# Anglo-American Unnecessary Tensions **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 5, 2009, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-american-unnecessary-tensions/505440 "2009-08-05T17:40:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-american-unnecessary-tensions/505440/21 "2009-08-06T02:26:31Z")
> [@](#): > > I prefer our version of the definition of ‘pie’. > > I prefer your TV drama shows. > > I prefer our comedy. > > I generally prefer your box-office films. > > I prefer your famous people. > > I prefer our health-care system. > > I prefer your cities. > > I could go on and on. You guys have the lead in pop music. But we make better porn. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-american-unnecessary-tensions/505440/22 "2009-08-06T12:23:40Z")
\*Lookin’ hard for a drive-in, searchin’ for a corner café, (A-ha-ha, wo, yeah.) Where hamburgers sizzle on an open grill night and day. (A-ha-ha, wo, yeah.) Yeah, the juke-box jumpin’ with records like in the U.S.A. (Wo, yeah, wo, yeah.) Well, I’m so glad I’m livin’ in the U.S.A. (O-K, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.) Yes. I’m so glad I’m livin’ in the U.S.A. (O-K, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.) Anything you want, we got right here in the U.S.A. (Ooo-ah, ooo-ah.)\* - Chuck Berry ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-american-unnecessary-tensions/505440/23 "2009-08-06T12:27:16Z")
> [@villa](#): > > Cheese sandwich. But you need real bread and real cheese, which you can’t find in the US. 😛 I’m sorry. But there is simply nothing better for a grilled cheese sandwich than American cheese. Mmm… ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-american-unnecessary-tensions/505440/24 "2009-08-06T14:26:48Z")
> [@Jeff\_Lichtman](#): > > I don’t know about British bread, but here in the San Francisco Bay Area I can get imported English farmhouse cheddar pretty easily. Is that real enough for you? I think we can give you a pass on that. If it crumbles when you cut it. I’ve found the texture much harder to find over in the States and I don’t know why. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-american-unnecessary-tensions/505440/25 "2009-08-06T14:40:40Z")
I am also sick of Americans telling me how I’d all be speaking German/Russian if it wasn’t for them. Now look here, Yanks, you only get to tell me that if you can locate Germany on a map. If your political geography knowledge gets fuzzy after “Canada”, shut up. I don’t talk to many English people other than on here anymore, so that’s not really a problem for me. My brother and sister-in-law quite like it here and have nary a bad thing to say about America. I don’t mind it if Clarkson does it, since he’s funny, although his insistence that Britons have better haircuts is mystifying. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-american-unnecessary-tensions/505440/26 "2009-08-06T14:41:16Z")
You know, when I think of Anglo-Americana, I compare it to the family on Bonanza: There’s the father, Ben Cartwright as England, always between amused and alarmed at what his progeny’s been up to. There’s Adam as the United States, who is innerly conflicted but always certain that he’s right, and often arrogant to the point of obnoxiousness. There’s Hoss as Canada, big and woodsy and not sure what to do with himself. There’s Little Joe as Australia, smaller and belligerent and always wanting to be noticed. I guess that leaves Jamie as New Zealand, in other words, no one cares but New Zealand. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ea5d25/32.png) [@Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Scrappy_Hero_Pup)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-american-unnecessary-tensions/505440/27 "2009-08-06T14:50:23Z")
> [@](#): > > Now look here, Yanks, you only get to tell me that if you can locate Germany on a map. If your political geography knowledge gets fuzzy after “Canada”, shut up. I can locate Germany on a map. And the only reason so many Americans CAN’T is because Germany is so small. And the only reason why it’s so small, is because… well, why don’t you just say “thanks” and move along? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-american-unnecessary-tensions/505440/28 "2009-08-06T14:51:20Z")
Well played, sir. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-american-unnecessary-tensions/505440/29 "2009-08-06T15:18:25Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > Up until about 20 to 25 years ago, the UK had the advantage over the US in terms of the overall quality of its beer. However, due to the explosion of micro and craft brews, I would say it’s now at least even between the two countries. Our higher-alcohol-content beer suits our love of getting very drunk and staggering about on the street looking for a fight. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-american-unnecessary-tensions/505440/30 "2009-08-06T15:20:47Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > I’m sorry. But there is simply nothing better for a grilled cheese sandwich than American cheese. Mmm… never had a ‘grilled cheese sandwich’ but today I had cheese-on-toast. I can’t imagine it without cheddar cheese. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-american-unnecessary-tensions/505440/31 "2009-08-06T15:22:19Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > You guys have the lead in pop music. > > But we make better porn. As far as I can gleam from how far my resources have been able to take me, we don’t seem to make porn at all in Britain. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-american-unnecessary-tensions/505440/32 "2009-08-06T15:28:49Z")
What’s the difference between American Pie and British pie? Is it the Chevies in the levies? Or maybe the penis shaped hole. Seriously. What’s the difference? 'Cuz if there’s something better than pecan or apple custard pie, I wanna eat some. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-american-unnecessary-tensions/505440/33 "2009-08-06T15:35:18Z")
Well, Our pies contain meat, not fruit. A cold melton-mowbary or a hot mince-meat pie with mash. I can’t imagine a fruit pie better than that. Except the pie which some sadistic evil person decided to put kideny in. I don’t know what would drive a person to do such a horrible unspeakable thing. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-american-unnecessary-tensions/505440/34 "2009-08-06T15:38:25Z")
And when our pies _do_ contain fruit, we call them ‘pudding’ or ‘tart’ Bakewell tart for instance. my favourite kind of non-meat-based foodstuff. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-american-unnecessary-tensions/505440/35 "2009-08-06T15:44:49Z")
A defining characteristic/difference between Americans and Brits is… Brits revel in their misery. Americans seek therapy for it. ---
**Author:** ![Dublin11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Dublin11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dublin11)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-american-unnecessary-tensions/505440/36 "2009-08-06T16:00:29Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > And when our pies _do_ contain fruit, we call them ‘pudding’ or ‘tart’ Bakewell tart for instance. my favourite kind of non-meat-based foodstuff. That’s not really true. What about apple pie? Who calls that pudding or tart? And what sort of fruit is in a Bakewell tart? Jam fruit? 😃 In Ireland they call apple pie apple tart, but in Britain you get apple pie and gooseberry pie and apple and blackberry pie and rhubarb pie and other sorts of fruit pies. I know rhubarb is _technically_ a vegetable, but it’s eaten as a fruit in a rhubarb pie. Made with sugar and served with custard. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-american-unnecessary-tensions/505440/37 "2009-08-06T16:04:37Z")
I could be wrong, but I assume we call Apple Pie Apple Pie because that’s what Americans call it. Our two cultures merge. (or to be more accurate, American culture leaks into ours) And Jam is made from fruit. I assume you know that 😃 ETA: Tomato as a fruit and rhubarb as a vebgtabul. The world is broken. ---
**Author:** ![Dublin11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Dublin11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dublin11)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-american-unnecessary-tensions/505440/38 "2009-08-06T16:08:57Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > I could be wrong, but I assume we call Apple Pie Apple Pie because that’s what you call it. Our two cultures merge. > > (or to be more accurate, American culture leaks into ours) > > And Jam is made from fruit. I assume you know that 😃 In Britain, a tart is a pastry case with a filling in it and no lid. That’s why Bakewell tart is called a tart. You can have sweet tarts or savoury tarts. In Britain a sweet or a savoury filling in an enclosed pastry case is a pie. In Ireland a sweet filling in an enclosed pastry case is a tart. And a savoury enclosed filling in a pastry case is called a pie. I’m not an American, by the by. So go on then, what other sorts of fruit pies do you call tarts or puddings? ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-american-unnecessary-tensions/505440/39 "2009-08-06T16:14:46Z")
Yeah I realized you’re not American so I altered my reply accordingly. But what you are is a mister correct fun-ruiner ☹ (only kidding) ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-american-unnecessary-tensions/505440/40 "2009-08-06T16:26:53Z")
We’ve got meat pies here. We call them pot pies. Except for mincemeat pie. We call that mincemeat pie. And a tart is an open-faced pie. Usually smaller than a pie, though. Because here a pecan pie is open-faced unless you make it little-- then it’s a little tart. Except it isn’t tart at all-- very sweet. But then I’ve known a few tarts that were sweet. If you put some clothes on a sweet tart, she’s no longer a tart. Nor is she a sweet tart: those come rolled up in a wrapper and dropped into Halloween bags. I hope I cleared things up. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-american-unnecessary-tensions/505440.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anglo-american-unnecessary-tensions/505440.md?page=3)