# Europe Forum > European Culture & History > European food and recipes >  European food culture from a North American point of view

## Maciamo

Let's read this article and discuss it :

Expatica : Eatable Europe

For the non-Europeans, and especially North Americans and Oceanians among us, how do you eat, what is available at your local supermarket, and how much do you care the proverb "we are what we eat" ?

Good reading !

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## Duo

Very interesting indeed. It hits some common points that i myself have observed in the eating differences between Europe and North America. I will go further and say that the eating experience in Europe is probaply felt more or has more effect in culinary divine nations such Italy and France, Belgium being not so noticable for their culinary art, exept the overuse of butter in their local dishes :/

Furthemore on lingering whilst eating, I must say that it is not 100% true or always the case here. I have often found pushy waitors to rush me and my companions with annoying gestures and bothersome intrusions. Once even, at a small restaurant that specializes on Belgian dishes the head chef came and literally took my plate of the table thinking I was done.....

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## Keoland

You mean that the americans don't know the pleasure of dining out with your friends from 19h00 PM to 01h00 AM, where people talk about all kinds of things at the table?  :Sou ka:  

Heck, if that happened here our political life would break down, as it revolves around talking for hours at the restaurant...

Still, I still haven't figured out why americans don't like something as tasty as snails  :Cool:  




> Once even, at a small restaurant that specializes on Belgian dishes the head chef came and literally took my plate of the table thinking I was done.....


Where had you put your fork and knife? Both of them to the right side of the dish are meant to signal that you're done and that the dish can be taken from you (there is a whole set of rules about these things).

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## Mycernius

I don't know if you have ever read Bill Brysons "Notes from a Big Country". In that he has returned to the US, after living in the UK for serveral years. He mentions that one of the first things he did was buy a lot of american instant food from the local superstore. What he discovered was it was too sweet, sticky and vile. his wife had no sympathy for him (she is English) and made him eat it all.

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## Minty

Many Americans have complaint to me that French starred at them when they ate pizzas in France. 

You see, the Americans eat them with their hands instead of knife and folk.

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## No-name

Easter dinner: Glazed Ham, Cajun Turkey, sauteed mushrooms, steamed broccoli, red potatoes and a big romaine/artichoke heart salad.

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## Maciamo

> Many Americans have complaint to me that French starred at them when they ate pizzas in France. 
> You see, the Americans eat them with their hands instead of knife and folk.


So do many French people.

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## Maciamo

> Easter dinner: Glazed Ham, Cajun Turkey, sauteed mushrooms, steamed broccoli, red potatoes and a big romaine/artichoke heart salad.


And that would be ? In New Orleans ?

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## Ma Cherie

I would have to agree with Duo about eating in Europe (even though I haven't been there yet :Relieved:  ). As I'm learning more about French culture, I came to the realization that eating is more about savoring the food, or better yet, ejoyment. I would think this has to with lifestyles more. I think Italy is another good example of how people eat for enjoyment. As far as lifestyles, Europe is more relaxed compared to North America. People work alot more and don't spend much time enjoying life. Hence, fast-food and sticking things in the microwave. In my opinion, North America doesn't consider eating as a pleasure, I think it's more like that in Europe.  :Blush:

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## Mycernius

> Easter dinner: Glazed Ham, Cajun Turkey, sauteed mushrooms, steamed broccoli, red potatoes and a big romaine/artichoke heart salad.


I had goose with sweet potatoes and various other vegetables

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## No-name

> And that would be ? In New Orleans ?


In California, but my wife is half Creole....

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## Minty

> So do many French people.


Then the bunch of French people I hang around with must be a bunch that doesnft. But I never seen French people ' except Arabian French' who eat Pizza with their hands. I also saw them put in on top of their car and split the pizza with their hands. My hussard finds that inappropriate.

 :Haihai:

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## Minty

Then the bunch of French people I hang around with must be a bunch that doesnft. But I never seen French people ' except Arabian French' who eat Pizza with their hands. I also saw them put it on top of their car and split the pizza with their hands. My husband finds that inappropriate.  :Bluush:  




> Most notable to me was the bread. It was all freshly baked. There was no bleached white Wonderbread here. When I took it home, it lasted two days before it went stale. That really opened my eyes to what was keeping my Canadian white bread 'fresh' for two weeks c


Well I donft know about other parts of Europe but in France there are bleached white breads, they are called gAmerican sandwich breadh, which you can keep up to two weeks. But most people here prefer the freshly baked ones, yes thatfs true.  :Haihai:  




> We don't even seem to care about how good it tastes anymore, as long as it's served quickly and there is loads of it.


The French are extremely fussy about the taste; they spend so much time to prepare their foods. :Blush:  




> The North American take-out spots are all here and they don't show any signs of dwindling business. It makes me sad to think that attitudes here could shift and become like those in North America.


Fast foods are usually popular for young people, I think in comparison to North America the availability of fast foods is still less, there are lots of brands of fast foods restaurants from America that are not available here. :Wink:

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