On food

The usual meals in most countries are breakfast, dinner and supper, but in many families in England as anywhere four meals are taken a day. Those families in England who eat four meals a day have breakfast (about 8 or 9 o'clock in the morning), lunch about 1 o'clock), tea (about 5), the so-called afternoon tea, and dinner (about 7 or later in the evening). Many working people take their lunch from home and eat it at lunch-time at work. Bat most workers have it at the canteen of their factory, plant or mill. Small clerks and businessmen have their lunch at a cafe, while officials and bigger businessmen have it at a restaurant. In those homes where late dinner is not the custom, supper is taken about nine or even later. At English hotels and inns meals are served four times a day.

Breakfast usually consists of ham and eggs, bacon and eggs, cold meat, cheese, strong tea or coffee with or without milk, toast and butter, bread and butter and jam, and the like. English toasts are slices of bread roasted at the surface in the heat. Originally the roasting was done by holding slices of bread on a long fork before the open fire or the fireplace. Now electric toasters are usually used for this purpose. Many people especially in Scotland, begin their breakfast with some porridge and milk. In the United States sandwiches are the most common article of food. A sandwich consists of two slices of bread (or toast) with some meat, fish, cheese, or caviar or the like between them. Sandwiches are often served with mustard or green peas. The breakfast of the American working family usually contains corn-flakes and milk and syrup or some other cereal.

When the table is laid for breakfast, there is a nice white cloth on it with cups, saucers and spoons, a plateful of thin slices of bread, toasts, small plates for fried or boiled eggs, a jar with marmalade or jam (made of currants, raspberries or blackberries), butter, milk, sugar, etc. When the family has gathered to the table, the housewife pours out the tea or coffee in the cups and adds some milk or cream in it. Lunch (luncheon), the second meal, is taken at half past twelve or at one o'clock. It usually consists of cold meat, a mutton chop or steak, and some cheese or fruit. Boiled or fried potatoes and salad are also often served.

Afternoon tea is taken in England between 4 and 5 o'clock with bread and butter, toast, biscuits, or cake.

Dinner, which is the principal meal in all the countries, consists of two or three courses. The table is laid with napkins, knives, forks, spoons, plates, and dishes for the food, plates for each person and glasses for mineral water. Soup is served in a tureen: meat, vegetables, and puddings - in china and glass dishes.

The first course is some soup or broth. In Ukraine we often begin our dinner with Ukrainian borshch. The second course is usually fish or meat with vegetables, such as potatoes, beans, tomatoes, peas, carrots, cabbage, cucumbers, onions, etc. which are seasoned with salt, pepper, vinegar or oil. Ukrainians also like to take golubtsy or vareniky for the second course. Our smetana is practically not known in the English-speaking countries, Foreigners call it "sour cream" here but take the cream in their home countries, especially with coffee, fresh, before it has gone sour.

Dinner is usually finished off with some dessert: steUvecTfruit, nuts, and other kinds of fruit, all sorts of sweet things. In the United States pies and puddings are common at the end of dinner as final course. In England pudding frequently comes before dessert. Soda (mineral water) is the usual beverage of the meals. Sometimes there is wine or beer.

For supper one often has an omelets, or sausage, sometimes cold meat, eggs, and tea or coffee.