6. Sharing ideas

1. Issues

Debate these issues in small groups. Then choose one and write about it.

1. You have a new job in a nice office. However, an assistant at a nearby desk eats a sandwich with a lot of onion in it every day. The smell bothers you all afternoon. What is the best thing to do about this problem? Consider these possibilities: (a) complain to the boss and ask for a different desk; (b) ask the assistant to stop eating at his desk; (c) tell the other workers in the office and hope that your complaint will get back to the assistant; (d) buy an air-freshener spray and use it every day after lunch; (e) suffer in silence.

2. What differences have you noticed between American manners and European or Asian manners?

2. On a personal note

Write about one of these topics.

1. Tell about a time when you were embarrassed because you realized that you had done something socially improper.

2. Read a chapter in an American book on etiquette and summarize it. (Some famous authors in this field are Emily Post, Amy Vanderbilt, and Letitia Baldrige.)

3. What do you like about American manners? What do you dislike?

What Americans Consume

BEFORE YOU READ

Discuss

1. What do you consider typical American food? Do you like it?

2. Do you think the typical American diet is healthy? Why or why not?

3. What do people around the world eat for their first meal of the day? What do Americans eat for breakfast?

Guess

Try to answer the questions. Then look for the answers in the reading.

1. What percentage of the American food budget is spent on food eaten away from home? Check ( ) one:

____ 18% ____ 40% ____ 52%

2. What is pie a la mode? Check ( ) one:

_____ hot pie _____ pie with cheese _____ pie with ice cream

What Americans Consume

American Meals and Snacks

Three square meals a day-that's a common description of American eating habits. But, in reality, most Americans add between-meal snacks and have either a "bite" or a meal about five times a day. The meal that breaks the overnight fast is, of course, break­fast. It's a meal that many adults skip, either because they're in a hurry or on a diet. Oth­ers have just orange juice or toast along with the traditional wake-up beverage, coffee. But some people add hot or cold cereal or eggs. Other popular breakfast items are pan­cakes, waffles, and French toast (bread soaked in a mixture of eggs and milk and fried), often served with maple syrup.

People who skip breakfast often snack a few hours after they get up. In the mid-morning, many office and factory workers are given a 10- to I5-minute "coffee break" from the job to relax and chat with coworkers. Not surprisingly, many have a cup of cof­fee and maybe a doughnut to dunk into it.

Most Americans eat lunch between noon and two o'clock. It's rare for workers to go home for lunch, and many schoolchildren eat at school. Some people brown-bag it - that is, they bring food from home, often in a brown paper bag. For this purpose, the sand­wich is ideal. The sandwich chef needs only two pieces of bread, something moist to smear on the bread (such as butter, mayonnaise, mustard, or ketchup), and something to put in the middle. Some popular cold sandwiches are ham and cheese, peanut but­ter and jelly, sliced chicken, and tuna salad.

In restaurants, people often order hot sandwiches. The most popular are hamburgers and hot dogs. Hamburgers are patties of chopped beef, usually served in round buns. Hot dogs (also called red hots, frankfurters, or wieners) are 5- to 7-inch sausages served in long, thin buns. The term hot dog dates back to 1900 and was inspired by an American vendor who compared the frankfurter to the long-bodied German dog. His hot dachshund sausages eventually got shortened to hot dogs. To accompany the sandwich, a hungry diner might add a bowl of soup, a salad, french-fried potatoes or potato chips, and a sweet dessert or fruit.

In the U.S., people in a hurry can eat lunch quickly, but those who want a leisurely meal can find that, too. In a coffee shop, the diner who must "eat and run" can usually find an empty stool at a counter within 5 minutes. Fast-food restaurants (where cus­tomers stand in line, order food, and get it in about 2 minutes) also do a lot of business at lunchtime. Another timesaver is the cafeteria, where customers walk by displays of food, place what they want on their trays, and then pay a cashier at the end of the line. Large institutions such as factories, hospitals, and schools often have cafeterias. Some institutions also have food-dispensing machines from which customers can purchase soup, sandwiches, drinks, fruit, and sweets. Microwave ovens for heating the food are set up near these machines. On the other hand, at traditional restaurants, diners some­times combine business and pleasure at a business luncheon, where work is discussed over cocktails and a nicely served, leisurely meal.

In the mid-afternoon, snack time comes again. Office and factory workers may take a second coffee break. Children coming home from school usually head for the refrigera­tor. In warm weather, ice cream is a popular snack. It's consumed in cones, bars, and sundaes (with a sweet sauce on top). It is also used in two popular drinks, milk shakes and ice cream sodas.

For Americans, the biggest meal of the day is dinner, usually served at about six o'clock on weekdays. Dinner may include several courses: an appetizer (such as fresh fruit, fruit juice, or a small portion of fish); soup; salad; an entree (main course) of meat, poultry, or fish; and side dishes such as cooked vegetables, rice, or noodles. Coffee or tea and dessert finish off the meal. Most Americans prefer a sweet dessert such as cake, pie, or ice cream. Apple pie, served hot with a scoop of ice cream (a la mode) or with a slice of cheese, is a national favorite, hence the expression "as American as apple pie." Most Americans don't eat all these courses for dinner every evening. In fact, many restaurants offer the option of ordering these courses separately, or a la carte, for peo­ple who want to eat a little less.

With lunch and dinner, Americans drink water, fruit juice, coffee, tea, or a carbonated drink called soda or pop. (The term used depends on the region of the country.) Though children are urged to drink milk with every meal, many prefer soda or juice instead.

Since dinner is usually served early in the evening, an evening snack is customary. Children may have milk and cookies. Adults may nibble on fruit, sweets, or leftovers.

On weekends and holidays, the meal schedule may vary. On Saturday evenings, many people eat dinner at seven or even eight o'clock, especially when dining out. On Sun­days, many families have brunch, a meal that combines breakfast and lunch. It is usu­ally served between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. and includes typical breakfast foods plus cheese, cake, and perhaps casserole dishes and cold fish. Families who go to church on Sunday morning may have breakfast before services and then eat their biggest meal of the day at about two o'clock. The main meal of the day is always called dinner, no mat­ter what time it is served. When dinner is eaten in mid-afternoon, a smaller evening meal called supper is served around seven o'clock.

On Sundays and holidays when the weather is warm, Americans like to eat outdoors. They enjoy picnics in parks or backyard barbecues featuring charcoal-broiled steaks, hot dogs, or hamburgers. Another popular outdoor meal is the clambake, a picnic at the seashore, at which clams and other shellfish are baked on hot stones under seaweed.

In the U.S. as elsewhere, mealtime can be an important social event. In many homes, dinner may be the only time when everyone in the family gets together and shares the day's experiences. Dining out is also an important part of American social life. For sin­gle men and women, dates often begin with dinner at a nice restaurant. Married cou­ples often get together with friends to eat out, especially on weekends. In their desire to use time efficiently, Americans may rush through breakfast and lunch, but dinner (es­pecially on weekends) is usually a more leisurely meal at which enjoyment of food is en­hanced by pleasant conversation.

Check your comprehension.

Name five American meals, and tell at what time of day they are eaten.

Easy does it!

Being an American homemaker is easier now than ever before. Today's family shopper can go to just one store-the nearby supermarket-and find nearly everything the household needs. In addition to food and beverages, supermarkets sell paper goods, cleaning supplies, cooking utensils, cosmetics, over-the-counter medications, tobacco products, pet products, books and magazines, plants, and so on. Many are open until 10:00 p.m. or later. Some are even open 24 hours a day!

Not only is shopping quicker and easier than ever before; cooking is, too. Many foods can be bought partly or wholly prepared. A great variety of soups and sauces come in cans or in small packages. The cook just adds water, heats, and serves. Other timesavers include mixes for making mashed potatoes, pancakes, cookies, and cakes. To these, the cook adds just two or three ingredients - usually butter, milk, and eggs. There are also instant beverages-coffee, cocoa, lemonade, and many others - that can be made just by adding water. Many frozen foods are precooked and need only to be heated. A food processor instantly turns a bunch of apples into apple juice. A microwave oven can cook a turkey in a few hours. Cleanup is speedy, too, for those with an automatic dishwasher and a garbage disposal.

The ultimate in easy eating is, of course, eating out. Americans eat out quite a bit. About one-third of the food Americans consume is eaten away from home. Eating out is on the rise. In 1986, Americans spent about one-third of their food budget on eating out; today, the figure is 40%, and it's expected to go even higher. Nutritionists say that so much eating out has had a bad effect upon the American diet. People tend to eat more and to choose less healthy food when dining in a restaurant.

American restaurants range from inexpensive fast-food places to expensive, formal ones that serve attractively prepared food in an elegant setting. Most fast-food restau­rants are franchises - individually owned businesses following strict guidelines from the company's central management. Fast-food franchises have been very successful in the U.S. Part of the appeal is the predictability. At the major hamburger or chicken fran­chises, people know what the food is going to taste like, wherever they buy it.

Carry-out meals are handy for working adults with no time to shop and cook. Some restaurants prepare only carry-out food; many others serve diners in the restaurant but also pack up meals for carry-out customers and those who phone or fax in an order for delivery. Fast-food places and ethnic restaurants both do a big carry-out business.

Sometimes the American diner also carries home food after eating in a restaurant. In most restaurants, portions are generous. If a customer can't eat all that's served, espe­cially in an informal restaurant, it's quite appropriate to ask the server to pack up the leftovers. Sometimes the server will offer to do this without even being asked. Years ago, a take-home package like this was put into a "doggie bag." Today, everyone openly ad­mits that the food is for human consumption-probably for the next day's lunch.

Check your comprehension.

Why is it easy for an American family to prepare dinner?