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Last Updated: December 1, 2022
I’m back in Paris after spending about three weeks in the States. Since we were there over the holidays, the time really flew. We squeezed in as much family and friend time as we could.
Naturally, I try to expose Jonathan to the great American culture whenever possible, which usually means presenting him with various preservative-filled and artificially-colored food items. My main goal is generally to gross him out and/or shock him, but this seldom works. You see, Jonathan has a much more varied palate than the average person. Combinations such as peanut butter and jelly, macaroni and cheese, and chicken and waffles have all passed off without a hitch. He is also unfazed by coke floats and often asks for grits when he sees them on the menu (which is rare considering we spend most of our time in the Northeast).
Related: Things You Can Do in the United States That You Can’t Do in France
When he was staying with me in Connecticut before the big move, there wasn’t a whole lot to visit in my little neighborhood. That being said, there was a small breakfast/lunch restaurant and a bakery within walking distance of my house. When left to his own devices for the day, he walked down the street, past both of these viable locations, in order to buy a gas station store pre-packaged sandwich. “Why?,” the reasonable person might ask. He simply wanted to know what it was like.
I’d like to insert a sidebar here to let you know that I often choose healthy foods, I regularly cook my own meals, and I rarely go out for fast food. My second time to Taco Bell was with Jonathan, because HE requested to go there. All this is not to say that he doesn’t have good taste. Let’s not forget that he married ME! 😂 Despite his questionable food choices, he’s actually a talented cook and one of those people who can taste a dish and tell you what spices it needs to take it from good to great.
Well, let’s get on with it. I wanted to see his reaction to a few foods I traditionally have around the holidays.
Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
Pillsbury crescent rolls are something that I only eat for Thanksgiving or Christmas. I walked him through the whole experience: unwrapping the canister, “popping” it open (you know what I’m talking about), and then rolling them up. He was a natural.
✅ Jonathan approved
Definitely not a croissant. (He repeated this point multiple times.) More like brioche. Soft. Doughy. A little sweet. In conclusion, he liked it, but it’s not a croissant. Don’t confuse the two.
Cookies & Chocolate
We make a lot of cookies around Christmas time, and there is always some chocolate in the stockings. I even made Muddy Buddies (recipe) this year.
✅ Jonathan approved
Good, but very sweet! He says this about a lot of American desserts. I think it’s code for, “Instead of adding flavor, Americans just add more sugar.” (There might be some truth to that 😅)
Eggnog
Eggnog is such a classic. I crave it every single Christmas, but I only need about one glass per year. He tried it plain first. Then he poured in some brandy and sprinkled nutmeg on the top.
✅ Jonathan approved
He liked it but said it tasted like crème anglaise, which is a vanilla custard sauce. Of these new-to-Jonathan foods, I was most excited to see his reaction to this one. I was sure it would be really different from anything else he’s ever had, but now it just sounds like boring drinkable pudding.
Any suggestions for what I should have him try next?
P.S. If you’re curious to know what the French typically eat for Christmas, check out this post: How the French Celebrate Christmas.
=) !!!
He should try your moms Lasagna – that should kill his wanting to try new foods entirely!! 🤪
Shots fired! pew pew pew
And what will you be cooking for him, Aunt Terry?
my famous chocolate chip cookies 🍪
What a great idea! I think he needs to try homemade vs. canned cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving!
I had a coworker from Ghana who thought the desserts I baked were too sweet. Unfortunately, he quit before I ever got a compliment out of him…
Good idea! We celebrated Thanksgiving in France this past year, and I couldn’t find cranberries in any form other than dried. But wouldn’t you know, I went to the grocery store yesterday, and a bag of fresh cranberries caught my eye. Of course!
I’d bet a lot of cultures would think that our desserts are too sweet. We have some really good stuff, though. I’m sure you would have won over your coworker eventually 😀
I love this game. How about Doritos and pumpkin pie?
He LOVES Doritos. I don’t think he’s had homemade pumpkin pie yet, though…
I think it might be time for him to experience a few of my childhood staples… Spaghettios on a tuna sandwich, and milk and Pepsi – that would be milk and Pepsi…together! Did I mention Gramma wasn’t much of a cook? 😲
Um, ew. But he’ll probably like it…
Kathy Pommer- you could expose him to your LASAGNA!