American stuff Brits love and hate

Whenever we go to the States, we get my parent to stock up on Goldfish crackers. DH loves them. We can sometimes find them here (called Finz but still Pepperidge Farms brand), but not regularly so they're just a special thing for US trips and I get my parents to bring over a bag or two when they visit.

DH also loves Chex Mix. I get my parents to bring over Chex cereal so I can make it, but it's sometimes just easier to have someone pick up a bag of pre-made stuff in the US.

DH is not a fan of cream rather than milk for tea. His first visit, he made the tastiest porridge for us for breakfast and I later realised he'd used cream, thinking it was just milk.

He's not a fan of dryers so we always find a place to hang dry our clothes. It's a bit tough in winter since there isn't a designated drying space since everyone just uses the dryer, but he doesn't want his clothes to shrink. With the amount of eating we do on visits to my family, we cannot afford shrunken clothes.

What do you find Brits love and hate from America?

My husband LOVES Chick-Fil-a and Mexican.  And chocolate pudding. And free drink refills.

He also just loves Florida.  Like every single thing.  The pool, the beach, friends, family, the weather, the water, the open plan houses, the football on during the morning instead of afternoon/evening, the Super Bowl (we time our visit each year).

He used to moan about the bread.  Now that he's gluten free, we just take enough bread for the trip with us (it's hard to find good gf bread so just easier to bring what he knows is good).  He doesn't really moan about the chocolate as he knows it's just a holiday.  He loves Raisinets. 

He's much less moany than I am!   

My husband used to love when I would bring him Reese's. Then I brought him a 1lb Reese's cup for Christmas and he ate it all in one day. Now chocolate and peanut butter anything makes him boak.

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Ha! Chick Fil A was our first quick meal when we got off the plane in Tampa to visit my fam for Thanksgiving! He likes his "chicken burger" He loved Wendy's frosties. He could not believe the gigantic flags over car dealerships! Ha.

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Oh my gawd, Raisinets!  I could seriously damage a box/bag/pouch of those!  Seriously, my favourite.

My husband hasn't been to the US (and it's getting increasingly harder to try to convince him to go), but he loves Mexican food.  He hadn't had a lot of it before I came over, but his few experiences left him wanting more.  I've helped with that.  Now we have quite a few go-to recipes.  And some day, I'm going to make my tortilla press and source masa flour, so we can have fresh tasty tortillas whenever we want. 

He loves/hates what we call "fake cheese".  Kraft Singles if we can get them (Dairylea slices are not the same!) on cheeseburgers, and Velveeta on broccoli.  But he still judges me every time I obtain them by whatever means.  One day he surprised me and actually asked for the broccoli cheese with the fake cheese.  I'm converting him!

Pot roast!  He didn't know what pot roast was, except that it appeared to be a beef roast cooked on the stove instead of in the oven.  He saw it in films, and it was perplexing to him.  So I made a pot roast.  All day, he kept eyeing the slow-cooker suspiciously every time he walked by it, like it was going to attack him (he might... he does have big giant googly eyes on him).  But when we finished with all of our activities that day and came in to have dinner, he was blown away.  Now he asks for it. 

Slow Cooker:

My husband used to love when I would bring him Reese's. Then I brought him a 1lb Reese's cup for Christmas and he ate it all in one day. Now chocolate and peanut butter anything makes him boak.

Wait, what?  It's just one giant Reese's cup?  I want!

Oh my gawd, Raisinets!  I could seriously damage a box/bag/pouch of those!  Seriously, my favourite.

My husband hasn't been to the US (and it's getting increasingly harder to try to convince him to go), but he loves Mexican food.  He hadn't had a lot of it before I came over, but his few experiences left him wanting more.  I've helped with that.  Now we have quite a few go-to recipes.  And some day, I'm going to make my tortilla press and source masa flour, so we can have fresh tasty tortillas whenever we want. 

He loves/hates what we call "fake cheese".  Kraft Singles if we can get them (Dairylea slices are not the same!) on cheeseburgers, and Velveeta on broccoli.  But he still judges me every time I obtain them by whatever means.  One day he surprised me and actually asked for the broccoli cheese with the fake cheese.  I'm converting him!

Pot roast!  He didn't know what pot roast was, except that it appeared to be a beef roast cooked on the stove instead of in the oven.  He saw it in films, and it was perplexing to him.  So I made a pot roast.  All day, he kept eyeing the slow-cooker suspiciously every time he walked by it, like it was going to attack him (he might... he does have big giant googly eyes on him).  But when we finished with all of our activities that day and came in to have dinner, he was blown away.  Now he asks for it. 

Slow Cooker:

I have a large box of Velveeta and 2 boxes of Velveeta cheese sauce and 6 cans of cheese sauce just sitting here that I brought over from my last trip. I'm considering carefully what to make with it. I don't want to waste it. Lol.

I'm definitely going to make grilled cheese sandwiches with the Velveeta.

My husband has never been to a US either. I think I could talk him into a short trip to NYC but that is about it. He has no interest and I really think he would get bored pretty quick in any place that required driving to get anywhere. He much prefers the accessibility of large cities.

And my husband didn't even know what a taco was until he met me.

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[quote author=jfkimberly link=topic=91365.msg1189926#m

Pot roast!  He didn't know what pot roast was, except that it appeared to be a beef roast cooked on the stove instead of in the oven.  He saw it in films, and it was perplexing to him.  So I made a pot roast.  All day, he kept eyeing the slow-cooker suspiciously every time he walked by it, like it was going to attack him (he might... he does have big giant googly eyes on him).  But when we finished with all of our activities that day and came in to have dinner, he was blown away.  Now he asks for it. 

Slow Cooker:

[/quote]

What meat cut did you use? I've been craving my mom's pot roast. The kind you can shred after it's cooked.

What meat cut did you use? I've been craving my mom's pot roast. The kind you can shred after it's cooked.

I make Mississippi pot roast and it is amazing.

You can pretty much use any beef joint for a roast as long as you cook it long enough in a liquid.

I just use my Instant Pot pressure cooker and have beautiful shreddable beef or pork in about an hour and a half.

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Wait, what?  It's just one giant Reese's cup?  I want!

Hell yeah!  Where do I get one of those?

What meat cut did you use? I've been craving my mom's pot roast. The kind you can shred after it's cooked.

I don't even remember what I used that first time.  But if you cook it on low for at least eight hours, ideally ten, you can just use whatever cheap chunk of beef. The collagen breaks down and it gets all tender, and eventually, shredding can happen.  This week, I bought a small brisket (about £5.50 at Tesco) that I'm going to slather in spices (cumin, cayenne, paprika, garlic, fake onion powder (asafoetida, because I'm allergic to onion), etc.) and slow cook 'til I can shred it for tacos.

You'll obviously want to put some sort of liquid in the cooker to aid the process!  Some beef stock, a bit of wine, or whatever flavour you're going for.  I think I'm going use some tomato sauce (passata), beef stock and water, for my Mexican flavor.

I make Mississippi pot roast and it is amazing.

You can pretty much use any beef joint for a roast as long as you cook it long enough in a liquid.

I just use my Instant Pot pressure cooker and have beautiful shreddable beef or pork in about an hour and a half.

Dude... I'm down here talking about 8 to 10 hours, and you're all, "hour and a half."  I have got to get one of these!

Dude... I'm down here talking about 8 to 10 hours, and you're all, "hour and a half."  I have got to get one of these!

You do!

And check out the vinyl decals people put on their Instant Pots.  You can even put googly eyes on them. Lol

I don't make everything in my IP like some people try to do (the IP Facebook cooking groups are both hilarious and infuriating) but I do make the most amazing yogurt, meats, chili, soups, boiled eggs, etc.

I've even made a beautiful rare roast beef in my IP in 4 minutes.

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You do!

And check out the vinyl decals people put on their Instant Pots.  You can even put googly eyes on them. Lol

I don't make everything in my IP like some people try to do (the IP Facebook cooking groups are both hilarious and infuriating) but I do make the most amazing yogurt, meats, chili, soups, boiled eggs, etc.

I've even made a beautiful rare roast beef in my IP in 4 minutes.

Between preheating and actual cooking time, it takes me an hour and a half to do a rare roast beef in the oven!  Well, it used to.  When I had an oven.  *dramatic sigh* 

Y'know, if it weren't for all these visa fees and UKVI "forcing" my husband to commute during the week, I would've had enough money to pay for having our entire house re-rendered properly with lime render, and we could be building our kitchen now.  I could have a dishwasher!  And my big sink, and a proper cooker and oven.  And soooo much worktop to play on.  And storage!  But mostly a dishwasher, so that every time I cook, I don't try to avoid elaborate things because I know I have to clean up after.

My husband is the Brit, I'm from Ohio. He likes Wendy's, the houses/the amount of house you get for the price (generally speaking), the countryside and the vastness of space, the weather, the people. He's CRAZY for Jelly Belly jelly beans, and stocks up whenever we visit the US. He also like those Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies. The size of the US still boggles him, and the fact that you can travel so far and wide and still be in the same country.

He also is another Brit who doesn't like American bread. He finds it way too sweet. He also wishes we had the same tea culture as the UK. Right before our wedding, my husband and his best man went on a roadtrip across the US. He says when they ordered tea they were served everything from iced tea to lukewarm water in a big pitcher  He prefers making his own tea at home, and my mom always has the kettle, milk and PG Tips waiting for him.

He also doesn't understand many Americans' obsession with fall and pumpkins/pumpkin spice. I still have this obsession and it's not changed at all since moving to the UK. You should see him roll his eyes whenever I put out the Halloween and fall decorations  I did get him to go pumpkin picking with me last year at a local farm, and we had such a fun day.