h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

"I just cannot understand why everyone want to have things being the same everywhere"


I was watching Memphis Belle the other day and one of the characters says something very reevent to this. He has plans to go and open burger bars after they fly their last mission and go home. His friends think he's nuts cos he says he is going to open them all over the States and they are all going to be the same.
One of his friends asked, 'Why would people want to buy a burger that tastes the same as the burges at home?'
He replied 'Because it's comforting.'

I have to agree with that to an extent. When I go abroad the first thing I look for is a cafe or bar that serves 'Full English Fry Up' because it does make me feel more comfortable when being surrounded by so many other foreign objects and traditions. Besides which, I wouldn't last an hour on a continental breakfast of cold meats and bread.

Anyway, back on topic, English Breakfast with a Full English Fry Up....enough said

Oh, I'd never go to Starbucks myself. I got dragged into one in Toronto once and didn't like it at all. But I reckon it will be a big hit with all the foreign tourists who come all the way to Spain and then end up eating at McDonalds.

I've never understood the success of McDonalds here. After all, tapas are the ultimate 'fast food'. Place your order and you have tapas within about three-five minutes. And very delicious stuff. Though I think the alleged food at McDonalds appeals more to teenagers here. Well, and a certain type of tourist.

Across the street from Starbucks I shall continue to have my gorgeous dark expresso coffee with steamed milk - cafe con leche - for less than a euro.

az

hi Creachy,

Simulpost. While I can understand the bit of 'comfort factor' of finding familiar food abroad, for me being in a new country is also about eating the food of that country. Well, to each their own.

az

Oh yeah, I do eat their food too. I love fajitas and crepes and noodles and kebab
But I do also like a good hearty english breakfast. I tried the continental in Holland, and didn't rate it much.


I'm off to Portugal next week for 17 nights, I expect I'll devour many a Portugese delicacy. Especially as it's a four star hotel I'm staying in

Any suggestions for a culinary adventure, you live only next door afterall so I expect you have a few favourites from over the border


And to stay on topic, during the sweltering days I expect they will be having during my time there, I shall sip on my nice lighlty flavoured Earl Grey

is better than

there! That's ended that argument!


QB

Sadly, I've never been to Portugal, but I am told they have the best bread in the world, crusty and chewy and delicious and served with big dollops of fresh butter. Spain actually has quite crap bread.

Well, if you are staying at a posh hotel you may end up not savouring any of the *real* food from Portugal at all - I suggest you wander out a bit. Where will you be?

Meanwhile, I have to admit that it is pretty much impossible to get a decent cup of in Spain. So I'm not sure how easy it will be to get Earl Grey in Portugal. But at least their television isn't dubbed so that will be a perk.

az

I will be staying in Lisbon. I don't know the name of the hotel My friend booked it all

I shall travel around anyway to watch various Football games.
I like trying street venders for quick afternoon snacks and stuff. When I was in Greece I found this stool that sold these lovely thick pastry wraps with ham and a really nice tasting cheese in the middle. I take it they were local as I have never found anything like it since And they only cost 1.5 dracma at the time, which was about £0.80 and they were delicious. I do like fresh bread too, but who doesn't, so I will look forward to trying that

English fruit is the best in the world!!!

.....
is the best by far...

Starbucks is a a place of worship for me...

I must go through 10 - 15 cups a day of the stuff...

Mmmmmmmmm ...

Well despite my prefernce for I have a cup of at the mo due to running out of milk.

If you like why on earth would you frequent Starbucks?

RF

Starbucks make the best tasting Cafe Mocha I have ever had...
And they do the Venti size..

Mmmmmmm Huge .....

But they represent horrible encroaching cultural imperialism; stifiling individuality and damaging local business' in favour of big profits for a multi national...

......

They still do a damn good

Well, I've had coffee in all the major chains in the UK, and Starbucks is far and away the worst. It's not an ideological thing, I just think their coffee's cr@p. If you want a decent cup, got to Costa or Caffe Nero.

RF

PS Size isn't everything!

<>



I agree that the quality of Starbucks coffee is not very good. Also, very over-priced (imho)


az

True they are a tad over-priced but I work in wilmslow and around here they are the cheapest you can get...

I did once go to a place called cafe history that did a really really good but I haven't been able to find another one around anywhere since.


P.S - when it comes to bigger is better..

i've never been to a starbucks but my idea of coffee is...coffee. expresso or drip but no milk, no sugar, no latte or hazelnut or vanilla or any of that. so why support all the evils mentioned in post directly above for no earthly benefit?

breakfast? i've had some heavenly continental ones. scandinavian ones, with fresh waffles, lots of fruit, and 10 types of herring. french style with a really good "pain au chocolat" and REAL coffee is a minimalist delight. english? the perfect one is oatmeal followed by one egg sunnyside up, a banger, a kipper and toast, with a pot of darjeeling. full fryup? puh-leeeze. très peu pour moi svp.

I don't like tea. I ADORE tea. To the extent where I get snooty about teabags, buy only loose leaf, become over-excited about single-estate pickings, and have seven different packets on the go as we speak (Lapsang-souchong, Earl Gray, Russian Caravan, single-estate Sri-Lankan, Keemum, spiced chai and Rose Pouchong, for information junkies).

And I don't like coffee. I LOVE coffee. Admittedly I have only one packet at the moment, but again, I won't touch instant, refuse to enter Starbucks because the coffee tastes ick, get overexcited about Fairtrade, and keep ground coffee in the freezer to preserve its fresh nutty aroma. And buy whole beans whenever I can. (Packet I do have is Guatemalan fairtrade single-estate and organic and tastes vaguely of burnt chocolate. Yum!)

I usually drink two cups of tea and maybe one of coffee a day. Definitely a quality over quantity thing. Now, if only I could apply this mentality to cheese on toast....

Clipper Classics Organic Earl Greyis my drug of choice. www.clipper-teas.com for nearest stockist. They have a huge range but their instantneeds two spoons. Not that you good people would touch instant coffee ifyour lives depended on it.