Joy and Austin: Switzerland to the Backwoods of Arkansas

[Lurker]

There are a few types of American "cheese". One is a slimy product mostly made of oil dyed orange and is sold as a sandwich slice as it can't be called cheese.  

The other is a real cheese product made from cheddar cheese, plus milk, cream etc. It is  mild in taste, very soft in texture, and is often sold presliced and individually wrapped for convenience.   It melts well and is perfect for grilled cheese sandwiches, on burgers etc.   It can also be puchased at a cheese counter to be sliced to order.

Bacon in our house is the streaky kind, purchased presliced in a package in the grocery store.   I have only had Canadian bacon on an egg mcmuffin at McDonalds.   I have never bought pork belly, but have eaten it at resturants.

The Duggars don't keep kosher in any way or form.  They pick and choose selected ideas that make them feel self rightous and superior.  Keeping kosher requires knowledge, work and dicipline, none  of which are in the Duggars lifestyle.

[Snarkle Motion]

Didn't Jinger try eel or something else not "kosher" on her honeymoon. I'm pretty sure they have said they avoid pork but I know lots of Jews who have been brought up to avoid pork but still eat shellfish and mix meat/dairy. They aren't keeping kosher but more observing a cultural tradition. Duggars don't make sense but I can't snark on the for this. Lots of religions avoid pork and not other stuff for unclear reasons. Also, they seem to pick random Jewish appropriations (see Star of David necklaces they wore a while back).

[HarryPotterFan]

34 minutes ago, ButternutSquash said:

My question to Americans is: What is American cheese?? 

A monstrosity 

Its processed crap and salty.

 

Wait, there is American cheese that's actually cheese? The monstrosity crap is also sold in individually wrapped pieces. How do you tell them apart?

[luxfilia]

2 hours ago, QuiverFullofBooks said:

(Clipped)
I've never seen them eating barbecue (I didn't follow Josh's fast-food-filled social media). Arkansas barbecue is great and mostly pork-based, but brisket and turkey are often available too.

A few of them did did have Korean BBQ after Jinger & Jeremy's engagement in NY. That doesn't have to include pork, but often does. I'm guessing they have at least accidentally eaten pork quite often. Also, I feel stupid for this, but I never knew brisket was beef! I used to prefer it at a BBQ restaurant (I'm vegan nowadays), I guess that explains why. I've never much liked pork.

[SilverBeach]

American here. Thick cut bacon is a thing. Rind on/rind off bacon is a thing.  Salt pork is an uncured form of what is really bacon. There is also Canadian bacon in our stores, although it is really ham. Definitely more than one form of bacon here.

[luxfilia]

42 minutes ago, ButternutSquash said:

(Clipped)

My question to Americans is: What is American cheese?? 

I want to say that, as an American, I only liked this stuff when I was a really little kid. It was all my parents bought until I got a little older (like pre-teen age) and requested real cheese. I think my dad still prefers it, but they've switched over to real slices of provolone, Swiss, heddar, etc. for their sandwiches. When I was little, I thought American cheese was basically cheddar cheese . . . and then I tried cheddar cheese. Wow. Can't believe my mom was feeding us that mushy, processed, square-shaped junk. It does melt well on a grilled cheese sandwich (or cheeseburger), which I ate a lot of growing up. But yikes. I don't eat cheese now, but if I did, I still wouldn't eat American.

3 minutes ago, SilverBeach said:

American here. Thick cut bacon is a thing. Rind on/rind off bacon is a thing.  Salt pork is an uncured form of what is really bacon. There is also Canadian bacon in our stores, although it is really ham. Definitely more than one form of bacon here.

Very true, but if you are served bacon in a mainstream restaurant, it tends to be what people are calling "streaky" bacon. I don't think I've ever been served anything else. Of course, pork belly and less common cuts of meat are popular in trendy (I don't mean that in a bad way) or higher-end restaurants, but when the average meat-and-potatoes person thinks of bacon (I'm thinking of my husband and his family), I believe they picture the "streaky" bacon served at a Waffle House or the like.

[fluffernutter]

 I love american cheese, but I do draw the line at the individually wrapped pieces. We get it at the deli counter and use it for everything. 

[HOTW]

What is called bacon in the USA is called streaky bacon in the UK. UK bacon is the porkloin smoked which is what is called peameal bacon/backbacon/Dutch Bacon in Canada or Canadian bacon in the USA sometimes with or without the peameal. When you order ham in the UK you will get real ham not the processed deli meat in the USA. Gammon is the ham either leg or hock that has been salted in brine but is not smoked. 

 

Not even going to address suasages since there is so much difference fue to price cost. Mainly the ones in the USA are heavily spiced compared to the other countries

[allthegoodnamesrgone]

58 minutes ago, Swamptribe said:

American "cheese" is not actually cheese, it's processed cheese food. Go google what that means.  It's pretty gross.  Up there with Velveeta.

In the US, Canadian bacon is smoked pork loin, sliced thin. The loin is trimmed into a round shape.  It is not a chopped processed thing.

but American cheese is SOOOO GOOD on grilled cheese, especially with some crispy streaky bacon. YUM!  

[KeshetParparNesicha]

2 hours ago, Snarkle Motion said:

Didn't Jinger try eel or something else not "kosher" on her honeymoon.

Yeah, they "threw a shrimp on the barbie."

[subsaharanafrica]

I am now wondering if Joy tried horse meat while in Switzerland. 

[Coconut Flan]

8 hours ago, MadeItOut said:

More like a gammon chop then?

No, not a chop in any form that I've seen it.  The thing I've discovered about US breakfast ham in looking online is that it is widely variable across the country.  Anything from salty country ham, to sandwich ham, to the more Canadian bacon style we have. What is marketed here is almost the same as what we call Canadian bacon which seems to be similar to UK back bacon.  So far in my life I've never US bacon labeled as streaky bacon. 

[freshlemonade]

I totally get the backlash towards American cheese.  I really do. The individually wrapped "singles" are gross.   And the ingredients in a "loaf" of processed American cheese are scary.    There are so many other amazing cheese choices out there.   But.....  there is just something about American cheese that makes grilled cheese sandwiches and mac n' cheese just right.  ( I like the American cheese from the deli.  And for sandwiches and mac n cheese I use it in combo with other cheeses. )

[ButternutSquash]

Are these American cheese slices similar to Kraft cheese slices? Because they are delicious for grilled cheeses!! Any other time I don't care for processed cheese. 

[SapphireSlytherin]

40 minutes ago, Coconut Flan said:

So far in my life I've never US bacon labeled as streaky bacon. 

"Streaky bacon" is a Brit-ism. Hubby still calls it that. He also still calls our dryer a "tumble dryer" and paper towels are "kitchen roll."

[melon]

17 hours ago, AudreyE said:

Forgive me for being stupid, but why do the Duggars avoid pork?  I thought that was a Muslim practice.

There is an Old Testament law,I believe,and pigs are considered unclean animals.But they aren't Jewish,they're independent Baptist.They combine milk and meat,another Jewish dietary thing.I have no idea,makes no sense.

[Exposedknees]

As a southern lady myself- I don't understand how they can be "against pork" because BBQ!!!!!!

. 

Sure I'm in NC where BBQ is a way of life and we have warring factions between 2 types of sauce. I've only had the pleasure(lol) of being in Arkansas once but I  know I had BBQ there!

[Bad Wolf]

The Duggars pick and  choose what to believe. There is no logic or consistency.

[Lurker]

25 minutes ago, melon said:

There is an Old Testament law,I believe,and pigs are considered unclean animals.But they aren't Jewish,they're independent Baptist.They combine milk and meat,another Jewish dietary thing.I have no idea,makes no sense.

Not combining milk and meat is also biblical based off seethe not the calf in its mothers milk.   

In addition, there are rules that determine timing between milk and meat, so you could not have roast beef and follow it a half hour later with ice cream.  

[IReallyAmHopewell]

Not eating Pork is another Gothard thing.  Like baking whole wheat bread after grinding your own wheat--though the Duggars seem to have always bought their bread. And, apparently they don't see hamburger or hotdog buns  or Garlic Toast for Spaghetti as needing to adhere to the whole wheat rule.

[JemimaPuddle-Duck]

We eat very little"junk food", but a couple of years ago I had a bad childhood craving so I bought Campbell's, cheap white bread, and Kraft cheese slices and made us grilled cheeses with tomato soup. That crap was amazing. Amazing.

[MadeItOut]

11 hours ago, nastyhobbitses said:

They basically half-assedly appropriate the bits of Judaism (wearing Stars of David, #godblessisrael #eventhoughalargeportionofamericanandliberalisraelijewsopposenetanyahuandhisbullshit, not eating pork) that suit them without understanding Judaism and while believing that actual Jews will burn in hell/are just warm bodies to fill Israel and out-breed/genocide the Palestinians to facilitate the end times.

There are some christians that follow the Leviticus thing too - only all of them that I've ever met take it seriously, the same way Jews do, and not at all this hobbyist claptrap that seems to go on in the dugout.

10 hours ago, SapphireSlytherin said:

OK - quizzing my poor hubby. He says gammon is generally what we call a ham steak. Breakfast ham may or may not be the same, depending on where you are. Kinda like the regional differences in the Full English. I had one in a diner in Kings Lynn that had salad on the plate too. 

I'm sensing a 'great bacon swap of 17' coming on. Everyone buys enough of their local thing to get everyone else a taste. ...though we'd probably run the pork industry out of business...

10 hours ago, QuiverFullofBooks said:

@MadeItOut, the Italian bacon is pancetta (which is unsmoked) or guanciale.

Yes! Pancetta - that's the badger!

[MadeItOut]

8 hours ago, ButternutSquash said:

 

My question to Americans is: What is American cheese?? 

While we're about it, what IS the difference between Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, and Pepper cheese? I asked the lady at subway - she looked at me like I'd fell off the Moon.

8 hours ago, Daisy0322 said:

@SapphireSlytherin or anyone else who might know; Keep in mind I'm in middle The middle of the country and people just mainly like their fried chicken here, it's hard to find a lot of adventurous food butbits getting better... where can you get a full English breakfast? The picture looked delicious!

Might have to do your own. You have two choices: fried, or grilled (fried is more traditional).

If you're in an area that fries stuff well, a deep fried, battered dark Bounty bar ius delicious! ...who was it headed to Scotland? Look out for battered chocolate bars of your choice while you're there - that's where it started.

[Incognito22]

3 hours ago, Exposedknees said:

As a southern lady myself- I don't understand how they can be "against pork" because BBQ!!!!!!

. 

Sure I'm in NC where BBQ is a way of life and we have warring factions between 2 types of sauce. I've only had the pleasure(lol) of being in Arkansas once but I  know I had BBQ there!

I went to school in NC.  I love me a good pig pickin'. But only the vinegar type for me!

[Jinder Roles]

Didn't they serve crab salad at Josh and Anna's wedding? Maybe not often, but probably they eat shellfish. 

I know a lot of Christians - and people for non-religious reasons - who do not eat pork. It's not necessarily an attempt on kosher. Though the Seven-day Adventist diet is similar to the kosher diet but not the same. They also don't wear jewelry and have Sabbath from Friday to Saturday.