A bit of Brit-Speak/Ameri-Speak humour...
Sep 3rd, 2002, 07:57 AM
#82
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Seems like lots of differences within certain areas of each country, let alone between the countries themselves.<BR><BR>In my experience a scone in England is very much like shortbread or a shortbread cake in the States.<BR><BR>Biscuits in the States are generally unsweetened, or if there is sugar in the recipe it is not the predominant taste.<BR><BR>A friend visiting us from England was amazed when my daughter ordered biscuits and gravy in a restaurant. He already knew about the biscuit thing, but couldn’t figure out the gravy which was “white” or “flour” gravy cooked with chunks of fried pork sausage and ladled generously over the biscuits.<BR><BR>He said that where he was raised in northern England gravy was ALWAYS what we Americans simply refer to as “brown gravy”.<BR><BR>Brave soul that he is, he tried the “white” gravy and went ga-ga over it. For the remainder of his trip he never failed to order biscuits and gravy (served with shredded hash browns) for breakfast. <BR>
Sep 3rd, 2002, 08:20 AM
#84
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Crumpets are doughier, moister, blander, and with smaller airholes in them. "English muffins" are dryer, often less thick, have larger airholes, tend to be chewier, and have corn meal embedded on the outside (or at least on the bottom), which gives it a distinctive taste that I've never encountered in the UK.<BR><BR>Another story: when my father died when I was about 15, friends and neighbors bestowed huge amounts of food on us. At least three gave us huge cans (tins, cannisters, metal containers, whatever) of Peak Freen "biscuits," as some sort of treat more impressive that whatever our local American cookies might have been. To our tastes, the Peak Freens were not nearly sweet enough and much too heavy, tasting more of lard than butter. None of my siblings would touch them after a while, and whenever someone would tell a stupid joke or report unsuccess at something, it was "that went over like a Peak Freen."
Sep 3rd, 2002, 08:24 AM
#85
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Think of biscuits as dumplings that never make it into a stew or soup but, instead, are baked. They have the consistency of scones (crumbly, a bit dry sometimes) but are never sweet and never have anything mixed into them except, very occasionally, cheese or bacon bits. Some biscuits get rolled with a rolling pin and are thereby less crumbly; some biscuits have more fat/butter/shortening content and are thereby more moist.
Sep 3rd, 2002, 02:39 PM
#87
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By the way, the first time I ever heard anyone say 'butt-ox' was when Tom Hanks said it in "Forrest Gump," and I assumed that it was said that way for comic effect. Forty years in the US, and I have never personally heard anyone say 'butt-ox' in real life. I've always it as butteks, accent on the first syllable.<BR><BR>Of course, my mother always referred to that part of the anatomy as the "bott" which is one I've never heard anywhere else, either.
Sep 4th, 2002, 08:08 AM
#90
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Symmetry is more likely to be South African, Australian and/or New Zealand.<BR><BR>We pronounce it cEmettry, rather than cEmetAry like you guys.<BR><BR>I'm English and "rubbers" make me giggle (perhaps I should grow up a little)<BR><BR>I still can't keep a straight face when introduced to Americans called Randy. <BR><BR>How did that ever become a name???? <BR><BR>Would you call your child Horny?
Sep 5th, 2002, 01:50 PM
#92
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Here's a question for the Brits about Lloyd Webber's major song from "Evita," "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina." At least in the US, it's almost universally interpreted as if it were exactly the same as "Don't Weep for Me, Argentina," yet if you read the lyrics carefully, it seems to me it's much more along the lines of "Don't Call Out for Me, Argentina." <BR><BR>Right.<BR>
Sep 9th, 2002, 03:14 PM
#95
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Some years ago the Cambridge Evening News (that's the original Cambridge, in England) about some dimwit yank who asked one of the porters in Kings Collge:<BR><BR>Gee, is this college Pre-war?<BR><BR>Answer: Madam, this college is Pre America.<BR><BR>Priceless.
