I am blessed that three of my children have married Americans. I hope that is evidence enough that I do not wish to diss Americans - however it is true that they do some things that we in Ireland do not do well, and vice versa. This page is dedicated to this subject.
ICE CREAM
Why is there so little choice of ice cream in Ireland, unless one pays through the nose? Why is it so good with so many flavours and relatively less expensive in America?
GOLDEN SYRUP
How can a country survive without this essential foodstuff? And yet I think it is unknown in the States. They have corn syrup but is is nowhere near as good.
BLACKCURRANTS
Doubtless they must grow in the States but I have never seen them on sale there, and my American friends do not appear to know about them. And yet they are the king of fruits (see my food page).
BLUEBERRIES
Thankfully these are now available in Ireland, albeit at a price. Whilst generally inferior to blackcurrants, blueberries are excellent in pancakes (American).
MARZIPAN, FRUIT CAKE, CHRISTMAS PUDDING and MINCEMEAT
My son had been living in the States for several years before his wedding but wanted a traditional rich fruit wedding cake. Friends over they offered to bake a trial cake. There idea of a fruit cake was a sponge with chunks of pineapple in it. In the end my wife had to import ingredients including marzipan and make it for them. We of course appreciated it but the natives tried it and found it distasteful. Likewise I have found that Americans generally do not like Christmas pudding or mincemeat. For me, mincemeat is 'heaven'. How strange.
MARMITE
The Brits, and some Irish, are brought up on Marmite from an early age. What could be better than a slice of toast oozing with melted butter and lightly smeared with Marmite? Next time you entertain an American, try offering him or her your jar of Marmite. Stand well back!
CHOCOLATE
Hersheys is the epitome of American chocolate. The amazing thing is that, judging from the adverts, Hersheys actually thinks that their product is rather good. And yet to my taste it is rather more like soap than chocolate. How can a country exist without decent chocolate? In contrast - does anyone else reading this blog agree with me that Irish Cadbury's Dairy Milk (CDM) is quite the best and is so much superior to the UK CDM? And, aside from CDM, what better chocolate bar than the Irish Moro?
TEA and COFFEE
Most Americans equate tea with Liptons and make it with warm water. The result is at best pathetic. Things are beginning to change - it is now possible to get better brands there. But generally I have to teach an American how to make tea. On the other hand they perfected coffee long before we did. Remember instant coffee? Try giving that to the average American!
AMERICAN PANCAKES AND WAFFLES
The standard Irish breakfast takes a lot of beating but I love American pancakes and maple syrup and will even eat these with American streaky bacon. Blueberry pancakes are good too.
CORN SYRUP
Almost every processed food in America is laced with corn syrup or some other corn derivative. My granddaugher is allergic to corn but lives in America. Her mother was amazed, when visiting us in Ireland, to find how many food product were free from this curse over here. Not only that but everything has to be sweet - even burger baps!
REFILLS
Why do so few food outlets give free drinks refills in Ireland and the UK?
ROADS and ARCHITECTURE
Whilst the square matrix of streets so prevalent in American cities might be deemed convenient, it is utterly boring. Give me quaint towns with impossible roads like Rathdrum any day! Likewise little attention appears to be given in the States to what a building looks like outside. The term 'architecture' is hardly applicable to the average American house or store. No wonder the yanks oggle at our architecture! On the other hand it is useful to drive on roads that have consistently enough width for save passage of vehicles in either direction, unlike many roads in Ireland. And I love being able to use the 'cruise control' - Ireland is hardly big enough to make a cruise control worthwhile which is why, I suppose, few vehicles here are fitted with it.
SALES TAX
23% VAT... Enough said!
