Crushed ice in Europe
 

OMG, today, it has finally happened. Rewe supermarkets in Germany sell 2 kilo bags of crushed ice for 2.49€ !!!

How could this happen. Why would anybody want or need or buy ice in bags anyway.

In retaliation, they removed all the american candy, no more Hot Tamales, Mike and Ike or Butterfingers, they are illegal and contain poisonous genetically engineered materials.
Oreos, however, are still there to buy.??

"Why would anybody want or need or buy ice in bags anyway."

Lots of reasons. To fill a cooler usually

Please note you said "Why would anybody" not why would any eurpoean

Best way to keep drinks cold outdoors for a party in the summer.

I can remember buying it in bags in the US.
We drove from coast to coast with a portable cooler in the car,

I had knee surgery right before our trip last September and it caused me quite a bit of pain. An ice pack would have given me some relief at the end of the day. I took a couple of those instant ice packs but they only lasted for a very short time.

And yes, for some people, it's great to keep food and drinks cold for a picnic on the road.

Albert Heijn has started selling it too I noticed. I didn't look at the price though.

We used ice in a cooler in the US but here in Europe we either use our 12v one in the car, or use freezer packs in one.

I can see it would be good for keeping the beer/wine cool at a BBQ say - but that assumes it will ever get warm enough to need ice :).

We used ice in a cooler in the US but here in Europe we either use our 12v one in the car,

But ice keeps soft drinks colder than a battery.

Hi H,

>....that assumes it will ever get warm enough to need ice .....<

I was in Finland one year for a week. The high temp ranged from 32 to 36 C.

They were icing their drinks in Helsinki.

((I))

Oreos are made in Finland for sale in Europe. No M ingredients.

Aduchamp - my soft drinks are already cold when they go in the cooler, and they stay cold. I also use the same cooler for pick-nick food, or even for bringing home French meat and cheese, so can't have everything swimming in ice/water.

ira we get temps like that too but so far not this year. It was a cool, grey May with only a few hot days at the end to cheer things up, (the dullest May for 20 odd years) and June is also cool and not as sunny as normal so far. Hopefully things will perk up soon, and I'll be glad of cold drinks. ;)

Hot tamales are poisonous? What is genetically modified a hot tamale? I thought it was 100% chemical anyways.

That should be "What is genetically modified IN a hot tamale?

No idea, must be something in there! Genetically modified starch? The only thing of the "american" sction that is left, except for the Oreos, are noodles with fake cheese gravy. They want 3.50€ for THAT, I'd rather buy barilla, tomato paste and dutch cheese. Far cheaper and a lot better.

But anyway, it's amazing they're selling cheese gravy. (And that some people are actually buying this?)

Must be only a part of REWEs, possibly only in Muncih or Bavaria. My Rewe here (great shop, open till midnight!) has had no american products so far. Certainly no cheese gravy.

They're selling cheese gravy over THERE because over HERE we've finally started to figure out how bad that stuff can be...do you think Europeans SMOKE more than Americans do, too???????

wow I can't imagine getting thru a day without ice! I simply cannot drink a soda (soft drink) even if its already cold - without ice! Guess I'll have to settle for water during my trip.I hope most beer is served cold - I heard it is in Bavaria. I will drink red wine at room temp, but like white wine chilled.

As far as cheese gravy goes - lived in the US all my life and never heard of it! Now cheese SAUCE, that's another matter. :)

Europe is different than the USA! That´s why we sell crushed ice! hahahaha!
They even sell it in Winter!

Warm beer and cigarettes are definitely a "European thing" I guess.

>Warm beer and cigarettes are definitely a "European thing" I guess.

I don't know about cigarettes being European (Marlboro man, a typical European culture symbol... yeah right) but where the h... is beer supposed to be warm? It can be in a badly run pace, which is a sign of how badly the place is run.. but beer is served cold!
(not at zero degrees of course, you have to taste it, not to deaden your taste buds)

>wow I can't imagine getting thru a day without ice! I simply cannot drink a soda (soft drink) even if its already cold - without ice!

Heaven beware, otherwise you might even taste something. Wouldn't it be horrible?

alta says,

>beer is served cold!
(not at zero degrees of course, ......<

No. About 50, which is considered "cool" in the US. We drink beer that has cooled down to about 35 F.

The only time I had a cold beer in Europe was a boat ride on the Thames. The beer kegs were kept in the bilge and actually got cold.

((I))

I believe, the difference between a cold beer in the US and in Bavaria is about 10C. They really drink their beer when it's almost freezing. I believe that's because of the stange way it tastes. Otoh Coca Cola tastes "best" at about room temperature, maybe a little less.

Beer at 2 degrees C??? How can you even taste anything? They can serve you horse p*ss and you still won't taste the difference at that temperature...

Same with white wine - if it's at 10 degrees it's fine, but som people actually put it into freezer!!!

Kids go out to crush ice in the creek every winter. Nothing new in Switzerland.

When we lived in Vienna, you could only buy ice cream in the summer and iced drinks were extremely rare. I was told by a local friend that Austrians felt very cold foods/drinks were bad for your health. I must say I really thought that was strange.

A gazillion people buy bags of ice cubes or crushed ice every day - usually for outdor BBQs, picnics, day at the beach or similar - when the regulation 4 trays of cubes in their fridge just aren;t nearly enough.

Just remembering back to different World Fairs in the USA and how Americans consumed so much ice with their drinks. It surprised a lot of countries who never planned for the amount of ice Americans would want.

I like ice in everything. Frozen margaritas especially!! Or on the rocks!!

We take plastic ice cream containers and make ice in our freezer so we have plenty of ice.

<< Otoh Coca Cola tastes "best" at about room temperature, maybe a little less. >>

Warm Coke is what you take for a stomach ache (not that I would do that since I'm not a Coke fan).

Logos - you want some black market Mike & Ike's?

As I recall, beer and ale in England was served at room temperature. And when I made my own, I always drank it at room temperature; you can taste it better.

I seem to recall that many years ago, many Europeans thought using ice was unhealthy, except for sprains, etc.

Last year in Rothenburg we went to a little restaurant for dinner. We ordered 2 waters and when they came, there was ice in them! Quite a surprise for sure, after having been traveling for two months with hardly an ice cube in sight.

We were beaming from ear to ear. I said shocked, "Look, there's ice!" The waitress practically cracked up. She was so sweet. Each time she filled our water she brought more ice...it was like Christmas. The other waitresses got quite a kick out of it too. Those crazy Americans, they must have thought, frozen water makes them happy.

I guess it comes down to what you are accustomed to. At home we use ice in all our drinks. It is just a given.

>you want some black market Mike & Ike's?
Yes, if you know a good not too expensive source of all kinds of "frank'n'food" genetically engineered candy that would be great. Made by Mars and others.

Not too long ago, they dicovered a few "Butterfingers" at a gas station, later raided by police. I believe "Butterfingers" have disappeared completely from the market.

http://www.netlink.de/gen/Zeitung/1999/990714.htm

Use to buy crushed at the Tankstelle but glad I can get it there now.
Need to cool champagne :-) Only for parties - the regular bottle fits in to the fridge ;-)

SV ((@))

Funny, you noticed it too. :-). I was thinking what's inside this new and rather big thing that's standing there...
Ice cream? No, ice, only ice.

I'm an American and apparently in the minority because I rarely use ice. I usually specifically ask for my drinks without ice in restaurants. The water or iced tea or soft drinks are already cold anyways. And I rarely drink Coke, but when I do I prefer a nice, warm can. For whatever reason its the only way I can drink it. We never have ice cubes in our house unless we are expecting visitors, and we often forget to make ice and end up having to buy the bags. I have no problems traveling around Europe without ice.

At our café in Paris, we sold the beer extremely cold in the hot months and somewhat less so in the winter. Ice was unlimited upon request; after all, the ice machine was churning it out all day. We did not get very many requests.

Most Europeans do not want their beverages diluted. But there's no reason to be surprised that Americans do -- they want everything half strength. Just look at their coffee.

in the Uk we sell mashed potato. Unbelievable

Travelling in Germany and feeling a need for ice, ask for it at a gas station. Also a good place for buying food and drinks, when other shops are closed.

As I recall, beer and ale in England was served at room temperature.>>>

Noooooooo!

For the last bloody time it's seved at cellar temperature.

That's quite a bit colder than room temperature.

It means you can taste it.

Cellar Temp: 12C/53F.

In other late breaking news, Europeans are now using toilet paper.

In civilised parts of the world toilet paper is not used as people have learnt to wash their bottoms in running watr. Unfortunatly in Europe and America this is just a dream as they insist on not having clean bottoms.

Still I understand that during the Crusades Saladin didn't mind fighting the christians; but the smell...

Weird aint it