23 January 2011
Bringing Cornbread to the Natives
I made cornbread this morning and took it to church for the 12 and 13-year-old girls in my class. None of them had eaten it before and it elicited a conversation about Our Cultural Differences. They were absolutely shocked that we don't drink Irn Bru (the most popular soft drink in Scotland) in America. An older man was in the area when we were serving up the cornbread, so he tried some as well. He said he'd seen it on TV but had never encountered it in real life. He claims it tastes like Victoria sponge cake. As we were eating the cornbread, one of girls told me about a similar American delicacy her family tried in the States, loved, and imported to the UK. She was explaining the concept to me because she couldn't remember the name of the food, and I suddenly realized she was talking about corndogs. The American food of choice her family has adopted and makes at home is corndogs. (Bleagh.)
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8 comments:
This makes me sad. I hope America has slightly more to offer.
I think it actually says more about Scotland than it does about America. Did you know that the fried Mars bar was invented in Scotland? And that fried macaroni and cheese is a beloved (and common) food here? True.
So, what style of cornbread do you prefer? Southern or Northern? (Southern is more dry and flat and Northern is more lighter and sweeter according to Cooks Illustrated)
I usually try to introduce them to brownies. Or a really nice chocolate chip cookie. Or cheesecake. Hmm.. Maybe it's just that I try to convert them to my favorite sweets...
I was going to talk about the fried mars bars but didn't want to disparage your current country. :)
Lady Susan--I love all the cornbreads of the world. I made Northern, sweet cornbread on Sunday but we usually eat the Southern kind at home (home home at my parents' house in TN).
HAH--I've been thinking they need a good introduction to brownies and cookies, but they eat soooo many sweets that I'm trying to provide non-sweet food alternatives when I give them a treat. (But I would really like some good chocolate chip cookies for myself.)
Eliana--Did you know Scotland is the 2nd most obese country in the world? Not surprising.
Hi
Speaking as a Scot...and a Dundonian (albeit exiled to edinburgh), the fried mars bar thing is a JOKE. That's us sending ourselves up. See also football fans wearing 'see you jimmy' wigs. And watch out for people who'll tell you that the haggis is an actual animal to be found roaming in the highlands.That's us trying to send tourists up.
PS Am also a librarian to trade originally. My dad worked for many years in Dundee Ref.
Hi Jefran,
Thanks for the comment. Joke or no, I'd actually be quite keen to try a fried Mars bar.
Cheers!
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