The other day I was sitting in the kitchen with my flatmates as we discussed which foods one flatmate could serve for a Mexican themed dinner party he was having that night.
When asked what appetiser was on the menu, he casually replied (albeit to my bewilderment), “chips”. What ensued was a lengthy but light-hearted dispute over whether chips seasoned with Mexican spices constituted Mexican cuisine or not.
A friendly message to my flatmates: as a long-time California resident who lives within hours of the Mexican border, I shall continue to stand by my conviction that they are absolutely N-O-T!
A few days later while ordering Chinese takeout, I found myself yet again baffled by the fact that one could choose between a side of chips or boiled rice with one’s entrée.
To which I remembered: the British eat chips with, well, everything.
These two incidents started me thinking about British cuisine and how it compares to the American food I’m used to.
And now that I’ve been studying in the UK for two months, I’ve realised that I’ve picked up a fair amount on such differences (i.e. best of luck finding chips on a Mexican or Chinese menu in America).
While most food can indeed be found in both countries, there are certain brands and items that are popular here that can’t be found in the U.S, and vice versa.
As a result, I’ve compiled a Top 5 List of a) fantastically delicious British food America is missing out on, and b) scrumptiously delectable American food the U.K. should consider importing.
My Top 5 British Foods
1. Cadbury’s Dairy Milk chocolate – Enough said.
2. Walkers crisps – Oh, the variety! America is seriously missing out on flavours like Prawn Cocktail and Roast Chicken
3. Cheese – Yes, obviously America has cheese, but British cheese is a million times better. Something to do with the cows perhaps? I haven’t a clue.
4. Fox’s Golden Crunch Creams – Yummy by themselves, yummier dipped in tea. Custard creams are excellent as well and amazingly cheap.
5. Tetley tea – Not just a drink but a quintessential part of British culture. America is much bigger on coffee, but with the exception of Starbucks, I’m a newly converted tea drinker.
My Top 5 American Foods
1. Kraft Macaroni & Cheese – Kids love it, adults love it, and best of all it’s fantastically easy to make.
2. S’mores-A must for campfires; a graham cracker (cinnamon-honey biscuit) sandwich of roasted marshmallows and chocolate.
3. Flavoured Coffee-mate – Comes in flavours like French Vanilla, Hazelnut, and Peppermint Mocha and does wonders for a cup of coffee.
4. Goldfish crackers – Cheesy baked crackers in the shape of, you guessed it, goldfish.
5. Corn dogs – Essentially hot dogs covered in batter and then deep-fried. I myself am not a big fan, but the rest of America is and so they make the list.
… So there you have it, My Top 5.
From what I’ve heard, both the UK and the US suffer poor reputations when it comes to food, but I’m not quite sure I agree.
Despite what is shown on TV, British cuisine has more to offer than chips, mash and other forms of potatoes; indeed the same can be said about the US with hamburgers and hot dogs.
If you can spare a couple hundred pounds (easier said than done, I know), why not hop on a flight across the Atlantic and see for yourself?