Culture Shock

[mom'sfolly]

When I pronounce Erin and Aaron, it is not the first syllable that is different, it is the second.

Erin rhymes with pin and win
Aaron has a second syllable closer to run, but softer.

Admittedly, after living in Alaska, Minnesota, New York and Texas, my accent is a strange mixed American blend.

 

[redhen]

I'm from Mass.
So its,.. New England clam chowder... seafood, steamer clams, Wellfleet oysters, cranberries(because we have a lot of cranberry bogs here), Cod fish..
Also, we are known for old "puritian cooking".. Boston baked beans, bulkie rolls.. Boston Cream donuts...

 

[cmb19]

Oh I'm glad I brought up goulash...I spend most of my time thinking about food.

I'm in a middle of nowhere area...we eat a lot of wild game...venison, fish, rabbit, squirrel. I don't know that we have meals here that most people don't. I'm even in a part of the state that doesn't have scrapple, I've never tried it before. Since I work as a waitress I'll just tell you some of the more "popular" meals. A lot of people get our hot sandwiches...meatloaf, roast beef, and turkey. They're the sandwiches that come with mashed potatoes and everything is slathered in gravy. We have a reuben special every other week. OH, fish fry Fridays.

Ohhhh what do you folks eat on your burgers? I eat ketchup and mustard (same with hot dogs, go ahead and gag

), but if someone says they want everything it's ketchup, mustard, onions, and sweet pickle relish. I notice the people from down south will get lettuce, tomato, etc more often than the locals do.

I don't eat salad, but I have also noticed that locals will pick Ranch dressing over anything else, while people from Oklahoma and Mississippi will choose bleu cheese.

 

[ChooksinChoppers]

Quote:
I just say it as in coke=soda=pop

Being from Australia I had lots of "fun" going through the drive thru asking for a Coke..they hear it as "Cake" "We don't have cake" they say

 

[newchknmama]

I only got halfway through when I needed to chime in, I am too "frum" many places. Raised in Southern Middle TN, moved to Wyoming, Nebraska, and now live in ID. After being ridiculed for those in WY lack of compassion for this southern girl, I "lost" my accent, but when I said I reckon I better get going cause Im fixin to go to the store and get some dinner (lunch) well I can't always hide it. BUT I did convert for the coke=soda=pop in relation to where i lived, In TN it was Coke, NE it was soda, and her ein Idaho, I enjoy a pop from time to time. I let my accent slip from time to time but for the most part, a lot of people don't notice. When I relax, or talk to a fellow southerner, it all flows though.

They say you can take the girl out of the country but not the country out of the girl.

 

[newchknmama]

Quote:
Ohhhh, I noticed the same thing. Like so many people here look at my like I'm from Mars when I say I went 20 miles to the south (you have to go over a tiny mountain) to shop. It's like they feel as if you can't go in that direction because the mountain is stopping them!

In general they just stick to their town and don't venture anywhere, not even the beach!!! I've gotten that same feeling about how they have their lives already set up. When I get this negative vibe that they don't feel as if you are worthy of their friendship I just tell them I love my quiet life just the way it is. Honestly, it's the truth, I don't like stuck up people anyway.
I'm sitting here thinking about the friends I have here and you are right! They all came from somewhere else!!! Whoah!!! That is so weirddddd!!!

Haha I agree! I have friends in TN that have never left the state.. and its a small state! We take day trips here in ID all the time. Its not a big deal at all to go 2 hours north to McCall snuggled int he mtns.. but to travel that far in TN it was a major excursion!

 

[newchknmama]

Does anyone have that recipe for the goulash with elbow macaronis, hamburger and tomato sauce?? My dad used to make this and he doesnt remember it but I loved it and have yet to find a recipe like it. It has corn in it too I believe.

 

[redhen]

Quote:
Basically its like this.. only i also use a can or so of crushed tomatoes in it..
Never had it with corn in it..might be good!


http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/American-Chop-Suey-II/Detail.aspx



OOh this one sounds good too! And it has the corn in it! I'm making this one!


http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Hamburger-Goulash/Detail.aspx

 

[cmb19]

Quote:
Basically its like this.. only i also use a can or so of crushed tomatoes in it..
Never had it with corn in it..might be good!


http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/American-Chop-Suey-II/Detail.aspx



OOh this one sounds good too! And it has the corn in it! I'm making this one!


http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Hamburger-Goulash/Detail.aspx

Oh, wow, those are more involved than our recipe.

We cook up a box (or however much needed) of the elbow macaroni, pour in a jar (or more) of Ragu, and however much cooked ground beef we want and stir it up. That's it. It's not very runny or anything either.

A lot of times...at least in my family...we take the leftovers, add some shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese and chopped up pepperoni and warm it through in the oven. Pizza pasta bake.

 

[AquaEyes]

In following the food-trend, does anyone have stories to share about ordering a food in a new place, only to find that it's prepared differently from the version you were used to in your old hometown?

This is minor, but I was used to "honey mustard dressing" being of a creamy consistency. Coming to Buffalo, "honey mustard dressing" is more of a vinaigrette consistency. That's just a simple example I could think of now. How about everyone else?

Keep this going. It's great to learn how people are different, isn't it?