to think --some-- Americans are just stupid!

[Ithinkitsjustme]

Have just heard that during the Olympic opening ceremony, when Sir Tim Berners-Lee was revealed, NBC commentators came out with "Who's he?" and told viewers that they would have to Google him to find out who he was! Which, ironically would have been impossible without his invention, .

[metafarcical]

I can't justify the price of semolina or polenta. That's why it's just a half-hearted search really. Maybe if I try someplace other than Sainsburys it'll be cheaper. Corn meal is practically free where I come from!

[GreenEggsAndNichts]

oh no, you should be looking in the Indian food aisle. I have a huge bag of fine corn meal/semolina from that Natco brand, and I know I didn't pay much for it. And when I say huge, I mean I could feed an army.

[theodorakis]

I am British, educated to masters level and have a good job. I have travelled the world and had many experiences. However, I can honestly say that until I was 29, I thought all birds had 3 legs...a bit like the Reliant Robin. in fact I only learned the truth from an American friend when I lived in Africa, capital of the bloody things.
I should have name changed to tell that story

[PigletJohn]

semolina/tapioca/sago are lovely, but not the same as "corn meal"

I thought you could get in it UK? Might be wrong. AFAIK you can't make American pancakes without it (though you can buy mix)

Is it made from Maize?

Is it the same as Mealie Meal (which you can buy)?

Is Polenta really the same?

[Tee2072]

There is no corn meal in American pancakes. American pancakes are flour, eggs, milk and a bit of sugar. Just in different proportions to UK or French pancakes.

You need corn meal, and only corn meal, nothing else will do, to make corn cake or corn muffins.

Or you can buy Jiffy Mix.

[metafarcical]

Corn meal is coarse. I would think semolina or polenta is a bit finer. I didn't know there was a difference between corn and maize.

I make pancakes with equal parts self rising flour and milk, an egg or two and a bit of sugar. I think Johnnycakes are what's made with corn meal.

[Tee2072]

Yes, Johnnycake is made with corn meal.

[PigletJohn]

AFAIK, British people call the plant Maize, and US people call the same plant Corn, and African people call the same plant Mealies. French people call it cattle food and won't eat it.

I have to be careful because some of these impressions come from reading foreign cookery books.

[Latara]

Stupidity is not confined to nationality. OP stupid to assume otherwise.
Anyone can be stupid.

Eg Some English people can be stupid. So can some Scottish, Welsh, French, Azeri, Chinese, etc etc etc.
Yes who tf is Tim Berners-Lee.
no cba to google now, maybe later.

[PigletJohn]

p.s.

I have never seen the same texture from pancakes made with British flour as you get in America. Maybe the flour is different here.

[metafarcical]

Corn meal is coarse. I would think semolina or polenta is a bit finer. I didn't know there was a difference between corn and maize.

I make pancakes with equal parts self rising flour and milk, an egg or two and a bit of sugar. I think Johnnycakes are what's made with corn meal.

[metafarcical]

I'm not sure why that posted twice. Oh well.

[monsterchild]

Corn meal is coarse, like crumbs almost. I like to use blue corn meal in my pancakes. with blueberries they are a lovely purple color. Kids love them!

[Tee2072]

Maybe you just have to be American, piglet. My pancakes come out the same no matter which country I happen to be in at the time. And I only make American pancakes.

[Triggles]

I've bought corn meal (for corn bread with our chili yummm) at Asda and also at health food stores...not very expensive at all...usually says "maize" instead of "corn" though.

I've noticed more shops carrying American products lately - Asda has Kraft mac&cheese, hersheys (ick - don't waste your time! I was quickly won over by the chocolate here in the UK!), Fruit Loops. Sainsburys now carries creamed corn (hooray - scalloped corn this year). Waitrose carries tinned pumpkin.

[HipHopSkipJumpomous]

I bet there were as many people from the UK (or any other country for that matter) who didn't have a clue who he was and what he had invented prior to the Opening Ceremony.

YABU and Anti-Americanistic

[metafarcical]

Holy smokes. Fruit Loops. And I probably the only person who likes Hersheys. I don't necessarily prefer it but it really doesn't matter to me. I'm a quantity over quality person when it comes to some things.

[Tee2072]

I still like Hersheys for some things.

But Cadbury is much much better.

[PenisVanLesbian]

I use cornmeal, maizemeal and polenta interchangeably in recipes, all work fine for cornbread, dumplings, corndogs etc.

And an Americano is ONE shot of espresso with hot water, you'd need to ask for a double americano to get two shots.

[PenisVanLesbian]

Oh and Tesco in Ireland have Fruit Loops for the ridiculously low price of ?1.84 at the moment on special offer.

[GreenEggsAndNichts]

Well, the cornbread I made with the Natco stuff tasted quite good to me. The texture isn't perfect, but I'll be honest, I've lived overseas so long, I don't even remember what is the perfect corn substance to make the bread out of. :) Even johnnycakes (my mum's family is from RI), all I remember is that we used white corn meal from a local mill.

Speaking of corn, Sainsbury's has some 'supersweet' frozen corn which is the closest to US corn I've had since moving away.

[GreenEggsAndNichts]

oh and black beans for soup, if your shop has a Jamaican import section the prices are usually much better than the black beans in the normal aisle.

[Triggles]

I need to find a good tinned clam chowder here (the white kind/new england clam chowder.. the red stuff is horrible). Haven't spotted any yet.

[tigercametotea]

I bought a few packs of that Kraft Mac n Cheese "Family Dinner" that I've often seen raved about on American sites. Well, DS who's 3 thinks it's disgusting and I think it's a little bland... The British Batchelor's instant pasta n Sauce packs are actually nicer than that. But I like making my own mac n cheese. Got my recipe from Allrecipes.com (from an American poster btw) and it's a firm favourite at home :)

Oh yea, and have seen American recipes calling for shredded mozzarella. I saw the photo and it looked like dry gratedcheese. I made a mess of my grater trying to shred shop bought mozzarella balls lol... Then DH applied for Costco membership and I saw large bags of "shredded mozzarella" in the shop which looked just like the American photos of it that I seen online.... Still wondering whether to buy it or not...