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This is true. Everyone gets used to things. At first I was all about ice in drinks. Obsessed, even. Embarrassingly, I even took ice with me to visit friends. Rude and insane.
Then, as time wore on, I began to find things I love - café con leche y bollo, pescaito frito, tortilla, bollitos de cacao, croquetas de jamón, pepitas de chocolate, and more.
I'm adventurous and do like trying new foods. No problem getting used to Scottish food and drinks. Also got used to Ugandan food quite quickly while we lived there.
When we go to the US and ask for water when I'm really thirsty and they bring it loaded with ice I want to scream. If I'm really thirsty ice cold water would give me a headache, plus you can't get at the water for all the ice! I would never drink ice water while working out or doing anything that makes me overheat. Ugh!
I'm adventurous and do like trying new foods. No problem getting used to Scottish food and drinks. Also got used to Ugandan food quite quickly while we lived there.
When we go to the US and ask for water when I'm really thirsty and they bring it loaded with ice I want to scream. If I'm really thirsty ice cold water would give me a headache, plus you can't get at the water for all the ice! I would never drink ice water while working out or doing anything that makes me overheat. Ugh!
Ha! You have to drink around the ice. I know what you mean - when I got back from Spain after many years, and got served a Coke with ice from bottom of glass to top, I almost felt I was holding an extraterrestrial drink or something.
Ha! You have to drink around the ice. I know what you mean - when I got back from Spain after many years, and got served a Coke with ice from bottom of glass to top, I almost felt I was holding an extraterrestrial drink or something.
Yea, and people think you are weird when you don't want tons of ice or any ice. I really can't figure out why I used to like it that way.
Since I brought up the topic of ice quantity in beverages, I would like to share a further speculation. I imagine that at some point (post WWII?) the fashion of putting in a lot of ice came about in the US. It is a display of conspicuous consumption - the establishment has to have an ice machine, there's the energy cost of running the ice machine, etc. War-recovering Europe had more important things to focus on than well/over iced beverages.
When did ice become cheap in the US? There was a time when ice was harvested from frozen ponds/lakes and stored for the warmer months and the cost could be significant. Being generous with ice was a sign of affluence. (how about that scene in Kingdom of Heaven when the captured idiot king is offered a goblet of shaved ice in the desert - that was a show of wealth / logistics)
Then at some point ice making machinery became practical but at home people still used literal ice boxes which had slabs of ice to keep the temp. low. (I am not that old) And of course we now have (1st world) commonplace home refrigerators and freezers.
Is soda cheaper than ice? I am told the cup costs more than the flavor syrup and carbonated water. BTW, I drink my single malts neat or cut the higher proofs with just water and I "pre-chill" most beverages but for generic beverages, I am still an enthusiastic ice user. (and I'd still go along with the notion that less ice is more sophisticated)
Do S. Europeans like more ice than in the North? I'd say ice enthusiasm is fairly even across the US.
How does the European sweet tooth compare to the US? (less sweet is more sophisticated?)
Since I brought up the topic of ice quantity in beverages, I would like to share a further speculation. I imagine that at some point (post WWII?) the fashion of putting in a lot of ice came about in the US. It is a display of conspicuous consumption - the establishment has to have an ice machine, there's the energy cost of running the ice machine, etc. War-recovering Europe had more important things to focus on than well/over iced beverages.
When did ice become cheap in the US? There was a time when ice was harvested from frozen ponds/lakes and stored for the warmer months and the cost could be significant. Being generous with ice was a sign of affluence. (how about that scene in Kingdom of Heaven when the captured idiot king is offered a goblet of shaved ice in the desert - that was a show of wealth / logistics)
Then at some point ice making machinery became practical but at home people still used literal ice boxes which had slabs of ice to keep the temp. low. (I am not that old) And of course we now have (1st world) commonplace home refrigerators and freezers.
Is soda cheaper than ice? I am told the cup costs more than the flavor syrup and carbonated water. BTW, I drink my single malts neat or cut the higher proofs with just water and I "pre-chill" most beverages but for generic beverages, I am still an enthusiastic ice user. (and I'd still go along with the notion that less ice is more sophisticated)
Do S. Europeans like more ice than in the North? I'd say ice enthusiasm is fairly even across the US.
How does the European sweet tooth compare to the US? (less sweet is more sophisticated?)
This is very interesting. You're right. The first refrigerators (ice boxes) were non-electric and required a block of ice to be purchased and placed inside. In olden days, the wealthy would use shavings of ice and pour drinks over it or make ice cream for weddings, parties, etc. It was a sign of wealth because it was so expensive. Europe got used to being without it, and they never developed a taste for it, even now, long after the world has fridges.
Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but European fridges tend to be smaller because Europeans have shops closer to home and don't have to pack so much stuff in fridges. When I lived in Spain, I bought almost daily - fresh stuff. Sure I kept stuff in the fridge, but not near as much as I do today. Today I have a packed fridge! Lots of frozen stuff, too. And the icemaker of course, which I love.
This is very interesting. You're right. The first refrigerators (ice boxes) were non-electric and required a block of ice to be purchased and placed inside. In olden days, the wealthy would use shavings of ice and pour drinks over it or make ice cream for weddings, parties, etc. It was a sign of wealth because it was so expensive. Europe got used to being without it, and they never developed a taste for it, even now, long after the world has fridges.
Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but European fridges tend to be smaller because Europeans have shops closer to home and don't have to pack so much stuff in fridges. When I lived in Spain, I bought almost daily - fresh stuff. Sure I kept stuff in the fridge, but not near as much as I do today. Today I have a packed fridge! Lots of frozen stuff, too. And the icemaker of course, which I love.
I think fridges were/are smaller because homes are often smaller, including the kitchen. We have an undercounter fridge and also a full fridge in our laundry room. You can buy American sized appliances here.
I think fridges were/are smaller because homes are often smaller, including the kitchen. We have an undercounter fridge and also a full fridge in our laundry room. You can buy American sized appliances here.
I had a regular sized fridge (not under the counter) in Spain but it wasn't as packed as I have my fridge here now and we did lots of daily shopping. By we I mean my neighbors, family, I. I did have a small washer and dryer (top and bottom, front loading).
I had a regular sized fridge (not under the counter) in Spain but it wasn't as packed as I have my fridge here now and we did lots of daily shopping. By we I mean my neighbors, family, I. I did have a small washer and dryer (top and bottom, front loading).
We are ten miles from town so can't do daily shopping. We have a small front-loading washer and a dryer next to it. We could fit in bigger ones but with only two of us I don't feel the need.
Wide open spaces. i LOVED the plains of Wyoming and the mountains surounding it. I really liked the feeling to have so much space and being able to drive for hours, without seeing one building. Overhere it's a city or a village every 5 minutes.
The freedom to go out in the wild, free camping. Overhere that's a 90 euro fine.
Everyone can hunt during the seasons, not only the rich and farmers like overhere.
Cheap houses with lots of land.
Mentallity of giving "the finger" to the government. Love that
I could never live in american cities with their suburbs, but if i'd go there i'd live in Wyoming, Montana, Idaho or one of the Dakota's.
This is very interesting. You're right. The first refrigerators (ice boxes) were non-electric and required a block of ice to be purchased and placed inside. In olden days, the wealthy would use shavings of ice and pour drinks over it or make ice cream for weddings, parties, etc. It was a sign of wealth because it was so expensive. Europe got used to being without it, and they never developed a taste for it, even now, long after the world has fridges.
Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but European fridges tend to be smaller because Europeans have shops closer to home and don't have to pack so much stuff in fridges.
You mean shops closer to home like the Carrefour, which people drive to in automobiles?
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I know what you mean - when I got back from Spain after many years, and got served a Coke with ice from bottom of glass to top, I almost felt I was holding an extraterrestrial drink or something.