A few weeks after our arrival in Scotland, Rusty and I watched a program where Stephen Fry was taking a tour across America, showing a few states in each episode. The episode we saw was of states along of Mississippi, and while we recognize that there are parts of our culture and politics that are less than attractive, we thought that visits to a voodoo festival, Angola prison, devastated New Orleans, etc. were strange things to portray on a tour of America. Regardless, the part we most took issue with was the visit to a Wisconsin dairy where he tells the cheese maker, whose family has been making cheese for generations, that America's cheese is "crap", and he suggests to the British viewers that "when visiting America, bring your own cheese". Not only was this very offensive to say to a multi-generational cheese maker,but we were shocked to hear this review of what we feel to be delicious cheese.
However, just this week, I've heard many similar comments. One colleague, hearing my insistence that we have wonderful cheese options, said to me, "Don't you have that squeezy cheese?" (referring to Cheese Whiz). I quickly assured him that Cheese Whiz is not an acceptable or often used cheese choice by many Americans. And just this morning at the Crieff Visitor Center, the lady who runs the kitchen screwed up her nose at our order: a roll with potato scone, fried egg, and cheese, saying not only that cheese didn't go with fried egg, but also that we have nasty cheese in the States, referring AGAIN to Cheese Whiz and sliced American cheese!
I had no idea that this was our cheese reputation. And while I think Americans need a lot of work on their reputation in much more important areas, I would like to ask all of my fellow Americans to spread the word that we have a variety of delicious cheese to offer, and that this does NOT include Cheese Whiz.
14 years ago
4 comments:
This post made me giggle. The Scots are finding offense with our cheese? Much of their food (British food in general) is a far cry from what many would call edible. Mushy peas, and beans and toast? Come now. I will happily spread the word that we do have cheddar in the states, and most people do not eat the squeezy, plastic-y cheese. :) Great post, and wonderful observations.
I miss cheese!! Tell them that our cheese is great...the Japanese have terrible cheese!
Alright so just a minor critique, the squeezy cheese is "easy cheese." But yes, the Brits are terribly wrong about cheese in America (though they are right about how gross "American Cheese" is - you know the processed yellowy orange stuff). All Brits need to take a trip to a cheese chalet in Wisconsin to have this erroneous charge rectified.
I should know, I am a cheese fanatic!
Obviously they've never had Leals queso. The response from most Scots would then be 'That's bloody delicious!'
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