The Worst Foods and Drinks in America

[therogue]

My vote for worst Dutch food is the kroket, some meaty fried snack that contains a lot of garbage food. A few years ago they arrested a man who had been selling spoilt meat kroketten for years, he even used meat that had gone green. I never liked them but that really killed my appetite for them.

the only acceptable kroket is a home made one so you know whats in them for that very reason.

[dotkel50]

Steak and eggs are served in restaurants up north here too. I think steak for breakfast is gross. I used to like fried egg sandwiches with ketchup when I was a kid. My father used to make them for us on Saturday mornings.

[Collector]

Steak and eggs are served in restaurants up north here too. I think steak for breakfast is gross.

Yes, but it is usually just small, thin and grilled; served in lieu of bacon, sausage or ham to go with the eggs. Not breaded, deep fried and smothered in gravy.

[DeadPoolX]

Eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, cottage fries, pancakes... all very common breakfast foods. That steak looked a little gross (I've never been a big steak-for-breakfast person), but I've had chicken fried steak before, although usually at dinner.

I've also seen buttermilk biscuits offered during breakfast as well. The white gravy shown is, well... called "white gravy." It's actually quite good, although some places overdo it when putting it on biscuits or sausage.

Any of these items could also be eaten for lunch or dinner. That's where the term "breakfast for dinner" comes from.

Andrea, Dot was right -- what you consider breakfast is what we called a "Continental Breakfast." In other words, a cheap and relatively tasteless meal for breakfast served at hotels. Usually bread, like croissants, take up the majority of it.

Most people I know would barely consider a "Continental Breakfast" enough for a small snack, let alone breakfast. A croissant has virtually no nutritional value either (although the same could be said about having muffins or doughnuts as well, which is pretty common).

I like omelettes for breakfast, preferably a type called a "Denver Omelette." That's an omelette with eggs, cheese, mushrooms, green onions, peppers and ham (or some other kind of meat) topped with salsa. Often there's a side order of pancakes, hash browns or cottage fries and some type of breakfast meat, like ham or sausage or bacon.

I want to point out that this kind of breakfast isn't an everyday thing. I know I certainly couldn't eat that all the time.

It's far more common to have cereal (like Cheerios) and juice for breakfast; some people have granola bars, oatmeal or yogurt instead. Very few individuals have enough time in the morning to prepare and eat more than that.

[Maiandra]

I usually only eat things like eggs, bacon, pancakes, waffles, etc. as brunch or sometimes a special breakfast on weekends. Certainly not every day! The fast food versions of most of those are pretty bad, but then again, that was the purpose of the photos (since the topic was "bad food").

North American pancakes are more like Scottish pancakes, from what I understand. I love a nice breakfast of homemade pancakes and fruit on the weekend. I make mine with spelt flour, yoghurt, and ground flax in them. They're totally yummy. So much better than the doughy ones you get out at the cheap diner places.

I've never heard of steak for breakfast until I saw it out once. Not the most appetising to me. I prefer back bacon or regular bacon if I'm going to have meat at all for breakfast.

[Collector]

So much better than the doughy ones you get out at the cheap diner places.

Or worse, tough, heavy pancakes.

[Rath Darkblade]

Steak for breakfast... Eek?

This one in particular caused the heart's-blood in my arteries to curdle, and frozen the very marrow in my bones. What on earth is that monstrosity??? Carbs on top of carbs on top of carbs... yuck! That stuff would just make you balloon instantly. Ugh.

Look at this too and avoid it! Gross.

What do I eat for breakfast, since the subject's come up? I try to stay healthy, so I make my own breakfast, lunch and dinner. I don't have time to sit down to breakfast, so since I eat my breakfast while walking to the train to take me to work, I make myself a sandwich - two pieces of very rye bread (Bavarian for preference), French Dijon mustard and a few slices of some favourite pieces of cold cuts (from my favourite Ukrainian deli). Add to this two pieces of seasonal fruit (a nectarine and/or apricot in summer, an orange in winter) plus a carrot if I feel like it. For lunch I have something similar, only with an apple for variety.

Dinner is the big meal for me, although I hardly have anything approaching those nightmarishly calorific abominations. I might have homemade schnitzels or dumplings, coupled with either a plate of soup or a bowl of homemade salad - and I'm done. Here's my patented healthy salad recipe (serves one):

Ingredients
One fairly large tomato
Between one-eighth and one-quarter Spanish onion (depends on how much onion I want)
Two spoonfuls of canned corn (NOT creamed, just canned)
Roughly half-dozen stalks of coriander

Method
1. Slice tomato very thinly into very small pieces and toss into bowl. Add salt/pepper to taste and allow to sit while you slice the rest of the veges.
2. Slice onion (again, very thinly) and add to bowl.
3. Drain water away from can of corn (to avoid all that added sugar); add corn.
4. Slice coriander (again, very thinly) and add to mixture.
5. Add tablespoonful of olive oil, salt/pepper to taste, and a twist of lemon. Toss salad and enjoy!

A very simple (and very healthy) salad. Particularly refreshing on those hot summer days. Enjoy!

[AndreaDraco]

Andrea, Dot was right -- what you consider breakfast is what we called a "Continental Breakfast." In other words, a cheap and relatively tasteless meal for breakfast served at hotels. Usually bread, like croissants, take up the majority of it.

I disagree about the tasteless part. After trying a croissant in Paris, I bet you'd disagree too. When done right - with the right tea or coffee (our coffee, not what you guys call coffee ), the right jam and everything - our Mediterranean style of breakfast can be really tasty and even contribute appropriately to the food requirements for one day, if you add lots of fruit.

Anyway, I wonder: is this type of breakfast common even in the French-influenced zones of Canada and United States? Because in France breakfast is very similar to what we do in Italy, I'd say pretty much identical.

[gumby]

I know when it comes to drinks - I really don't dig American beers (with the exception of most micro-brews). Blech.

[DeadPoolX]

What do I eat for breakfast, since the subject's come up? I try to stay healthy, so I make my own breakfast, lunch and dinner. I don't have time to sit down to breakfast, so since I eat my breakfast while walking to the train to take me to work, I make myself a sandwich - two pieces of very rye bread (Bavarian for preference), French Dijon mustard and a few slices of some favourite pieces of cold cuts (from my favourite Ukrainian deli). Add to this two pieces of seasonal fruit (a nectarine and/or apricot in summer, an orange in winter) plus a carrot if I feel like it. For lunch I have something similar, only with an apple for variety.

Somehow I don't see having a sandwich (especially with deli meat and mustard) any less odd than steak for breakfast.

I disagree about the tasteless part. After trying a croissant in Paris, I bet you'd disagree too.

Yes, but I'm talking about hotel food; not whatever's served in France. A Continental Breakfast is the "default" meal that hotels serve, probably because it's mostly bread items and therefore cheap for them to make.

Croissants seem to lack substance. Not that I hate them, but I'd prefer a muffin or even toast.

When done right - with the right tea or coffee (our coffee, not what you guys call coffee ), the right jam and everything - our Mediterranean style of breakfast can be really tasty and even contribute appropriately to the food requirements for one day, if you add lots of fruit.

And... you've had non-commercial North American coffee how many times?

I think some people believe North American coffee is crap like Folgers and Maxwell House. Those brands are definitely sold, but that's hardly the extent to which coffee exists. There are a lot of lesser known brands, all of which taste much better.

If you mean coffee from places like Starbucks, then that's a poor comparison. Starbucks isn't there to serve "normal" coffee. People go to Starbucks for their unusual and often wacky coffee types.

I suppose you could get "normal" coffee at Starbucks, but what's the point? If you want that then make it yourself.

Anyway, I wonder: is this type of breakfast common even in the French-influenced zones of Canada and United States? Because in France breakfast is very similar to what we do in Italy, I'd say pretty much identical.

Honestly, I have no idea. However, I do know that Quebec created a monstrosity that's unfortunately become associated with Canada: poutine.

Poutine consists of french fries and cheese curds that're covered in brown gravy. I've tried it and I didn't like it at all. Having said that, I bet homemade poutine wouldn't be too bad.

[therogue]

the poutine link doesn't work.

I wish I could say I ate a nice and balanced breakfast each morning. Normally its just a few slices of bread (decent bread though not the white icky stuff =P) with some slices of meat on them. Although far too often those slices of bread will have nutella on them instead. Leave me alone, chocolate on bread in the morning is normal here

[AndreaDraco]

And... you've had non-commercial North American coffee how many times?

Non-commercial, unfortunately, never.

I was thinking both about what is served here in Europe under the name of "American Coffee" and about what I tasted in a Starbucks in Paris. And also about what I often seen on TV. For example, I usually see coffee prepared in something like this:



While in Italy, we prepare coffee in something like this:

[BBP]

Most Dutchmen nowadays don't even have that. They fell for the Senseo, which is made in the blink of an eye and has this disgusting foam layer.
In the days I drank coffee I'd grind the beans by mortar & pestle, put it in a teapot and add hot water. May not be the best, but it was a lot of fun to do, and not so hard on the stomach.

[Tawmis]

I know when it comes to drinks - I really don't dig American beers (with the exception of most micro-brews). Blech.

If you can find it, try ABITA AMBER.

Trust me.

[dotkel50]

I hate Starbucks coffee, it tastes burnt.