So I've met a few americans lately, through means I won't bother explaining here... but it's made me really aware of the differences in our food cultures.These are American exchange students from all over the US, but all of them miss certain fast food chains that they eat from at home.
They've mentioned Taco Bell, Applebee's, Cracker Barrel and other weird sounding places. It also seems that these places are their favourite restaurants to go to. That just seems bizarre to me!
I just googled cracker barrel. It's described as an "Old country store and restaurant" and is advertising the new Kenny Rogers album. Go figure. Their food sounds weird too:
Sorry, what is sawmill gravy and grits!??!Harvest Breakfast Sampler
This fall enjoy the season of plenty with two eggs
cooked any way you like them, bacon, sausage and your choice of country ham
or sugar cured ham, hashbrown casserole, fried apples and a sweet apple
raisin square. Served with sawmill gravy, grits and buttermilk biscuits.
They also say the portions are much bigger in the US when you eat out.
I'm wondering if when a town get's an Applebees or a Cracker Barrel it's considered civilised, in the same way that in the country in Australia, a town is a real town when it gets its second supermarket, and really civilised when it gets an Aldi?
It also made me wonder how it is Australia's escaped the influx of more chain stores. Like obviously we have KFC, Macca's, Hungry Jacks and Subway... but why not all the others? Is it that our population can't support such a diversity? Or that we're just not a fast food nation?I like to think we're a bit more refined in our eating habits, but probably not. I know for sure our coffee's better - although they wanted to disagree on that!
Did anyone else watch Jamie's Ministry of Food last night on TV? He's so funny, the way he thinks he can help the whole of england cook. I do hope he brings some confidence and pride to the people he meets though..
PS. I told them we have a Chili's in Sydney, in Campbelltown and they were all desperate to go there! That's another american chain store.
9 comments:
This post is why you need to return to LJ ( especially now that the reason you left it isn't a reason anymore ;) ) as I've no doubt that Kristi would have a lot to say on this topic.
I haven't been to Applebees yet, but Kristi tells me that it's nice. I did go to Cracker Barrel though for breakfast with Kristi and her mom. I liked it. I had sawmill gravy and grits! Grits is a southern food that is kinda like semolina. It's a corn porridge thing. Some people say it's an acquired taste, but I liked it. Sawmill gravy is um... it was a white gravy made from sausage meat I think.
gotta say I wouldn't mind trying me a 'sweet apple raisin square'.
Eww grits.. just the word sounds nasty. And that they are like 'semolina'. Double eww. Semolina sounds like some sort of germ that raw chicken leaves on your benchtop..
MADE OF SAUSAGE MEAT? That's nasty.
But I trust your judgement mark...!
Gotta say I'll go a Big Brekky on Stanmore Rd any day over grit :)!
Ben, so true. It sounds like salmonella...
I'm interviewing the managing director of McDonald's Australia and New Zealand next week. I'll ask her for you!
I love cracker barrel and I love Taco Bell - bring them both here I say ;)
I saw some of the Ministry of Food the other night, they are in Rotherham - my Auntie lives in Rotherham, but I think she can already cook ;)
not so sure about the grit - I think I have had it a long time ago but can't remember what's in it.
Americans you can keep your grit ;)
I'm still not sure what 'biscuits' are - but whenever I hear about them I'm reminded of Sling Blade - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sHgFeBmT1s
Hey that's cool Soph - I wonder if she'll be keen to talk about potential competition :)
Wow nix, you've actually been there! And mark too.. how funny. And I thought it was completely obscure (well to non-americans)
Kim that video was so random! :) Who is Sling Blade?
Sling Blade is a movie about Karl who starts off a new life in a small town after being put into hospital for murder. He becomes good friends with a boy and is invited to live at their house, where the mother has an abusive boyfriend. It's written/directed/starring Billy Bob Thornton. It's a bit of a strange little movie, but the main character is totally unique and the movie pretty intense. I really like it. For bonus points the clerk in that youtube clip is Jim Jarmusch!
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