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, .

[tigercametotea]

American clam chowder recipes I've seen call for "clam juice" and that's something I can't seem to find in English supermarkets. I saw an Ebay seller selling it though.

[tigercametotea]

Costco sells American supersweet corn as well... Dh loves it. As well as maize meal / cornmeal... Which is also a common food in S Africa where he comes from.

[GreenEggsAndNichts]

mm Kraft dinner is meant to be popular in Canada as well. Not sure if it's the squeezy cheese version or the powdered cheese version. Either way, I think boxed mac and cheese doesn't stand a chance compared with homemade.

I'd leave the shredded mozzarella, personally. Depends on what you're making? It's for pizzas, and it really doesn't taste like much. I tend to use the shredded Edam or whatever you can just get in regular supermarkets here. Or mix it with some cheddar for flavour. If a recipe calls for shredded mozz they mostly (ime) just want you to use a cheese that melts easily.

One of these days I WILL visit a Costco in this country.

Clam juice.. yes well, we even have clamato juice back home.

You shold be able to make your chowder without clam juice. IIRC we always just used the juice from cooking the whole clams (quahogs where my family is from), but yes I see now if you're using tinned clams, you'd need added juice. The shells from the clams help add flavour so you need to help things along if using tinned or frozen without shells. www.recipegirl.com/2008/10/19/black-dog-quahog-chowder/ This looks about right, though I don't use that much cream.

[tigercametotea]

I've been using chopped up balls of mozzarella to substitute for shredded mozzarella. It's an American recipe for enchiladas which I love a lot... I am reluctant to buy the shredded mozzarella in Costco because it just doesn't look right somehow... How do they get it to stay so dry? Do they add chemicals or...??

[Pitmountainpony]

Well as a Brit living here in the US I can say I find the average yank is actually more intelligent and significantly more gracious than the average Brit.......as a generalization but I did work in a Croydon school and frankly the sensibilities shocked me at that time.
And the teenagers are much nicer here.....no feral youth down in the local parks getting drunk on an evening.
It is a big stereotype this idea the yanks are not as clever as Europeans......they put many of us to shame in many ways.

[tigercametotea]

Many Americans still have quite strict ideas of how kids behave. Maybe for some, religion plays a part. For others it seems partly cultural. And in some states like Texas, I heard that spanking in schools is still practised although parents can"opt out" by signing a form.

[GreenEggsAndNichts]

The shredded mozz is "low-moisture mozzarella." I've just learnt that from google. :) It also usually has some sort of floury substance that keeps it from sticking, iirc. For enchiladas I'd totally try using some mild cheddar. I don't even think I've had them with anything but cheddar.

[Triggles]

Thanks for the clam chowder recipe.

I am not horribly keen on the boxed mac and cheese, just saw that they had it.

Pitmountainpony - Having lived in the states for years (and working for the police), there are tons of feral youth there getting drunk in the park, in the parking lots, by the mall, outside McD's, you name it, they're there.

Spanking was still in the schools when I was in elementary (primary) but I think it's pretty rare now in most areas. Honestly, as far as strict parenting, there are strict parents (mine were - military background) and lax parents and variations between, just like there are here in the UK. I don't think the mix is that different.

[tigercametotea]

Yeah I've tried enchiladas with cheddar too. Frankly speaking, I like them either way! I'm not sure how authentic the recipe I use for the mozzarella enchiladas are. It is yummy though. Well, at least, to me.

Triggles , I belong to an American based parenting forum and yes, have heard quite a few of the parents say spanking is still practised in their state, such and such. Also an American I know moved back there few years ago with her Brit husband for better quality of life and she also mentioned the kids there are much nicer. So... purely anecdotal.

[Triggles]

It's all in where you live and who you socialise with, I imagine. I lived in various parts of the country over the years until I moved to the UK 8 years ago. IMO there are a number of THINGS that are different, but people are the relatively the same in both countries, overall. Nice, not nice, lazy, hardworking, strict, lax...it's all there in both countries.

[GreenEggsAndNichts]

oh sorry Trig I didn't mean to sound too negative about the boxed mac and cheese- I actually have a fondness for the one with the orange powder. But that's more from memories I associate with it, rather than the taste actually being great. I think I'd buy it once in a while if it were cheap, but at the import prices here I'm not inclined to!

[Triggles]

Oh, I'm not worried. lol We've had it a couple times - sentimental reasons, I suppose. IIRC it's about a pound a box.

DD's partner owns a shop that sells some American food as well, so we at least see things like root beer, hot tamales, and twizzlers regularly.

[anneatkins]

Hmm and yet it was the English who caused a a bit of a ding dong by announcing SOUTH Korea when NORTH Korea's flag was up....i mean these two are still basically at war with one another.

Lulzy.

[anneatkins]

And i LOVE hot tamales. jealous!

[DontEatTheVolesKids]

Oi, no talk of tamales when I don't have any in the house.

[porcamiseria]

I wish I had pointed out this thread was racist when I first read it!!!

YABVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVU

and racist

[porcamiseria]

that said, this has turned into a processed american food lovefest, ladies!!!!

go to bloody whole foods

[GreenEggsAndNichts]

Or Whole Paycheck, as it's known back home.

I was going to say Paycheque to be all-inclusive, but I've realised I don't think I hear that term here. Pay packet?

We're just reminiscing over indulgences. :) At least I am..

[porcamiseria]

I loved it!!! Like waitrose on steroids
or a hippy version of Selfridges food hall

[GreenEggsAndNichts]

oh I love it as well. They have very nice prepared soups at their salad bar. I just could really only afford to go there for specific items, I couldn't really do my entire shop there!

"Hippy version of Selfridges food hall"

[CaliforniaLeaving]

LOL it's funny reading about what American foods you miss. I'm missing British foods and am down to my last 4 beef OXO cubes. So until I see my Mum in October I'll be rationing them and meals with gravy will be few and far between
We hate the kraft mac n cheese or any other make, I make my own, tastes so much nicer and it isn't some very weird and unnatural colour.
Tamales and enchiladas you can have them.
My boys are in UK living now, I sent a 1 lb bag of red vines in the younger ones suitcase to give the older one when he arrived along with a giant bag of Starburst jelly beans, now I will miss Starburst jelly beans once we move back. I'll also miss string cheese as Dd loves it in her school lunch boxes (it's low moisture mozzarella)
Not much else I can think of really. Oh I love Campbells natural ready to serve soups, so delicious I eat a can as a meal, Italian tomato veg (or something) is wonderful as is plain old Chicken noodle. Can't stand the soup concentrates that I used to buy here. I love biscuits and gravy, but can make my own biscuits I just need to get the gravy right. I don't like a lot of the candy, it's all high fructose corn syrup and terrible for you.
Ds#2 has been taught to make mexican food by his girlfriend so he's been making his own taco shells and making food for himself and his brother.
They introduced Kelloggs honey nut cornflakes over here at last (did I get the name right?) At $4 a box I'll just miss them a little longer and get them back in UK.

[mathanxiety]

I see we've moved on but may I add that NBC coverage of the Olympics sucks. Nothing compares to the BBC. Also also YABVU.

Also, I never once saw 'feral' youth in the US. I did notice a lot of politeness.

American flour is different. Cheap brands are wheat mixed with barley flour iirc.

Don't buy shredded mozzarella!! It is half plastic. Chop the mozzarella balls or try to get your hands on some chihuahua cheese.

[CaliforniaLeaving]

All the feral kids must live round here then.
We also have lax parents, huge number of children in foster care and a massive meth problem. Ahhh the American dream.
It really does all depend on where you live.

[TheCatInTheHairnet]

My children are the feral children where I live...

Calidreaming, do you have a World Market anywhere near you?! They sell Oxo!

[TheCatInTheHairnet]

Calileaving, even!