to not understand why Americans call a main course an entrée?

[flummoxedworried]

Does anyone understand why this happens?

What Brits would call canapes are called apps in the US (short for appetizers). "Passed apps" are when the waiters hand them round, "stationery apps" means that they are on a table to self-serve.

I have never understood having cheese as an app - big cheese platter with crackers and grapes feels wrong at the start of the meal, rather than at the end

First floor in the US is our ground floor - that's one that I can see the logic both ways, TBH

My mum used to fix us soft boiled eggs when we were little. I can remember eating them with the eggs 'standing on end' as it were, but I don't know how as I'm sure I don't remember mum ever having egg cups. No 'soldiers'. It was toast triangles with the crusts cut off.

The thought of a soft boiled egg now makes me a little 'bleach'. But I love looking at egg cups in antique shops. I've been thinking of starting a little 'collection' (to add to my other 'little collections' of random types of china pieces).

'bleach'? No. 'Bleurgh'

I had cheese, grapes and crackers as appetiser in Australia before the meal. Felt v odd before and not after!!

Loving this thread. My in-laws live in the US & we visit once a year.

On the last visit, I asked for "white coffee" in a restaurant and got a quizzical look from the waitress. MIL had to interpret as I assumed the issue was my accent.

Half anf half doesn't work in tea.

I think they call starters 'appetisers'.

Those thinking that Americans use cake mix all the time, beware. Nigella's cook books are popular over here. You've no idea how many times people have told that "British people cook their ham in Coke" based on that one recipe.

In RL I don't know anyone who makes cakes from a mix, except in a 'holy crap I need to make cakes for the bake sale today" type situation, or introducing little kids to mixing up food to make cakes.

Oh and don't forget 'lemonade'. I got very upset aged 10 when I ordered that in a restaurant and was given a glass of actual squeezed lemonade. I had to reorder asking for 7-up. Lesson learned!

And cider....

Lakey "The concept of "steak and kidney pudding" must really mess with your head."

Bleurgh. The idea of steak and kidneys with a North American type pudding reminds me the trifle Rachel made on Friends, (with beef).

KickAss that's funny! Mind, a lot of people do swear that a joint of gammon thrown in a slow cooker with a can of Coke makes a delicious meal. It doesn't. IIRC the original Nigella version was cooked in Dr Pepper and formed the centrepiece of a "white trash lunch"

Cider is a weird one. I once visited a Scottish town where the supermarket didn't stock Thatchers. In fact they only cider they had was Strongbow. I was like this -

I'm not sure I'd cope in the States

Obvs the cider reference was to Caterpillar

Absolutely love this thread. I'm always so curious about the differences between UK and USA language.
One that gets me a bit grrr is Math. Instead of maths (short for mathematics, of course).
Whenever I watch an American show I always say the S out loud if someone says math. My exciting life! Haha

Do Americans not put kisses (xxx) at the end of texts etc?

"Fixing" food makes me shudder for reasons I cant explain! That and having the "fixings" for something rather than the ingredients.

One that gets me a bit grrr is Math. Instead of maths (short for mathematics, of course).

Do you shorten gymnastics to gyms or gym?

And don't start me on Americans who actually say' I've just MADE eggs' I mean really, did you actually lay them. I also noticed somebody on here earlier say that they FIXED eggs, I'm sorry , did you mend Humpty Dumpty?

We shorten gymnastics to gym. The English are very fond of "s". I'm on a discussion board about visiting the US here and they're always adding extra Ses. To the names of restaurants, stores, etc (Walmarts, Targets). That and expecting to find the full English breakfast complete with baked beans, or kettles in hotel rooms, why we don't make tea, we threw it in the harbour nearly 250 years ago).

Remember what Shakespeare said;

"Language changes every twenty miles"!

English people (of which I am one) get very superior about very, very silly things.

It still does, Sherbrooke - wouldn't have it any other way.

We speak a common language, separated by an ocean.

Fixings aren't ingredients. They are the sides, ie I'm having turkey with all the fixings.

And there was I thinking that fixings was a polite reference to neutering

Well you learn something new! All this time watching those bloody awful Gordon Ramsay shows in the US and when he shouts about entrees he doesn't actually mean the starters. I never twigged!