Turning the tables: A guide for British tourists in America

My wife claims this blog entry is "angry" but I think it's helpful. British people often think of American tourists as "ugly" or "clueless" but there are plenty of examples of the reverse being true.

Here's my guide so that everyone can be happy:
http://expatclaptrap.com/british-tourists/

Ha, that was great! I also learned that "pants" means underpants!!! So when I asked my friend if her daughter was wearing new pants this morning, that was probably not wise. Oops! Also had no idea "spaz" was so offensive. Luckily I don't think I've said that one before!

I enjoyed that actually. However, I didn't appreciate the digs about Houston. I know my English husband and the many English families I know that live here would disagree with avoiding it. That's okay, it's grown beyond belief here and the less people know about it, the better!

However, I didn't appreciate the digs about Houston.

My views on Houston:

It is ungodly hot and humid in Houston. I come from NW Florida where it is very hot and humid and Houston ratchets it up considerably from there.

Something is out of whack at Houston Airport. You land and then you taxi for 20 miles....the runways are not actually at the airport or something.

And do you think we can ever teach the British to say 'TAH-co' and not 'TACK-o'?

And do you think we can ever teach the British to say 'TAH-co' and not 'TACK-o'?

Probably not. Sorry about that. 

Well I went to youtube to find some guidance and ended up with this. Completely lost now:

And do you think we can ever teach the British to say 'TAH-co' and not 'TACK-o'?

Who cares? Just eat!

Not as long as Jamie Oliver insists on saying TACK-o ..... 

Some 20+ years back, in a major UK publication (can't remember if it was BBC Food Magazine or the food section in the Sunday Times magazine), some celebrity chef was extolling the delights of Tex-Mex food.....from its origin in .....(wait for it).... NEW ORLEANS!

I actually wrote a letter (this was pre-internet) pointing out that Texas is not part of Louisiana and New Orleans is not in Texas or famous for Tex-Mex food. I also listed some ingredients in a 'make this at home' recipe that were incorrectly described. I got a somewhat sarky response telling me that celebrity chefs had 'license' to write about food as they pleased. 

I had to laugh....no way would they admit an error had likely been made.

Not as long as Jamie Oliver insists on saying TACK-o ..... 

Some 20+ years back, in a major UK publication (can't remember if it was BBC Food Magazine or the food section in the Sunday Times magazine), some celebrity chef was extolling the delights of Tex-Mex food.....from its origin in .....(wait for it).... NEW ORLEANS!

I actually wrote a letter (this was pre-internet) pointing out that Texas is not part of Louisiana and New Orleans is not in Texas or famous for Tex-Mex food. I also listed some ingredients in a 'make this at home' recipe that were incorrectly described. I got a somewhat sarky response telling me that celebrity chefs had 'license' to write about food as they pleased. 

I had to laugh....no way would they admit an error had likely been made.

Hahaha. There is is "Mexican" restaurant around the corner from me that has a tex mex section on their menu that contains nothing but barbecue. It absolutely kills me.


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But chefs today - especially the celebrity kind - they can't really just make things as they always have been made. A Cornish pasty for instance....I mean if you put out a book and just reprinted the "classic" recipe from the WI Miners' Delight Cookbook '52, what would be the point? Why not just buy the WI Miners' Delight Cookbook '52? So they add a few gherkins or something to brighten up the flavours or some sort of foraged Nordic moss.

So maybe they decide to give enchiladas a try and figure, "Why not pop in some sultanas....worked for curry."

And too, remember we are the nation of Taco Bell and Pizza Hut.