# People who live outside the USA: Do you routinely eat grape jelly? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [December 20, 2024, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-live-outside-the-usa-do-you-routinely-eat-grape-jelly/1011893 "2024-12-20T00:09:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-live-outside-the-usa-do-you-routinely-eat-grape-jelly/1011893/121 "2024-12-23T18:41:04Z")
Originally known as root tea, it was indeed derived from a folk medicine. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-live-outside-the-usa-do-you-routinely-eat-grape-jelly/1011893/122 "2024-12-23T18:48:54Z")
I associate it with Listerine and bubblegum, neither of which says ‘refreshing drink’ to me. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-live-outside-the-usa-do-you-routinely-eat-grape-jelly/1011893/123 "2024-12-23T19:02:00Z")
That makes some sense. Listerine has methyl salicylate in it, and wintergreen flavor is synthetically made from that. Bubblegum _can_ have wintergreen in it, but the ones I’m used to hear in the US are fruity, not wintergreen-y. To be honest, I don’t taste the wintergreen strongly in root beer, as I must be inured to it. I taste more the sassafras and hints of vanilla. But it’s certainly there and a big component of it. It’s similar to how people outside the US can often taste the soured milk in Hershey’s Milk chocolate (via the butyric acid), while Americans don’t notice it at all. Hell, I never noticed it until I lived abroad for five years and came back to the US and tasted a Hershey’s bar for the first time in that time. I was like, “Why does this literally have the aftertaste of vomit?” ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-live-outside-the-usa-do-you-routinely-eat-grape-jelly/1011893/124 "2024-12-23T20:35:13Z")
> [@Die\_Capacitrix](#): > > And even he ate the lavendar and lemon loaf I made a few years back. And there are plenty of Indian and Middle Eastern desserts that use rose water and orange flower water. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-live-outside-the-usa-do-you-routinely-eat-grape-jelly/1011893/125 "2024-12-23T21:01:57Z")
For example, Turkish Delight/Loukoumi. Or is this not a thing in the US? j ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-live-outside-the-usa-do-you-routinely-eat-grape-jelly/1011893/126 "2024-12-23T21:05:16Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > (Aside: I’ll be passing through the National Trust shop at [Nymans](https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/sussex/nymans) tomorrow, and I’m now resolved to buy some of the cherry curd.) Or not. Two days before Xmas, and Nymans was so busy they closed the carpark and turned people away. In a fit of pique I went to a local Polish store and bought some sour cherry jam. I may have some for breakfast tomorrow. j ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-live-outside-the-usa-do-you-routinely-eat-grape-jelly/1011893/127 "2024-12-23T21:05:54Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > For example, Turkish Delight/Loukoumi. Or is this not a thing in the US? Not much of a thing. I suspect that to the extent that Turkish Delight is even known in the U.S., it’s at least partially due to its appearance in _The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe_ (both the novel, and the movie adaptation). ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-live-outside-the-usa-do-you-routinely-eat-grape-jelly/1011893/128 "2024-12-23T21:06:41Z")
Well there you go - ignorance fought! Thank you. j ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-live-outside-the-usa-do-you-routinely-eat-grape-jelly/1011893/129 "2024-12-23T21:11:29Z")
Lavender probably deserves to be used more than it is. It’s a member of the best-represented family for culinary herbs (Lamiaceae - formerly _Labiatae_) - which contains sage, rosemary, thyme, mint, lemon balm, oregano and quite a few other aromatic culinary herbs. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-live-outside-the-usa-do-you-routinely-eat-grape-jelly/1011893/130 "2024-12-23T21:41:01Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > > [@Treppenwitz](#): > > > > For example, Turkish Delight/Loukoumi. Or is this not a thing in the US? > > Not much of a thing. I suspect that to the extent that Turkish Delight is even known in the U.S., it’s at least partially due to its appearance in _The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe_ (both the novel, and the movie adaptation). Yeah, i was in my 30s before i tried it, and all i could think was, "Edmund sold his soul for _this_‽” Rose smells okay, but i don’t want to eat it. And I’ve tried Turkish delight a few more times, thinking that maybe i just didn’t have good Turkish delight. But i think i have, now. And I’ll be perfectly happy to never have it again. > [@Mangetout](#): > > Lavender probably deserves to be used more than it is. Lavender has more potential than rose, but when i was a kid, my grandmother’s guest bedroom had lavender scented soap. And the smell was so overwhelming that i hated it. I’m still not wild about lavender. But i recognize that it’s a “me” thing, and the flavor is basically decent to go with many foods. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-live-outside-the-usa-do-you-routinely-eat-grape-jelly/1011893/131 "2024-12-23T22:03:52Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > For example, Turkish Delight/Loukoumi. Or is this not a thing in the US? Canada has (had?) the rosewater-flavoured Thrills chewing gum, which advertises itself with the motto “It still tastes like soap!” ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-live-outside-the-usa-do-you-routinely-eat-grape-jelly/1011893/132 "2024-12-23T22:12:56Z")
Tell you what, when we were in Türkiye, there was rose petal jam out for breakfast. It looked too runny to put on bread, so I had it with Turkish yogurt. Bloody marvelous! j ETA - mention of jam gets us back at least close to the nominal subject matter of this thread. Happy to be of service! (Though I am, of course, guilty as charged.) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2024, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-live-outside-the-usa-do-you-routinely-eat-grape-jelly/1011893/133 "2024-12-24T00:21:12Z")
Yeah, I know what you mean. Lavender has a very strong soap/perfume association for me. I love rose as a flavour as I spent part of my childhood in Cyprus. I actually love Turkish delight/lokoumi, although I don’t often eat it these days because it’s so sugary ---
**Author:** ![Californiabirdie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Californiabirdie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Californiabirdie)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2024, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-live-outside-the-usa-do-you-routinely-eat-grape-jelly/1011893/134 "2024-12-25T20:02:02Z")
I’ve lived in Germany for three years and the last 19 in England. Grape jelly/jam is not a thing. Even grape juice is hard to find. Costco was selling that peanut butter/grape jelly combo a while back, but my kids (born/raised abroad) weren’t all that in to it here. The equivalent here would be blackcurrant- both juice and jam. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2024, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-live-outside-the-usa-do-you-routinely-eat-grape-jelly/1011893/135 "2024-12-25T20:13:32Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Yeah, i was in my 30s before i tried it, and all i could think was, "Edmund sold his soul for _this_‽” Covered, of course, by XKCD. [![](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/turkish_delight.png) ](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/turkish_delight.png) Mouseover: _I take it Narnia doesn’t have Cinnabons? Because if you can magic up a plate of those, I’ll betray whoever._ ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2024, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-live-outside-the-usa-do-you-routinely-eat-grape-jelly/1011893/136 "2024-12-25T20:24:46Z")
Ever have _tarkhun_? The flavor is vaguely like root beer, but I find it to be more medicinal. [Tarkhun: An Incredible, Natural Soda from Georgia](https://folkways.today/tarkhun-natural-soda-georgia/) ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2024, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-live-outside-the-usa-do-you-routinely-eat-grape-jelly/1011893/137 "2024-12-25T21:07:35Z")
Nope. _Tarragon_, though … I am both intrigued and appalled. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2024, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-live-outside-the-usa-do-you-routinely-eat-grape-jelly/1011893/138 "2024-12-25T21:10:41Z")
It doesn’t taste _bad_, at least at first. But after a while, the flavor catches up with you. It’s best served chilled and over ice. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2024, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-live-outside-the-usa-do-you-routinely-eat-grape-jelly/1011893/139 "2024-12-25T21:23:26Z")
We also had a whole thread on this a few years ago > [@What did you think Turkish Delight was, when you first read Narnia?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-think-turkish-delight-was-when-you-first-read-narnia/979630): > > Many of us read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe as children, were almost as enthralled as Edmund at the thought of Turkish Delight, then later in life discovered what it really is, sort of a rosewater jelly: at best, nothing much to get excited about if you hadn’t just come out of the deprivations of WWII; and at worst, revolting. One wag on Twitter has said: “If you read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe as a child, then finally tasted it, you may be entitled to compensation.” I’m looki… ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2024, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-live-outside-the-usa-do-you-routinely-eat-grape-jelly/1011893/140 "2024-12-26T05:51:11Z")
> [@Californiabirdie](#): > > The equivalent here would be blackcurrant- both juice and jam. I love black currant juice and jam and wish it was more prevalent here. What few items I can find are usually too sweet for me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-live-outside-the-usa-do-you-routinely-eat-grape-jelly/1011893.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-live-outside-the-usa-do-you-routinely-eat-grape-jelly/1011893.md?page=8)