I am a complete Ted Lasso when it comes to fizzy waters. If I accidentally consume sparkling water, I should spit it right out. Bubbles in water have never been appealing to me. I have never understood why bubbles are so appealing in water or any other drink. However, that is a topic for another day.
About half of my colleagues are fixated on Topo Chico. This Mexican agua-mineral, which swept Texas a few years ago, is now the drink of choice among hipsters and gourmets. Coca-Cola purchased the company in 2017, expanding its distribution and contributing to its success. It is not the first carbonated mineral water that has gained a loyal following in the U.S. There was also the Italian San Pellegrino and French Perrier before Topo Chico.
Ted Lasso is right about water, but I am afraid I have to disagree with his tea view. Contrary to what the London-born TV football coach believes, tea is not a “hot brown liquid.”
Listen to Dame Maggie Smith’s character in “The Second Most Exotic Marigold hotel. She is on a U.S. business trip and she desperately wants a good cup of tea. She decides to teach an assistant what proper tea is. “Tea is a dried herb. You must infuse it with boiling water to return it to its former glory. This is boiling water. “Everywhere I have been in this country they serve a cup of tepid, nonsense and a teabag next to it.”
After years of research, I am confident you can have a great cup of tea in the United States. It would help if you stayed away from it most of the time. Are you still trying to decide whether to try or avoid it? If you are unsure whether to order, perform this test: if a legitimate question like “What kinds of teas do we have?” is answered with something similar to “black & green” without providing any further details, perhaps do not. If you get the response, “We have herbal chamomile,” leave.
Coffee, bagels, pasta, and chocolate
Other drinks and foods are also likely to turn us into snobs. Coffee is a must when writing about this topic. This country is obsessed with coffee, regardless of whether you drink Pumpkin Spice Lattes. I am not a coffee drinker, but I still have an opinion.
Retail sales of brewed beverages in the U.S. are worth $46.2 billion. There are many caffeinated drinks to choose from, whether you are a Starbucks fan, a Peet’s or Blue Bottle devotee, or a regular at your family-owned local coffee shop. You have to be a coffee snob to know how to order the various types of coffee, including the cafes con lache, the Grandes, and Ventis, as well as the different options.
The cafe conversation made me think of chocolate, one of the most misused foods. Kit Kat and Snickers are your favorite candy bars. You may think that they are a poor source of cocoa for those who prefer to consume only the finest chocolate. The fewer ingredients in chocolate, the better. Please, only use fair trade chocolate, without milk and with at least 70% cacao. If you want to cater to people who prefer to avoid being overwhelmed by chocolate flavors or children, then it is best that you stick with the fair trade option.
Let us end this list by addressing two controversial topics: pasta and bagels. Bagels are not just a New York thing. Whether they are dense and chewy or served open-faced with ripe Hass Avocados, they are no longer a New York thing. The New York Times has declared the best bagels in California.
The whole thing still has me pondering. I was never able to venture out and try Boichik bagels. The lines begin at 7:30 am when the shop first opens. Despite all the positive press, I have never had the energy to stand in line so early.
Al dente is my only thought for the pasta. You will get a meh result if you do not set a timer before you put the pasta in the boiling water.
After reading about food, do you feel hungry? Our article on American barbeque sauce will make you hungry. Also, remember to read about the different styles of hot dogs or the variety of pizzas the U.S. offers. Let us avoid getting into a snobbish discussion about pizzas.