Life around the world

Monday, 27 October, 2014 - 09:03

Italian twists on British food

by JulieG

Since being in Italy I have tried to eat as much traditional Italian food as I can, like pizza, pasta and ice cream, and I've avoided going for the more “British” dishes like burger and chips because, well I can have that any time I want in England. Sometimes though, it’s just nice to eat something that reminds you of home.

So I was very happy when I thought I had found some  “British” things on the menu over here.  However, in reality they had their own Italian twist. Roast beef was not like the roast beef from British roast dinners I was used to. In Britain we really love this traditional Sunday meal with slices of meat piled high between roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, vegetables and gravy.  So I was a bit disappointed when one slice of very thin beef, still pink in the middle, with a bit of salad arrived.

Hot chocolate is also different over here. Quite a lot different actually. In England I love warming up in winter with a Cadbury’s milky hot chocolate (which in my opinion is the best) which you can get with whipped cream, sprinkles and even marshmallows.  But when I ordered one in Italy, it was a thick, gloopy, almost too solid to drink mixture (I had to use my spoon). I’m glad they only serve it in a small cup because it was really sickly! It also didn't taste very chocolatey at all.

Sometimes there are even things with English names but they aren’t the same, just to make things extra confusing! For example the word “toast” in Italy is not used for two slices of crispy bread with jam or Nutella on top like in English but for what we call a “toastie”, a sandwich toasted on each side, usually with melted cheese  in the middle.

But then I guess in England we claim to have “Italian” food that to an Italian wouldn't be the same either. It’s not a bad thing but I will just have to accept that I won’t get the real thing until I’m back home, which will make me appreciate it even more when I do.  For now I will just have to carry on eating pizza!

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Discussion

Have you ever ordered anything that you thought would be the same as a dish from home? Have you noticed any foods that have been adapted in a different country?

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