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And meat quality vary a lot between European countries. For example Spanish meat is like the one from the US, they add water and salt to fix the water in their meat. Every country does that, but while in France and Germany it's around 15% of the meat's weight, it's more 30-40% in Spain and the US. A professional once told me Australia was the worst, but I never checked.
I would like to see a source. Because at least here it's illegal if not specifically mentioned. Yes, plumping is used into some chicken and meat, but it's not meat then, but a 'meat-product'.
And a little of water doesn't even hurt, considering that 75% of the meat is naturally water.
For example ham you put on bread is like 93% meat, and the rest 7% is water, salt and some preservatives.
Sodium glutamate and such are almost dropped completely, as it got just too much bad pref when used extensively in poorer quality products.
No. I don't mean herbs that are dried and flaked on to food. If you buy fresh basil for example, in Germany you may see it in grocery stores (Kaiser for sure) live in little pots that you buy individually. If you buy fresh basil here, at best it is just tied together and kept in a plastic container.
70% to 80% of McDo's meat is national here from what they say. Most of the rest come from Ireland
But it's not because French meat is better, they are certainly buying the cheapest anyway. It's more for marketing, McDo expanded a lot in France by playing the national preference card.
And meat quality vary a lot between European countries. For example Spanish meat is like the one from the US, they add water and salt to fix the water in their meat. Every country does that, but while in France and Germany it's around 15% of the meat's weight, it's more 30-40% in Spain and the US. A professional once told me Australia was the worst, but I never checked.
Well they say that they have 100% British and Irish meat but to me I would say it comes from a foreign country.
The Chicken and meat we get here is packaged and all the disgusting bits a cut away. It kind of creeped me out how you could see the eyes and the teeth in the Spanish meat. The only thing like that here is Fish.
It's difficult to find really good bread here in the U.S., even at the supermarket bakery. In Spain, everywhere you went had delicious bread.
What do you mean, "even in a supermarket bakery"? ESPECIALLY in an industrial-style supermarket bakery!
The US doesn't go in for the soft-in-the-middle white-bread rolls that are popular in middle Europe. Where the US excels in bread is with the artisanal bakeries that supply some regional markets. Those are fabulous, where you can find them.
Food in the US can taste bland because a lot of it is grown on corporate farms, and is grown for size, not for flavor. Also, ingredients often aren't of the same quality as in Europe.
However, as someone noted, some American restaurants have really made a fine gourmet art of preparing European and other exotic dishes, elevating them beyond most of what their countries of origin have to offer.
So, it's a mixed bag. It can be tricky to generalize.
I would like to see a source. Because at least here it's illegal if not specifically mentioned. Yes, plumping is used into some chicken and meat, but it's not meat then, but a 'meat-product'.
And a little of water doesn't even hurt, considering that 75% of the meat is naturally water.
For example ham you put on bread is like 93% meat, and the rest 7% is water, salt and some preservatives.
Sodium glutamate and such are almost dropped completely, as it got just too much bad pref when used extensively in poorer quality products.
This practice have to be declared, I'm not sure if it has to be written in the product. And even if it has to be, we just need to remember the horse meat scandal to know we can't completely trust a label.
The guardian article states it's illegal to reprocess frozen meat, but it's legal to do so with fresh meat.
Anyway, I was pointing this about industrial meat. We were talking about McDo. Not the one you buy from your butcher, and there is good meat brands everywhere. And meat import/export is so frequent than you can find very bad and very good meat almost everywhere too.
And don't get me started with hormonal beef
McD's isn't making a profit anyway in Finland, so I don't think they wouldn't dare to use hormonal meat or plumped chicken that is 30% water. Would pretty much be the end of business.
There's no such thing as "European" and "American" food.
There's good food from family-owned restaurants and rotten food from chains and tourist traps.
For example, most tourists eat in tourist traps that cater to the tourist taste (considered crap by locals). For example, frozen paellas, vomitive sangrias, scatological "tapas" and an entire industry of sinister food that is not local but created just for tourists.
In the US you have exceptional family-owned restaurants with a quality you rarely find in Europe, exceptional family-owned cafeterias, etc.....but also a vast amount of vomitive franchises (just like in Europe).
All franchises are crap because they rely on the same process, they buy the same products and their staff are not qualified, a real bad invention.
Well they say that they have 100% British and Irish meat but to me I would say it comes from a foreign country.
The Chicken and meat we get here is packaged and all the disgusting bits a cut away. It kind of creeped me out how you could see the eyes and the teeth in the Spanish meat. The only thing like that here is Fish.
That you can see the eyes and teeth in packed Spanish meat? You have never been not only in Spain, but in Western Europe.
What do you mean, "even in a supermarket bakery"? ESPECIALLY in an industrial-style supermarket bakery!
The US doesn't go in for the soft-in-the-middle white-bread rolls that are popular in middle Europe. Where the US excels in bread is with the artisanal bakeries that supply some regional markets. Those are fabulous, where you can find them.
Food in the US can taste bland because a lot of it is grown on corporate farms, and is grown for size, not for flavor. Also, ingredients often aren't of the same quality as in Europe.
However, as someone noted, some American restaurants have really made a fine gourmet art of preparing European and other exotic dishes, elevating them beyond most of what their countries of origin have to offer.
So, it's a mixed bag. It can be tricky to generalize.
The American versions of European food are generally tastier, richer, more caloric too and delicious. As such, can't compare quality Italian-American food with Italian restaurants and the only Italian advantage is local cuisine. The same goes for German-American food. Spanish and French food in the US, also there are good restaurants, but there are problems with products and there's too much variation.
The American have very good local food, Cajun, Southern, NE, Western. Texan...but they don't promote those foods.
I'n not talking about franchises.
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