# Across the Pond Language Barrier-what does that mean?!?!



## goofy girl (Aug 26, 2008)

Ok, so sometimes (ok...always) when Steve and I are watching a cozy mystery or BBC show or whatever it is, there is always some term that I have no idea what they mean. I'm sure I'm not the only one..so let's help each other out here!! 

Ok, here are my first few: (very sorry if any of these are naughty words, but I have no idea what they mean so I don't know if they are or not lol)

I also apologize for any spelling mistakes:

1) Prat

2)Barmy

3) Bullocks

4) chuffed

5) owt


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## BigBeautifulMe (Aug 26, 2008)

These are my guesses:

Prat - stuck-up snob
Barmy - NO idea. lol
Bollocks - balls (yes, the ones you're thinking of). It's usually used as an expletive much like we'd use "shit" or "fuck"
Chuffed - extremely happy about
owt - again, no clue.

What's my score, Brit professors? Lol


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## JiminOR (Aug 26, 2008)

prat = idiot

barmy = mad, as in the mad hatter 

bollocks = slang term for testicles, but when you call something bollocks it means you think it's garbage, or bullshit. However, if someone says something like 'that's the dogs bollocks' that means it's actually quite good.

chuffed = pleased, happy

owt = anything, 'is there owt in that sack'?

I watch quite a bit of BBC too, I just kind of figure things out by context mostly.


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## BigBeautifulMe (Aug 26, 2008)

oooooh, aught! owt = aught. I should have figured that out. lol


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## Gingembre (Aug 27, 2008)

JiminOR said:


> prat = idiot
> 
> barmy = mad, as in the mad hatter
> 
> ...



All correct! Altho "chuffed" means pleased more than it does happy....like, you'd be chuffed to win a prize/pass your exams, but if you were just in a good mood, you wouldn't say you were chuffed.


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## JiminOR (Aug 27, 2008)

Gingembre said:


> All correct! Altho "chuffed" means pleased more than it does happy....like, you'd be chuffed to win a prize/pass your exams, but if you were just in a good mood, you wouldn't say you were chuffed.



I'm just chuffed that I figured out your strange moon language.


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## Gingembre (Aug 27, 2008)

Moon language??! *confused*


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## BeautifulPoeticDisaster (Aug 27, 2008)

I'll add a few...

*Fanny* means Vagina
*Bonnet* means hood of the car
*Boot* means trunk of the car
*Bird* is an affectionate term you call your girlfriends..kinda like chick
*Chav* is a lower class, usually young anti social person who drives around in crazy modified cheap cars, lol (some say it stands for Council House and Vauxhall)
*Nip*....as in I'll just nip to the shop.
*Pants* are underpants and *trousers* are pants.
*Vests* are tanktops
*Cloakroom* often means a small downstairs toilet
*Torch* is a flashlight
*1st floor *of a building is actually what the US would call the 2nd floor
*Mobile* is your cell phone
*Holiday* means vacation
*Motorbike* is a motorcycle
*Pushbike* is a bicycle
*Garage* is the place you keep the car, the place you take the car for fuel and the place you take the car to be fixed.
*Chips* are french fries except skinny chips are fries 
*Crisps* are potato chips but tortilla chips are still called tortilla chips???
*Toilet Roll*...is obvious but if you say toilet paper people look at you funny
*Rubbish* is garbage and you pin it in the *bin*, there is no such thing as a garbage can, lol or the garbage man, it is the *dust bin lorry*.
*Lorry*....a big rig truck
*Saloon* is a 4 door car, what is called the Sedan in the US.
*Estate* is a station wagon
*3 door car.*...is a hatchback and a 5 door car is a 4 door hatchback
*Gerkins* are pickles
*Pickle* is a sweet onion paste type thing you put on sandwiches (it comes in all sorts of flavours, not just onion)
*Pudding* is dessert of all different sorts, not just well you know..pudding.
*Tea *is not just something you drink..it is also dinner
*Sat Nav* is GPS
*Cow* is a woman...ie Silly Cow...it's playful and not as bad as it sounds
*Loo*...is a toilet


I'm sure I could come up with loads more....but these are the main ones I use every day. It really has been like learning a new language. Not only that but the way sentences are phrased is different as is intonation. CRAZY!


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## Wagimawr (Aug 27, 2008)

Gingembre said:


> Moon language??! *confused*


Apparently the green fields of England are merely green cheese.


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## BeautifulPoeticDisaster (Aug 27, 2008)

Wagimawr said:


> Apparently the green fields of England are merely green cheese.



The cheese here is.......a w e s o m e....though it isnt very green


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## MancFA (Aug 27, 2008)

BigBellySSBBW said:


> I'll add a few...
> 
> *Cow* is a woman...ie Silly Cow...it's playful and not as bad as it sounds



Lol its really not playful in my experience, it can be at times i guess but generally, atleast for guys its a big no


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## JiminOR (Aug 27, 2008)

Gingembre said:


> Moon language??! *confused*



In other words, not proper uhmerkan english.


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## BeautifulPoeticDisaster (Aug 27, 2008)

MancFA said:


> Lol its really not playful in my experience, it can be at times i guess but generally, atleast for guys its a big no



True, my husband would die if he ever called me that again (he made the mistake once, years ago) but the women at work...well we call eachother all sorts and it don't matter.


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## Ashlynne (Aug 27, 2008)

http://www.peevish.co.uk/slang/


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## BeautifulPoeticDisaster (Aug 27, 2008)

Ashlynne said:


> http://www.peevish.co.uk/slang/



That's not very fun though! you are supposed to post what you know!


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## disconnectedsmile (Aug 27, 2008)

BigBelly, this is amazing. thank you for your post. i feel so enlightened!

*prepares to flirt with pixelpops and bexy* :happy:


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## BeautifulPoeticDisaster (Aug 27, 2008)

disconnectedsmile said:


> BigBelly, this is amazing. thank you for your post. i feel so enlightened!
> 
> *prepares to flirt with pixelpops and bexy* :happy:




LOL. It has taken some time to remember to call things the right thing. Oh yeah and PETROL is gas, basically. It's a Petrol Station not a gas station...that one catches me out nearly every dang time, lol.

You should come here and use what you learned


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## disconnectedsmile (Aug 27, 2008)

BigBellySSBBW said:


> LOL. It has taken some time to remember to call things the right thing. Oh yeah and PETROL is gas, basically. It's a Petrol Station not a gas station...that one catches me out nearly every dang time, lol.
> 
> You should come here and use what you learned


*prepares to flirt with BigBellySSBBW*


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## BigBeautifulMe (Aug 27, 2008)

If you're going to do that, you might want to hide from her husband.


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## olwen (Aug 27, 2008)

goofy girl said:


> Ok, so sometimes (ok...always) when Steve and I are watching a cozy mystery or BBC show or whatever it is, there is always some term that I have no idea what they mean. I'm sure I'm not the only one..so let's help each other out here!!
> 
> Ok, here are my first few: (very sorry if any of these are naughty words, but I have no idea what they mean so I don't know if they are or not lol)
> 
> ...


okay, before I look at other responses I'm gonna try my hand at the britishisms

1. Prat - an annoying jerk, can't think of an american english equivalent actually.... dillhole maybe
2. Barmy - dunno that one. I'd have to hear the context
3. bollocks, means balls. It's just a sort of expletive like dang
4. chuffed = tired
5. owt - probably just the british pronunciation of out.


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## olwen (Aug 27, 2008)

JiminOR said:


> prat = idiot
> 
> barmy = mad, as in the mad hatter
> 
> ...



Oh balls, I always mix up "chuffed." I was close on prat, and I was off on owt too. Oh well.


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## Emma (Aug 28, 2008)

BigBellySSBBW said:


> I'll add a few...
> 
> [
> *Bird* is an affectionate term you call your girlfriends..kinda like chick
> ...



Yeah you're spot on with most but up here CHAV is sometimes short for 'council house and violent' and bird isn't really an affectionate word, it's more of a 'look at that bird over there she looks like a right go-er'.


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## goofy girl (Aug 28, 2008)

CurvyEm said:


> Yeah you're spot on with most but up here CHAV is sometimes short for 'council house and violent' and bird isn't really an affectionate word, it's more of a 'look at that bird over there she looks like a right go-er'.



umm..Ok...so what is a "right go-er"??

Chuffed sounds like a negative thing--like Olwen said, maybe tired, or irritated. I never would have thought it meant something positive!!


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## garbled (Aug 28, 2008)

a girl referred to as a "right go-er " would be a girl who would be up for sex and lots of it without a lot of persuasion.ie a lady of easy virtue.


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## JiminOR (Aug 28, 2008)

goofy girl said:


> umm..Ok...so what is a "right go-er"??



It means she's up for a bit of nudge nudge wink wink know what I mean say no more say no more.


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## BeautifulPoeticDisaster (Aug 28, 2008)

I thought of a couple more today....

*Nappy* is a baby's diaper
*Dummy* is a binki or pacifier
*Pram* is a buggy
*Push* *Chair* is a stroller
*Cot* is a baby's crib not something you camp on.
*Trolley* is a shopping cart
*Tram* is what the US would call a trolly
A bus is public transportation, but then there is a *coach *which is a long hall bus....but don't call it a bus, lol
*Post* is the mail
*A letter box* is the hole in the door that the postman put the post though. No one has mailboxes and the postman does not collect the mail from your house...you have to take it to a *post box* (akin to the big blue mail boxes except they are red and randomly placed) or the post office.
*Quid *is to Pound (£) what buck is to Dollar ($)
*Tenner* is a £10 note
*Fiver* is a £5 note
*Petrol *is fuel for your car
*Handbag* is a purse 
*Purse* is a wallet for women. (For men a wallet is a wallet)
*Hob* is the stove
*Cooker* is the over
*Tyre* is a tire (a bit obvious, lol)
*Cinema *is the movie theatre. The title Theatre is reserved for live performance.
*Film* is a movie (again a bit obvious but no one ever says "I'm going to see a movie at the theatre." They say "I'm going to the cinema to see a film.")
*A Curry* is a number of Indian dishes that come in lots of flavours and range from mild to super duper omg I'm going to die hot. 
*Chippy* is a fish and chip shop
*Canteen* is the cafeteria
*Lollipop Lady *is the crossing guard
*Level Crossing* is a railroad crossing
*Jumper* is a sweatshirt or sweater
*Settee* is the couch which can also be refered to as the sofa no matter the size.
*Duvet* is a comforter without a cover....when you buy a bedding set it does not come with a comforter but rather duvet covers.
*Courgette* is a zucchini
*Squash* is a concentrated fruit flavoured liquid that you add to water for drinking.
*Digestive* is a type of cookie you eat when you drink tea.
*Biscuit* is a cookie, but a cookie can also be a cookie. (confusing, I know!)
*Sweeties* are non chocolate flavoured candy. Gummie things, fruit flavoured things. (I have never heard the word candy out here)
*Chocolate* Bar is a candy bar
*Crumpet* is an English muffin.
*Washing up Liquid *is dish liquid
*Cling film* is saran wrap
*Hoovering* is vacuuming
*A Stone* is 14lbs. It makes no sense really but that is how body weight is measured...in stones. Take your weight and divide it by 14 and that is what you weigh in stones. The confusing part is that they use Kilograms as well.
*Chemist* is a pharmacist.


Ok that all for this lesson, lol. Stay tuned, I am sure I will think of more, lol.


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## olwen (Aug 28, 2008)

I found out a few weeks ago that clotted cream = fudge, I nearly gagged. Why o why would anyone eat clotted cream, but then why o why would anyone eat fudge? LOL


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## Pixelpops (Aug 28, 2008)

Clotted cream and fudge are different things. You can get fudge that is flavoured/made with clotted cream though.

Fudge is awesome!

Fudge Fudge Fudge.. I think I said it too much >_<


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## olwen (Aug 28, 2008)

Pixelpops said:


> Clotted cream and fudge are different things. You can get fudge that is flavoured/made with clotted cream though.
> 
> Fudge is awesome!
> 
> Fudge Fudge Fudge.. I think I said it too much >_<



Huh?

I had eaten a piece of candy that looked to me like - caramel colored fudge. At first I thought it was just a square of caramel, but then my co-worker said it was fudge. So then what is clotted cream?


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## Smushygirl (Aug 28, 2008)

olwen said:


> Huh?
> 
> So then what is clotted cream?



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

I love it!!! If I could fill a bathtub with it I would!!!


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## olwen (Aug 28, 2008)

Smushygirl said:


> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clotted_cream
> 
> I love it!!! If I could fill a bathtub with it I would!!!



So now it's cream cheese?!  I give up.


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## Smushygirl (Aug 28, 2008)

olwen said:


> So now it's cream cheese?!  I give up.




It's not cream cheese, it's like the creamiest butter. It's like almost butter but not quite. It's wonderful! 

I have seen fudge made with clotted cream, though.


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## Smushygirl (Aug 28, 2008)

olwen said:


> So now it's cream cheese?!  I give up.



You live in NYC, take yourself and a friend to high tea at a fancy hotel. Trust me, you'll love it!


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## Sandie S-R (Aug 28, 2008)

olwen said:


> So now it's cream cheese?!  I give up.



Clotted cream is like a cross between heavy cream and butter. You spread it on scones and or bread with jam. It is like unsalted very creamy butter.


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## Shosh (Aug 28, 2008)

BigBellySSBBW said:


> I thought of a couple more today....
> 
> *Nappy* is a baby's diaper
> *Dummy* is a binki or pacifier
> ...



Most of those words are the same in Australian English also.


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## olwen (Aug 28, 2008)

Smushygirl said:


> You live in NYC, take yourself and a friend to high tea at a fancy hotel. Trust me, you'll love it!





Sandie S-R said:


> Clotted cream is like a cross between heavy cream and butter. You spread it on scones and or bread with jam. It is like unsalted very creamy butter.



Okay, so it's a churned milk product. LOL I can barely afford to have low tea from a coffee truck let alone high tea at a fancy hotel, but I may take a trip to Fairway, Whole Foods, or Trader Joe's to see if they have it and I'll give it a try.


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## Emma (Aug 29, 2008)

I've always wondered what an English muffin was, now I know! lol


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## BeautifulPoeticDisaster (Aug 29, 2008)

CurvyEm said:


> I've always wondered what an English muffin was, now I know! lol


 

LOL. They are soooo yummy!! I feel like I should write a dictionary, lol.oh wait...already have!


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## Emma (Aug 29, 2008)

BigBellySSBBW said:


> LOL. They are soooo yummy!! I feel like I should write a dictionary, lol.oh wait...already have!



I actually really dislike crumpets, urgh *shivers* You should haha. You should also update your LJ about your holiday!


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## Shosh (Aug 29, 2008)

CurvyEm said:


> I actually really dislike crumpets, urgh *shivers* You should haha. You should also update your LJ about your holiday!



Crumpets are a Nanna food.


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## ChubbyBubbles (Aug 29, 2008)

BigBellySSBBW said:


> I'll add a few...
> 
> *Fanny* means Vagina
> *Bonnet* means hood of the car
> ...




Thanks for the "English" lesson...VERY interesting!


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## Gingembre (Aug 29, 2008)

That was a well interesting list, Donni - I had no idea there were so many variations!

But...if crumpets are english muffins, what are muffins (not the cake ones, the bread roll ones)??

Oh - thanks everyone for the "moon language" definitions!


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## BigBeautifulMe (Aug 29, 2008)

Perhaps this will help, Gingembre:

American words for these:

View attachment blueberry muffin.jpg


Picture above: "Muffin"

View attachment english muffin.jpg


Picture above: "English Muffin"

View attachment cupcake.jpg


Picture Above: "Cupcake"

View attachment biscuit.jpg


Picture Above: "Biscuit"

View attachment cookie.jpg


Picture Above: "Cookie"



Hope that helps.


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## Shosh (Aug 29, 2008)

BigBeautifulMe said:


> Perhaps this will help, Gingembre:
> 
> American words for these:
> 
> ...




The fourth pic is of a scone, not a biscuit.


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## Shosh (Aug 29, 2008)

View attachment what03.jpg




Here are some biscuits. Australia's famous Tim Tam biscuits. Yum!


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## Smushygirl (Aug 29, 2008)

Susannah said:


> The fourth pic is of a scone, not a biscuit.




Sweetie, the fourth picture is of an American Southern style biscuit!

Tim Tams are delicious, but they would be called cookies here in America.


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## Shosh (Aug 29, 2008)

Smushygirl said:


> Sweetie, the fourth picture is of an American Southern style biscuit!
> 
> Tim Tams are delicious, but they would be called cookies here in America.



Oh, But we are talking about across the pond names, no? Like in the UK? Now I am really confused!

That fourth pic is what is known in the UK and Australia as a scone. The fifth pic is a cookie. My pic is a biscuit.

Well they are all yummy!


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## Smushygirl (Aug 29, 2008)

BigBeautifulMe said:


> *Perhaps this will help, Gingembre:
> 
> American words for these:*





Susannah said:


> Oh, But we are talking about across the pond names, no? Like in the UK? Now I am really confused!
> 
> That fourth pic is what is known in the UK and Australia as a scone. The fifth pic is a cookie. My pic is a biscuit.
> 
> Well they are all yummy!



Sorry didn't mean to confuse you! Ginny's was referring to what Americans call those things. An American biscuit is *nothing* like a scone. May look like one, but isn't.


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## Pixelpops (Aug 29, 2008)

Gingembre said:


> But...if crumpets are english muffins, what are muffins (not the cake ones, the bread roll ones)??



Crumpets and English Muffins are different things. 

English Muffins, like you said, are like bread rolls. Crumpets are sort of like really thick, small pancakes.

This whole biscuit debate is very confusing to me on a seperate note >_<


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## BigBeautifulMe (Aug 29, 2008)

Yeah, Susannah, I was giving the AMERICAN names for things with those pics. Thanks, Smush.


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## Shosh (Aug 29, 2008)

View attachment images.jpg



Here is a crumpet. Crumpets and English muffins are different, that is true.


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## Gingembre (Aug 29, 2008)

Pixelpops said:


> Crumpets and English Muffins are different things.
> 
> English Muffins, like you said, are like bread rolls. Crumpets are sort of like really thick, small pancakes.
> 
> This whole biscuit debate is very confusing to me on a seperate note >_<



Thanks, I thought i was going a bit crazy, like, i dreamt up muffins or something! I don't get the biscuit thing either.....especially how it is eaten with anything other than butter/jam/cream! Mmmm cream tea! Lol!

In my world, muffin:











Crumpet:





The word "muffin" makes me chuckle too!


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## Shosh (Aug 29, 2008)

BigBeautifulMe said:


> Yeah, Susannah, I was giving the AMERICAN names for things with those pics. Thanks, Smush.



Sorry lovey! I think I like the name biscuit for a scone though. I may just use that now. It makes it sound more substancial or something. Give me some biscuits and gravy.

Generally scones here are eaten with jam ( What you call jelly) and cream. 
You can also have savoury scones also.

What you call Jell O, we call jelly! Are we all speaking English here?

My head is swimming.


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## JiminOR (Aug 29, 2008)

Susannah said:


> The fourth pic is of a scone, not a biscuit.



Yeah, that's definitely not a scone. We have scones here in Freedomslyvania too, an american biscuit is not the same thing at all.


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## Shosh (Aug 29, 2008)

You say Tomayto and I say Tomato.


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## goofy girl (Aug 29, 2008)

American biscuits are very light and fluffy, and our scones are very dense and flour-y.

Crumpets look yummy!


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## Shosh (Aug 29, 2008)

goofy girl said:


> American biscuits are very light and fluffy, and our scones are very dense and flour-y.
> 
> Crumpets look yummy!



Scones are so yummy. I like them dense and floury. I had one a few days ago actually with jam and cream, and a lovely cup of tea. Very regal, very refined it was.


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## JerseyGirl07093 (Aug 29, 2008)

Ok, this is _kinda _ off topic, but as I was reading this thread I was just giggling to myself and thinking....
muffin
cupcake
biscuit
cookie
Could also be slang terms for a woman's...well, you know....

(Or is it just me?!)

*goes back to giggling in corner, hopes noone thinks I'm crazy*


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## Shosh (Aug 29, 2008)

JerseyGirl07093 said:


> Ok, this is _kinda _ off topic, but as I was reading this thread I was just giggling to myself and thinking....
> muffin
> cupcake
> biscuit
> ...



I call my nephew my little muffin.


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## olwen (Aug 29, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Sorry lovey! I think I like the name biscuit for a scone though. I may just use that now. It makes it sound more substancial or something. Give me some biscuits and gravy.
> 
> Generally scones here are eaten with jam ( What you call jelly) and cream.
> You can also have savoury scones also.
> ...



We say Jam too. But, Jelly and Jam are different here. Jell-O is actually not the same as jelly. Jelly is what we spread on toast or bread, and Jell-O is a dessert (it's gross btw). Jam is also spread on toast, but you know it's thick and spreadable whereas Jelly isn't so much. I prefer jam to jelly.


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## olwen (Aug 29, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Scones are so yummy. I like them dense and floury. I had one a few days ago actually with jam and cream, and a lovely cup of tea. Very regal, very refined it was.



Wow, Susannah, these cultural differences are so pronounced. Biscuits (that's scones to you) here are not considered at all regal. They're actually associated with well, fatness I guess, like if you eat biscuits for breakfast it's considered part of a pretty bad diet to a lot of people even tho thick and fluffy buttermilk biscuits are heavenly. And in some parts of the southern U.S. you eat them for breakfast with gravy and eggs and bacon and/or sausage and grits or cheesy grits....this is actually making me really hungry right now. :eat1:


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## Shosh (Aug 29, 2008)

olwen said:


> Wow, Susannah, these cultural differences are so pronounced. Biscuits (that's scones to you) here are not considered at all regal. They're actually associated with well, fatness I guess, like if you eat biscuits for breakfast it's considered part of a pretty bad diet to a lot of people even tho thick and fluffy buttermilk biscuits are heavenly. And in some parts of the southern U.S. you eat them for breakfast with gravy and eggs and bacon and/or sausage and grits or cheesy grits....this is actually making me really hungry right now. :eat1:



Scones come from jolly old England, where people have others over for afternoon tea with scones and jam and cream. There is usually a lovely teapot with matching teacups, the best bone china, and it is a lovely civilised delightful ritual.

Generally scones are a sweet delicacy here more so than a savory one as you describe. Scones are not generally eaten for breakfast either, but for morning or afternoon tea, which are the small eating times between breakfast and lunch, and lunch and dinner.

One drinks tea, and tea can also mean morning tea, afternoon tea, or dinner.
Namely tea can mean a mealtime. I may ask "What is for tea?" and that means, "What is for dinner?"

The UK people are feeling me! They understand.


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## olwen (Aug 29, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Scones come from jolly old England, where people have others over for afternoon tea with scones and jam and cream. There is usually a lovely teapot with matching teacups, the best bone china, and it is a lovely civilised delightful ritual.
> 
> Generally scones are a sweet delicacy here more so than a savory one as you describe. Scones are not generally eaten for breakfast either, but for morning or afternoon tea, which are the small eating times between breakfast and lunch, and lunch and dinner.
> 
> ...



I completely respect this eating ritual you have, but I couldn't help but to giggle while picturing hillbillies having afternoon tea with buttermilk biscuits.


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## Shosh (Aug 29, 2008)

olwen said:


> I completely respect this eating ritual you have, but I couldn't help but to giggle while picturing hillbillies having afternoon tea with buttermilk biscuits.



Indeed.

If you ever make it over here I would love to have you over to my home for afternoon tea. I collect teapots actually, so I would have the nicest one out on display for you.


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## olwen (Aug 29, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Indeed.
> 
> If you ever make it over here I would love to have you over to my home for afternoon tea. I collect teapots actually, so I would have the nicest one out on display for you.



If I'm ever down under, I will take you up on that offer. I'll bring scones and biscuits.


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## PamelaLois (Aug 30, 2008)

olwen said:


> I completely respect this eating ritual you have, but I couldn't help but to giggle while picturing hillbillies having afternoon tea with buttermilk biscuits.


 
And red-eye gravy
and a beer instead of tea
and some possum Yee Haw:eat2:


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## disconnectedsmile (Aug 30, 2008)

olwen said:


> We say Jam too. But, Jelly and Jam are different here. Jell-O is actually not the same as jelly. Jelly is what we spread on toast or bread, and Jell-O is a dessert (it's gross btw). Jam is also spread on toast, but you know it's thick and spreadable whereas Jelly isn't so much. I prefer jam to jelly.


Jell-O = gelatin dessert
how can you not like jell-o? there's always room for jell-o.


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## olwen (Aug 30, 2008)

disconnectedsmile said:


> Jell-O = gelatin dessert
> how can you not like jell-o? there's always room for jell-o.



I don't like the texture. It's squishy and it doesn't melt right on the tongue...I don't like the way it feels in my mouth and lemmie tell ya, I hate to have to say that about anything!


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## disconnectedsmile (Aug 30, 2008)

Pixelpops said:


> Crumpets and English Muffins are different things.
> 
> English Muffins, like you said, are like bread rolls. Crumpets are sort of like really thick, small pancakes.
> 
> This whole biscuit debate is very confusing to me on a seperate note >_<


aren't english muffins the same thing both here _and_ in England?


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## Pixelpops (Aug 30, 2008)

disconnectedsmile said:


> aren't english muffins the same thing both here _and_ in England?



From what I've seen of the wikipedia page, they are pretty much the same thing.

Go go badly done research!


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## BeautifulPoeticDisaster (Aug 31, 2008)

Pixelpops said:


> From what I've seen of the wikipedia page, they are pretty much the same thing.
> 
> Go go badly done research!



My research included mike eating a bit of my English Muffin (when we were in America) and telling me it was like a crumpet, lol. I've never had a crumpet so I wouldn't know first hand. I've never seen an English Muffin in the stores over here nor has anyone I know that lives here had an English Muffin.


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## Maxx Awesome (Aug 31, 2008)

JerseyGirl07093 said:


> Ok, this is _kinda _ off topic, but as I was reading this thread I was just giggling to myself and thinking....
> muffin
> cupcake
> biscuit
> ...



Well isn't if you take the last two letters off the first word you listed... it kinda is.

You want to get really confused? Where I come from, this is a soda!


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## Pixelpops (Aug 31, 2008)

BigBellySSBBW said:


> My research included mike eating a bit of my English Muffin (when we were in America) and telling me it was like a crumpet, lol. I've never had a crumpet so I wouldn't know first hand. I've never seen an English Muffin in the stores over here nor has anyone I know that lives here had an English Muffin.



Really? Because we have Crumpets and English Muffins in my student house, and they're both different. Maybe English Muffins in America _are_ different o.o. 

Maybe it's a poor people food over here


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## BeautifulPoeticDisaster (Aug 31, 2008)

Pixelpops said:


> Really? Because we have Crumpets and English Muffins in my student house, and they're both different. Maybe English Muffins in America _are_ different o.o.
> 
> Maybe it's a poor people food over here



lol...well if you do have English Muffins...I wanna come over, lol. Nothing better than a toasted EM with butter on it....mmmmm. Or even better make an egg and bacon sandwich...mmmmm. Now I really want one, lol. Eat onef or me, k?


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## rainbowman (Sep 1, 2008)

BigBeautifulMe said:


> oooooh, aught! owt = aught. I should have figured that out. lol



Owt and Nowt are regional variations form North West England and Yorkshire

owt = anything and nowt = nothing.

These words give uis great phrases such as "Yer don't get owt fer nowt!" meaning that evrything has its price; and "There's nowt so queer as folks" that celebrates human diversity and foibles.

Andy


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## D_A_Bunny (Sep 1, 2008)

First of all, a quick message to Olwen. If you ever get to the Jersey shore, please try some fudge while you are there. And then if you still don't like it, then it means you really don't like fudge. 

As far as UK to US speak, I always have problems while watching movies and hubby has to interpret.

Some of the words that I have learned are from watching the beautiful Nigella Lawson. Such as rocket, which in US we call arugula. Or splodge, which in US would mean plop, as in spodge/plop some cream on top and it will be finished. And I do believe that when making brownies and she still wanted them to be moist, she would take them out of the oven when they were still "squidgy", which I took to mean a bit moist and loose in the center.


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## olwen (Sep 1, 2008)

DAB, I had no idea the jersey shore was good for fudge, I thougt it was good for salt water taffy which I've had. I'll keep that in mind.


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## Pixelpops (Sep 1, 2008)

What is taffy? I've always wondered...


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## olwen (Sep 1, 2008)

salt water taffy is a sticky sweet chewy stretchy candy that comes in all kinds of colors and flavors. I don't know if there is an english equivalent.


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## D_A_Bunny (Sep 1, 2008)

olwen said:


> DAB, I had no idea the jersey shore was good for fudge, I thougt it was good for salt water taffy which I've had. I'll keep that in mind.



http://www.seashoretaffy.com/default.asp

This is the place down the shore that sells taffy and fudge. And SoVerySoft can attest to its creamy deliciousness as well. Just don't put it in the refrigerator. It needs to stay room temp. and put the box into a ziploc or something to keep the air out.


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## olwen (Sep 3, 2008)

DumbAssBunny said:


> http://www.seashoretaffy.com/default.asp
> 
> This is the place down the shore that sells taffy and fudge. And SoVerySoft can attest to its creamy deliciousness as well. Just don't put it in the refrigerator. It needs to stay room temp. and put the box into a ziploc or something to keep the air out.



I'm not a huge fan of gooey or sticky candy, but if I'm ever feeling daring I'll def try it.


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## Lovelyone (Sep 3, 2008)

This thread made me laugh because I recently chatted with a man from Australia. I showed him my pic and he called me homely. My first instinct was to say "Well if you think I am homely, why are you talking to me?" But I remembered this thread and I hesitated at being upset, realizing that he might not have meant it the way that I understood it. He continued on telling me how attractive he thought I was. That is when I asked him what homely meant. He told me that in Australia it is considered a compliment. So I told him that if he ever was to talk with a woman from the U.S. he should remember that "homely" is NOT a compliment here. :doh:


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## ReallyNiceFellow (Sep 3, 2008)

Anyone care to write out the number "one billion"? England and the US don't agree. Where does Australia stand on this one?

In Canada we sit on chesterfields and wear billy boots, but not usually both at the same time.


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## Gingembre (Sep 3, 2008)

A billion? Is it 1,000,000,000?


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## BeautifulPoeticDisaster (Sep 3, 2008)

Gingembre said:


> A billion? Is it 1,000,000,000?




I've never heard of a difference with a billion, but there is a difference between ton and tonne...not sure what it is though, lol


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## Maxx Awesome (Sep 3, 2008)

BigBellySSBBW said:


> I've never heard of a difference with a billion, but there is a difference between ton and tonne...not sure what it is though, lol



A ton is the imperial measurement (I think I'm right in saying it's 2,240lbs?).
A tonne is the metric measurement (which I think is 1,000 kilos; don't quote me on that).


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## olwen (Sep 3, 2008)

Maxx Awesome said:


> A ton is the imperial measurement (I think I'm right in saying it's 2,240lbs?).
> A tonne is the metric measurement (which I think is 1,000 kilos; don't quote me on that).



I've always thought it was just a spelling difference like mold vs mould or color vs. colour. Eh. Where's a style guide when you need one?


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## Sandie S-R (Sep 3, 2008)

olwen said:


> Okay, so it's a churned milk product. LOL I can barely afford to have low tea from a coffee truck let alone high tea at a fancy hotel, but I may take a trip to Fairway, Whole Foods, or Trader Joe's to see if they have it and I'll give it a try.



I have seen clotted cream and lemon curd (yummo!) at Trader Joe's. (We love shopping at TJ's). 

Pick up some scones from your local bakery and top them with clotted cream and jam (or lemon curd) and you're in for a treat.


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## olwen (Sep 3, 2008)

Sandie S-R said:


> I have seen clotted cream and lemon curd (yummo!) at Trader Joe's. (We love shopping at TJ's).
> 
> Pick up some scones from your local bakery and top them with clotted cream and jam (or lemon curd) and you're in for a treat.



I'm not a fan of scones, but I did recently buy some pre-made gluten free baking flour and I want to make a sponge cake out of it. Would this famous clotted cream taste good with that and some fresh berries?


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## Sandie S-R (Sep 3, 2008)

olwen said:


> I'm not a fan of scones, but I did recently buy some pre-made gluten free baking flour and I want to make a sponge cake out of it. Would this famous clotted cream taste good with that and some fresh berries?



Not sure what the Brits would think, but sounds great to me!

When will it be ready? I'm on my way. :eat2:


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## olwen (Sep 3, 2008)

Sandie S-R said:


> Not sure what the Brits would think, but sounds great to me!
> 
> When will it be ready? I'm on my way. :eat2:



Ha. Hopefully it won't be like my last baking disaster. FYI, you can't replace wheat flour with rice flour 1:1 and then throw in some cornmeal for good measure (yes, I did think it would be a good idea). The rice flour expanded a little too much so that there was a half inch of fruit and 4 inches of crumble and the corn meal just made it gritty. The whole thing was just inedible and I had to throw away $15 of organic food.


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## Smushygirl (Sep 3, 2008)

olwen said:


> Ha. Hopefully it won't be like my last baking disaster. FYI, you can't replace wheat flour with rice flour 1:1 and then throw in some cornmeal for good measure (yes, I did think it would be a good idea). The rice flour expanded a little too much so that there was a half inch of fruit and 4 inches of crumble and the corn meal just made it gritty. The whole thing was just inedible and I had to throw away $15 of organic food.



Let me help you out: pastry is supposed to be good, not good for you! Repeat that to yourself next time you attempt to ruin baked goods.


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## olwen (Sep 3, 2008)

Smushygirl said:


> Let me help you out: pastry is supposed to be good, not good for you! Repeat that to yourself next time you attempt to ruin baked goods.



No no, gluten doesn't agree with me so I have to just bite the bullet and really learn to bake with alternate grains. Pain in the ass, but such is life. All the food was organic cause the gluten free mix came from the nearby health food store.


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## Smushygirl (Sep 3, 2008)

Ok, carry on then!!!


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## ReallyNiceFellow (Sep 4, 2008)

BigBellySSBBW said:


> I've never heard of a difference with a billion, but there is a difference between ton and tonne...not sure what it is though, lol



A billion in the US is 1,000,000,000

A billion in the English measurement scale is 1,000,000,000,000.

Terms like "trilion" and "quadrillion" are different, too. 

Interestingly, although they are referred to as the "American" and "British" standards, both versions originated in France.

As for "ton" and "tonne":

There is the concept of a "long ton" and a "short ton"; the long ton is 2240 lbs, the short ton is 2000 lbs. They may both be referred to as "ton". Nice and confusing, eh? Most of the time these days, the term "ton" is used to mean 2000 lbs.

A metric tonne, or just a "tonne" for short, is 1000 kilograms, which is about 2204 pounds.

The pronounciation is the same in each case.

And then of course, there's the gallon, which is different in the British Commonwealth than in the US.

But I digress. I believe we were discussing clotted cream.....


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## Pixelpops (Sep 4, 2008)

olwen said:


> I'm not a fan of scones, but I did recently buy some pre-made gluten free baking flour and I want to make a sponge cake out of it. Would this famous clotted cream taste good with that and some fresh berries?



I know it's vaguely off topic now, but that sounds gorgeous ^_^

Brit approved 

It might just be me.. But the term clotted cream always made me vaguely suspicious. In my past, the word clotted has never equated to tasty deliciousness.


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## PamelaLois (Sep 4, 2008)

ReallyNiceFellow said:


> A billion in the US is 1,000,000,000
> 
> A billion in the English measurement scale is 1,000,000,000,000.
> 
> ...


 
OK, if 1,000,000,000,000 (US Trillion) is a Billion in the UK, what is 1,000,000,000 (US Billion) called over yonder across the pond?


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## Pixelpops (Sep 4, 2008)

One Thousand Million.

I think.


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## Bolshevik (Sep 4, 2008)

'Two nations divided by a common language'


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## Ruby Ripples (Sep 4, 2008)

Maxx Awesome said:


> Well isn't if you take the last two letters off the first word you listed... it kinda is.
> 
> You want to get really confused? Where I come from, this is a soda!



Yes that is soda bread or a soda scone, here in Scotland. My nanny who was Irish, made them all the time, theyre an Irish thing. i loved the smell in the kitchen after she'd baked them.


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## Ruby Ripples (Sep 4, 2008)

ReallyNiceFellow said:


> Anyone care to write out the number "one billion"? England and the US don't agree. Where does Australia stand on this one?
> 
> In Canada we sit on chesterfields and wear billy boots, but not usually both at the same time.



We sit on Chesterfields in the UK too, but only if it IS an actual Chesterfield, ie. the Chesterfield design of couch. This is a buttoned couch with arms and back at the same height. Traditionally this would have been leather in either oxblood or dark green colour. 

View attachment chesterfield.jpg


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## Gingembre (Sep 5, 2008)

1,000,000,000 so _is_ 1 billion in the UK....in terms of money anyway. I was updating the figures on my work website today, and £118,000,000,000 was £118bn.


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## BigBeautifulMe (Sep 5, 2008)

Yeah - I thought as much, Gingembre. It really makes NO sense for that term to refer to two different quantities in the US and the UK. Can you imagine the confusion in large business dealings? Thanks for clarifying.


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## olwen (Sep 7, 2008)

So I tried clotted cream today. Got a jar from Zabars. I spooned it onto a piece of pound cake with some strawberry preserves and it was okay. It tastes rather bland, but it's really rich. I could see how it would taste good with biscuits/scones. It wasn't bad, but I couldn't see eating it on a regular basis. Seems like the kind of thing you eat on special occasions.


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## Bolshevik (Sep 7, 2008)

You should have mixed it with strawberry jam, Olwen!


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## olwen (Sep 7, 2008)

Can it really have made that much difference?


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## Bolshevik (Sep 7, 2008)

Certainly! It is the BEST combination in the world - and is delicious on a scone and with a cup of tea!


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## olwen (Sep 7, 2008)

okay okay, I'll try it next time I have a buscuit.


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## Dr. Feelgood (Sep 10, 2008)

Here's an expression that has puzzled me for a long time: why do Britishers refer to a psychiatrist as a 'trick cyclist'? I don't see the similarity between a head doctor and a circus performer; can anyone enlighten me?


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## olwen (Sep 10, 2008)

Just a play on words perhaps?


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## Ruby Ripples (Sep 10, 2008)

Yes, just a play on words as far as i know.


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## Green Eyed Fairy (Sep 10, 2008)

olwen said:


> So I tried clotted cream today. Got a jar from Zabars. I spooned it onto a piece of pound cake with some strawberry preserves and it was okay. It tastes rather bland, but it's really rich. I could see how it would taste good with biscuits/scones. It wasn't bad, but I couldn't see eating it on a regular basis. Seems like the kind of thing you eat on special occasions.





Bolshevik said:


> You should have mixed it with strawberry jam, Olwen!





olwen said:


> Can it really have made that much difference?





Bolshevik said:


> Certainly! It is the BEST combination in the world - and is delicious on a scone and with a cup of tea!





olwen said:


> okay okay, I'll try it next time I have a buscuit.




All this makes me think about how I like to put strawberry preserves on toast with whipped cream cheese for breakfast sometimes.....:eat1:


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## olwen (Sep 10, 2008)

Green Eyed Fairy said:


> All this makes me think about how I like to put strawberry preserves on toast with whipped cream cheese for breakfast sometimes.....:eat1:



I've done that! Tastes good. It's actually really good on toasted cinammon raisin rice bread.


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## Green Eyed Fairy (Sep 10, 2008)

Rice bread? Haven't heard of that- like rice cakes?

But that cinnamon raisin toast is really good


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## olwen (Sep 10, 2008)

not like rice cakes. It's bread, but made with rice flour. You can get it in a health food store.


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## Green Eyed Fairy (Sep 10, 2008)

Never tried it- for "gluten free" diets maybe?

I used to work directly across the street from a health food store- they had good blue corn chips and salsa, wonderful homemade sliced up breads, rice cakes covered in carob and cherry garcia ice cream


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## olwen (Sep 11, 2008)

Green Eyed Fairy said:


> Never tried it- for "gluten free" diets maybe?



Yes exactly. I just don't eat it much because it's sold frozen and you have to toast it. If you let it thaw out and eat it that way it's kinda...it doesn't make good bread for sandwiches, but it's really good as toast.


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## rainbowman (Sep 11, 2008)

Dr. Feelgood said:


> Here's an expression that has puzzled me for a long time: why do Britishers refer to a psychiatrist as a 'trick cyclist'? I don't see the similarity between a head doctor and a circus performer; can anyone enlighten me?



It's rhyming slang -trick cyclist = psychiatrist: - just like apples & pears = stairs


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## olwen (Sep 11, 2008)

Here's a question I've always had about rhyming slang - can anybody just make up a new rhyme or do you have to stick to rhymes you already know?


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## BigBeautifulMe (Sep 11, 2008)

I'm declaring "phat fatty" to be a new slang phrase. It means something is particularly awesome. The end. Usage: "DAMN, that new track is SO phat fatty."


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## rainbowman (Sep 12, 2008)

olwen said:


> Here's a question I've always had about rhyming slang - can anybody just make up a new rhyme or do you have to stick to rhymes you already know?



There's nothing to stop anybody making up new rhyming slang.


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## BeautifulPoeticDisaster (Sep 12, 2008)

rainbowman said:


> There's nothing to stop anybody making up new rhyming slang.


 
There is a law against it in some countries.


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## Adamantoise (Sep 14, 2008)

Ha ha,this thread is pretty cool actually.It's bloody smashing! 
It does make me laugh,though,the differing cultures and our respective languages.

Rhyming slang? I've got some of that,too...
Apples and Pears=Stairs
Plates of Meat=Feet
China Plate=Mate (Freind,buddy)
Adam and Eve=Believe (as in 'I don't Adam and Eve it!')
Trouble and Strife=Wife

Phew...


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## olwen (Sep 14, 2008)

..yeeaaaah, I still don't get rhyming slang. I've got a couple of rhyming slang dictionaries and some of them just don't make any effing sense. And for as long as it's been around, it's never caught on here. But then Americans don't import culture so much as we export it....


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## Shosh (Sep 15, 2008)

Bolshevik said:


> Certainly! It is the BEST combination in the world - and is delicious on a scone and with a cup of tea!



I told you Olwen! There is nothing more wonderful than lovely scones with jam and cream, and a steaming hot cup of tea.


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## SoVerySoft (Sep 21, 2008)

DumbAssBunny said:


> http://www.seashoretaffy.com/default.asp
> 
> This is the place down the shore that sells taffy and fudge. And SoVerySoft can attest to its creamy deliciousness as well. Just don't put it in the refrigerator. It needs to stay room temp. and put the box into a ziploc or something to keep the air out.



shhhh don't tell...not a big fudge fan here. I like it in very small bits... (and I grew up by the boardwalk!)


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## Shosh (Sep 21, 2008)

I had lovely scones and jam and cream on the weekend. It is springtime and the weather is warm. Life does not get any better than that.


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## Pixelpops (Sep 21, 2008)

That sounds gorgeous! Did you have it outside? In my head you had it outside XD


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## olwen (Sep 21, 2008)

I've been trying to think of a dish that is deciedely american. Then only things that come to mind are sweet tea, new england clam chowder (which I don't like), burgers, and southern fried chicken....somehow that seems kinda sad.


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## Shosh (Sep 21, 2008)

Pixelpops said:


> That sounds gorgeous! Did you have it outside? In my head you had it outside XD



I had it indoors actually because the outside tables were already taken. Never fear though it will be a weekly ritual, so next time I will be outdoors having my Devonshire Tea.


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## cute_obese_girl (Sep 21, 2008)

olwen said:


> I've been trying to think of a dish that is deciedely american. Then only things that come to mind are sweet tea, new england clam chowder (which I don't like), burgers, and southern fried chicken....somehow that seems kinda sad.



Sorry to burst your bubble Olwen, but I think our burgers were derived from a dish from Hamburg, Germany. I'll add the Cobb salad and BBQ chicken pizza to the decidedly american dish list (both Californian). I guess it could be seen as sad that most of our food is really the best of all kinds of nationalities, but it's also to our delicious advantage :eat2:


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## olwen (Sep 21, 2008)

cute_obese_girl said:


> Sorry to burst your bubble Olwen, but I think our burgers were derived from a dish from Hamburg, Germany. I'll add the Cobb salad and BBQ chicken pizza to the decidedly american dish list (both Californian). I guess it could be seen as sad that most of our food is really the best of all kinds of nationalities, but it's also to our delicious advantage :eat2:



Hmmmm....the thing about burgers tho is that we seem to eat a lot of them. We brought the fast food burger to the rest of the world. Who doesn't recognize the golden arches? Who doesn't want to have it their way? There's a Burger King and a MacDonalds and a Wendy's across the street from the empire state building. I hear lots of languages other than english and spanish spilling out of them. I wondered for a while why tourists like those fast food joints so much when there are a ton of other actual restaurants around there. I realized, they are familiar to them. Eh. ::shrugs::

I guess I'd add Coca-Cola (yuk) to that list too. 

But again seems sad that we don't have an official purely national native dish.


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## Shosh (Sep 21, 2008)

olwen said:


> Hmmmm....the thing about burgers tho is that we seem to eat a lot of them. We brought the fast food burger to the rest of the world. Who doesn't recognize the golden arches? Who doesn't want to have it their way? There's a Burger King and a MacDonalds and a Wendy's across the street from the empire state building. I hear lots of languages other than english and spanish spilling out of them. I wondered for a while why tourists like those fast food joints so much when there are a ton of other actual restaurants around there. I realized, they are familiar to them. Eh. ::shrugs::
> 
> I guess I'd add Coca-Cola (yuk) to that list too.
> 
> But again seems sad that we don't have an official purely national native dish.



No offense but who wants to eat a MacDonalds, Wendy's, Burger King burger etc, when you can eat a yummy gourmet burger from one of the better burger places? Nicer fresher ingredients, burgers on sour dough bread etc.

I am a bit of a snob when it comes to burgers. Not that I have eaten one in nearly two years though.


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## cute_obese_girl (Sep 21, 2008)

olwen said:


> Hmmmm....the thing about burgers tho is that we seem to eat a lot of them. We brought the fast food burger to the rest of the world. Who doesn't recognize the golden arches? Who doesn't want to have it their way? There's a Burger King and a MacDonalds and a Wendy's across the street from the empire state building. I hear lots of languages other than english and spanish spilling out of them. I wondered for a while why tourists like those fast food joints so much when there are a ton of other actual restaurants around there. I realized, they are familiar to them. Eh. ::shrugs::
> 
> I guess I'd add Coca-Cola (yuk) to that list too.
> 
> But again seems sad that we don't have an official purely national native dish.



That's true. No one rivals our burger availability  It is kind of sad that we are best known for junk food, like burgers and Coke. 

I guess to have a national dish we'd need to figure out ingredients that are native to all of the US (at least the lower 48). I wonder if that can be done? I think we're just too geographically big and too ethnically diverse.



Susannah said:


> No offense but who wants to eat a MacDonalds, Wendy's, Burger King burger etc, when you can eat a yummy gourmet burger from one of the better burger places? Nicer fresher ingredients, burgers on sour dough bread etc.
> 
> I am a bit if a snob when it comes to burgers. Not that I have eaten one in nearly two years though.



No offense taken. I think even most people here would tell you they don't know why they eat at McDonalds. It doesn't taste particularly good, you feel kinda crappy afterward, but it's addicting to many. We have our share of upscale burgers too, though.


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## Dr. Feelgood (Sep 21, 2008)

olwen said:


> I've been trying to think of a dish that is deciedely american. Then only things that come to mind are sweet tea, new england clam chowder (which I don't like), burgers, and southern fried chicken....somehow that seems kinda sad.



Don't lose heart! It's a tossup whether chili was invented by American cowboys or Mexican vaqueros, but Cincinnati-style chili is definitely ours! And there's baked Alaska, chop suey (invented in San Francisco), and fortune cookies. Not to mention such Native American specialties as succotash, squash pudding, fry bread, and popcorn.


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## olwen (Sep 21, 2008)

Susannah said:


> No offense but who wants to eat a MacDonalds, Wendy's, Burger King burger etc, when you can eat a yummy gourmet burger from one of the better burger places? Nicer fresher ingredients, burgers on sour dough bread etc.
> 
> I am a bit of a snob when it comes to burgers. Not that I have eaten one in nearly two years though.



No offense taken. I actually haven't eaten at MacDonalds since 2002. I can't stand the stuff. I don't know why people eat there either if they have a choice. I do know tho that in poorer neighborhoods there are more fast food places than grocery stores and still it's a hike to get there.


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## olwen (Sep 21, 2008)

Dr. Feelgood said:


> Don't lose heart! It's a tossup whether chili was invented by American cowboys or Mexican vaqueros, but Cincinnati-style chili is definitely ours! And there's baked Alaska, chop suey (invented in San Francisco), and fortune cookies. Not to mention such Native American specialties as succotash, squash pudding, fry bread, and popcorn.



Oooh ooh, I choose popcorn. Cinicinnati chilli....I'm by no means afraid to try new foods, but I took one look at the stuff and gagged. What is fry bread? Is that the same as hot water cornbread or is it some regional variation of hush puppies?


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## olwen (Sep 21, 2008)

cute_obese_girl said:


> That's true. No one rivals our burger availability  It is kind of sad that we are best known for junk food, like burgers and Coke.
> 
> I guess to have a national dish we'd need to figure out ingredients that are native to all of the US (at least the lower 48). I wonder if that can be done? I think we're just too geographically big and too ethnically diverse.
> 
> ...




You're absolutely right. The US is too big and too diverse.


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## Green Eyed Fairy (Sep 22, 2008)

olwen said:


> I've been trying to think of a dish that is deciedely american. Then only things that come to mind are sweet tea, new england clam chowder (which I don't like), burgers, and southern fried chicken....somehow that seems kinda sad.



I tend to think of "Steak and potatoes" as American food. Also meatloaf.....

Oh, apple pie?

I would say hot dogs but those come from Germany, I think


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## Shosh (Sep 22, 2008)

Pumpkin pie is pretty American right? It is not something that Australians generally eat.


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## Adamantoise (Sep 22, 2008)

I have fond memories of scones-you see,before she passed away,my grandma was an excellent baker and cook.She made the best cakes and scones I've ever had.Every sunday I'd visit her with the family,and she insisted on giving us a bag of goodies she had made to take home with us(it was usually scones). 
:happy:


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## Green Eyed Fairy (Sep 22, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Pumpkin pie is pretty American right? It is not something that Australians generally eat.




I think you're right....turkey, dressing and pumpkin pie- "thanksgiving food" does seem traditionally American


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## BigBeautifulMe (Sep 22, 2008)

Susannah said:


> Pumpkin pie is pretty American right? It is not something that Australians generally eat.




You don't have pumpkin pie there?!

*crosses Australia off her list of places she wishes to visit, shaking her head*


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## Shosh (Sep 22, 2008)

BigBeautifulMe said:


> You don't have pumpkin pie there?!
> 
> *crosses Australia off her list of places she wishes to visit, shaking her head*



 I am sure there are American expats that live here that eat it, but no we do not generally eat pumpkin pie.


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## olwen (Sep 23, 2008)

Green Eyed Fairy said:


> I tend to think of "Steak and potatoes" as American food. Also meatloaf.....
> 
> Oh, apple pie?
> 
> I would say hot dogs but those come from Germany, I think



Can't you get steak and potatoes anywhere? Apple pie...I genuinely wonder about that...mom and apple pie.



Susannah said:


> Pumpkin pie is pretty American right? It is not something that Australians generally eat.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Yup and sweet potato pie. Turkey is def native to america. 




BigBeautifulMe said:


> You don't have pumpkin pie there?!
> 
> *crosses Australia off her list of places she wishes to visit, shaking her head*



Yeah Susannah, you're missing out. Hot pumpkin pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream is really good.


----------



## Wagimawr (Sep 23, 2008)

pecan pie > pumpkin pie.

just sayin.

allergic to nuts? sucks to be you.


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## mergirl (Sep 23, 2008)

BigBellySSBBW said:


> I'll add a few...
> 
> *Fanny* means Vagina
> *Bonnet* means hood of the car
> ...





disconnectedsmile said:


> BigBelly, this is amazing. thank you for your post. i feel so enlightened!
> 
> *prepares to flirt with pixelpops and bexy* :happy:



lmao.. what you going to say to them??? "come on cows n chavs lets nip to the loo where you can show me your vagina. I'll buy you chips after and take you for a ride in my saloon!" hahaha..
btw.. ive never heard of a downstairs toilet (or lavy in scottish) being refered to as a "cloakroom", a cloakroom is somewhere one keeps ones cloaks!!

i also wanted to say something about "erbs" and routes "rowts" but i should really read all the post first.

Furthermore..(i never say that in real life) there are also scottish words that are different but i dont want to confuse you.. i will drop them into my posts and you will pick up scottish super quick and almost as if its subliminal!!

cheerio!


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## mergirl (Sep 23, 2008)

also.. what exactly ARE cooties???

as in "mwahhhhaahhh! ah axe ya ricci, does ah look like ah gone goat cooties?"


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## Shosh (Sep 23, 2008)

mergirl said:


> also.. what exactly ARE cooties???
> 
> as in "mwahhhhaahhh! ah axe ya ricci, does ah look like ah gone goat cooties?"



:blink::huh: In English please!


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## mergirl (Sep 23, 2008)

Susannah said:


> :blink::huh: In English please!


lmao.. i dont know!! haha.. i was pheonetically recreating an episode of "ricci lake"!!
they always say "ah axe ye" .. and i always think..wow, thats pretty brutal!! lol


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## BigBeautifulMe (Sep 23, 2008)

Originally, I believe "cooties" actually referred to lice. Now, though, they're used jokingly as something imaginary you can catch from someone who you find gross for whatever reason. Kids mostly use the term, but sometimes adults usurp it if we're trying to be funny and juvenile.


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## mergirl (Sep 23, 2008)

BigBeautifulMe said:


> Originally, I believe "cooties" actually referred to lice. Now, though, they're used jokingly as something imaginary you can catch from someone who you find gross for whatever reason. Kids mostly use the term, but sometimes adults usurp it if we're trying to be funny and juvenile.


ahh thank you.


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## Green Eyed Fairy (Sep 23, 2008)

olwen said:


> Can't you get steak and potatoes anywhere? Apple pie...I genuinely wonder about that...mom and apple pie.
> 
> 
> 
> ...





Wagimawr said:


> pecan pie > pumpkin pie.
> 
> just sayin.
> 
> allergic to nuts? sucks to be you.




I think of steak and potatoes as a standard meal being a thing that originated in the wild west- with all the cattle.
I could be mistaken....

Now Sweet potato and Pecan pie....that's not really American but more "Southern"  Let me tell you why....when I was visiting my dad up in Jersey while pregnant with my twins, I had cravings sometimes. We went to the grocery store...and I really wanted some sweet potato pie.

NONE, ZIP, ZILCH, NADA to be found in a store in New Jersey :doh:

Lemon and apple seemed to fit the status quo there....so when I mentioned this to my father, who spent his childhood here in the south, he says "Yeah, they don't have any pecan pie here either". What blasphemy...... 

I do remember my Aunt and Uncle taking us up to visit him when we were children....and he loved that they brought him two big pecan pies. Now I know why it was such a big deal to him


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## Shosh (Sep 23, 2008)

What about Fluffernutter sandwiches? They are pretty American, no? Marshmallow fluff. I am not sure how I feel about them to be honest.


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## JiminOR (Sep 23, 2008)

What the hell is fluffernutter? Sounds like a job for someone on a porn set.


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## Shosh (Sep 23, 2008)

JiminOR said:


> What the hell is fluffernutter? Sounds like a job for someone on a porn set.



It is a marshmallow fluff sandwich.


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## Dr. Feelgood (Sep 23, 2008)

olwen said:


> What is fry bread? Is that the same as hot water cornbread or is it some regional variation of hush puppies?



No, I believe it's made with wheat flour; imagine a deep-fried pancake -- only puffier -- and you're pretty close. I think the Navajo may have originated it; they certainly developed the practice of putting lamb stew on top of a piece of fry bread to make a 'Navajo taco'. Over the past several years that has developed into the 'Indian taco' -- much in demand at fairs in this part of the country -- which is usually fry bread, chili, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and salsa. Fry bread is also served with sugar and cinnamon, like cinnamon toast; any way you serve it, it's delicious!


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## Smushygirl (Sep 23, 2008)

Susannah said:


> It is a marshmallow fluff sandwich.



Correction: it's marshmallow fluff and peanut butter! Hence fluffernutter!


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## Shosh (Sep 23, 2008)

Smushygirl said:


> Correction: it's marshmallow fluff and peanut butter! Hence fluffernutter!



Thanks Smush.


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## BigBeautifulMe (Sep 23, 2008)

And they're actually a regional thing (fluffernutters, I mean). I'd never heard of one til I went to school in New England.


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## D_A_Bunny (Sep 23, 2008)

As far as food that is truly American, it has been said many times on the Food Network, that the only true all American cuisine is BBQ. 

And by BBQ or BarBQ, I mean low and slow cooking on a pit/covered fire, not grilling which is food cooked quickly. One of our presidents, (too hungry to google) brought it to the White House during his tenure and that helped it to get popular across the country.

So if you want a truly American meal, go and buy a hunk of meat, slather it with a spice rub, let it marinate overnight, then cook it outdoors or indoors on low heat for a long time. Then you will have some great eats.

Plus the benefit of cooking this way is that you can buy a cheaper cut of meat and the cooking process makes it tender and tasty.


----------



## olwen (Sep 23, 2008)

mergirl said:


> lmao.. i dont know!! haha.. i was pheonetically recreating an episode of "ricci lake"!!
> they always say "ah axe ye" .. and i always think..wow, thats pretty brutal!! lol



Oh, you mean how sometimes people say ax instead of ask. That drives my mother nuts. You know what drives me nuts? Whenever I hear "where you at?" or "where you is?" Just makes me cringe. 



Green Eyed Fairy said:


> I think of steak and potatoes as a standard meal being a thing that originated in the wild west- with all the cattle.
> I could be mistaken....
> 
> Now Sweet potato and Pecan pie....that's not really American but more "Southern"  Let me tell you why....when I was visiting my dad up in Jersey while pregnant with my twins, I had cravings sometimes. We went to the grocery store...and I really wanted some sweet potato pie.
> ...



You know what else you don't seem much on the east coast? Pralenes. My sister always brings some up from atlanta whenever she visits. I can't eat em anymore, but you know, they still smell awesome.



Dr. Feelgood said:


> No, I believe it's made with wheat flour; imagine a deep-fried pancake -- only puffier -- and you're pretty close. I think the Navajo may have originated it; they certainly developed the practice of putting lamb stew on top of a piece of fry bread to make a 'Navajo taco'. Over the past several years that has developed into the 'Indian taco' -- much in demand at fairs in this part of the country -- which is usually fry bread, chili, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and salsa. Fry bread is also served with sugar and cinnamon, like cinnamon toast; any way you serve it, it's delicious!



That sounds delicious. Wish I could eat that too. It's making these bbq potato chips I'm eating seem really blaah in comparison. 



BigBeautifulMe said:


> And they're actually a regional thing (fluffernutters, I mean). I'd never heard of one til I went to school in New England.



I've heard of this mystical fluffernutter, but it seemed like something I read about in a beverly cleary novel or something. I've never seen one or eaten one. Just as well, it sounds kinda, eww, but then I think I ODed on marshmallow fluff when I was kid. I haven't eaten it since then.


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## Smushygirl (Sep 23, 2008)

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


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## BigBeautifulMe (Sep 23, 2008)

Is it me, or does a fluffernutter sound like a fat girl sex move? I think I need to invent this. VERY soon. :eat2:


----------



## olwen (Sep 23, 2008)

BigBeautifulMe said:


> Is it me, or does a fluffernutter sound like a fat girl sex move? I think I need to invent this. VERY soon. :eat2:



Pls pst pix k tnx.


----------



## Shosh (Sep 23, 2008)

What about root beer? That is pretty American. I love A&W meanwhile.


----------



## olwen (Sep 23, 2008)

Susannah said:


> What about root beer? That is pretty American. I love A&W meanwhile.



Maybe all carbonated non-alcoholic beverages were invented here?


----------



## Shosh (Sep 23, 2008)

olwen said:


> Maybe all carbonated non-alcoholic beverages were invented here?



I do love root beer, but I have not had a fizzy frink in 20 months. I generally do not miss them now, but I sometimes crave one.


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## olwen (Sep 23, 2008)

Susannah said:


> I do love root beer, but I have not had a fizzy frink in 20 months. I generally do not miss them now, but I sometimes crave one.



Not even seltzer? I probably drink about 2-4 liters of seltzer a week. I like that I can flavor it with anything I like. It's really good with fresh lemons or limes.


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## Shosh (Sep 24, 2008)

olwen said:


> Not even seltzer? I probably drink about 2-4 liters of seltzer a week. I like that I can flavor it with anything I like. It's really good with fresh lemons or limes.



What is Seltzer?

I have not had a single fizzy drink in that time. I do drink cordial sometimes as well as juice. Not often with the juice though.
My fave juice is dark grape juice.


----------



## BeautifulPoeticDisaster (Sep 24, 2008)

DumbAssBunny said:


> As far as food that is truly American, it has been said many times on the Food Network, that the only true all American cuisine is BBQ.
> 
> And by BBQ or BarBQ, I mean low and slow cooking on a pit/covered fire, not grilling which is food cooked quickly. One of our presidents, (too hungry to google) brought it to the White House during his tenure and that helped it to get popular across the country.
> 
> ...



Oh I dunno. Who invented the corn dog??? That seems pretty America. God I would love a corn dog right now.


----------



## Shosh (Sep 24, 2008)

BigBellySSBBW said:


> Oh I dunno. Who invented the corn dog??? That seems pretty America. God I would love a corn dog right now.



What is a corn dog?


----------



## BeautifulPoeticDisaster (Sep 24, 2008)

Susannah said:


> What is a corn dog?



Heaven on a stick. 

It's a distant cousin of a battered sausage....I think. A Corn Dog is a hot dog, on a stick dipped in corn bread batter and fried (or baked) Sooooo scrumptious....esp with mustard


----------



## JiminOR (Sep 24, 2008)

Susannah said:


> What is a corn dog?


 
Imagine a hotdog on a stick, with a cornbread shell.

Awww hell yeah. 

View attachment corndog.jpg


----------



## BeautifulPoeticDisaster (Sep 24, 2008)

JiminOR said:


> Imagine a hotdog on a stick, with a cornbread shell.
> 
> Awww hell yeah.



That pic rocks. I am drooling all over my keys....


----------



## Shosh (Sep 24, 2008)

JiminOR said:


> Imagine a hotdog on a stick, with a cornbread shell.
> 
> Awww hell yeah.



I do not eat hot dogs, but I do like just plain beef sausages with tomato sauce.
I am pretty boring.


----------



## D_A_Bunny (Sep 24, 2008)

BigBellySSBBW said:


> Heaven on a stick.
> 
> It's a distant cousin of a battered sausage....I think. A Corn Dog is a hot dog, on a stick dipped in corn bread batter and fried (or baked) Sooooo scrumptious....esp with mustard



Exactly, which is their point. The only true American CUISINE is BBQ. Sure there are some individual items that have been invented here. There are also numerous items that have been modified and made "American", but as for a cuisine, it would have to be BBQ.

And corn dogs done well are really really good. You get the nice crispy outside with a soft thin cornbread shell, coating a juicy plump hotdog. All conveniently held on a stick that has been inserted into the hotdog.


----------



## olwen (Sep 24, 2008)

Susannah said:


> What is Seltzer?
> 
> I have not had a single fizzy drink in that time. I do drink cordial sometimes as well as juice. Not often with the juice though.
> My fave juice is dark grape juice.



Seltzer = Club soda. Carbonated water without any flavor or sugar. So you can flavor it with anything you want. 

And corndogs = yuk. Maybe I never had a really good one. That's not something you can get anywhere here. I've only ever had that in the food court in a mall. They always seemed rubbery and cardboardy to me. 

In a related story, the last time my sister and I went to texas, my uncle got really excited about driving us from Houston to Nacadocthes (sp?) on our way to Shreveport just so we could eat at his friend's BBQ restaurant. My sister ordered a corndog off the kid's menu and my uncle, well lets just say he was incredulous. So for the rest of the road trip he kept asking her if she wanted corndogs. I just found that funny. The BBQ was really really good.


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## Green Eyed Fairy (Sep 25, 2008)

olwen said:


> Seltzer = Club soda. Carbonated water without any flavor or sugar. So you can flavor it with anything you want.
> 
> *And corndogs = yuk*. Maybe I never had a really good one. That's not something you can get anywhere here. I've only ever had that in the food court in a mall. They always seemed rubbery and cardboardy to me.



Blasphemer.......... 


I tend to usually only get interested in the club soda around the holidays- I feel like some fancy hostess pouring it into my stemmed Christmas glasses with cranberry juice


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## goodthings (Sep 26, 2008)

BigBellySSBBW said:


> I'll add a few...
> 
> *Fanny* means Vagina
> *Bonnet* means hood of the car
> ...



My best friend is from Bristol and we are often confused. She uses a trolly instead of a grocery cart, she snogs instead of makes out, things should be proper instead of all right and that is all i can think of right now


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## Shosh (Sep 26, 2008)

JiminOR said:


> Imagine a hotdog on a stick, with a cornbread shell.
> 
> Awww hell yeah.



I am sorry Americans but I am just not feeling the whole Corn Dog thing. I think I just threw up in my mouth a lil actually.

Shall I be banished from Dims for this?


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## cute_obese_girl (Sep 26, 2008)

goodthings said:


> My best friend is from Bristol and we are often confused. She uses a trolly instead of a grocery cart, she snogs instead of makes out, things should be proper instead of all right and that is all i can think of right now



Snog does not sound sexy at all  In fact it sounds downright gross.


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## Pixelpops (Sep 26, 2008)

A lot of brits think the same thing too :/ Snog is not a sexy word :<


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## olwen (Sep 26, 2008)

Green Eyed Fairy said:


> Blasphemer..........
> 
> 
> I tend to usually only get interested in the club soda around the holidays- I feel like some fancy hostess pouring it into my stemmed Christmas glasses with cranberry juice


Forgive me Greenie, for I have sinned. It's been 20 years since my last corndog....



goodthings said:


> My best friend is from Bristol and we are often confused. She uses a trolly instead of a grocery cart, she snogs instead of makes out, things should be proper instead of all right and that is all i can think of right now


American's have words like that too. Water bubbler (in new england)= water fountain (every where else). Tennis shoes = sneakers. I can't even begin to enumerate the many ways to say pancakes. Pop = soda. Madea (say dear but cut off the "r". It's not pronounced ma-de-a) = mother. Jimmies = sprinkles. Those are just some of the crazy mixed up words we use. 

I remember in "Are You There God, It's Me, Margaret" by Beverly Cleary, the character kept talking about going behind the A&P to make out. It took me years to figure out what "A&P" meant. Was is some slang for something cool I was missing out on? What was A&P was code for? I finally found out years later that A&P was the name of a freakin grocery store! It was strange to me cause I don't think I had ever seen an A&P grocery store anywhere in Manhattan. :doh:


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## Pixelpops (Sep 27, 2008)

We call sprinkles Hundreds and Thousands!


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## Shosh (Sep 27, 2008)

Pixelpops said:


> We call sprinkles Hundreds and Thousands!



My grandmother used to make me hundreds and thousands sandwiches when I was a little girl.


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## D_A_Bunny (Sep 27, 2008)

Susannah said:


> My grandmother used to make me hundreds and thousands sandwiches when I was a little girl.



How? I mean to say, how do they stay inside the bread? And do you mean the little bitty different colored hard pieces of sugar that usually top ice cream? Well, we actually have chocolate jimmies too. And is the sandwich good? This is a very interesting concept.


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## Adamantoise (Sep 27, 2008)

Yes!
And I love 'em!  
Hundreds and Thousands on cakes with white icing-delicious!


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## olwen (Sep 27, 2008)

DumbAssBunny said:


> How? I mean to say, how do they stay inside the bread? And do you mean the little bitty different colored hard pieces of sugar that usually top ice cream? Well, we actually have chocolate jimmies too. And is the sandwich good? This is a very interesting concept.



Call me crazy, but how does one make a sandwich out of sprinkles? How do you keep the sprinkles from spilling out? Maybe if it were made with waffles and ice cream? Now there's a sandwich.


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## Shosh (Sep 27, 2008)

DumbAssBunny said:


> How? I mean to say, how do they stay inside the bread? And do you mean the little bitty different colored hard pieces of sugar that usually top ice cream? Well, we actually have chocolate jimmies too. And is the sandwich good? This is a very interesting concept.



A layer of butter or margarine is thinly spread on the bread and then the Hundreds and Thousands are sprinkled on top. They stick to the spread. Voila! A Hundreds and Thousands sandwich.

The sandwich is so yummy!


----------



## olwen (Sep 27, 2008)

Susannah said:


> A layer of butter or margarine is thinly spread on the bread and then the Hundreds and Thousands are sprinkled on top. They stick to the spread. Voila! A Hundreds and Thousands sandwich.
> 
> The sandwich is so yummy!



Soooo....lemmie get this straight - it's a sandwich with butter and sprinkles? ...okay...it doesn't sound like something I would want to eat, but I'd be willing to try a bite. 

How about this? Pickle sandwiches. I ate those as a kid. Just pickles and helman's mayo. Yum. I haven't had one of those in ages.


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## Shosh (Sep 27, 2008)

View attachment 800px-Fairy_Bread.jpg


Hundreds and Thousands sandwiches.

Olwen I only really ate these as a child.

Pickles I like to still eat though.


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## Green Eyed Fairy (Sep 27, 2008)

olwen said:


> Jimmies = sprinkles. Those are just some of the crazy mixed up words we use.
> 
> I remember in "Are You There God, It's Me, Margaret" by Beverly Cleary, the character kept talking about going behind the A&P to make out. It took me years to figure out what "A&P" meant. Was is some slang for something cool I was missing out on? What was A&P was code for? I finally found out years later that A&P was the name of a freakin grocery store! It was strange to me cause I don't think I had ever seen an A&P grocery store anywhere in Manhattan. :doh:



I have heard condoms called Jimmies
I laugh at your A&P confusion- my father worked in one for thirty years - they are all over New Jersey though 



olwen said:


> Soooo....lemmie get this straight - it's a sandwich with butter and sprinkles? ...okay...it doesn't sound like something I would want to eat, but I'd be willing to try a bite.
> 
> How about this? Pickle sandwiches. I ate those as a kid. Just pickles and helman's mayo. Yum. I haven't had one of those in ages.



How about tomato sandwiches? Those are a common thing here in the south- lots of mayo, sliced tomato on white bread. Banana sandwiches are the same - just substituting tomato with sliced banana


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## olwen (Sep 27, 2008)

Green Eyed Fairy said:


> I have heard condoms called Jimmies
> I laugh at your A&P confusion- my father worked in one for thirty years - they are all over New Jersey though
> 
> 
> ...



I've had tomato sandwiches, but never banana sandwiches. I just plain don't like banana's. The smell just reminds me of the drive along the new jersey turnpike to go food shopping at the pathmark in elizabeth. I dunno why we went all the way to jersey to get groceries when there was a pathmark downtown. We did that every week when I was a kid.


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## olwen (Sep 27, 2008)

Shoosh, those sandwiches look pretty in the picture, but the flavors...I'll just have to take your word for it.


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## D_A_Bunny (Sep 27, 2008)

olwen said:


> Shoosh, those sandwiches look pretty in the picture, but the flavors...I'll just have to take your word for it.



I agree. They look to me like something that might be served as a Christmas treat to young children at a school party.

Although I generally love most delivery systems for a sugary treat, I too will have to accept that they taste good.

Now tomato sandwiches on white bread with Hellmann's is one of the best things ever. I have three juicy ripe tomatoes sitting on my counter that we just purchased today. At least one of them will be eaten in sandwich fashion. And I will be thinking about it just before I go to bed tonite, and first thing when I wake up in the morning. As a Jersey girl, this was a summertime favorite and something that makes me happy, no matter what.


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## cute_obese_girl (Sep 28, 2008)

Green Eyed Fairy said:


> I have heard condoms called Jimmies


I've heard them called jimmy hats. With the jimmy referring too the....well, you know.



> I laugh at your A&P confusion- my father worked in one for thirty years - they are all over New Jersey though


We have gas stations with a mini mart called AMPM in California. That's what I decided A&P meant


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## Green Eyed Fairy (Sep 28, 2008)

cute_obese_girl said:


> I've heard them called jimmy hats. With the jimmy referring too the....well, you know.
> 
> 
> We have gas stations with a mini mart called AMPM in California. That's what I decided A&P meant



All the way in Cali that's understandable  

My father was a meatcutter for them. It was a union job so he stayed with them until he retired. I always think of him when I hear "A&P" because it was the job he had my whole life until he retired - though most of the people here in the south haven't heard of A&P because it seems to be a northeastern chain.
However, the building I work in now used to be an A&P - if I say it's the old A&P building to some on the phone while giving directions, they know exactly where I mean


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## mergirl (Oct 1, 2008)

Pixelpops said:


> A lot of brits think the same thing too :/ Snog is not a sexy word :<


hmm .. its better than "winch" or "nip"!!!


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## Dr. Feelgood (Oct 1, 2008)

It's a small thing, but I have noticed that whereas a dinner of beans in the US may give you _gas_, in the UK it will give you _wind_. So if an American says someone is 'windy' he means that person talks -- or, especially, brags -- a lot.* Across the pond, however, a 'windy' person is ...someone you don't want to get on an elevator with.

*Chicago is called 'The Windy City' not because of atmospheric phenomena, but because Chicagoans were inclined to speak at length about the virtues of their fair city.


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## Adamantoise (Oct 1, 2008)

I agree-'Snog' makes me think of 'Smog',and when I'm kissing someone the last thing I'd want is a face full of smoke!


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## Shosh (Oct 5, 2008)

I think I may have to try the scones ( biscuits) with a savory side now, ala Louisiana style with gravy. I shall let you know my verdict.

Scones without jam and cream? Unheard of.


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## ataraxia (Oct 5, 2008)

I have one: "spanner" -> "wrench". It's funny to me that regardless of what you call it, it's still the standard object for screwing things up by inserting it where it doesn't belong ("A spanner in the works" vs. "A monkey wrench in the works") but that in US lingo apparently only an adjustable one (the "monkey" part) will cause havoc. Apparently in the US non-adjustable wrenches are perfectly ok for jamming into random machines.


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## Dr. Feelgood (Nov 7, 2008)

Did any U.K. dimmers play Monopoly in their youth? The streets in the U.S. version are named after streets in Atlantic City; I wondered if the the streets in the British version were named after thoroughfares in London. More specifically, is 'Park Lane' one of the streets on the board?


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## Ruby Ripples (Nov 7, 2008)

Dr. Feelgood said:


> Did any U.K. dimmers play Monopoly in their youth? The streets in the U.S. version are named after streets in Atlantic City; I wondered if the the streets in the British version were named after thoroughfares in London. More specifically, is 'Park Lane' one of the streets on the board?



I still play it occasionally with my son... as rarely as I can, since he would appear to be a money-hungry property tycoon. Yes Park Lane is on the board, one of the most expensive set, with Mayfair. There is Bond Street, The Angel, Islington, Pall Mall, and lots of others, I think the cheapest is one called Old Kent Road. They're all London Streets. They also have train stations too.


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## mergirl (Nov 8, 2008)

Ruby Ripples said:


> I still play it occasionally with my son... as rarely as I can, since he would appear to be a money-hungry property tycoon. Yes Park Lane is on the board, one of the most expensive set, with Mayfair. There is Bond Street, The Angel, Islington, Pall Mall, and lots of others, I think the cheapest is one called Old Kent Road. They're all London Streets. They also have train stations too.


I love monopoly and get strangly competative somehow.. just at that game though... there is also "The Glasgow game" which is kinna like monopoly but with the Glasgow streets. I half played it a few years ago at my friends but it was 4am and we were worse for wear so i couldnt tell you if it was good or not...


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## Dr. Feelgood (Nov 8, 2008)

Ruby Ripples said:


> I still play it occasionally with my son... as rarely as I can, since he would appear to be a money-hungry property tycoon. Yes Park Lane is on the board, one of the most expensive set, with Mayfair. There is Bond Street, The Angel, Islington, Pall Mall, and lots of others, I think the cheapest is one called Old Kent Road. They're all London Streets. They also have train stations too.



Thanks, Ruby! I asked because I am reading a Jasper Fforde novel, and one of the characters is named 'Landon Park-Laine'. And I thought, "Wait a minute..." You have solved the mystery.


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## Lovelyone (Nov 10, 2008)

I was in London about 22 years ago with a school group. Several of us went on a private tour with a tour guide. As we left the building, the guide said..."you all need your Aunty Ellas! Snap snap, go get them." I thought for a minute and then said "Ian, im sorry but I don't know what an Aunty Ella is and if I even have one to bring along." He laughed and said, "It's going to rain, you need to bring along an umbrella" AUNTY ELLA=UMBRELLA...who'd have thunk it?


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## Maxx Awesome (Nov 10, 2008)

I've got one I just learned about _U.S.Acres_ is called _Orson's Farm_ over here. Why the need for the change... I don't know.


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## Dr. Feelgood (Nov 10, 2008)

Maxx Awesome said:


> I've got one I just learned about _U.S.Acres_ is called _Orson's Farm_ over here. Why the need for the change... I don't know.



Because you're not in the U.S.? Perhaps journalistic chauvinism dictated it.


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## Maxx Awesome (Nov 10, 2008)

Dr. Feelgood said:


> Because you're not in the U.S.? Perhaps journalistic chauvinism dictated it.



But _Captain America_ is still _Captain America_. USAgent is still USAgent. _American Beauty_ is still _American Beauty_.
Why change the title of something with a perfectly decent title anyway?
It was also changed in the _Garfield & Friends_ animated show.


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## Dr. Feelgood (Mar 2, 2014)

Can someone explain a phrase I occasionally run across in British novels? It's "like a big girl's blouse." Does it mean "the blouse of a big girl" or "the big blouse of a girl (size unspecified)?" And what's the significance, anyway?


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## Donna (Mar 2, 2014)

Dr. Feelgood said:


> Can someone explain a phrase I occasionally run across in British novels? It's "like a big girl's blouse." Does it mean "the blouse of a big girl" or "the big blouse of a girl (size unspecified)?" And what's the significance, anyway?



I am sure the Brits amongst us will correct if I am wrong but I always read it to be pejorative, calling a man weak, spineless, a sissy. Makes sense when you think about it.


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## Gingembre (Mar 2, 2014)

Dr. Feelgood said:


> Can someone explain a phrase I occasionally run across in British novels? It's "like a big girl's blouse." Does it mean "the blouse of a big girl" or "the big blouse of a girl (size unspecified)?" And what's the significance, anyway?



It's a derogatory term for a man displaying feminine characteristics, usually used by other men to persuade said man to do something. It's a bit of a dated term. I think it's to do with someone 'flapping' like a girl's blouse on the washing line would in the wind, not entirely sure! I've always thought of it as being the blouse of a big girl coz, like, that would obviously be even worse than being a skinny girl's blouse (which wouldn't flap around as much???).


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## penguin (Mar 2, 2014)

The way it's used here, it's saying you're a big wuss/sook/cry baby sort. The big isn't in reference to the size of the blouse, but the size of your behaviour.


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