Lost in Translation: How Dishes Evolve

Yes, I'll second that I've eaten possibly a thousand full English breakfasts, and the only time I ever got hash browns was in 2017 at the motorway service area on the M4, somewhere between Heathrow and Reading or thereabouts.

I wouldn't have been so offended, except they were horribly prepared. :laugh:
 
TastyReuben said:
Interesting topic. We do have a Chinese place near us, in a town with a little Chinese community, and they have two menus - one with "proper" Chinese dishes like they'd make in the family's town in China, and one with the typical dishes you'd see in an American Chinese restaurant.

When we travel, I just eat what sounds good at the time. The restaurant experience is so different to us in Europe, apart from the fast food stuff, so we just go with the flow. I do sometimes like to order American dishes overseas, just to see how they'll interpret them. I remember way back in the '90's, before it was trendy, ordering "classic American-style BBQ ribs," and finding chunks of mango in the sauce. Of course, those kinds of things aren't that hard to find nowadays, but it was a little unusual then, and especially marketed as "Just like your Gran would make" - my grandma wouldn't have known a mango if one came up, kissed her on all four cheeks, and said, "Hi, I'm a mango!"

I also had hot wings once, "straight from America!" - and they were whole chicken wings, tips and all.
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I adore such stories. You might have written it before, but if you don't mind repeating ,what is the traditional American breakfast? It changes over time too, so your Grandma's breakfast might not be your Mom's or your wife's...generationally, economically circumstances were different...the daily physical requirements were possibly different too, working on a farm 5am to 5pm is vastly different from a sitting say office job etc...
 
Timenspace said:
Oh I love reading this. Could you please tell us some more about the milk in the tea?
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Milk in tea? Now that's how to start a fight in Britain. Some insist the milk goes in the mug first - they are wrong and their whole life is a sham. The tea goes in first followed by the milk so you can achieve the desired depth of colour. Personally I like my tea the colour of He-Man's skin, Lullabelle like hers darker.
 
I don't make hash browns, but I do make a breakfast hash with crispy fried potatoes, onions, red bell pepper, mushrooms, and some sort of meat like corned beef, ham, or chopped deli turkey. I fry it up until it's nice and crispy and smash it into a round shape and top it with fried eggs. My husband loves this dish. I guess it's a take on corned beef hash, which I have actually seen in a can (ugh) on the store shelves but never eaten or tasted before. I have no idea where the corned beef hash stuff comes from but it sounds icky.
 
The Velvet Curtain said:
Two types of bacon- no, you would never get streaky on a proper fry up.
Hash brown - again no, it is an American abhomination and has no place on a British breakfast plate. The only place you should get hash browns is at McDonalds, and if you go to McDonalds for breakfast then you will get everything you deserve.
Fried Bread and Toast - one or the other, not both.
As for the portion size, expect a sausage, an egg, two rashers of bacon, beans, half a tomato, black pudding and occasionally mushrooms along with your chosen cooked bread.
You would also expect the tea cup to be full, if you gave a British person a half full mug of tea they would tut under their breath and silently plot your murder.
As for the condiments, there should be red sauce, brown sauce and English mustard available.

Not that I have any strong opinions on the subject :whistling:
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I didn't take note of the bottle in the photo with the Fry Up Police label on it. The bottle looks to be HP Sauce. Funny how the Fry Up Police are all about crimes against breakfast, and yet they serve up this clear violation. Perhaps an internal investigation is in order!
 
TastyReuben said:
Yes, I'll second that I've eaten possibly a thousand full English breakfasts, and the only time I ever got hash browns was in 2017 at the motorway service area on the M4, somewhere between Heathrow and Reading or thereabouts.

I wouldn't have been so offended, except they were horribly prepared. :laugh:
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Yes, the hash browns served up here tend to be the mass produced frozen ones. I'm sure a proper hash brown made with care by somebody who know their trade could be a thing of beauty.
 
JAS_OH1 said:
I don't make hash browns, but I do make a breakfast hash with crispy fried potatoes, onions, red bell pepper, mushrooms, and some sort of meat like corned beef, ham, or chopped deli turkey. I fry it up until it's nice and crispy and smash it into a round shape and top it with fried eggs. My husband loves this dish. I guess it's a take on corned beef hash, which I have actually seen in a can (ugh) on the store shelves but never eaten or tasted before. I have no idea where the corned beef hash stuff comes from but it sounds icky.
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Corned beef hash can be qujite good if made properly, and I don't mean reheated out of a can. There is a place we used to go for breakfast pre-COVID that makes theirs from scratch. Craig loves it. I've tried to reproduce it and have gotten close, but no cigar yet. Discovered they put a small amount of their half-sour dills and some juice in it though when I literally picked it apart 1 day. It's something I make for him, probably wouldn't for myself, too much work and it's not that big of a thing for me.
 
The Velvet Curtain said:
Milk in tea? Now that's how to start a fight in Britain. Some insist the milk goes in the mug first - they are wrong and their whole life is a sham. The tea goes in first followed by the milk so you can achieve the desired depth of colour. Personally I like my tea the colour of He-Man's skin, Lullabelle like hers darker.
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😂He Man? No idea, but will find out.😂

How fascinating! There is my new conversation starter, hopefully I will not be knocked out, How do you like your milk in the tea🤩 Definitely I would vote for the tea first, tea IS the main drink after all, milk just a few drops... This is so much fun, and you learn a lot! Thank you! May I ask which tea blend for breakfast?
 
Timenspace said:
I adore such stories. You might have written it before, but if you don't mind repeating ,what is the traditional American breakfast? It changes over time too, so your Grandma's breakfast might not be your Mom's or your wife's...generationally, economically circumstances were different...the daily physical requirements were possibly different too, working on a farm 5am to 5pm is vastly different from a sitting say office job etc...
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That would vary depending on the region. In the Northern states Cream of Wheat is very popular (I have never had it) and in the South, people don't eat that but they like grits.

I don't guess there is any typical American breakfast, really, though usually it consists of some sort of meat like ham, steak, bacon, or sausage, with eggs (fried or scrambled), toast, and perhaps some fried potato chunks (or hash browns).

Some people in the US might just eat a bowl of oatmeal or yogurt with fruit, or a bowl of cereal with milk.

Biscuits and gravy is popular as well, with the biscuits not being sweet cookies like in the UK. Our biscuits are not sweet (unless you put preserves or honey on them). The gravy is sausage gravy that is poured over the open biscuit.

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The Late Night Gourmet said:
I didn't take note of the bottle in the photo with the Fry Up Police label on it. The bottle looks to be HP Sauce. Funny how the Fry Up Police are all about crimes against breakfast, and yet they serve up this clear violation. Perhaps an internal investigation is in order!
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I have no objection to a bottle of brown sauce on the cafe table, because the common people can't resist applying it to their food. At least then you know who they are and can avoid accidentally talking to them :D
 
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