British Expatriate Network

As you may have heard, Jacques Chirac continued his knack for diplomacy by stating "One cannot trust people whose cuisine is so bad" and "after Finland, it is the country with the worst food". Do you really think that British food is bad, or that French is so good?

I think British food/cuisine is pretty darn good. I certainly appreciate alot about it now that I'm here. Having said that French cuisine is by far my favorite - but in the same context as "British" food being about curries etc. The French/African food I've eaten has been amazing. Add that despite the quantity of cream, wine, chocolate and butter that the French consume they have remarkably low obesity levels and are in general very healthy. Any diet that consists of getting pissed and eating chocolate is ok by me.

American food on the other hand seems equally as misunderstood. Everyone I talk to back home thinks it's just pizzas and burgers. I've been very impressed with alot of the food here - particularly the fruits and veggies (if you go after them instead of buying the supermarket pish).


Here are a few comments from the BBC's Have your Say page on this-
http//news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/talking_point/4651777.stm

Rhea, Plymouth, England - He obviously hasn't tried battered Mars bars.

Andrew Milner, Yokohama, Japan - Uncle Jacques must still be miffed about the referendum.

Ed, UK - Sort of makes you wonder if this man is really up to discussing grown-up topics like climate change and global poverty....

Carl, Paris, France - The French by default do have better food over all, not only do they have fancy cooking academies, they have twice as much land as the UK, a better climate and hence more diversified produce. Food is an integral part of their culture unlike in the UK and it is reflected by their slower pace in life.

Robin, Canton, NY, USA - I think British food is great. I live in the USA and the food is awful. Fortunately, I can go to the supermarket nearby in Canada and get some British-style delicacies. As for Chirac, I like him. He sticks up for his country and for Europe.

Chris M, England (Aussie) - I would love to see Gordon Ramsay respond to this!

Anthony Harrison, Wilmslow, UK - Well at least we beat Finland!

Jim Williams, Cardigan, Wales - At least Chirac is now admitting we actually have a cuisine......surely, in Anglo-French feud terms, this is progress.....

I wonder if the food tasted bad because the British Chefs pissed in it - remember - this is Chirac? D

Jaques Chirac is entitled to his opinions and one hopes his words were spoken in jest.

However, it's more likely he's acting like a petulant child telling all the other boys in the G8 playground nasty tales about GB. It's a bit pathetic.

I thought it odd that he freely gave all this information to Schroeder/Putin in earshot of the media. I mean if you were going to start moaning about a countries over-cooked and stodgy cuisine I would'n't be hanging out with Germans and Russians.

I like French food and I am impressed what they manage to concoct with such bad ingredients (eg shoe leather steaks). But I like British food too - well not all of it - but I think what is good about British cooking is that we are not embarrassed to use what we like from other countries.

Finnish food is bad, eh? Maybe that's why my Finnish au pair never complains about my cooking!

I like most foods from most places. I think British food is underrated....some wonderful wholesome stuff....far better than most American food. French and German food I do like alot. I'm going to Germany in a few weeks and it's incredible how well my system functions when in that country.....wonderful breads they have.

:(

Ameriscot, please accept my sincere apologies for not noticing that there has been no easy opening for you to make an au pair comment recently. I would have started a new topic with that purpose in mind. I feel bad that you have been forced to resort to such sledgehammer tactics. I have been somewhat distracted recently, but that is no excuse and I will endeavour to make the path much smoother for you in future.


I suppose I need to add: :wink: :P 8) for the sarcastically tongue-in-cheekily challenged among us......

But I was name-dropping about having a connection with Finland - nothing to do with the concept of having live-in domestic help. Most of my friends have or have had an au pair, so it's nothing to brag about.

oops

You'd better hope it was only widdle... some of the Special Sauce reserved for Michael Winner, anyone?

Finnish food is ****ing dire. It's all variations on herring and reindeer. Would never go back there. Fricking "baltic cuisine" :evil:

I like kebabs and a chicken tikka.

I also like pot noodles and twiglets.

And I would also like an au pair.

I like British food; I like French food. In fact, like Scramble, I like most foods from most countries....which is unfortunate for my thighs. mrgreen

I used to watch a cookery programme on PBS called New Scandinavian Cooking with Andreas Viestad. I know its not specifically finnish but I was kind of interested in scandinavian cuisine. As someone who's never been to any scandinavian country it was fascinating to see what and how they cook, but on the other hand I dont think I would go out on a limb to eat scandinavian :grin:

I like english food, but english food always seems to get foreigners slagging it off. Personally I wouldnt trust Chirac as far as I could chuck him......

my wife recently came back from a visit to France and absolutely adored their cooking, she said even the most simple dish was prepared with the utmost care and tasted superb, I must admit I love my Mum's meat pie better than anything in the world. I just don't like american food. Sauces too sweet and it is too unadventurous for me. Love curries as well.