| Author | Message | ||
     Blake |
I just returned from our local grocery store here in little ol' Kilgore, Texas. I indulged my taste by purchasing some Boddington's pub ale in the nitrogen charged four pack, and also a wedge of Rocquefort cheese from that special cave in France. I wonder, do folks in Europe and Britain find their grocery store stocking Tabasco sauce or Idaho potatoes? Any American specialties? (Message edited by Blake on April 20, 2013) | ||
| Kilroy |
http://www.tesco.com/groceries/SpecialOffers/defau lt.aspx looks quite a bit like an american supermarket | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Yeah I can get Tabasco anywhere, skippy peanut butter & lots of other stuff, Root beer however is tricky & generally expensive. I do have the dubious pleasure however of living in one the most cosmopolitan bits of France at the moment, so the market dictates somewhat. There is an "American Market" just over the border in Geneva that sells all sorts of US food & drink, but it's hellishly expensive. | ||
| Sifo |
American "cheese"? | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
The only American cheese I buy is Philadelphia which is yummy on McVities Digestive biscuits. I don't think the French can yet conceive of American & Fromage not being mutually exclusive terms.  I have to confess though (at the risk of being forever barred from Wisconsin) that the few American Cheeses I have tried over the years have varied from plastic to bland. I'm sure there are many fine artisan produced cheeses, but I've yet to sample them. I can hear the Python's "Cheese shop" sketch starting in my head.  | ||
| Sifo |
I have to confess though (at the risk of being forever barred from Wisconsin) that the few American Cheeses I have tried over the years have varied from plastic to bland. That's why I put cheese in quotes.  | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
I took an American aquaintance & his girlfriend to a local market once & they spent nearly an hour trying cheeses at the cheese van. The guy was great about it & let them try a little of anything they liked the look of & making suggestions to them too. I was doing the translating but the oohs & aahs were universal, pulled a load of customers in for him too. I'm off with Mme to Montreal next weekend, it's our honeymoon (only 11 years late) so I'm really looking forward to seeing what the mix of French & N American tastes is like. | ||
| Vtpeg |
Quebec specialty-Cheese curds on french fries with gravy. | ||
| Blake |
Ossau Iraty, another delectable from France. Can't get it in Kilgore though. I think Americans are just beginning to wake up to the intensely flavorful cheeses. Texas is even seeing some decent wine industry taking hold. | ||
| 46champ |
Texas............wine  I didn't think wine was allowed in Texas. Don't you just graduate from milk to Loan Star to Whiskey. | ||
| Boltrider |
Kind of like how the French thought of American wine until the Napa Valley beat them at their own game?  (Message edited by boltrider on April 20, 2013) | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Kind of like how the French thought of American wine until the Napa Valley beat them at their own game? Very true, & it did wonders for the quality of French wines, they'd been complacently resting on their laurels for so long that the competition gave them a kick up the arse. Not much of a wine fan myself but I'm told that South America is set to become a major player. The world's getting smaller every day. | ||
| Aesquire |
France had a terrible grape disease that nearly wiped out it's vineyards. The California vineyards sent back to France cuttings and plants originally from there, and helped save the day. The competition with decent California wines came a bit later IIRC. American's have a substance that I don't think is found anywhere else. Cheese Food. No one is certain anymore But I think it's what Cheese eats.  Seriously, some small farms are making decent cheese in the US, but the bulk of sorta-dairy products are mass produced, not aged as much if at all, and meant for consumption by folk who've never had real Parmigiano-Reggiano or Mozzarella. The good news is that with our tradition of immigration ( most of us are descended from immigrants, including the Native Americans ) we have a rich culture of OTHER peoples food. The French styles have gained popularity in the last half century, in large part because of Julia Child. Scandahoovian food, including the dreaded Lutefisk, is popular in the Western Great lakes region, with German, Polish, Russian, and other European foods where ever big enough concentrations of same accumulated. From Pennsylvania Mining towns to Nebraska Farm Communities, a vast variety of Central European foods are found. ( Runza Hut, anyone? ) In the Southwest, there is a definite Mexican/Spanish/Native flavor, which has been very popular nation wide. 20 years ago I had to go to little bodegas in Rochester NY to get Salsa Tomatica, a rare delicacy. Today Salsa outsells Ketchup. The less said about English cooking the better.  Although they deserve points for Fish and Chips, centuries of boiled beef and "puddings" made from who knows what give them a reputation not to be admired. I wonder if the old British propensity for establishing Empire in parts of the planet with "exotic" food had more to do with getting something different to eat than conquest? Likewise, the Vikings had a quaint habit of raiding France each spring after being cooped up in the longhouse eating stored root vegetables and Venison & Mutton all winter long....... Ultimately, French cooking is dominated by 2 historical facts. Originally Celts, France is the home of wave after wave of Norse immigration/invasion, and I imagine that the cooking was a factor in turning conquerers into settlers....... | ||
| Aesquire |
Chinese, Thai, and Indian food are the newest and biggest growing trends in the US, IMHO. I suppose the true American food Is BBQ. Regional Variations abound. Some of the Fusions are a bit scary. Cincinnati Chile served on Spaghetti. A very different food than Texas Chili, or Midwestern Chili ( beans ) or Cajun....... | ||
| Boltrider |
Sushi is another big wave. There's too many of them to keep track of around here. | ||
| Kyrocket |
"Some of the Fusions are a bit scary. Cincinnati Chile served on Spaghetti." Mmmm, Gold Star and Steak & Shake, love me some 5 way chili. As for cheese; just slightly bend the nozzle at the top of the can and viola, cheese!  | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Y'all ain't right! | ||
| Nobuell |
+10 on the Skyline, being an old Cincinnati boy now in a location with none. | ||
| Rasta_dog |
Cannot go more than 10 days without Skyline chili. Fortunately, my Skyline is < 2 minutes from my front door. Our supermarket opened a Murray's cheese shop 2 years ago. Soon after, I was no longer allowed to go to the grocery by myself. | ||
| Mnrider |
They've been making cave aged cheese here in Faribault MN for over 100 years. For sure some of the best in the world. google faribault cheese caves | ||
| Aesquire |
Kyrocket, that's what Cheese eats. | ||
| Kyrocket |
Hahaha Cheese would know good cheese. | ||
| Sifo |
Just because you can, doesn't mean you should...  | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
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| Britchri10 |
I can buy Marmite in my local Publix. | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
you haven't had cheese until you have eat'n MRE Cheese. Best served after being in the sun on top of a tank. It has the consistency of hot snot mmmm mmmm good!  | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Eeeuuuuwww.  | ||
| 86129squids |
This thread needs some Tabasco... One of my top 3 fave hot sauces is Tabasco's habanero version... I've always loved the taste of Tabasco, but it's not hot enuf... The habanero version is juuuust right!  Saw some baby "tabasco" pepper plants for sale at the nursery... anyone done a DIY sauce? FWIW, I did a census of the plants standing by to go in the garden any day now, got 13 pepper varieties, 10 tomato varieties, plus cauliflower, OKRA, and onions. Lettuces and herbs already in containers, cukes/squash/zukes, plus canteloupes and watermelon already in the ground. Gonna be a fun year for gardening!  | ||
| Aesquire |
Tabasco Chipotle. Not as hot as the Habanero, but even better flavor than the original. Taste is taste. Except Vegamite. That's a mineral. | ||
| Aesquire |
local artisan cheese. http://www.yanceysfancy.com/ |
