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It is back bacon, not really pork roll. Pork roll is just mushed up stuff rolled into a loaf thing of some sort.

I've heard that in some parts of the US this is true. However I've only seen the "other" kind of Canadian bacon, and it's exactly as I describe.

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The differences between cultures within Canada or within the USA are even more significant than that between the generic/average Canadian / US citizen. But on a generic level, I'm not sure what some Canadians view as being shudder-worthy when comparing the two populations. Anyway, you can take comfort in the fact that, as far as I know, folks south of the border don't feel the same way about you.

You don't understand why someone might bristle not only at being called something they aren't, but also by the further assertion that it shouldn't matter anyway? That there are enough differences to be notable?

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That's gross!

 

Canadian should be back bacon, not pork roll. Ick.

More like what we called pork roll when I was a kid... It looked vaguely meat like. It's more of a ham-like product.

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I am pretty sure that diners originated in New Jersey.  They are non-chain , family owned, usually by Greeks.  They have a huge selection of good, homemade food with breakfast available all day.  They have daily specials that include soup or salad, entrée, dessert and drink for fairly reasonable prices.  We have 3 diners within 10 minutes of us and many more within 30-45 minutes. When we eat out, it is almost always at a diner.

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You don't understand why someone might bristle not only at being called something they aren't, but also by the further assertion that it shouldn't matter anyway? That there are enough differences to be notable?

People mistook us for being English, Spanish, and Italian when we were overseas and it never bothered us. Wouldn't have crossed my mind to be offended in any way. We told them we were actually Americans and that was the end of it. I could see how it would be annoying if they had responded with something like, "English, American, what's the difference?" Maybe it's a matter of respect or tone?

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You don't understand why someone might bristle not only at being called something they aren't, but also by the further assertion that it shouldn't matter anyway? That there are enough differences to be notable?

 

Not to the point of shuddering, no.  But maybe I'm dense.  I mean, I have had Indian acquaintances who apparently thought I was a Brit.  The only way that bugged me was that they thought it was the US who occupied and ruled India and was responsible for the "no dogs or Indians" signs (at Indian clubs) and for the tragic loss of human life during the Partition.  And for that they resented the USA.  (But I came to realize that that was largely because of the USSR's influence in India.)

 

But I don't mind being thought essentially the same as a Brit, or a German for that matter.  Or, certainly, a Canadian.  Why should it bug me?  In fact, I've been told I have a Canadian accent, so I guess there probably are people who think I'm Canadian.  So?

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More like what we called pork roll when I was a kid... It looked vaguely meat like. It's more of a ham-like product.

 

 

This is pork roll

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pork_roll

 

http://www.phoodie.info/2009/11/23/pork-roll-a-delicious-conspiricy/

 

This is Canadian bacon

 

http://www.nodinesmokehouse.com/prodinfo.asp?number=C78

 

I don't usually order or buy "Canadian" bacon because I would just really rather have regular bacon or ham but if I did order it they better not bring me pork roll.

 

A fast food place might offer pork roll but a good diner would not. I don't go to fast food places for breakfast, I have food allergies and it is just a pitb due to that.

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The differences between cultures within Canada or within the USA are even more significant than that between the generic/average Canadian / US citizen.  But on a generic level, I'm not sure what some Canadians view as being shudder-worthy when comparing the two populations.  Anyway, you can take comfort in the fact that, as far as I know, folks south of the border don't feel the same way about you.

Yes, there are many divergent regional cultures in both the US and in Canada. I've lived in several different regions (central Ontario, Quebec, a short stint in P.E.I., both small-town and big city B.C., Southern California, South Carolina, Massachusetts, Illinois, and now, New York) so I think I have a decent grasp on how widely those can vary. I suppose we'll just have to agree to disagree on the level of difference between generic American/Canadian cultures. I personally believe the differences are significant but respect that your opinion seems to differ.

 

I don't shudder at the thought of being thought American, nor do I grab my pearls or do anything else that might denote being horrified. But being Canadian is a strong part of my self-identity, while being American is not (mostly because I'm not American, not because I think it's somehow inferior to being Canadian). In my experience, many Americans are also proud of their national identity and would likely be quick to correct someone who called them "Americans" if they moved somewhere else, or if they were told there wasn't much difference between their culture and that of a nearby nation.

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I could see how it would be annoying if they had responded with something like, "English, American, what's the difference?"

Ah, but this is exactly what happens to Canadians, usually by an American, with aggravating frequency.

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I can't seem to quote on this phone, but looking at the menu of sparkly unicorn's diner --- IMO, there is too much on the menu. The diners I know don' have salmon or stuffed mushrooms.

 

IMO, diner food has to be more basic and less healthy. Lots of breakfast stuff, omelets aplenty, sandwiches, club sandwiches, hamburgers with all kinds of toppings. Salads, if any, should be chef salads with hard boiled eggs, turkey and cold cuts. Hot dishes will have a steam table quality, like turkey with gravy, cranberry, scoop of stuffing, scoop of mashed potatoes. Tuna melt is ok too. Freshly cooked is out, except for eggs. Fruit only if it is in a pie, except apples, bananas and oranges could be ok.

 

Coffee should be refilled constantly. It does NOT come in flavors (hazelnut, vanilla, etc).

 

In any case, that is my opinion.

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The idea that Canadians might call us all Yankees is terrible to me! When I was in college, I left the south for the "yankee" part and was shocked to see that people used it as a positive term.  I had always thought it was only a terrible insult.

 

Oh well, I'm sure we dish out worse...

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Are Diners a real thing?

 

I've seen Diners in so many movies and shows that, I suddenly stopped to think that I don't think I've ever been in one. Unless Denny's is a Diner?

 

If so, what makes a Diner a Diner, and not just a regular Restaurant?

 

Any ideas why there aren't any in my neck of the woods? {Urban, western Canada} Or am I just missing them?

 

There are a lot more diners in Eastern US and Canada. I don't remember seeing any/many when I lived in Alberta (up until 1990). There are some in Ontario, though not as many as I've seen in New York and New Jersey.

 

Diners tend to have booths, shiney chrome, and have the word "diner" in the name.

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Speaking of Canadians and food, what do you guys call Canadian bacon?  And what do you call the kind of bacon we just call "bacon" down here?  :p

Canadian bacon is from the loin - without any bone.  'bacon' is from the belly.  they are two different cuts of meat.  the ham is the shoulder/thigh and is again, a different cut.

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There are a lot more diners in Eastern US and Canada. I don't remember seeing any/many when I lived in Alberta (up until 1990). There are some in Ontario, though not as many as I've seen in New York and New Jersey.

 

Diners tend to have booths, shiney chrome, and have the word "diner" in the name.

DH and I did make it to the Snoqualmie diner featured in Twin Peaks a couple times before it burned down. And yes, the cherry pie was worth the stop. :D

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In my upstate New York town with a population of 2000, we have 4 diners. Often you have to fight for seating.

My grandparents owned one while I was growing up. Some of my fondest childhood memories are in that diner. It was destroyed in a flood several years ago and I am still heartbroken about that.

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I can't seem to quote on this phone, but looking at the menu of sparkly unicorn's diner --- IMO, there is too much on the menu. The diners I know don' have salmon or stuffed mushrooms.

 

IMO, diner food has to be more basic and less healthy. Lots of breakfast stuff, omelets aplenty, sandwiches, club sandwiches, hamburgers with all kinds of toppings. Salads, if any, should be chef salads with hard boiled eggs, turkey and cold cuts. Hot dishes will have a steam table quality, like turkey with gravy, cranberry, scoop of stuffing, scoop of mashed potatoes. Tuna melt is ok too. Freshly cooked is out, except for eggs. Fruit only if it is in a pie, except apples, bananas and oranges could be ok.

 

Coffee should be refilled constantly. It does NOT come in flavors (hazelnut, vanilla, etc).

 

In any case, that is my opinion.

 

In my experience (having lived all over the USA), diners tend to serve regional food along with the usual breakfast fare/burgers/etc. A diner in Cincinnati would serve Skyline Chili while a diner in Hawaii would serve Loco Moco. Therefore, trying to define "diner" by what type of food they serve doesn't work. JMO.

 

eta: The wiki definition actually includes the assertion that diners typically serve a wide range of foods. "Diners are characterized by offering a wide range of foods, mostly American, a casual atmosphere, a counter, and late operating hours."

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I am pretty sure that diners originated in New Jersey.  They are non-chain , family owned, usually by Greeks.  They have a huge selection of good, homemade food with breakfast available all day.  They have daily specials that include soup or salad, entrée, dessert and drink for fairly reasonable prices.  We have 3 diners within 10 minutes of us and many more within 30-45 minutes. When we eat out, it is almost always at a diner.

 

Actually, according to the American Diner Museum, it's source is traced to Rhode Island:

 

 

The origins of the diner can be traced to Walter Scott, a part-time pressman and type compositor in Providence, Rhode Island.

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I think about this a lot, because my DIL is from Canada and my SIL is from Central America, and they both consider themselves "Americans" too!  (Which they are, of course.)

 

 

 

That's odd.  My family is from South American and I know a ton of people from South and Central American as well as from Mexico and they all use their country of origin.  So my friends from Peru would be Peruvianos and those from Guatemala, Guatemantecos, people from Brazil, Brazilenos, etc.  They only refer to themselves as Americans if they have adopted America as their "home" country and will say they are American as in they live/are citizens or residents of America.  Not as to referring to their country of origin.

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What really intrigues me is why people in the US are called "Americans" by our North American neighbors.  Hmm.

 

Just a guess, but maybe because it's right there in our country's name?  The United States of America.  I don't recall any other country in North or South America that uses "America" as part of their official name.

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What the what?!?

Your idea of a good diner makes me want to cry. :-p

 

In some places pork roll is a comfort food and people want that. Like Mrs Mungo said a lot of it is regional. I wouldn't go to Philadelphia and complain about a lack of grits on the menu (though I would be sad) but I would also not be shocked to see pork roll served there because I know it is a comfort food in that area.

 

 I don't think diners around here even serve Canadian bacon, they have bacon, bologna (I don't know I am not from here) or ham.

 

My idea of a good diner is one that serves real grits and not quick grits and they don't serve me previously frozen hashbrowns. 

 

And if I say "honey" more often than my server I get disoriented. :lol:

 

I HHHAAATTTEEE Waffle House because they serve quick qrits and their hashbrowns are gross. 

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We have a diner here; it serves very good, homestyle sort of food (like meatloaf and mashed potatoes), and it has really yummy desserts. There was one in my college town that was a 50's style diner, and it was fun.

 

The best diner I've ever eaten at was a little place in the middle of nowhere in New Jersey. Fifteen years ago, DH and I were newlyweds by a couple of weeks, en route from Boston (where we had been finding an apartment for us and a job for me while DH was going to go to school) to visit friends in central PA before heading to our parents' hometown to pack up all of our stuff. Of course, it was a Sunday afternoon, and of course, our car's alternator died suddenly, leaving us stranded for the night, in mid-August. (Those of you who know me IRL, I hear you laughing -- this is only the tip of our vehicle troubles iceberg.) Fortunately, there was a decent motel in the town, but the only two places to eat that were open on Sunday afternoon, according to the lady at the motel, were a diner and an inn. We figured we could at least have a nice dinner at the inn, rather than a greasy diner, so we walked the mile or so down to it -- only to find that "inn" was a euphemism for "bar with topless dancers." So we walked back in the other direction to the diner -- only to find that it was actually quite nice. Not greasy. I remember the food being very, very good -- not fancy, but filling and delicious. Something like seven courses of food -- we ate until we were stuffed -- for a few dollars each. Pleasant atmosphere, great service. All in all, far from the least pleasant meals I've ever eaten.

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That's odd.  My family is from South American and I know a ton of people from South and Central American as well as from Mexico and they all use their country of origin.  So my friends from Peru would be Peruvianos and those from Guatemala, Guatemantecos, people from Brazil, Brazilenos, etc.  They only refer to themselves as Americans if they have adopted America as their "home" country and will say they are American as in they live/are citizens or residents of America.  Not as to referring to their country of origin.

 

Well that's good to know.  I was beginning to feel guilty every time I referred to US citizens as Americans around them!  :)  I don't think they actually call themselves Americans, but they thought it odd that we call ourselves Americans and only mean us (US citizens), when they live on an American continent as well.  But of course, as someone else pointed out, what else are we supposed to call ourselves?  United Statesians just doesn't sound right!  And of course, the name of our country actually has the word America in it.

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Now I feel diner-deprived. They sound great! I'd love to be able to buy "real food" at fast food prices, reasonably quick, while I'm out and about. My choices are fast food (quick, cheap, questionable ingredients) or a real restaurant (full prices, better food, longer timeline).

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Here in Jersey, the diner capital of the world (true story!), diners are not only everywhere, they are thriving.

 

Within a 5-mile radius of my house, there are 3 different diners. One is traditional diner food (everything from breakfast to chicken parm to meatloaf to liver & onions to desserts). One of the diners is big on using local, organic ingredients. Here in South Jersey we have an abundance of farms. The Vincentown Diner gets as much protein & veggies and breads from local farms & businesses as they can. Their menu is still in keeping with traditional diner food but it's more current (although you can still get an open face roast beef sandwich, burgers, breakfast, fries with gravy, etc.). They also offer locally brewed beers.

 

I lived in dh's home state of Iowa for 8 years. I think I missed Jersey diner food as much as I missed my family. :)

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In some places pork roll is a comfort food and people want that. Like Mrs Mungo said a lot of it is regional. I wouldn't go to Philadelphia and complain about a lack of grits on the menu (though I would be sad) but I would also not be shocked to see pork roll served there because I know it is a comfort food in that area.

 

 I don't think diners around here even serve Canadian bacon, they have bacon, bologna (I don't know I am not from here) or ham.

 

My idea of a good diner is one that serves real grits and not quick grits and they don't serve me previously frozen hashbrowns. 

 

And if I say "honey" more often than my server I get disoriented. :lol:

 

I HHHAAATTTEEE Waffle House because they serve quick qrits and their hashbrowns are gross. 

 

NEVER order grits in Hawaii. Seriously, they have no idea what they are doing.

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If you order a burger at a diner it is just a patty on a bun. You have to specifically request pickles or lettuce if you want them. :-)

They also have an interesting lingo all their own.

"Burn one, take it through the garden and pin a rose on it" is a burger with lettuce, tomato, and onion on it.

Ah! Reminds me of Frank and Ernest: http://www.amazon.com/Frank-Ernest-Alexandra-Day/dp/1595834249

 

One of my favorite children's books! Diner 101. :)

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Here in Jersey, the diner capital of the world (true story!), diners are not only everywhere, they are thriving.

 

Within a 5-mile radius of my house, there are 3 different diners. One is traditional diner food (everything from breakfast to chicken parm to meatloaf to liver & onions to desserts). One of the diners is big on using local, organic ingredients. Here in South Jersey we have an abundance of farms. The Vincentown Diner gets as much protein & veggies and breads from local farms & businesses as they can. Their menu is still in keeping with traditional diner food but it's more current (although you can still get an open face roast beef sandwich, burgers, breakfast, fries with gravy, etc.). They also offer locally brewed beers.

 

I lived in dh's home state of Iowa for 8 years. I think I missed Jersey diner food as much as I missed my family. :)

 

Vincentown diner.. yum! I remember eating there often.

 

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Well...I am not going to eat that loco moco abomination but I did like the poke.

I initially read that as "but I did in the poke," and was thinking I'd missed some colorful back story. :tongue_smilie:

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**Sigh**

 

My grandfather got his start working in a diner (in, yes, a railroad car) when he was forced to leave home at the age of 13 because of his drunk, abusive father. He met my grandmother a couple of years later when she came in for lunch. She was a sales clerk at our little town's only department store, and he followed her there and bought a sweater he didn't need just so he could talk to her. After they married, they opened their own restaurant, which was more of a cafeteria than a diner, but same concept.

 

So I guess you could say I owe my very existence to the classic American diner.  :001_wub:

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I was born and raised in NJ. I grew up within walking distance of a diner that had the best cheddar burger and cheese fries ever! I live in the south now, and we do not have any diners here.

 

WHAT?  Where do you live in the south?  Diners seem to be everywhere when we visit family.  

 

And, Mrs. Mungo, they KNOW how to make grits!  Man, now I want b'fast for dinner, just so I can have grits.

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Well that's good to know.  I was beginning to feel guilty every time I referred to US citizens as Americans around them!  :)  I don't think they actually call themselves Americans, but they thought it odd that we call ourselves Americans and only mean us (US citizens), when they live on an American continent as well.  But of course, as someone else pointed out, what else are we supposed to call ourselves?  United Statesians just doesn't sound right!  And of course, the name of our country actually has the word America in it.

 

 

So, I mentioned this to my hubby who travels extensively and he agrees with you as well.  He has run into the Brazilians and other South American countries having issues with this.  Apparently, in his experience, we USA people are North Americans.  (Canadians, don't shoot the messenger).  :)

 

I suppose we can chalk this up to people who like to complain but cannot offer a good solution/alternative.  

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I initially read that as "but I did in the poke," and was thinking is missed some colorful back story. :tongue_smilie:

 

Ha! Poke=a delicious Hawaiian dish. This is a good place to go to eat it:

http://poke-stop.com

 

WHAT?  Where do you live in the south?  Diners seem to be everywhere when we visit family.  

 

And, Mrs. Mungo, they KNOW how to make grits!  Man, now I want b'fast for dinner, just so I can have grits.

 

Yes, they know how to make grits when I go home too. But, they probably barely know what a grit is here. Maybe I was the first person to order them, lol!

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WHAT?  Where do you live in the south?  Diners seem to be everywhere when we visit family.  

 

And, Mrs. Mungo, they KNOW how to make grits!  Man, now I want b'fast for dinner, just so I can have grits.

 

I'm in South Carolina now and we don't have any diners by me. I never knew what a grit was until I moved here. My youngest daughter LOVES grits. I bought the box of instant ones and was very quickly told by my neighbor that no Southerner would be caught dead eating instant grits.

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I'm in South Carolina now and we don't have any diners by me. I never knew what a grit was until I moved here. My youngest daughter LOVES grits. I bought the box of instant ones and was very quickly told by my neighbor that no Southerner would be caught dead eating instant grits.

 

I am in South Carolina and there are some here. I am in Greenville area.

 

Cook them like risotto stir stir stir stir stir stir stir stir stir stir stir stir stir stir stir stir while adding the liquid in increments. I use a wire whisk until it gets thick then I switch to a rubber spatula.

 

I like them with bacon and and over easy egg on top but before I was told I was allergic to dairy I liked them with gravy.

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Yep, NJ is the diner capital of the world!  :hurray:  My daughters state college has a 24 hour diner on campus (I think it's the only college campus with a 24 hour diner in the world).

 

Gyros, taylor ham/egg/cheese on a hard roll at 2am, french fries with gravy.... Diners are the best!

 

I probably have over a dozen diners within 10 miles of my house.  I don't eat at them much anymore but it's nice when you know there's always someplace you can go eat at any time day or night and have a decent meal.

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