say that American scones are more like rock cakes, i feel vindicated and will shut up now.

They're not huge and floury like the ones I had in M&S cafe last time I was over there. If that's more like a rock cake, I'm all for it.

American sandwiches are amazing. In 1990 I spent some time in Georgetown and frequented Booeymongers Deli. Omg. They know how to a build a sandwich. Since then visited lots of American cities and small towns and they all do great sandwiches.

We wouldn't generally call that a flan. Flans are savoury. Its a tart.

@RubyFakeLips

What are tater tots? Potato croquettes? Or different?

How does one 'casserole' them?

I've always eaten well in the US, love the delis and they have some of the best Jewish food. Russ and Daughters in NYC for example!

Pretty much, except they are somehow denser and greasier. So you can use them a bit like a dumpling in a stew - they don't come apart the way a croquette probably would.

I dont object to them as something to eat just calling them scones, im a basket pedant! The best scones are freshly baked, at home or in an independant cafe, supermarket and chain bakery scones are usually disappointing. A cafés reputation can be made or broken on the quality and size of their scones in Scotland. My favourite is a cheese scone with a bowl of soup.

Typo, bakery not basket, although if I'm ranting about "cultural appropriation" of scones I probably am turning into a basket case!

What are tater tots? Potato croquettes? Or different?

Our local chippy used to have a typo calling them potato ‘coquettes’.

@Nohomemadecandles

We wouldn't generally call that a flan. Flans are savoury. Its a tart.

Interesting. Now I think of it baked custard was generally a flan at home. Had no idea it was unusual

Maybe just cos we also had a lot of strawberry flans (strawberry's/jelly in a sponge base) so maybe my mum just used flan as shorthand for any open pastry/sponge based thing.

@Nohomemadecandles

We wouldn't generally call that a flan. Flans are savoury. Its a tart.

Remind me the difference between a UK flan and a quiche?

@Wbeezer

I dont object to them as something to eat just calling them scones, im a basket pedant! The best scones are freshly baked, at home or in an independant cafe, supermarket and chain bakery scones are usually disappointing. A cafés reputation can be made or broken on the quality and size of their scones in Scotland. My favourite is a cheese scone with a bowl of soup.

I am Scottish - I still prefer American scones. Sorry

I also prefer American bacon, so I suspect I'm beyond redemption.

Now, Scottish potato scones though. Those are unbeatable.

Tater tots poutine is one of the finest inventions I've been introduced to in the last few years.

The other day in a BBQ joint we saw they offered Frito Pie on the menu, but too late, we'd already ordered. I suspect it's like Frito Poutine? Or maybe Frito Nachos?

I feel like I'm going to have to go back and try it.

I remember an American blogger boasting about her "English" scones ... they had icing on top!

Flans are sweet like the pic - usually sponge based.
Quiches are savoury with a custard filling and pastry base

Traitor! What about proper dry cured smoked streaky bacon cooked till its crispy though( i recomend Puddledub bacon) i prefer that to wobbly back bacon. I find american bacon a bit bland but I do like the crispy texture.

Remind me the difference between a UK flan and a quiche?

To me, flan = what we were given for lunch in primary school in the 80s. Thick soggy pastry, slightly above room temperature filling that managed to be simultaneously too cheesy and too eggy. Literally made children cry.

Quiche is actually nice (whilst mildly triggering).