Regarding the UK / Brits and France - it's amazing how the French can often have such a dim view, but drive around in Minis, with Union Jacks plastered all over em and buy Union Jack / London inspired merchandise. You do see it for sale in homeware shops and supermarkets all the time, stationary, those cheap wall prints with red phone boxes on em.
It is a litmus test of what people think of us. Yes it is a petty example as it doesn't matter, but it is an opportunity for the view of us from others to come out. If you can't see that I would throw the what a load of bollocks back to you. It is a poll from Europe that confirms they don't like us. Most people draw the conclusion from it that we are not liked. You probably think our songs are relatively worse than Dim, dimmy dum, sing a lovely song. Mind you a few of our songs have been, but surely not all.
Yet they won't stock UK cheeses, of any type, except for a couple of weeks in the summer for the tourists, and that is the worst type of chedder
What sort of tourist would go to France and want to eat Cheddar? They deserve the very worst kind.
Would you say the same to a Frenchman looking for a decent bit of Roquefort or Brie in a UK supermarket?
It's more to do with the UK embracing cultures and cuisine from all over the world, and you can go to a supermarket in the UK and they have a choice of cheeses from all over, yet the French won't stock a decent chedder or wensleydale, not specifically for tourists or expats but maybe, god forbid, the French, who might even like a foreign but of cheese given to opportunity to try it. The foreign food shelves in our local supermarkets are about 4 meters long and consist of McVitties biscuits and sweet pickle, fajitas (the ones that taste nothing like genuine fajitas), there'll be some tins of "tapas" and then the pot noodle type stuff and sweet chilli sauces to satisfy those who fancy going a bit Asian in the kitchen.
Yet they won't stock UK cheeses, of any type, except for a couple of weeks in the summer for the tourists, and that is the worst type of chedder
What sort of tourist would go to France and want to eat Cheddar? They deserve the very worst kind.
Would you say the same to a Frenchman looking for a decent bit of Roquefort or Brie in a UK supermarket?
It's more to do with the UK embracing cultures and cuisine from all over the world, and you can go to a supermarket in the UK and they have a choice of cheeses from all over, yet the French won't stock a decent chedder or wensleydale, not specifically for tourists or expats but maybe, god forbid, the French, who might even like a foreign but of cheese given to opportunity to try it. The foreign food shelves in our local supermarkets are about 4 meters long and consist of McVitties biscuits and sweet pickle, fajitas (the ones that taste nothing like genuine fajitas), there'll be some tins of "tapas" and then the pot noodle type stuff and sweet chilli sauces to satisfy those who fancy going a bit Asian in the kitchen.
Probably not, but my comment wasn't so much about what supermarkets choose to stock as pricking the bubble of people who go away for a week or two and expect to eat exactly what they have at home. Embrace the local cuisine is what I'd say to any tourist be they British or French.
Sorry to hear that your local shops appear to be run like this:
To be fair, if you are used to eating cheese in France, proper smelly, tasty stuff then tried a bland english cheddar you would baulk having the stuff in the supermarches too
Some French food is delightful, the more weird stuff like snails and frogs legs are unnecessary and disgusting. Much like the French as a whole
Yet they won't stock UK cheeses, of any type, except for a couple of weeks in the summer for the tourists, and that is the worst type of chedder
My French family and friends adore Stilton and the extra mature Cornish Cruncher cheddar which I'm requested to bring over (which anybody can buy in Marks & Spencer, even in Paris).
As you'll know, Ibborg, the French love their local regional cheeses ..... for example, go to a supermarche in Burgundy, and much of the range is local Burgundy country cheeses, often unpasturised.
In fact, it's not just cheese .... France can be very regional with it's foods.
The more this thread goes on, the more English I feel. Regarding being European, we, English / British, are absolutely nothing like any other European nationality I have ever met
Absolutely nothing like the Welsh, Scots or Irish?
Nope, nothing like em. If you look at the home nations there are obviously differences, but because the Scots, Welsh and Irish are basically wannabe English, none of us are like the continental Europeans, in my humble lived experience
If it helps, I can safely say that, with certain exceptions, the Irish are not wannabe English. Even Ian Paisley, FWIW, described himself as an Irish man and a Unionist, like Edward Carson.
I'll be honest mate, I only say that as a joke because I've had the following said to me, on 2 different occasions, by 2 different Irishmen - "There are 2 types of people in this world. The Irish and those who want to be Irish"
I remember World Cup 94. I was in year 8 at secondary school, and as england didn't qualify, I never knew I had so many schoolmates who were suddenly of Irish descent.
To be fair, if you are used to eating cheese in France, proper smelly, tasty stuff then tried a bland english cheddar you would baulk having the stuff in the supermarches too
Some French food is delightful, the more weird stuff like snails and frogs legs are unnecessary and disgusting. Much like the French as a whole
Snails & Frog Legs are a delight and we always eat them when in France. You cannot beat mopping up the garlic butter with French bread once the last snail has been eaten.
To be fair, if you are used to eating cheese in France, proper smelly, tasty stuff then tried a bland english cheddar you would baulk having the stuff in the supermarches too
Some French food is delightful, the more weird stuff like snails and frogs legs are unnecessary and disgusting. Much like the French as a whole
Snails & Frog Legs are a delight and we always eat them when in France. You cannot beat mopping up the garlic butter with French bread once the last snail has been eaten.
With snails that's just it, they are essentially whelks in garlic butter. Difference is I'd eat a whelk with no seasoning. I've tried snails without garlic butter and they have the taste and texture of the type of flobs you hack up with a bad cold
It is a litmus test of what people think of us. Yes it is a petty example as it doesn't matter, but it is an opportunity for the view of us from others to come out. If you can't see that I would throw the what a load of bollocks back to you. It is a poll from Europe that confirms they don't like us. Most people draw the conclusion from it that we are not liked. You probably think our songs are relatively worse than Dim, dimmy dum, sing a lovely song. Mind you a few of our songs have been, but surely not all.
The clue is in the title. Song Contest.
Fair enough, dismisss my point in that arrogant way. The point still stands that it shows we are not liked. Many people accept it shows that, but hey ho! Fair enough to disagree, but the counter position is not as blindingly obvious as you make out!
It is a litmus test of what people think of us. Yes it is a petty example as it doesn't matter, but it is an opportunity for the view of us from others to come out. If you can't see that I would throw the what a load of bollocks back to you. It is a poll from Europe that confirms they don't like us. Most people draw the conclusion from it that we are not liked. You probably think our songs are relatively worse than Dim, dimmy dum, sing a lovely song. Mind you a few of our songs have been, but surely not all.
The clue is in the title. Song Contest.
Fair enough, dismisss my point in that arrogant way. The point still stands that it shows we are not liked. Many people accept it shows that, but hey ho! Fair enough to disagree, but the counter position is not as blindingly obvious as you make out!
We've won it five times. Only Ireland and Sweden have won it more. Whatever the Eurovision results show, it's got nothing to do with the UK's supposed unpopularity.
It is a litmus test of what people think of us. Yes it is a petty example as it doesn't matter, but it is an opportunity for the view of us from others to come out. If you can't see that I would throw the what a load of bollocks back to you. It is a poll from Europe that confirms they don't like us. Most people draw the conclusion from it that we are not liked. You probably think our songs are relatively worse than Dim, dimmy dum, sing a lovely song. Mind you a few of our songs have been, but surely not all.
The clue is in the title. Song Contest.
Fair enough, dismisss my point in that arrogant way. The point still stands that it shows we are not liked. Many people accept it shows that, but hey ho! Fair enough to disagree, but the counter position is not as blindingly obvious as you make out!
They hate us so much it is No wonder Europe is desperately trying to kick us out of the EU
I don't think Europe is trying to kick us out of the EU, that's entirely something wanted by a majority of the English and Ulster Unionists, which hardly counts as all of Europe. Is this a whoosh?
I think some of Europeans disliking the English is down to behaviour while abroad, but a lot is just "big country syndrome". Most of Germany's neighbours are not too fond, though they may of course remember why. Likewise France. Italy isn't really a country so doesn't have the same impact. Eastern Europeans generally are not keen on Russia because of the influence they have and historic wrongs. Even the Norwegians complain about the Swedes in a similar way as they're perceived to be an arrogant larger neighbour who won't make the effort with the language (they are mutually intelligible but Norwegians can all understand Swedes and Swedes sometimes won't understand Norwegians).
Whenever I've been abroad I've never had any problem with being English but have at times wanted to get away from my fellow countrymen.
To be fair, if you are used to eating cheese in France, proper smelly, tasty stuff then tried a bland english cheddar you would baulk having the stuff in the supermarches too
Some French food is delightful, the more weird stuff like snails and frogs legs are unnecessary and disgusting. Much like the French as a whole
Snails & Frog Legs are a delight and we always eat them when in France. You cannot beat mopping up the garlic butter with French bread once the last snail has been eaten.
With snails that's just it, they are essentially whelks in garlic butter. Difference is I'd eat a whelk with no seasoning. I've tried snails without garlic butter and they have the taste and texture of the type of flobs you hack up with a bad cold
I find Whelks a lot tougher and harder to chew than snails and don't like them.
To be fair, if you are used to eating cheese in France, proper smelly, tasty stuff then tried a bland english cheddar you would baulk having the stuff in the supermarches too
Some French food is delightful, the more weird stuff like snails and frogs legs are unnecessary and disgusting. Much like the French as a whole
Snails & Frog Legs are a delight and we always eat them when in France. You cannot beat mopping up the garlic butter with French bread once the last snail has been eaten.
With snails that's just it, they are essentially whelks in garlic butter. Difference is I'd eat a whelk with no seasoning. I've tried snails without garlic butter and they have the taste and texture of the type of flobs you hack up with a bad cold
I find Whelks a lot tougher and harder to chew than snails and don't like them.
Can't stand either of them, disgusting. I used to go to France with my old man a lot and he used to love snails.
Tried them a couple of times and it was like eating snotty rubber with a strong taste of garlic (and I love garlic).
Same thing with whelks, although to be fair haven't tried them since I was a kid.
I was always happy enough with being a Brit. But my Scottish mother in law turned me well and truly into a proud English man, I think it was banter but I just got sick of the whole thing.
Comments
Song Contest.
Would you say the same to a Frenchman looking for a decent bit of Roquefort or Brie in a UK supermarket?
It's more to do with the UK embracing cultures and cuisine from all over the world, and you can go to a supermarket in the UK and they have a choice of cheeses from all over, yet the French won't stock a decent chedder or wensleydale, not specifically for tourists or expats but maybe, god forbid, the French, who might even like a foreign but of cheese given to opportunity to try it. The foreign food shelves in our local supermarkets are about 4 meters long and consist of McVitties biscuits and sweet pickle, fajitas (the ones that taste nothing like genuine fajitas), there'll be some tins of "tapas" and then the pot noodle type stuff and sweet chilli sauces to satisfy those who fancy going a bit Asian in the kitchen.
Sorry to hear that your local shops appear to be run like this:
English aren't interested in French music but love their food!
Some French food is delightful, the more weird stuff like snails and frogs legs are unnecessary and disgusting. Much like the French as a whole
As you'll know, Ibborg, the French love their local regional cheeses ..... for example, go to a supermarche in Burgundy, and much of the range is local Burgundy country cheeses, often unpasturised.
In fact, it's not just cheese .... France can be very regional with it's foods.
I think some of Europeans disliking the English is down to behaviour while abroad, but a lot is just "big country syndrome". Most of Germany's neighbours are not too fond, though they may of course remember why. Likewise France. Italy isn't really a country so doesn't have the same impact. Eastern Europeans generally are not keen on Russia because of the influence they have and historic wrongs. Even the Norwegians complain about the Swedes in a similar way as they're perceived to be an arrogant larger neighbour who won't make the effort with the language (they are mutually intelligible but Norwegians can all understand Swedes and Swedes sometimes won't understand Norwegians).
Whenever I've been abroad I've never had any problem with being English but have at times wanted to get away from my fellow countrymen.
Can't stand either of them, disgusting. I used to go to France with my old man a lot and he used to love snails.
Tried them a couple of times and it was like eating snotty rubber with a strong taste of garlic (and I love garlic).
Same thing with whelks, although to be fair haven't tried them since I was a kid.