What should I *not* serve my English and German guests?

[Laura Corin]

Most Brits find peanut butter and jelly an odd combination.  We do eat some sweet/savoury things, but it's a question of what you are used to: apple sauce with pork; duck with orange.

 

Something that you might not think of: I was confused when I first went to the States and salad was served as a starter.  I had grown up with French habits: salad followed the main course.  I messed things up in a restaurant by not eating the salad that arrived, so everyone was waiting for the main course which didn't come because I hadn't started my starter.

 

If these people have lived in the States for a while, I think you can probably serve them what you like.  I do find American portions large, so I'd always rather serve myself and not be pushed to eat more.  Steaks can be a problem if they are put straight onto the plate; maybe ask the guests if they want a whole steak or if they would prefer to start with half.  And if you are serving baked potatoes, have a variety of sizes on a serving dish.

[hornblower]

I think this is just an impossible question to answer. I'd ask the couple if they have any particular dietary preferences and try to sense if they're foodies or adventurous eaters or not. 

There is just so much variety in the cultures of origin and I think generalizing would just be hopeless. 

[Chelli]

So what is chocolate gravy? How do you make it? We're all about gravy but this is a new one on me.

This is my grandma's recipe:

 

1 cup of sugar

2 Tbsp of flour

2 Tbsp of cocoa

1 tsp vanilla

2 Tbsp butter

 

Whisk together the sugar, flour, and cocoa really well in skillet. On medium heat add warm water. As it's cooking add more water if it's too thick or more flour if it's too runny. When you have the consistency you want (kind of a thick syrup, but not as thick as pudding), add the vanilla and butter. Serve over biscuits.

 

I hear chocolate gravy and I think chocolate sauce or hot fudge sauce like you put on ice cream. Is it that or something different?

 

It's thicker than chocolate sauce but not as thick as a pudding. Kind of in between those two consistences.

[Guest]

This is my grandma's recipe:

 

1 cup of sugar

2 Tbsp of flour

2 Tbsp of cocoa

1 tsp vanilla

2 Tbsp butter

 

Whisk together the sugar, flour, and cocoa really well in skillet. On medium heat add warm water. As it's cooking add more water if it's too thick or more flour if it's too runny. When you have the consistency you want (kind of a thick syrup, but not as thick as pudding), add the vanilla and butter. Serve over biscuits.

 

 

It's thicker than chocolate sauce but not as thick as a pudding. Kind of in between those two consistences.

 

Well that sounds like an instant cure for PMS. It's definitely going in my recipe box to try. Fat, sugar and biscuits. My dream come true.  :001_wub:

[SparklyUnicorn]

I would also suggest that your focus be on fresh, unprocessed foods, and away from huge quantities on the plate.  

 

So (to choose an odd example inspired by an English relative's experience at IHOP, instead of a 1500 calorie giant pile of enormous pancakes smothered in sugared fruit and chocolate syrup and Cool Whip, consider a small stack of dollar-sized from-scratch pancakes made from quality ingredients, with a few fresh strawberries on the side.

 

My in-laws are HUGE eaters.

 

LOL

 

Seriously I hate going there in large part because they just keep trying to stuff me with food.

[SparklyUnicorn]

This is off topic, but so funny. When I was in college I did a semester at a satellite campus in Austria. They wanted to give us an authentic Thanksgiving so they managed to find a turkey and cranberry sauce somewhere. I'll never forget the look of pride on the cook's face as he carried the turkey into the caf SPARKLERS and all! Yes! The Turkey had sparklers stuck artistically into it! 4th of July and Thanksgiving all at once! :)

 

That's hilarious!

[Matryoshka]

This is off topic, but so funny. When I was in college I did a semester at a satellite campus in Austria. They wanted to give us an authentic Thanksgiving so they managed to find a turkey and cranberry sauce somewhere. I'll never forget the look of pride on the cook's face as he carried the turkey into the caf SPARKLERS and all! Yes! The Turkey had sparklers stuck artistically into it! 4th of July and Thanksgiving all at once! :)

 

i got served turkey twice in Germany.  Both times instead of carving the turkey, they cut it up like it was a giant chicken.  Gave one person a whole breast,  I kept trying to tell them you carve it, aka cut the breast in slices, but they thought that was nuts.  I had to be wrong, who would do that?  No sides to speak of, because, well, who can eat a whole turkey breast and eat anything else...  and it was so dry.  They do not know what to do with a turkey over there...  and this was two different people serving it, so it wasn't just one person without a clue...

[SparklyUnicorn]

i got served turkey twice in Germany.  Both times instead of carving the turkey, they cut it up like it was a giant chicken.  Gave one person a whole breast,  I kept trying to tell them you carve it, aka cut the breast in slices, but they thought that was nuts.  I had to be wrong, who would do that?  No sides to speak of, because, well, who can eat a whole turkey breast and eat anything else...  and it was so dry.  They do not know what to do with a turkey over there...  and this was two different people serving it, so it wasn't just one person without a clue...

 

My MIL wanted to serve a traditional turkey once when I came.  She stuffed the bird, but never served the stuffing.  I think she was under the impression that the stuffing flavors the bird?!  I have no idea. 

 

I still think it's sweet when people try.  But it's also kind of odd that people feel the need to serve foods that they think are other peoples' traditions rather than the foods that are their traditions. 

Edited May 23, 2016 by SparklyUnicorn

[The Girls' Mom]

No advice, but I had to jump on the gravy train..lol.

 

My favorite thing ever?  Creamed corn over biscuits.  Better than gravy any day.  It is either very regional or just my family! lol.  

 

And sugar in grits was totally a thing for us growing up.  Sugar and butter...mmm.

[PixieLittle]

This is off topic, but so funny. When I was in college I did a semester at a satellite campus in Austria. They wanted to give us an authentic Thanksgiving so they managed to find a turkey and cranberry sauce somewhere. I'll never forget the look of pride on the cook's face as he carried the turkey into the caf SPARKLERS and all! Yes! The Turkey had sparklers stuck artistically into it! 4th of July and Thanksgiving all at once! :)

Nice! Was it in Graz? I roasted a turkey in my dorm and brought it by taxi to our exchange student Thanksgiving :D

 

To bring this back around to the topic (nearly ;) )...At some point I made pancakes for an Austrian friend and generously gave him the first stack and some maple syrup I had brought from home. He ever so carefully cut each bite from the top pancake so as not to disturb the next pancake down. :lol:

 

Also my roommates were not impressed with the Twizzlers my mom sent in a care package :)

 

Oh, but chocolate chip cookies were unusual to them and a huge hit!

Edited May 23, 2016 by PixieLittle

[LucyStoner]

Grits and fried okra are rather regional, but are biscuits and gravy? I mean, I see it in hotel breakfast buffets all over the country all the time. I didn't think that was a regional thing. Or is it?

It may be served all over now but it traditionally is a southern thing. It was not common in the PNW in the 80s and my family with southern roots was often eating things that puzzled our neighbors and friends.

[LucyStoner]

I have never, ever had chocolate gravy. To me, "gravy" is savory not sweet. I.just.can't.even. :D

 

::trying to remember family recipes::

It's sort of similar to an inside out chocolate croissant. The chocolate goes on the outside of the baked good and not the inside.

 

Chocolate gravy originated in parts of the Ozarks and Appalachia. If someone has it in their family recipes, at some point someone either was from one of those regions or was introduced to it by someone from those regions. That's why it would be in parts of KY but not all of KY and parts of many other states. Both sides of my family have Appalacchian roots which is the only reason I know this random factoid.

[SarahW]

Also, some Europeans do not eat potato skins. It's pig food. My DH gets grossed out if he is served "home fries" that have a bit of skin left on them.

 

And if you serve dessert, cut the sugar a bit. American desserts are generally way more sweet than the rest of the world.

[Ellie]

Most Brits find peanut butter and jelly an odd combination.  We do eat some sweet/savoury things, but it's a question of what you are used to: apple sauce with pork; duck with orange.

 

Something that you might not think of: I was confused when I first went to the States and salad was served as a starter.  I had grown up with French habits: salad followed the main course.  I messed things up in a restaurant by not eating the salad that arrived, so everyone was waiting for the main course which didn't come because I hadn't started my starter.

 

If these people have lived in the States for a while, I think you can probably serve them what you like.  I do find American portions large, so I'd always rather serve myself and not be pushed to eat more.  Steaks can be a problem if they are put straight onto the plate; maybe ask the guests if they want a whole steak or if they would prefer to start with half.  And if you are serving baked potatoes, have a variety of sizes on a serving dish.

 

I don't usually serve salad, so I'm safe there. It will be a soup of some kind.

 

I did ask if they had allergies or food hatreds, and they said there were none. And I usually let my guests serve themselves, and i never comment on how much they eat, so we're safe there, too. Yay. :-)

 

I was thinking of having demitasse in the living room after dinner, which is fun but not common at all (at least, not among my friends).

[Laura Corin]

I was thinking of having demitasse in the living room after dinner, which is fun but not common at all (at least, not among my friends).

Demitasse? You mean small cups of coffee? Or something else, as you describe it as fun. Edited May 23, 2016 by Laura Corin

[Lady Florida.]

Our British friends nearly vomited when they saw a plate of biscuits and gravy for breakfast. 

 

I would nearly vomit seeing canned pork & beans on a breakfast plate (is a "fry up" really a thing?).

 

I think that sounds delicious, but I've never seen it nor had it myself.

 

I never heard of it either before I moved to Georgia after college. Now I know it's common in Florida too but I didn't know before I left the state. When we still lived in NJ I never heard of biscuits and gravy (gravy is brown and goes on dinner food). I heard of grits but had no idea what they were. Now I love both. Also red-eye gravy which is made with strong coffee and is hard to find except in small mom and pop restaurants through the south.

[Laura Corin]

I would nearly vomit seeing canned pork & beans on a breakfast plate (is a "fry up" really a thing?).

 

It is, but I've never seen canned pork in it. Normally it would be fried bread, sausage, bacon, egg, and maybe fried tomatoes or mushrooms. Baked beans are common but easy to avoid.

[AndyJoy]

I typed in "white gravy" on the local grocery store's website (you can order anything they sell in store on-line). You know what came up? Cat food. LOL

 

So I guess we don't have white gravy mixes around here. I'll try this. Sounds interesting.

It's also called country gravy. This is how I usually see it labelled in stores. I just use the medium-thickness recipe in the back cover of my old Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.

[AndyJoy]

We eat biscuits and gravy here in Idaho. I've had it at restaurants and hotels in CA. Both my dad and husband (from AK) love it, so I make it once a month or so.

[ScoutTN]

White gravy mix! My southern heart is about to stop.

 

Sausage Gravy Recipe

1 lb breakfast sausage (Jimmy Dean is my preference)

3/4 cup flour

4 cups milk

Salt and pepper

 

1) Fry up sausage, breaking it into bite size pieces, over medium high heat until browned through. Place sausage on towel lined plate to drain, but leave fat behind in the pan.

2) Whisk in flour and cook for 2-3 minutes to cook off the raw taste. If the roux is too thick or not smooth, add a bit more fat whether vegetable oil or butter. Don't let it brown.

3) Gradually add milk, whisking constantly until mixed through and no lumps remain. Stirring occasionally, cook over medium heat 7-10 minutes until gravy thickens. If it's too thin, cook for a bit longer; too thick, add more milk. Add cooked sausage. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve over country style biscuits, preferably homemade.

 

ETA: I forgot to include the step where you add the sausage back to the gravy before serving.

 

 

Yum!! 

I make this occasionally. I always use sausage from a local farmer, whole milk from grass-fed cows and lots of pepper! 

[Storygirl]

It is, but I've never seen canned pork in it. Normally it would be fried bread, sausage, bacon, egg, and maybe fried tomatoes or mushrooms. Baked beans are common but easy to avoid.

 

Pork and beans means baked beans, actually. Here you can buy baked beans in a can, which sometimes include a tiny bit of pork fat --often just one bitty piece -- to represent the "pork" in the name. So it's really just baked beans.

 

It's funny to think of baked beans for breakfast, as they are a dinner food here. Fried tomatoes for breakfast are not really a thing, either, although some people might put tomato in an omelet.

 

What is fried bread like?

 

 

[Spryte]

Demitasse? You mean small cups of coffee? Or something else, as you describe it as fun.

Not Ellie, and I'm not speaking for her, as her info may differ. Demitasse cups are about the size of espresso cups. I have quite the collection here, as apparently the coffee addiction passed down to me through great grandmothers and grandmothers. They served "Turkish" coffee in the cups. Other options are strong, black coffee, and espresso. I use our espresso machine, which is - of course! - from Europe. Ellie's definition of demitasse may differ. I usually only apply the word to the cups. :)

 

Coffee after dinner is always a hit.

[knoxinsox]

I grew up in the PNW but with Amish/Mennonite heritage.  We  made the white sauce and add fried hamburger to it---with lots of pepper.   Hamburger gravy was served over cornbread, biscuits, toast or baked potatoes.  Creamed eggs, which is sliced hard-boiled eggs in a white sauce, was eaten over biscuits or toast.   Both are favorites of mine, along with sausage gravy, which I first ate in the South.  My husband is from New York, and won't touch any of it.

 

I still make white sauce and I use it as a base instead of cream of whatever canned soup or as the base for macaroni and cheese.  

 

Honestly, until I got out in the world, I thought Hamburger Gravy was only a very typical Mennonite/Amish German heritage dish. 

[Ellie]

Demitasse? You mean small cups of coffee? Or something else, as you describe it as fun.

 

Yes. It is kind of fun. Probably I need to get out more, lol. But you know, you leave the dining room table and go sit in the living like grown-ups, and have little cups of coffee served from a silver coffee pot, and little lumps of sugar. :-)

[yucabird]

This is my grandma's recipe:

 

1 cup of sugar

2 Tbsp of flour

2 Tbsp of cocoa

1 tsp vanilla

2 Tbsp butter

 

Whisk together the sugar, flour, and cocoa really well in skillet. On medium heat add warm water. As it's cooking add more water if it's too thick or more flour if it's too runny. When you have the consistency you want (kind of a thick syrup, but not as thick as pudding), add the vanilla and butter. Serve over biscuits.

 

 

It's thicker than chocolate sauce but not as thick as a pudding. Kind of in between those two consistences.

 

Interesting...in a good way!  Do you mean biscuits -- as in Southern-style biscuits -- or English-style biscuits (e.g., cookies)?  

[Guest]

This is off topic, but so funny. When I was in college I did a semester at a satellite campus in Austria. They wanted to give us an authentic Thanksgiving so they managed to find a turkey and cranberry sauce somewhere. I'll never forget the look of pride on the cook's face as he carried the turkey into the caf SPARKLERS and all! Yes! The Turkey had sparklers stuck artistically into it! 4th of July and Thanksgiving all at once! :)

Oh well now I'm going to have to put sparklers in the turkey this year. That's just too awesome!! My kids will be beside themselves. :)

[BarbecueMom]

Midwesterners must be the mutts of the food world, because nothing here sounds odd or gross to me. Although I think it's a bit strange to think food typical of one meal can't be served at another. I'm known to heat up last night's dinner/supper for breakfast and eat a cold leftover pancake with my hands for dinner/supper.

 

Or maybe it's me that's weird.

[Guest]

No biscuits and gravy here. Blah. I see it once in a while, but more on the eastern shore or southern Maryland. It's not common here. It also weirds me out. That's too much heartiness for breakfast.

[ktgrok]

I'd never heard of hamburger gravy before this thread, and part of me finds it gross, but I'm also intrigued. I may make it for dinner one night this week. It seems you can serve it over various things...would egg noodles be a good idea? Or what? One of my kids doesn't like mashed potatoes, but we could do biscuits or noodles or something. I don't like rice myself, so no rice. 

[KungFuPanda]

White gravy is for people who haven't the patience or skill to darken the roux a bit. White gravy is a lesser gravy! My DH never had breakfast gravy or grits until he met me. It's not something they ever ate in Brooklyn-Jersey-Connecticut.

 

I'd avoid serving Lipton Tea or bagged white bread. My German aunt always serves really good, whole-grain breads with her meals. She's also big on quality pastries for breakfast. I'd probably go All-American on them and roast some turkey breasts with several fresh veggie sides.

[The Girls' Mom]

I grew up in the PNW but with Amish/Mennonite heritage.  We  made the white sauce and add fried hamburger to it---with lots of pepper.   Hamburger gravy was served over cornbread, biscuits, toast or baked potatoes.  Creamed eggs, which is sliced hard-boiled eggs in a white sauce, was eaten over biscuits or toast.   Both are favorites of mine, along with sausage gravy, which I first ate in the South.  My husband is from New York, and won't touch any of it.

 

I still make white sauce and I use it as a base instead of cream of whatever canned soup or as the base for macaroni and cheese.  

 

Honestly, until I got out in the world, I thought Hamburger Gravy was only a very typical Mennonite/Amish German heritage dish. 

Hamburger Gravy over toast = S.O.S. ( s_____ on a shingle ) It was a staple meal for my Granny.  

[Chelli]

Interesting...in a good way!  Do you mean biscuits -- as in Southern-style biscuits -- or English-style biscuits (e.g., cookies)?  

 

Southern style biscuits. The same kind you'd put sausage gravy on, but instead do chocolate gravy.

[KungFuPanda]

Orrrr... it could be for people who actually like it.

 

I really hope you're joking with those statements. I'm going to assume you are, because I don't want to have to put you on my ignore list now. (LOL)

I stand by my assertion that snow white gravy is a flavorless paste and reflects poorly on the cook and all her ancestors!

 

Breakfast gravy makes me emotional. I have a northern husband and suburban children. The kids won't eat it and DH would have a heart attack if he got it more than a few times a year. Growing up, we had it EVERY weekend.

 

Don't get me started on how most brands of sausage are too lean to render enough fat for breakfast gravy. Or how that chocolate gravy tangent had better be a joke.

Edited May 24, 2016 by KungFuPanda

[Eagle]

I may give this biscuit and gravy thing a try. Can I use ground pork with some spices for the sausage or is that something different?

 

Is anything else served with it?

[Eagle]

Follow-up question:

 

Do I still butter the biscuits before putting gravy on them?

 

Ds says he will try it but wants a bowl of gravy and he will dip the biscuit instead of pouring gravy on it.

[Onceuponatime]

I stand by my assertion that snow white gravy is a flavorless paste and reflects poorly on the cook and all her .

But a good southern white gravy isn't a flavorless paste. It has a healthy dose of pepper and seasoned salt. Plus, it can be made as thin or as thick as the cook wishes. We had some tonight with our chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes. It really is just a glorified white sauce. I cooked it in the same pan that I had fried the meat in, after I scraped out the oil and burnt flour stuck to the pan.

 

Even though I live in the south now, my family originated in the northeast. Our SOS was made with dried chipped beef from a jar, and we ate grits with butter and brown sugar.

Edited May 24, 2016 by Onceuponatime

[Rachel]

Grits and fried okra are rather regional, but are biscuits and gravy? I mean, I see it in hotel breakfast buffets all over the country all the time. I didn't think that was a regional thing. Or is it?

You don't want biscuits and gravy made by a northerner unless said northerner had been taught by a southern how to make biscuits and gravy.

 

(My MIL taught me because I had never heard of biscuits and gravy before moving south. It took several years but I finally enjoy it and am pretty decent at making sausage gravy but my husband is much better at it.)

[Guest]

This whole gravy/sausage/dried beef for breakfast stuff may make me leave this thread forever. I can't abide it. Breakfast is yogurt and fruit, or scrambled eggs. :D

 

Gravy for breakfast...I want a nap by 10:00 am.

[Rachel]

I may give this biscuit and gravy thing a try. Can I use ground pork with some spices for the sausage or is that something different?

 

Is anything else served with it?

Sausage is probably fattier than ground pork (I'm not certain, just going to how it looks). The spices may be different too. You may need to add a little oil to brown the ground pork if it is too lean or the gravy may not thicken right.

 

My MIL does not serve anything with biscuits and gravy. When we have it for dinner (I'm too northern to have it for breakfast) I usually serve it with scrambled eggs and fresh fruit just because I think you need to have a fruit or vegetable at meals.

 

I don't butter my biscuits first since there is already quite a bit of butter in my biscuits. I've never seen my husband butter his first. My MiL might, but she loves butter way more than the average person.

 

My husband always crumbles his biscuits and mixes the gravy into it. I prefer to leave my biscuits whole and spoon some gravy over. Then I cut each bite with my fork.

 

I hope you enjoy it!

Edited May 24, 2016 by Rach

[KatieJ]

Ellie, you need to change your title to The Bisquits and Gravy debate!

[Ellie]

 

Even though I live in the south now, my family originated in the northeast. Our SOS was made with dried chipped beef from a jar, and we ate grits with butter and brown sugar.

 

:ack2: :ack2: :ack2: :ack2: :ack2: :ack2: :ack2: :ack2:

[bibiche]

When we still lived in NJ I never heard of biscuits and gravy (gravy is brown and goes on dinner food).

Clearly you weren't in the part of New Jersey that is near Philadelphia, because there gravy is red and goes on pasta! ;)

[bibiche]

Hamburger Gravy over toast = S.O.S. ( s_____ on a shingle ) It was a staple meal for my Granny.

Wha? I thought SOS was creamed chipped beef. I've never heard of hamburger gravy (...and kind of wish it had stayed that way. :P).

[Jenn121]

Definitely regional. I've seen it in the south and maybe the SW, but not in the NE at all. I can't recall, but think maybe it was in the Midwest, too.

We have it out here in Cali too.

[waa510]

Our British friend would tend to cook a ton of sides and one small main dish (usually lamb or chicken). So we'd have a large salad (I will second no fruit on salad...she thought that was gross), cauliflower cheese, veggie sides (fresh and steamed usually). I found her and her family/friends when they visited to want lots of veggies. 

[eternalsummer]

When we lived in NZ for a while, we were super poor, but once I ordered a hamburger at the school cafeteria.  I was missing home, I guess.

 

I watched in horror while they made it: first they fried the meat patty (fine), then an egg (why?  I have no idea), then the onions (okay, weird but okay), then the lettuce, then the tomato, then the bun, then they slopped it all together into a paper envelope thing.

 

It was actually pretty tasty.  I think it was also likely 2000 calories.  I did not order another hamburger in NZ.

 

They also put, get this, canned asparagus and cranberry jelly on their turkey sandwiches.

 

NZ food itself was really good, though - great fish and chips, meat pies, etc.  I think it's just when you eat something you think sounds like something from home that it is a bit alarming.

 

They had what in the US would be little smokies once - they boil them and then serve them with a sort of ketchup on the side.  They were not surprised when I told them we fried them, then coated them in a sugary bbq sauce.

[ErinE]

This whole gravy/sausage/dried beef for breakfast stuff may make me leave this thread forever. I can't abide it. Breakfast is yogurt and fruit, or scrambled eggs. :D

 

Gravy for breakfast...I want a nap by 10:00 am.

 

I can't handle more than two or three bites, but my husband and kids love it. 

[eternalsummer]

Follow-up question:

 

Do I still butter the biscuits before putting gravy on them?

 

Ds says he will try it but wants a bowl of gravy and he will dip the biscuit instead of pouring gravy on it.

 

Do not butter the biscuits.

 

I like my gravy on the side too, so the biscuits don't get too soggy.  I am the same with syrup and pancakes.

[Rosie_0801]

I watched in horror while they made it: first they fried the meat patty (fine), then an egg (why?  I have no idea), then the onions (okay, weird but okay), then the lettuce, then the tomato, then the bun, then they slopped it all together into a paper envelope thing.

 

What is weird about fried onions?  :confused1:

 

 

(If you'd been in Oz, you'd have got tinned beetroot and possibly pineapple on it too.)

[The Girls' Mom]

Wha? I thought SOS was creamed chipped beef. I've never heard of hamburger gravy (...and kind of wish it had stayed that way. :p).

I think Granny probably made the poor-man version..lol.  She had a lot of kids to feed and not much $$ to do it with.  It is still pretty darn good though.