Re: doggie bags in the UK?

On Wed, 24 Oct 2007 22:44:58 +0100, Sacha
<sacha@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

On 24/10/07 15:30, in article bvWdncXdRJ84yoLanZ2dnUVZ_rSrnZ2d@xxxxxxxxxxx,
"Nancy Young" <rjynly@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:


"Sacha" <sacha@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote

On 24/10/07 09:11, in article 5o8ef2FlkagjU2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Giusi"
<decobabeone@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I don't like leftovers, so I don't eat doggy bag contents, but I do serve
them to my cats who are very pleased and therefore eat less of their cat
food, which consumes energy resources as well.

Then lobbying for smaller and more manageable portions of food seems to be
the way to go. There is something faintly ridiculous - possibly even
rather
distasteful - about a (sometimes) heated discussion about the merits or
otherwise of consuming left overs, while citing third world food
shortages.

Guisi is in Italy, I don't hear much talk about too-large portions
there.

No, you won't. The Italians eat manageable portions of each course and they
eat very well.

I have eaten out a lot over the years, I enjoy going out to eat. I have
sometimes been served ridiculous portions of food. That's not the
norm. Usually I get more than I would serve myself at home, but not
some astounding pile of food the way people might think. I see
enough travel shows, etc., to see that other countries aren't always
serving people tiny portions, either. I caught Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen
Nightmares in England a couple of days ago, they certainly served
up a large plate of food, too. I'd have taken that steak home. Heh.

nancy



American restaurants are world renowned for serving vast portions of food.
That is a fact. I've travelled in New England and California and have
driven up Highway 1 from LA and flown from San Francisco to holiday in
Hawaii. In general, your restaurants are over-generous, IMO but of course,
that doesn't apply to all of them. But I have never, in many years of
travelling the countries of Europe, seen *anyone* walk out of a restaurant
with a doggy bag. That doesn't mean it doesn't happen but I am trying very
hard to imagine an elegant French couple walking out of Les Trois Gros with
a doggy bag! It may happen but I didn't see it.
If that is what Americans want and expect for their dollar, that's fine
because that is American life, American culture. Personally, I find the
entire concept of taking left overs home with me pretty horrible but I grew
up in a different culture and a different time, I expect. I leave food on
my plate in a restaurant if I can't eat it and I *certainly* don't want to
see it in my car on the way home.
OTOH, our servings are generally smaller in UK and Europe, IME until we get
to the point of nouvelle cuisine where huge prices are charged for nearly
invisible food. That irritates me at least as much as being given enough
food for 4 people on my own plate. I dislike being cheated just as much as
I dislike conspicuous waste. It's all up to what one knows and expects. I
grew up in post-war Britain where waste was not encouraged and food was
scarce and rationed.

if you're talking wwii-era, many foods were rationed in the u.s. as
well, during the war. not saying it was as tight as in britain, but
still. it is true that you don't see much reference to it except in
old bugs bunny cartoons.

your pal,
blake
.

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