Same. But I did enjoy some of it. There was some local spring water in Bosnia that was awesome, cevapcici is cool, and I enjoyed the Georgian wine I had in Ukraine. Also the Netherlands' food surprised me. I loved everything I tried, especially bitterballen and mustard soup.
They're probably referencing this, but unironically.
MSG is found in all sorts of foods, from soy sauce to some nice aged cheeses. And the glutamic acid (which this is a salt of) is a non-essential amino-acid (meaning the human body makes it itself).
Off the top of my head the only European food product I consistently buy is Kerrygold butter. But I could use a domestic version. Other than that I'll on rare occasion buy a wine that'll be from Italy or France rather than a domestic.
The only international foods that really make up any significant part of my grocery list are fruits from the tropics.
Most of it... Last trip I took to Europe, I was staying in an airB&B in Iceland with a few friends, and it had a kitchen. I went to the Bonus (local grocer) and got bread, cheese, eggs, and butter and made a simple fried egg sandwich for breakfast every day. Best damn food ive ever made for myself.
We dont have good cheap bread state side, cheese product is most of whats on the shelves and Euro eggs were just better. It took about a week after coming home for random food items to stop tasting like plastic...
I wanted to follow-up and say that I got some Marmite, Coleman's mustard and a box of Yorkshire pudding mix.
I'm excited to try the marmite in recipes. I tried it on a cracker and it tastes like this "better than bouillon" broth-making concentrate. I don't think I'll be eating it plain on toast anytime soon, but it's very salty and umami.
Apologies for the late response, but cheers for the update! I'd be curious to hear how you liked it in a recipe when you do cook with it :)
I don’t think I’ll be eating it plain on toast anytime soon
I don't have it on toast super often, but if combined with a goodly amount of butter-tasting stuff and with only a veeeery light coating of marmite, it's actually pretty tasty, much better than on a cracker on its own, I imagine.
I think it's more like "The chocolate supply chain is poisoning you in general" tbh, so go with Tony's because it's the ethical choice of delicious lead.
CR uses shit science, doesn't open source their papers, isn't peer-reviewed and goes against WHO and FOA recommendations. source
CR's latest article on heavy metals in chocolates advised readers that "kids and pregnant people should consume dark chocolate sparingly, if at all, because heavy metals pose the highest risk to young children and developing babies."
But medical toxicologists who spoke with Ars disagreed with the "sparingly, if at all" suggestion.
"I don't see evidence that pregnant people or children will be harmed from eating food from time to time with concentrations at the levels described in the article," Stolbach told Ars.
A scientific critique would have been addressing the specific flaws of the study or the conclusion, which I don't think they really did.
For example, your article notes that the levels they're basing their analysis on are conservative on the side of safety, that there is no technically safe amount of lead, and that these exposure levels are cumulative for the rest of your diet.
So in total the criticism is that chocolate is indeed high in lead and cadmium contamination but your kids will probably be fine.
Really, you should have pointed out that CR refused to share the hard data, which is what is known as "sus."
Cheese, cured and uncured dried meats, dairy...actual food standards that protect consumers and aren't pumped full of antibiotics, they just taste so much better.
I'm Canadian, but... Fruit, I guess. Some fruit we get from places like Greece, Spain or Italy, both canned and fresh. We could live without them, but surely there'd be moments in the year when we couldn't get fresh peaches, for example, at the supermarket, without European imports.
But it's not a majority. We get quite a bit from South America, North Africa, and, astonishingly, as far as South Africa, too.
Though there isn't much else. It's rarely worth it to import food from another rich country, all the way across the ocean, in today's world.
Though interestingly, I bought "canned" soup (actually packaged in a plastic bag) that came from Lithuania, of all places.
Probably just the swiss chocolate in the Holls chocolates I get for some holidays. The bonbons/truffles themselves are made in Vienna....West Virginia.
I can't find any sources saying Red 40 has been banned. You're probably confusing it with the recent Red 3 ban by the FDA?
Speaking of the FDA Red 3 ban, this decision was motivated by the Delaney Clause, not by any scientific evidence showing harm to humans. The FDA's own studies found it safe for human consumption, yet the aforementioned outdated legislation gives them a legal obligation to deem said ingredients unsafe. source:
Studies showed that male rats exposed to very high levels of Red #3 developed thyroid tumors. Here's the crucial context: this occurred through a hormone mechanism specific to male rats that doesn't exist in humans. The FDA's own analysis shows a 210-fold safety margin between typical human exposure (0.25 mg/kg body weight per day) and levels causing effects in rats (35.8 mg/kg per day).
Even more telling: studies in other animals - including female rats, mice, gerbils, and dogs - showed no cancer effects. Human studies have consistently failed to show evidence of harm at normal exposure levels.
There's other versions of it, but it's rare. Quince cider allegedly had to be revived from ancient Akkadian recipes (very recently too) after being lost and undrank for a few thousand years. Supposedly people back then had alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions of it. We are slowly re-perfecting it again.
Malaco Pastellfiskar is the parallel product. They're made by different companies now, the recipes have diverged over the past 70ish years, and the US version does not meet EU food safety standards. I can find Pastellfiskar in almost any grocery store.
German chocolate is like a whole other food than the wax that Hershey's pretends is the real thing.
Soapy-tasting wax, at that.
Try Belgian chocolate next
As a swiss person “Hershey” is not choclate — it is a candy.
I don't think there's any food product from Europe that I regularly consume.
Now, Mexico and South America, on the other hand...
Same. But I did enjoy some of it. There was some local spring water in Bosnia that was awesome, cevapcici is cool, and I enjoyed the Georgian wine I had in Ukraine. Also the Netherlands' food surprised me. I loved everything I tried, especially bitterballen and mustard soup.
Every time I go to Mexico, one of the first things I do is get tacos! I NEEEED EM!!!
I'm not American ... but I carry an emergency ration of Aromat at all times when ever I leave Switzerland.
We have those in Belgium too! I always thought it was just MSG and bouillon combined.
It is
That’s the most Swiss german thing ever. MSG galore.
Aromat is just MSG (mono-sodium-glutamate). If you need this stuff to "spice up" food, I feel sorry for you.
I'm confused. You feel sorry for me because I enjoy a seasoning?
And no I don't need it, I just prefer having it. Do you only eat plain food without any seasoning or spices?
I eat it with herbs and spices. Just dunking it in SMG is horrible.
If you need to put others down for no reason to feel good, I feel sorry for you
Wrong. I can cook. I know about MSG and the damage it does.
Honestly you kinda just sound racist.
Like any other seasoning, MSG has its uses. I wouldn't stock a spice cabinet without it.
What damage does it do?
They're probably referencing this, but unironically.
MSG is found in all sorts of foods, from soy sauce to some nice aged cheeses. And the glutamic acid (which this is a salt of) is a non-essential amino-acid (meaning the human body makes it itself).
Off the top of my head the only European food product I consistently buy is Kerrygold butter. But I could use a domestic version. Other than that I'll on rare occasion buy a wine that'll be from Italy or France rather than a domestic.
The only international foods that really make up any significant part of my grocery list are fruits from the tropics.
The domestic versions of kerrygold are getting better! Not quite as good but very good!
As a french reading the replies in this thread: Ew
Fine. I’m putting my Campari in Champagne now 🙃
Most of it... Last trip I took to Europe, I was staying in an airB&B in Iceland with a few friends, and it had a kitchen. I went to the Bonus (local grocer) and got bread, cheese, eggs, and butter and made a simple fried egg sandwich for breakfast every day. Best damn food ive ever made for myself.
We dont have good cheap bread state side, cheese product is most of whats on the shelves and Euro eggs were just better. It took about a week after coming home for random food items to stop tasting like plastic...
Preparing EU exit tariffs for the upcoming trade war with the US?
In that case, fancy wines that rich people buy.
Salmiak licorice. It’s not a treat for everyday, but sometimes that weird bitter salty combo slaps.
Belgian ales, and German beers that follow the purity laws.
Marmite. I enjoy it on toast, but I use it more often as a vegan beef bullion replacement and umami booster, of which I think it's unparalleled.
Can you give me some examples of dishes you'd add it to? I'm intrigued. Like a pho, ramen or soup?
I always add it to a pot of chili before simmering it for an hour (usually about a teaspoon per 3lbs of meat, I just eyeball it).
If I'm making tacos, I'll add it to already cooked meat in the pan along with the spices and water (to be boiled off), which will make it extra beefy.
Also works great in a beef or veggie stew, beef stroganoff, or vegan beef macaroni soup.
I haven't tried it in ramen, but that's a great idea!
Thanks! Super cool. I've never had marmite, but I'm gonna snag some and try this.
I wanted to follow-up and say that I got some Marmite, Coleman's mustard and a box of Yorkshire pudding mix. I'm excited to try the marmite in recipes. I tried it on a cracker and it tastes like this "better than bouillon" broth-making concentrate. I don't think I'll be eating it plain on toast anytime soon, but it's very salty and umami.
Apologies for the late response, but cheers for the update! I'd be curious to hear how you liked it in a recipe when you do cook with it :)
I don't have it on toast super often, but if combined with a goodly amount of butter-tasting stuff and with only a veeeery light coating of marmite, it's actually pretty tasty, much better than on a cracker on its own, I imagine.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony%27s_Chocolonely
Dutch chocolate which is very good, and uses a slavery-free supply chain.
But not a lead free chain
https://www.consumerreports.org/health/food-safety/lead-and-cadmium-in-dark-chocolate-a8480295550/
Damn. Pick your battles I guess, I'll die of lead poisoning to keep people free
I think it's more like "The chocolate supply chain is poisoning you in general" tbh, so go with Tony's because it's the ethical choice of delicious lead.
Welp. That's depressing
CR uses shit science, doesn't open source their papers, isn't peer-reviewed and goes against WHO and FOA recommendations. source
Feed your babies all the chocolate you want then.
As far as I'm concerned it's a self solving problem.
totally normal way to respond to a scientific critique of misinformation
A scientific critique would have been addressing the specific flaws of the study or the conclusion, which I don't think they really did.
For example, your article notes that the levels they're basing their analysis on are conservative on the side of safety, that there is no technically safe amount of lead, and that these exposure levels are cumulative for the rest of your diet.
So in total the criticism is that chocolate is indeed high in lead and cadmium contamination but your kids will probably be fine.
Really, you should have pointed out that CR refused to share the hard data, which is what is known as "sus."
Prosecco…
…and Campari.
Cheese, cured and uncured dried meats, dairy...actual food standards that protect consumers and aren't pumped full of antibiotics, they just taste so much better.
we use antibiotics in the EU as well. it also doesn't affect meat taste, the reason why it's regulated is to prevent antibiotic resistance
Croissants (made here but I think of them as so French)
Good cheese (there is some great cheese being made here but in Europe they make different ones and they are so, so delicious)
Cava wine, the Raventos Blanco Blanco de Blancos Vino Cava holy crap that stuff is so good it convinced me wine can be simply delicious on its own.
European sardines are VASTLY superior to most of the stuff you get in the US
Danish butter cookies are pretty awesome
Those tins never contain cookies when I see them.
They are sewing tins, the butter cookies are stowaways.
Good old Austrian Vegemite.
I've moved and become Canadian... but I was born American and raised in it.
I love the shit out of quality marzipan.
Chianti Classico from Italy. It’s just soooooo smooth.
I can find alternatives with enough effort, but I love me some heavy peated Scotch. The smokier the flavor the better
I'm Canadian, but... Fruit, I guess. Some fruit we get from places like Greece, Spain or Italy, both canned and fresh. We could live without them, but surely there'd be moments in the year when we couldn't get fresh peaches, for example, at the supermarket, without European imports.
But it's not a majority. We get quite a bit from South America, North Africa, and, astonishingly, as far as South Africa, too.
Though there isn't much else. It's rarely worth it to import food from another rich country, all the way across the ocean, in today's world.
Though interestingly, I bought "canned" soup (actually packaged in a plastic bag) that came from Lithuania, of all places.
Probably just the swiss chocolate in the Holls chocolates I get for some holidays. The bonbons/truffles themselves are made in Vienna....West Virginia.
Barry's tea
cheese, all of them
wine and scotch
I've infiltrated the European place of purveyance to negotiate the vending of some cheesey comestibles!
I'm trying to think of the last food item I've eaten that was made in Europe, without success.
I'm good as long as Scotland and Lagavulin isn't back in EU.
I love that Smarties (the chocolate) are naturally colored. All our candy is basically carcinogenic
Also, our Smarties are basically chalk. Delicious chalk
Edit: clarity
Smarties are two different things in the US and Europe so you have to specify.
Which ones, the chalky fruity ones or the candy coated chocolates?
what's the source for your candy being carcinogenic?
Red 40 (now banned)
Red 3
I can't find any sources saying Red 40 has been banned. You're probably confusing it with the recent Red 3 ban by the FDA?
Speaking of the FDA Red 3 ban, this decision was motivated by the Delaney Clause, not by any scientific evidence showing harm to humans. The FDA's own studies found it safe for human consumption, yet the aforementioned outdated legislation gives them a legal obligation to deem said ingredients unsafe. source:
Some additional context you might find useful.
For the same reasons, Red 40 causing cancer in mice in really high roses doesn't imply a causation of harm to humans
Mayonnaise, as explained here:
https://theonion.com/new-high-viscosity-mayonnaise-to-aid-in-american-swallo-1819564964/
Proper pickled onions and Branston pickle.
Twinings (UK version) Extra Strong Breakfast Tea with Digestives dark chocolate biscuits.
Quinces. I live on quince cider as my go-to non-water drink.
I've seen quince cider made in the U.S., but I'm guessing it's all hard cider?
There's other versions of it, but it's rare. Quince cider allegedly had to be revived from ancient Akkadian recipes (very recently too) after being lost and undrank for a few thousand years. Supposedly people back then had alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions of it. We are slowly re-perfecting it again.
It's not from Europe but I wouldn't feel the same if I couldn't get Pocky anymore.
W SAUCE
Jelly Babies.
Blackcurrant Jam.
I dunno if they count, but Swedish Fish.
I don't think I've ever seen Swedish fish outside of America
Yeah, I know they originated in Sweden, but I don't know how long that was maintained.
Malaco Pastellfiskar is the parallel product. They're made by different companies now, the recipes have diverged over the past 70ish years, and the US version does not meet EU food safety standards. I can find Pastellfiskar in almost any grocery store.
The red Swedish fish are not from Sweden
Apparently they were originally, just not in my lifetime. :)
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/23125/brief-history-swedish-fish
And now I know more about Swedish Fish than I ever, really, necessarily needed to know!
Oh, interesting! I didn't realize malaco made Swedish fish and was Swedish.
And they have a black liccorice flavor in Sweden(!)
McCann Oatmeal
Bob's Red Mill makes an adequate substitute. It's not as uniform as McCann, but it is good.
Banoffee pie.
Can't find bakeries nearby that make it. Silly.
Seitenbacher vegetarian broth
Seitenbacher Museli is delicious too.
But you can make a kick ass veg broth with scraps, dried shitake, and a piece of kombu.
And the Museli I can also make at home.
Monster munch! Currently my fav snack.