Independance Day in the UK, USA and China

I have now celebrated 4th of July on 3 continents, and I have to say the best ones by far are the ones I spend in America. For fun, today's blog will be a comparision of my Independence Day spent in America, England and China.

sparklers on Lummi Island

America: I have spent 18 of my 4th of July holidays in America. Something I have always done, every year, without fail, is sparklers. They are the least dangerous of the fireworks, and I am forever trying to capture on film me spelling my name. I have yet to succeed. The warning people see all over the internet about the danger of fireworks are true though, when I was about 12, I had a buffalo bomb go off in my hand. Luckily no fingers were lost, just a numbness for the rest of that night. 4th of July usually meant eating hot dogs or hamburgers at a BBQ and almost always included jello. I would watch a firework display over the ocean on Lummi Island, and it always meant spending time with my family. American 4th of July was full of food and fun! And it really made me homesick to not be there this year :/

Red, White and Blue me in England

My 4th of July feast 2015

England: I have spent 1 of my 4th of July's in the UK. This was the first time I haven't spent the 4th with my family. This year I didn't get a BBQ or hot dogs. Instead I went to an American food shop in Leamington, bought about twenty pounds worth of candy and made Kraft mac and cheese. I also went to see Jurassic World in 3D. There were no fireworks, and it wasn't really much of a celebration.




China: I have spent 3 of my 4th of July's in China. When I celebrated in China I was always with my family. Buying American food was always a challenge, so on holidays (like Christmas) we would go to either a pizza buffet or KFC. I recall that on the 4th of July we usually had KFC because fried chicken is as American as you can get. We didn't do fireworks in China. But it felt much more like a holiday because I was with my family.

Chinese wish lantern that I let in Missouri 

The Traditional American BBQ compared to British Grilling

I have had the pleasure of participating in BBQing in both the U.S and U.K. And as is becoming a theme on this blog, they are very very different. Let us start first with an analysis of the American followed by the British grilling experience. This is on my mind because Saturday is the all important 4th of July (always the biggest BBQ of the year in the U.S) and I happen to be going to a British BBQ tonight

image taken from en.wikipedia.com

As everyone worldwide knows (and often mocks) America is a country that has food as an integral part of the culture. This could be why it is the fattest country. I think that food is so saturated into the culture because it is a country of a melting pot of nationalities and backgrounds, we don't all share a history or religion to unite us, but we can all share food. And we do that a lot! So at American BBQ, there is always an overabundance of food. The burger and hot dog are obviously the main attraction but if you have less than 3 optional sides to go with it, then the bbq is considered somewhat small....and who wants that? I can remember as a kid going to backyard bbq parties in the summer that had entire tables full of salads, chips/crisps (minimum of 3 different types), desserts and drinks. The grill was almost secondary in my mind because I had so many other things to eat. The side dishes offered in America are also quite different to the UK. In America we enjoy fruit salad, potato salad, devilled eggs, pasta salad, chicken salad, and all of these things are as packed with fat as possible. At my first British BBQ I made both the American fruit salad and deviled eggs. It shocked my friends that my fruit salad contained whip cream, yogurt and marshmallows. In their mind, a fruit salad should only have fruit. They thought it was a dessert (how very wrong they were).

While in America we have more options and food than anyone attending could possible eat, it is quite different in the UK. For one thing, everyone brought their own meat! Usually the host provides the meat and the guests provide sides in America.Side dishes weren't even thought of. Sure, a few people brought bags of chips/crisps. But there was no potato salad, no pasta salad, none of the traditional sides you would see in an American BBQ. My boyfriend explained that in England, the BBQ was all about the meat, and that is all you ate. I found it highly unappealing. I always have to have a side to a main dish otherwise my OCD/ED tendencies tend to go a little wonky.
Due to the focus on meat, I think that it is more appropriate to call the British experience "grilling" rather than a barbeque. The entire focus is on the grill and the meat it produces, rather than it being a whole edible experience like in the U.S

Naturally, I prefer the American BBQ. I like having multiple side dishes and one piece of meat. This could be because I grew up in America, or I'm just not that massive of a meat eater. Either way, I look forward to my next bbq on U.S soil because it will be up to my gluttonous standards.

Just for fun I am attaching some American BBQ recipes, hopefully I will start seeing them at British grilling!!
Marshmallow fruit salad: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/marshmallow-fruit-salad
Devilled Egg recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/classic-deviled-eggs-recipe.html
Loaded Baked Potato Salad: http://www.food.com/recipe/loaded-baked-potato-salad-29767
Coleslaw: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/peanutty-coleslaw
Hush puppies (just reading these recipes make me miss the U.S): http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/mississippi-hush-puppies
FINALLY American style Baked Beans: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/southern-baked-beans-recipe2.html

American British..Wedded Bliss

image taken from commons.wikipedia.com

I have previously admitted to being a fan of bad reality TV shows (obviously I don't think they are bad, I find them quite entertaining). One of my favorite shows to watch is anything bridal. No, I am no where near getting married (if only I was so lucky), but I enjoy viewing them so whenever I do get to plan my magical day, I am as prepared as possible. In America I watch "Say Yes to the Dress" and "Bridezilla's". In Britain my only real wedding option is "My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding" and "Don't Tell the Bride". I won't give a long summary about the shows, "Say Yes to the Dress" is about bridal dress shopping in a New York Store and "Bridezilla's" is about America's most demanding insane brides. "My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding" documents the extravaganza's that UK gypsy throw for their teenage daughters and "Don't Tell the Bride" is about having the groom plan the whole wedding on his own with a budget.

The differences in these shows is huge. American brides go for very showy, sexy, bold dresses while the British brides are more happy with simple demure, classic looks. American brides want weird outdoor locations while the British bride wants to get married in a manor house. Surprisingly, I would say that American brides and bridal shows more closely resemble the weddings thrown on "My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding" in that we like our nuptials to be show stoppers. The dress has to scream "look at the bride and only the bride!". In general..the wedding is all about the bride. Whereas in the UK on "Don't Tell the Bride" and even among my friends, the wedding is about both partners in the union. It is a lovely idea....but honestly I still think that I will want to be the center of attention on my wedding day. I'm attaching links to watch these American and British bridal shows, so you can see just how different they are.
Say Yes to the Dress: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WKFteSb5As
Bridezilla's: Netflix
Don't Tell the Bride: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00d7mtr
My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding:http://www.channel4.com/programmes/big-fat-gypsy-weddings

I'm not sure which I prefer...I think that even though I now live in England, will likely marry an Englishman, I am still going to want an American style wedding and dress. I don't want a simple wedding, I plan on having not only a massive wedding cake, but a full dessert bar. Best part about that will be that I keep all the leftovers! I love that I'm lucky enough to learn about all the cultural differences between the U.S and U.K. I didn't think there would be so many, but we differ on almost everything from liking soccer to football and simple chic wedding gowns to skin baring slinky bridal dresses.

I've attached links so you can view the difference in wedding dresses
American style: http://www.pninatornai.com/
British style: http://ellisbridals.co.uk/

Ikea

I have now been to Ikea in three countries, and I have to say....they are all the same. Which everyone knows, but I find very comforting. The Ikea in Seattle is located near the airport, so whenever my family had to do a pickup, we would go to Ikea before or after, have some meatballs and check the As Is sale corner to find some cool cheap Swedish stuff to fill our home with. My siblings always love the play area, and I am a huge fan of the desert section in the cafeteria.

Yesterday I went for the first time without my family. I went with my boyfriend. Who I have just officially moved in with. The first boy I have ever lived with. It felt like a huge step and I admit to sort of freaking out about it. But then we went to Ikea to find some stuff to organise all of our stuff. And suddenly, moving in wasn't as scary. Because we had gone to this place that I had happy family memories, and we shopped for stuff that looked the same in Seattle or Coventry. It is strange that when you travel so much, move around every few years, that returning to a place that feels familiar can have such a calming effect.

Thank Gawd for Ikea! It is in most countries, and even though it is a Swedish store, it will always remind me of home in Washington and my family. I need to have a place like that. Plus you can't help but love their furniture and prices.

Same Sex Marriage Now Legal Nationwide in America

In a decision that was years, even decades in the making, finally the Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that same sex marriages are a constitutionally recognised right!! . It was a 5-4 decision, which is much too close for my personal liking but nonetheless this is most definitely a victory of gay activists and lobbyist. America has persecuted same sex couples for years unnecessarily, first allowing them to be attacked and beaten, then refusing their right to marriage and in many places their right to adopt or have children. Luckily now with the passing of this Supreme Court decision, gay couples will have a much better chance at gaining the same benefits that heterosexual couples get (tax break for being married), as well as being able to adopt much more easily.

 I don't doubt that many states will be extremely unsatisfied with this decision. However, thanks to the Constitution, a Supreme Court decision cannot be appealed. So the more conservative states such as Kentucky will just have to deal with it. The Obama administration must be doing backflips for joy because this will go down as a win of his presidency. Obama has been able to accomplish more in his last year as president than most, he recently was able to relax trade regulations and now he will be able to claim this victory as well.

The importance of this matter can not be underestimated. Same sex couples have been forced to exist for decades without the ability to marry the person they love, without the ability to make medical decisions for their significant other, and basically forced to reside in a state of perpetual "friendhood". Imagine if you were never allowed to marry your boyfriend or girlfriend. You could be 70 years old and unable to introduce people to them as your wife or husband because of some small difference that sets you apart from others. This is a massive decision and change the Supreme Court has made. I am immensely grateful and proud that it finally happened. I hope that this heralds a period of more liberal decisions made by the Court in the future.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/27/us/supreme-court-same-sex-marriage.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=span-ab-top-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

The abuse of statistics

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

When you are watching an advert/commercial on TV and the company claims that 89% of woman saw an improvement in their skin within two weeks, it sounds great right? But in the subtext of some commercials, you can see that they product was tested on less than 100 people. Is that a reliable sample size? In addition, what counts for improvement? When products are being sold to us, companies constantly abuse their use of statistics, twisting them to sound better than they are in reality. I don't want to buy a mascara that only 20 woman have tried and 15 liked. The portion of sample is just too small.

Unfortunately this statistical abuse is not solely limited to product sales. I have also observed it (in growing amounts) within politics. Skimming the news the other day, I saw that it was claimed in America (by a reputable source) that terrorism was up 80%. Maybe that is true in one sense. But the way it was phrased implied that there was an 80% increase in terrorism towards America. The statistic could easily breed fear, hatred and obviously support all of the American anti-terrorism policies like monitoring, sending troop etc. I am not implying that the statistic isn't true. It could well be that globally terrorism is up 80%, this shouldn't come as a surprise because any attack, bombing, shooting by ISIS will count as a terrorist attack. So the statistic was somewhat twisted.

And again today, I saw the same thing. A global survey of 40 countries, it was claimed that 69% of people saw America in a positive light, including the American effort against ISIS. Having lived and travelled extensively abroad, I find this statistic very hard to believe. Maybe the people surveyed were all highly educated, working in government, and able to understand all the actions taken by the American government. But for the most part, I believe that average person tends to have a poor outlook on America. I know from experience that most people view the U.S as a country that is glutinous, violent, and has a very unequal treatment of people. In a lot of ways I agree. This is why I struggle to trust that 69% of people actually like America. Especially given that many find American war actions as over the top and violent, I doubt 69% agree with the US moves against ISIS. But perhaps I am wrong.

The point of this post was to highlight that when you read the news, or watch a commercial, don't trust every number. Statistics are abused, inflated, manipulated to support a point. In academics it is a common thing. If you find a statistic from one study that supports your own in some way, you use it. Does it convey a different point than the original statistic? If yes, than it is manipulating the numbers. I don't necessarily have strong feelings against it, I just think that more people should be aware that the numbers you hear can't always be trusted. Statistics sound lovely and nice, but often should be regarded with a hint of skepticism.

Puff Pastry magic

In my Girl Guide meeting on Thursday, I learned about the British ready made puff pastry invention. For some time now, I have been craving American Pillsbury cinnamon rolls or crescents. I always used to buy the tube of dough, and stick hot dogs in or nutella or a personal favorite, cream cheese. In my nine months in England, I had yet to find something similar. Then, like a lightening strike, my little girl guides taught me about puff pastry. We used it to make a traditional Coventry dish, "god cakes", which I'm told is basically a pastry form of the sweet mince pie. (Mince meat is also a new thing to me). While the god cakes were good, I was significantly more excited to discover the puff pastry that was basically like the dough in a can that I bought in America! Sure...the dough pastry dough is a lot thinner, not nearly as saturated in fatty goodness, and bakes lighter, it is still good to finally have the ability to play with easy (and cheap) dough again!! I immediately went out the next day and bought my own box of the stuff. (For other foreigners living in the UK this puff pastry magic lives in the Tesco butter aisle). I was tempted to make my version of a sausage roll, but elected that it was too dangerous for a first puff recipe. Instead I made what I now call "peach pockets".

The Blonde's Peach Pockets
You will need
-box of ready made puff pastry dough
-can of peaches
-brown sugar
-regular white sugar
-some milk

Open the peaches, drain the juice, then slice the peaches up so they are in small cube like shapes. Through the peaches, some brown and white sugar, into a pot. Put the pot on the stove until the mixture is boiling. While you wait for it to heat up, roll out the puff pastry until and divide it into 8 pieces (or however you want to). Once the peach mixture is hot, place a dollop in the middle of the puff pastry. Get a cooking brush or a spoon and lightly coat the edges around the peach with milk. Then fold the pastry over so the peaches are encased, and coat the top of the pastry with milk as well. Sprinkle the top with sugar, cut a few holes in the dough, and place it on a tray. I let mine bake for about 20-25 mins at 200 degree's celsius. When they are browned on the top, take them out, let em cool, and enjoy!