Triumvir

Noortje <member19691@british_expats.com> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
    > I am going to miss my Belgian chocolate the most.
    > The chocolate I've had
    > in the US doesn't even come close to it...
    >
    > And oh, of course, the
    > typical Belgian fries with mayonaise, but I guess I can make them on my
    > own at home!

Remember to use Bintje, and fry them twice. You should be alright.
It's a good thing (Belgian) waffles are a stereotype, or you'd miss
those too.

lairdside

I have to disagree with you there. The bread here is most certainly NOT bread (except for the specialty breads like sourdough, ciabatta etc).

My best friend who is Russian complains of the same thing. Also we both find that the fruit and vegetables here do not perish! We wonder what they did to them.......

I have learned. Stick to fresh produce, cook things myself. DO NOT eat the pre-packaged food (it's full of even more crap here than in the UK). Organic produce here is way overpriced but available.

I bought a bread maker

Noortje

Oooo, good hint. Thanks. So there are "bintjes" too in the US huh? Great... Yup, we always fry them twice here at home too.

tortoise

the main food difference i noticed is the bread - it's very sweet compared to bread in the uk. also, food is ready salted. fries (chips) need no salt added, which is great for a salt fiend like me, but still a little unsettling. if it's ok for me, then it must be VERY salty heheheh.

if you shop around, you can find that you can get almost anything here that you can back in the uk (i know that's probably very different from russia though) - it's taken me about a year to realise that.

i'm just glad that i've found a shop selling crumpets! much to the horror of my husband who has to go and buy them. i get through them far too quickl >:)

Eileen

"> I am going to miss my Belgian chocolate the most.
    > The chocolate I've had
    > in the US doesn't even come close to it...
I found Belgian Chocolate (milk and dark) at the local store. It is a
family owned thing called Kowalski's.
It is kinda an 'upgrade' store but the Belgian chololate is right next to
the regular American M&M and Hersheys and stuff. I expected to find it in
special section but nope.....in the regular candy isle.
It is distrubuted by Kraft Foods International, Rye Brook, NY 10573
I bet if you write them, they will tell you where it is sold in your area.
Cote S Or, 5.29 oz (150g)
Chocolat pour connaisseurs
good luck,
e

Noortje

Mmmm Eileen, thanks for the info. I really do appreciate it!

I'll ask and write around if I can find Belgian chocolate in Rhode Island. I'll live in Providence, so if there is any Belgian chocolate in RI, it *should* be in Providence!

Epitomee2000

Well my husband's main adjustment was the medical issue. He was surprised that while in Jamaica, he only had to show up any doctor and pay a copay and he was treated, while in the US, you need to be insured and if not insured, you need to go to the free clinics and stuff like that. He has also adjusted to the food, some foods such as Fosta Oats, bread fruit, etc is unavailable except via internet. He also has complaints about the chocalate, he says American chocalate is very sweet..But it has been fun for him to explore the differences and adjust.

Ray

Or even the other method, used by a lot of people..you Pay.

lairdside

What took some getting used to here for me with the medical profession was the "sales pitch". About five minutes into my making my first prospective consultation it hit me exactly what was going on.

Currently, I am in the process of weighing up UC Davis and Stanford for medical treatment. Both knows that I am considering having surgery with the other for my condition.

It's really quite amusing. Of course the reality is for the insured that unless you can pay 100% out of pocket neither you nor your physician ultimately determines your medical treatment but your insurance company

They are holding the purse strings afterall.

Rete

You're going to hate me but I and my husband always wind up with someone giving us Italian and Belguim chocolates for Christmas. We either give them to someone else or *gasp* throw them out because neither I nor he/Canadian like them.

Rete

Epitomee2000

Fortunately for him he has insurance. The reality of the true American Experience would probably blow his mind if he didn't. Nothing like a $750 Dr. Office visit to make you appreciate your HMO.

Noortje

LOL... You GOT to be kidding!

But then again, that's what I did with a whole pack of Hershey's I got in the States. Ugh, I left it some place someone else could find them.

I guess people have different tastes. I could never miss my Belgian chocolate. I think we are born "into" it! My fiancé loves them too though.

widge

Not so sure this is a good thing ! Unfortunately my fiance LOVES English Cadbury's Chocolate Buttons ........... the longed for joys of sharing everything in marriage love, life, home, bed, future is all that keeps me going but the Buttons wow that's gonna be a toughy :-(

Noortje

You'll get to appreciate his love for the Buttons as time passes by and you get to realize that sharing love, life, home, bed and future isn't quite everything in this world. LOL (just kidding of course)

What *I* am concerned about is the belly my guy could create with those Belgian chocolates... What a nice prospect.