Odd Customs
 

So what things do you do that are weird, or seem weird over here? and what have you noticed that you think is weird over here?

I'll start, I like ketchup and mayo with chips and stuff, which certainly gets' weird looks over here :)
But what I find weird, and this could be just a new england thing, they serve maple syrup with gammon ham steaks and sausages, I get very weird looks when asking for ketchup with the bangers.

Also, tea, everytime I offer, people expect herbal tea or that chai stuff, and have it either plain, with lemon and or sugar, and look aghast when it's plain ole PG tips served with milk.....anyone else get that?

Re: Odd Customs
 

Demonstrating the ability to use a knife and fork at the same time always gets strange looks....

Re: Odd Customs
 

Ah. This member beat me to it. Americans like to use their fork alone when eating AND on the ocassions they do actually use the knife, there's all this swapping utensils from one hand to the other. i.e. cut with knife in right hand (with fork in left), then put down knife and swap fork to right hand to eat.

Not surprisingly, I don't eat like that and I usually have to ask for a knife at eating establishments :rolleyes:




NC Penguin

Re: Odd Customs
 

Agree with the knife and fork. People always find my eating habits - the fact that I eat with two hands - to be very odd. Especially when I eat my pizza with a knife and fork.

Putting salt and vinegar on my chips/fries. I get lots of wrinkled-up-nose looks at that one.

Finishing *all* of my beer. Over here, bartenders are very quick to take away my beer when I've still got a good 3-4 sips left in it! What's up with that?!? They'd never get away with that back home!

I'll add more when I think of them. I'm sure there are plenty.....

Re: Odd Customs
 

They all drink cold black sweet tea down here, I've be showing my other half's son how to use a knife with his fork!!!

Re: Odd Customs
 

Seeing people use a fork backwards (like a dagger hold) really amuses me.
When I put ketchup and mustard on my hot-dog I get odd looks
People think im also odd as on thanksgiving I asked "mom" if we could have roast potatoes and she asked me how to make them!
I hate American gravy!! (Sorry)

Re: Odd Customs
 

yeah, my other half actually had the cheek to APOLOGISE to other people for me using a knife and fork, and says i have bad manners - what a crock of shit

mayonaise on fries always is a funny one to throw out there

butter on bread freaks people out too

bearing in mind americans eat vegetation reserved for cattle in the UK (turnip greens and collard greens) and eat crispy greasy bits of fat with slivers of meat in it (bacon), and OVERCOOK pretty much any kind of food they can get their hands on so it turns in a nasty grey mushy mess (asparagus/green beans), I think i'll continue putting mayo on my chips :p

Re: Odd Customs
 

Just sharpen one edge of your fork you have the perfect combination tool.

Re: Odd Customs
 

Nooo! Collard greens, kale, turnip greens, mustard greens, etc. are good eats! (why is there no smilie for licking the lips?)

I'll throw in the Americans love of carbs. Why do Americans insist of a bag of crisps (chips) with their sandwich? Aren't there enough carbs and calories in the bread (that contains the ubiquitous corn syrup)?

I much prefer eating my pizza with a knife and fork. I've seen my American spouse eat his slice of pizza by hand but he quite often burns his mouth when he puts the hot slice in there whole (i.e. not cutting off a bite size piece).




NC Penguin

Re: Odd Customs
 

This is a very big pet peeve of mine. People seem to have sweet potatoes (BLEAUGH) or mashed potatoes - which I used to eat with bangers and baked beans on a school night - certainly not a side dish to go with a special occasion feast!

This year I actually made my own roast potatoes and took them with me to our Thanksgiving dinner. They went down remarkably well! I think I'll be doing that every year from now on. :D

Re: Odd Customs
 

er....WALK!!!
When i lived in louisiana there where practically no sidewalks but neverthe less with two little ones in a double stoller i'd take a nice walk to a few of the playgrounds....people would be staring out their car windows at me like I'd just escaped an insane Asylum!!! :eek:

Of course driving like a maniac to get to the gym ,to walk on the tredmill makes perfect sense :rolleyes:
I'm in a city now, more sidewalks ...but still not too many people about....and they wonder why they're all fat :confused:

Re: Odd Customs
 

:D No kidding! I'm fortunate in that people in Santa Fe like walking, so it's expected and accepted here. But I did a stint in Ohio many years ago - everytime I walked somewhere drivers would roll down the windows and either hurl insults, or offer me a ride. :confused:

Re: Odd Customs
 

Hehe,...yeah, I noticed that last winter, I'd get stared at walking to the post office, ok, it was sub zero temp, but the post office is only a 5 min walk down the street and that's quicker and safer than driving because it'll take 15 mins to warm the car up etc.

Re: Odd Customs
 

Ah, walking indeed!

I was working in an office on a lovely summer day here in Ohio and I wanted to go to the store, which was maybe a 5 or 10 minute walk away. Everyone began insisting that they'd drive me and were aghast that I'd actually want to walk somewhere since it 'wasn't safe'. It was in a very nice area of town with very little traffic!! I don't get it... no wonder why Columbus is one of the fattest cities in the United States!

Re: Odd Customs
 

I have to admit that when I go to Cleveland, OH, I have been known to go walking (downtown and in the neighborhood where the in-laws live). When walking in the in-laws neighborhood, I did notice that the less than well off were the only other ones on the street. e.g. waiting at bus stops, walking to the shops.

It was pretty much, if you can afford to drive, you do so, regardless of the potential health benefits.





NC Penguin