European Tries American Comfort Foods and Gets Speechless!

[@dalehammers4425]

Clam chowder, when done properly, is one of the most delicious things on the face of this planet.

[@patrickross7620]

"When done properly" is the correct statement... I would try it here in America before trying to make it...

[@ambercimburek6872]

I agree

[@jreyman]

I concur... It's particularly good on a cold stormy winter day.

[@richardcutts196]

Try the New England, it's better than the Manhattan.

[@dalehammers4425]

@@richardcutts196 Absolutely agree.

[@Some_who_call_me_Tiim]

Andre, the best phrase to define "comfort food" is the saying "Just like grandma used to make." Certain regions have different things but the comfort in comfort food is the nostalgia of growing up with it.

[@larseptaimeros8031]

You nailed it with the Grandma used to make quote.

[@volans25]

You can put what ever toppings you want on a a hot dog. Maybe certain regions might frown on ketchup, but it is a big country, and ketchup is a really common condiment on a hotdog.

[@stevenseul361]

Not in Chicago it isn't...

[@vickywilliams8320]

Or, just stick it in the bin.😂

[@kelaEQ2]

@@stevenseul361 I think you will be chased out of the state if you try to put ketchup on a hotdog in Chicago...But outside of that city it is fine.

[@templar1776]

My wife puts ketchup on hotdogs. It hurts my soul every single time. As an Illinois native, I was raised to believe only children and serial killers put ketchup on a hotdog. 😂

[@droiduser9633]

Ketchup is gross, end of story lol... well Mayo... stomach emptying barf inducing garbage lol

[@helensarkisian7491]

1:46 Oh honey! Even Portugal has comfort food. Comfort food is anything that makes you slow down, relax, touch deep and pleasant memories, and leaves a smile on your face.

[@causticchameleon7861]

It always amazes me that people from other countries always ignore the butter that comes with cornbread and proceed to eat it without slathering on said butter.

[@ShadowDeus]

corn bread is nasty no matter how much butter you throw on it to salvage it, its unsalvageable and unsavory crumbly and messy and not worth eating.

[@jackgilchrist]

You'd think an Irish girl would. Butter is traditionally a huge part of Irish cuisine. But, everything traditional is dead or dying in Ireland. Most don't even speak Irish anymore.

[@causticchameleon7861]

@ 🤣🤣🤣🤣 You’ve obviously not eaten any good cornbread ever.

[@jackgilchrist]

​@@ShadowDeusThanks for letting us all know that the corn bread millions of us have been enjoying is nasty and not worth eating. I didn't know, and will stop eating it immediately.

[@causticchameleon7861]

@ I know, right!

[@nancyminton3064]

New England clam chowder is made with clams, potatoes, onions, celery, cream or milk, bacon or ham, and a little sherry. But like everything else, add or leave off anything you like. Manhattan clam chowder has a tomato base, but really, New England clam chowder is what most people think of when you say clam chowder. Also, you did a great job pronouncing Massachusetts and Connecticut!

[@tahliasgoddaddy]

Manhattan clam chowder is terrible. Love New England style. I actually have some in the fridge right now. It's clam chowdah. And yes Andre', every state has their own comfort foods. Certain things are considered comfort food in almost every state, like cornbread, hush puppies, certain pies, hotdogs, wings, etc.

[@42Ccastro]

I tried New England clam chowder when I traveled there from Maryland, it was delicious!

[@margaretnash9553]

YES CORNBREAD❗️👍 😋

[@Coyotes-Ridge]

There is also the pacific northwest chowder, similar to the NE one, but the ingredients and ratios are done different to it because the Pacific ocean clams compared to the Atlantic clams have a different taste and texture profile.

[@3lapsed]

​@@Coyotes-Ridge thank you for representing the Pacific Northwest here. We're often forgotten or ignored on this topic.

[@TrineDaely]

Comfort food is an individual thing, but it's generally simpler foods that you veer towards when you feel down, or on bad weather days. For some it might be mac & cheese, ham & cheese sandwich, ice cream, chocolate, tomato soup & grilled cheese sandwich, pancakes, etc. Comfort food is the culinary version of your favorite childhood blanket or stuffed toy, and it's usually a food you associate with your childhood.

[@rogerhuggettjr.7675]

When I think comfort food, I think cheese and dairy. It's a cold rainy night in Minneapolis right now and some mac and cheese and hot chocolate (made with milk of course) would do me wonders.

[@kilroy2517]

It's also the first thing you eat when you get home from a vacation someplace where they don't have your local food.

[@johnwiese3926]

Ketchup and mustard are normal for hotdogs, BUT we also use ssaurkraut, chili and cheese, relish, but the hotdogs usually get sliced and go into the baked beans rather than on top.

[@maddkatter7948]

No ketchup on hot dogs.

[@LogicalNiko]

No ketchup on hot dogs comes from German influence, where essentially mustard, pickles, onions, or sauerkraut were the “only way” to eat a sausage “properly”. Ketchup, bbq sauce, and other things are perfectly fine Eat what you like, and haters are just going to hate. Now always be open to trying other people’s suggestions, but if you have done that and prefer something else, just be you. It’s the same thing with mayonnaise on a burger, or pickles… some people prefer one way, others prefer another way. Pay no mind, they are all arguments for the sake of contrarian discourse, they carry no weight.

[@gwenalley353]

Every region has its comfort food

[@TheHekateris]

New Englander here and I've never been served cornbread with clam chowder. Saltines or oyster crackers only! Super easy to make, btw. You can substitute fresh corn for the clams and make corn chowder instead.

[@ruthsaunders9507]

We eat cornbread but I've never seen it with chowder. Usually have baked beans with pancakes.

[@ShadowDeus]

clam is gross and corn is only good popped.

[@Teresia12]

Or white fish and make fish chowder. It's pretty good too.

[@emrsngs]

Ya saltines or oyster crackers are the only way to go.

[@HarleySeaman-p9h]

She is in Baahhhston. Dooo not forget.

[@tracieybarra5551]

Yes, Americans put ketchup on hot dogs. Different states/regions have different toppings they will use though, so there is a huge variety in what kind of toppings you can put on your hot dog.

[@hardknox1917]

Toddlers put ketchup on hot dogs , purist no matter what state do not use ketchup on hot dogs , ketchup is a condiment for kids !

[@garycamara9955]

Pickle relish

[@joshuamcpherson007]

@@hardknox1917 I don't put ketchup on my hotdogs...mustard only usually. But I like ketchup with my fries. Call me a big kid I guess?

[@Julie-fr]

I eat ketchup on a hotdog and sometimes I put mustard too.

[@user-dc6ut5uu3t]

@@hardknox1917 Okay Karen 🙄

[@andreagray9905]

I’m half Native American. I’m an enrolled tribal member of the Sac and Fox Nation tribe. I’m also Navajo. You need to try Navajo tacos. It’s fry bread with taco toppings on top. So yummy.

[@skyydancer67]

As much as I hate tacos, I might try that sometime because frybread is awesome

[@tinatrujillo2296]

You see this is what I'm talking about. There's so much more to the United States than just the South try Indian fry bread ...

[@andreagray9905]

@@tinatrujillo2296 I’ll eat some for him lol

[@andreagray9905]

@@skyydancer67 it’s soooo good. Won’t disappoint 👍🏽

[@chrisbergsten1429]

No chance this guy can make a proper Navajo taco.

[@daisykoga2477]

The oyster crackers are usually eaten with the clam chowder. I always try the clam chowder in new restaurants because I want to know who has the best clam chowder. It's also delicious to pour the chowder over some cooked pasta, like penne, macaroni, etc. Putting baked beans on a hot dog is very similar to putting chili on a hot dog. Some people like eating pickle spears on its own. I like mustard, pickle relish, chopped onions, and saurkraut on my hot dog. A chili dog is also good. Once in a while I like mayo, tomatoes, and bacon on my hot dog, slightly imitating a BLT. There are so many combinations of hot dog toppings. In fact, there are restaurants in the US that only sell specialty hot dogs. All beef, alligator, fish, bacon wrapped, and many more.

[@GrumpyOldGuyPlaysGames]

As a gift for you, may I present my grandmother's personal recipe for Mushroom Soup. Like me, she cooked for a living, and ran a restaurant for most of her life before she retired. She was the inspiration for my becoming a chef and I tried to live up to her example every day. Ingredients: 5 cups sliced fresh mushrooms 1 ½ cups chicken stock ½ cup chopped onion ⅛ teaspoon dried thyme 3 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper 1 cup cream 1 tablespoon sherry Direction: 1. Gather your ingredients. 2. In a heavy sauce pan, combine the mushrooms, chicken stock, onion, and thyme iand simmer until vegetables are tender, usually 10 to 15 minutes. 3. Carefully transfer the hot mixture to a blender or food processor. 4. Cover and hold the lid down with a potholder; pulse until creamy but still with some chunks of vegetable remaining. 5. In the same saucepan, melt the butter. When the butter is melts, but before it turns brown, whisk in the flour until smooth. whisk in salt and pepper. 6. Slowly whisk in the cream. 7. When the cream is fully incorporated, slowly whisk in the blended mushroom mixture. 8. Bring the soup to a mild boil, stirring constantly. 9. Stir in the sherry. Taste the soup and adjust salt and pepper as you wish. 10. Spoon into a bowl, and enjoy. Best served with slices of crusty bread.

[@Gaeilgeoir]

THANKS!!! 😁🍄🍄🍄

[@jackgilchrist]

​@@Gaeilgeoirthough you shouldn't use amanita mushrooms in mushroom soup, is dócha. 😉

[@Teresia12]

I was with you until the thyme. I can't with thyme. It is a required taste I suppose.

[@lotusflower2939]

Thank you for sharing! I love mushroom soup.

[@polythenepam6461]

@@Teresia12 I don't like Thyme either, so if a recipe calls for it, I just leave it out. Same with Rosemary and Sage. (But not Parsley 😉 lol)

[@NancyCusimano-o8u]

Corn bread with honey butter is AMAZING. ❤

[@brianboye8025]

Lots of butter and maple syrup!

[@bluelotus3750]

Apple butter💙

[@NancyCusimano-o8u]

@bluelotus3750 OMG my mom made the BEST apple butter! Yum yum yum!

[@bluelotus3750]

@@NancyCusimano-o8u Apple butter is truly an iconic American food. The farms near me always made their own from their apples, so you really had to get one from every farmstand you passed 🥰 Sooooo good! My aunt made great apple butter and her peach jam could make you cry with bliss 😂😋

[@NancyCusimano-o8u]

@bluelotus3750 love it! Midwest upbringing. Food was fabulous. The canning and recipes. Classic.

[@christomashofski9160]

"Comfort Food" can be from anywhere. I'm sure you have Portuguese comfort food too. It just means food that would be made at home, instead of professionally, and brings back warm and comfortable memories of one's own childhood and mom/dad/grandma/etc.

[@jackgilchrist]

Not necessarily made at home. Though home is always best.

[@HarleySeaman-p9h]

California and the Italian Cioppino from San Francisco, everyone adapt and create.

[@christomashofski9160]

@@jackgilchrist True. Quite true! 🙂

[@notreallydaedalus]

Comfort food is any good you eat more for emotional effect than for physical nourishment.

[@marybenson3876]

7 I like the fact that you pause to talk, that way I’m not trying to listen to 2 things at once. I honestly enjoy your opinions and viewpoint.

[@daisykoga2477]

In Hawaii, we make what is called Portuguese Bean Soup. We all love it here! We boil ham hocks or ham shanks with local Portuguese sausage, carrots, potatoes, kidney beans, cabbage, tomato sauce, and anything else you want. I've seen others put stew beef, chicken gizzards, spam, bacon, etc in their soup. We usually eat it over rice or by itself. It's all good! And we love our Portuguese sweet bread and Portuguese donuts called malasadas.

[@philiparonson8315]

Yes, Portuguese Bean Soup (or Stew) has several variations around the world with either a large Portuguese populations or former colonies. Brazilian Feijoada is different from areas within Brazil much less the international differences and is very much a ‘comfort food’.

[@r.bethsmith2255]

Ketchup & mustard is pretty standard across the U.S. I love them on my hotdogs when they are blackened on a grill and served in a potato bun. I also love hotdogs with sour kraut, chilli & cheese, or just dill relish.

[@nohbadimusic7696]

I’m a Black American chef from San Antonio,Tx and I’m not a big soup eater, but clam chowder is my absolute favorite of all soups aside from gumbo. You’ve definitely got to try it. I like it with a lot of cracked black pepper.

[@alansmith7626]

we gotta get him some crawfish!

[@bus6292]

Same here but midwestern and not a chef. I cannot abide oysters, but I'll kill a bowl of clam chowder any time. I like scallops too which are also related so I'm not sure what puts me off oysters so much.

[@slinman100]

I love clam chowder as well. My mom and I would always find somewhere that served it.

[@Patrick-nv5ug]

Same way I eat it...with a bit of my home made hot sauce.

[@sgholt]

hmmm...I also live in San Antonio, is there a authentic chowder here?? Jambalya and Gumbo...I have found ...but never chowder (Chow-dah) :p

[@darrellgordon9748]

As some mentioned comfort food is anything that made you feel good as a child and everytime you eat it, it brings back good memories. Andre you might do a video on your comfort foods you enjoy. It would be great to learn about your country too.

[@lucylulusuperguru3487]

Yes I suggest he rotate cooking demos with American & Portuguese dishes. So we learn more about his home. Americans know very little about Portugal generally.

[@jamiesuejeffery]

Comfort food is just the food you grew up on…food that your mom or grandmother made and you go to when you need a bit of comfort.

[@rhettbaldwin8320]

15:27 Ketchup on hotdogs, or no ketchup on hotdogs is a regional thing. It's perfectly acceptable to enjoy your hot dog with or without ketchup. Personally I prefer Mustard.

[@LogicalNiko]

Comfort food varies based upon both region and cultural background. I was born in Chicago, spent a decade in Boston, and now live in Texas. I’ve also been, worked, and lived many places both in the U.S. and elsewhere. And yes even based upon the where you are at the time your idea of the foods you seek changes. In the end it’s really all foods that just make you feel good feelings when you have familiar flavors.

[@gayleroberts-stewart3016]

7 Be aware that there are 2 kinds of clam chowder. New England style and Manhattan style. They are worlds apart and both are an acquired taste.

[@creinicke1000]

There's a third.. Can't remeber name but a clear variety that I liked but everyone else with me didn't like. Lobster roll!!! Always great! Yuk on the hot dog..

[@matthewdefilippo5700]

​@@creinicke1000Rhode Island is the clear one

[@xyex]

New England clam chowder is my jam. ❤

[@gbuckwheat5722]

Manhattan is my favorite.

[@suewilliamson5382]

New England clam chowder (the creamy one) is the best. Add some oyster crackers just before eating . or some fresh hot clam fritters dipped into the chowders delicious. Clam fritters ( or clam cakes) are deep fried with balls of dough with chopped clams.

[@kristinallison5970]

Comfort food is not in the South only! I just saw this on another page. Comfort food is any food anywhere that gives any person a cozy feeling, a nice feeling or a nostalgic feeling! Why do Europeans think that only the south deserves comfort foods? It's any food anywhere that gives you a hug! No matter where you are!

[@irisblue2332]

Damn straight! comfort foods are particularly pleasant on dreary, cold days, so they absolutely matter in the northern states!

[@moe92870]

12:47 "Beans, beans, the magical fruit. The more you eat, the more you toot. The more you toot the better you feel, so eat beans for every meal" .... A little rhyme from my childhood. 😁😄😃

[@Pinkstinkie]

Also-- Beans, beans they're good for your heart, the more you eat, the more you fart. . .

[@susanharrah3462]

We used to sing both of those about beans. Usually when eating beans 😅

[@moe92870]

oops, sorry for the typo

[@glennduncan5330]

Beans and southern cornbread is to die for

[@adriannet.1250]

Red beans and rice with corn bread 😋

[@sdube001]

Split pea soup with cornbread is also excellent!

[@wereid1978]

I'm a professional cook who has seen a few of your adventures in American cuisine. The best advice I can give you is: first- patience, don't rush; second- don't panic if you think something doesn't look right first give it some time either cooking or with the process you have if things still don't look right check to see that your ingredients are right; third- trust your instincts, you have an innate talent for cooking (I've seen you do some things first try that take most cooks at least a few tries before they get a handle on it). I think if you take this advice to heart and follow the instructions to a traditional New England Clam Chowder recipe that you'll have no trouble.

[@PeteandNancyThompson]

If you come to the Pacific Northwest there is an island just a few miles from Seattle that is a state park, Blake Island. Local tribal people put on a show of traditional dances and a dinner . Starting on the path to the longhouse you get a cup of class in broth,you toss the shells on the path and crush them. You get in line, walking past the alder fires with cedar planked salmon. You get seated after filling your plate with Boston brown bread and other good food, including salmon. Then the show is on, rustic, not Las Vegas, but fun.

[@lisao9740]

Oh you just triggered a childhood memory! It was so fun

[@julielong8714]

Ooooooo, and you should DEFINITELY make a really good baked beans! Oyster crackers are like baking soda crackers (Saltines), and they give them to you to put in your chowder. Also, the “right” way to eat a hot dog is one of those regional things. Wherever you are in the country, there’s probably a local or regional strongly held belief on the “correct” way to eat certain foods.

[@BattleChemist]

If you make Clam Chowder, as a native Seattlite, I highly recommend making it Ivar's style (a local seafood restaurant chain) and put BACON in with the clams, potatoes, and chives. It takes a good dish and makes it fantastic.

[@bobbiejojackson9448]

PNW chowder is very different from the chowder that Diane is eating in this video. She's eating New England Clam Chowder. The clams from the Northeast Coast (littlenecks, cherrystones and quahogs) are different in size, texture and even flavor than the clams I assume you're used to. (razor clams) But NE chowder does contain bacon or salt pork as a staple ingredient, so I suppose that it might have a slightly similar flavor to the version you're talking about. 😊

[@BigbubbaNeSmith]

Southern cornbread is different from New England. Southeast cornbread is traditionally not sweet and dense. Occasionally, it comes with jalapeños in it, too. I've tried sweet cornbread I've loved but it's rare

[@wwsuwannee7993]

There are two kinds of clam chowder. The one shown here is New England style. The other kind is Manhattan style. They are both equally good but very different...happy eats :)

[@johnbernstein3916]

Clam Chowder starts with bacon. You render about half a pound cut in lardons, then remove. You add mirepoix and sweat. You then add the potatoes, clams, and a little flour. make into a roux, then add seafood stock and cream or half and half and cook until nearly done. Add back cooked bacon, add garnishes (parsley, herbs and such) and serve with oyster crackers or sourdough french bread

[@sherrygantt2158]

I am 60 years old. I have never tasted clam chowder. I love corn bread with pinto beans. I like hot dogs with slaw, chili and baked beans.

[@jodyarrington8555]

In Chicago hot dog stands don't even offer ketchup as a condiment; only mustard, relish, onions,... It's a regional thing. In the south we love Heinz ketchup along with sweet pickle relish on our "dogs". In California, meat chili is very popular. 🌭🌭🌭

[@Pauba1946]

Ketchup on hot dogs is creepy.

[@JesseLJohnson]

Down here its pretty common for chili and slaw on a hotdog. Where I grew up they had Texas Hots which has nothing to do with Texas but for some reason that is what they call it. Its a meat sauce kinda like chili but it isn't chili along with yellow mustard and onions. They put the same sauce on burgers and fries too. Same with burgers down here with chili and slaw.

[@BallisticMystic]

The Detroit style Coney Dog is my favorite. Meat Chili, Mustard and White Onion on an all beef natural casing frank. Makes me miss home. But I do enjoy a Ketchup and mustard dog every now and again.

[@airawynsummers]

In LA we have bacon-wrapped hot dogs. I like mine with ketchup, but they're also available with grilled onions and bell peppers. They're sold from carts on the street and they always smell amazing! And yes, we put chili on hot dogs and hamburgers (yum!), but that's not usually available on the little street carts.

[@miranda1717]

​@@BallisticMystic Koegels Vienna's FTW

[@DLF-36189]

Oyster crackers can be put in the clam chowder, normally cornbread is not put in the chowder, but take a spoonful of chowder, then take a bite of cornbread. You can put ketchup and/or mustard on a hot dog, most people do not put hot sauce on hot dogs.

[@aggravatedHart]

You can have whatever you want on your hotdog. Sometimes I put ketchup and mustard. As a young child it was ketchup only and then I graduated to adding mustard and as an adult I do prefer mustard only but sometimes I’ll put ketchup and Mayo too. People put all kinds of things on them like chili, slaw or relish.

[@kristinallison5970]

You just said similar to Dianne about not being a huge seafood fan! So instead of following other Europeans, why not start with a nice potato soup and move up to new England clam chowder!

[@johnbernstein3916]

Corn Bread is great. You start with one cup of flour and one cup of corn meal then add 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Whisk. In a separate bowl mix 2 large eggs, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 8 oz can of creamed corn ( I also add a finely diced jalapeno pepper) and 1 1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk. Blend but don't over mix. Bake the bread for about 25 minutes or pour into a greased cast Iron skillet cover and cook on the stove.

[@pattystordahl3754]

I live 600 steps from beach Pacific Ocean. Seafood chowder . Lobster, prawns. Clans, mussels, scallops. Finely chopped and sweated sweet onions, small cubes yellow potato’s all takes a bath in half n half milk & butter, S & P to taste. Best soup then close second split pea and hame shank . Not hock as there is very little meat on the hock!

[@tildessmoo]

Chowder refers to a thick soup with a high ingredients-to-broth ratio. Clam chowder, of course, is chowder with clams in it. There are a _lot_ of clam chowders in the US, mostly named for their place of origin (Portland clam chowder, Florida clam chowder, etc.), but the most famous are New England clam chowder and Manhattan clam chowder. Both are made by sweating onions and celery in a roux before adding clams, broth, and vegetables; the main difference is that the vegetables you add in Manhattan clam chowder are mostly chopped tomatoes, and in New England clam chowder is mostly potatoes. It's also common to add some milk or cream to New England clam chowder, but traditionally the creaminess just comes from the starch. Adding milk was originally a restaurant trick to thin out soup that had been sitting on the stove all day without making it watery, but it's become part of the flavor profile in the last hundred years or so. (That said, I seem to recall the restaurant in the video actually prides themselves on having a particularly creamy chowder without adding milk.) I highly recommend trying either or both or some other clam chowder, as they're all quite hearty and comforting. Chowder is the kind of soup you eat _as_ a meal instead of with one. As for the sides, for an authentic American experience, I'd stick with cornbread, as I know it's almost impossible to get saltine crackers or anything similar (such as oyster crackers, which, in spite of the name, have nothing to do with oysters and are pretty much just tiny saltines) in Europe. That said, it's not uncommon to have soup with a nice crusty bread just like in Europe, so you can always do that. Or, if you really want a uniquely American experience, try San Francisco clam chowder with sourdough bread. I know the terroir is important for sourdough (part of the reason San Francisco sourdough is so famous), so it won't be exactly the same, but you're not really getting the subtleties of the sourdough when you're using it to sop up chowder broth anyway. If you like lobster, you're going to have to include stops in New England and Florida in your America trip. Or maybe both - they have different kinds of lobsters with different flavors, and Maine and Florida have been fighting for decades over who has the best lobster. Baked beans are yet another old-fashioned peasant food, but one that somehow hasn't managed to become expensive in modern cuisine. It was originally whatever beans you could get a hold of, a bit of salt pork for flavor, salt, herbs (mostly sage), and molasses as a cheap source of extra calories, all stuffed in an earthenware pot and literally buried in a hole in the ground with some hot coals. The idea was that you could bury the beans in the morning and come back home from the fields or back to camp from a day of hunting or whatever and just pull the pot out of the ground and have a warm, hearty supper. People make it more complex sometimes, but in the end it's beans baked with a little salted pork of some sort (bacon and ham are more common these days), salt, black pepper, and molasses, and it's surprisingly good for such a weird-sounding combination of ingredients. It's also not really a Boston-specific thing (it was mostly a frontier thing, so, like, Indiana around the time of the American Revolution), but Boston became famous as the nation's primary importer of molasses, so they kind of laid claim to the most molasses-heavy foods eaten throughout the country: baked beans and steamed brown bread. (Fun ideas: Try baked beans and Boston brown bread with plenty of butter. Growing up poor, that was a great meal, because my brother and I thought of it as a treat, while my parents thought of it as cheap and easy. Also, maybe look up the results of Boston being the main molasses importer, because it's somehow simultaneously funny and tragic: The Great Molasses Flood.) Don't worry, ketchup is only forbidden on hot dogs in a few areas. We have all sorts, and they're mostly good. You could always try the Italian hot dog (which is actually from New Jersey): Two splitters (hot dogs deep-fried until the skin splits), fried peppers and onions, mustard, and ketchup, on a pizza roll. Boston cream pie is vanilla sponge cake filled with vanilla custard and covered in chocolate. I'm not sure what makes it specifically Boston. I used to work at a bakery whose owners were Vietnamese and southern Chinese, and they were also confused about the name, so they called it Boston cream cake.

[@LogicalNiko]

Also allow yourself to be “wasteful” when exploring new things. You are never going to like everything other people enjoy. So don’t withhold an experience from yourself just because you may not want the entire thing. This is also one of the reasons for large increases in obesity, people often feel “obligated” to finish everything they are given. Restaurants want to feel their dishes seem bountiful so they over serve. We need to learn to break that cycle and just learn to eat what you consider is good for your enjoyment and not try to feel a responsibility to not waste (most of the food is prepared anyway and if you don’t order it the kitchen will throw it out, in the end someone might as well get some joy off even part of it).

[@HikingPNW]

Many regions around the U.S. have different styles of hotdogs that are different than just the traditional version. Where I'm at there is the Seattle Dog. It's a grilled all beef hot dog on a toasted hoagie bun. For toppings we use cream cheese, grilled onions, and sometimes grilled jalapenos. You see hot dog carts around bars at night and around sporting events sell these all the time.

[@vs-ww7cb]

Also , a good hearty sweet baked bean with chunks of hotdogs is very "comfort food" with cornbread of course lol.

[@richardmartin9565]

A lobster Roll costs about $35. If you dont like Lobster, save your money.

[@notreallydaedalus]

Lobster was once considered cruel. They had to stop feeding it to prisoners in New England (late 1800s I think?) because it was seen as such a bad food.

[@Ruth-ty2fw]

YAY!!! You are coming to America! I've only seen a handful of your videos, so far, and I keep wishing I could do something to get you here. It would be Novel to Meet someone who Loves America as much as you do. I have you on Notify so I will know when you get here🐞

[@williamharvey3860]

She says the people in Boston weren’t standoffish?!? Wow, that is pretty privilege for you! The standard nickname for Bostonians is Massholes!! Mostly because how they drive, but on whole much less friendly than southerners.

[@GlueGunsRoses]

Kindly, I disagree. I'm from Texas & was worried about visiting Boston 2 years ago because I heard people weren't as kind up north. But that was so far from the truth. I loved the city of Boston & all the kind, friendly people i met while there. Maybe you haven't visited Boston in a while or just had a one-off bad experience? Or maybe I just had a one-off extra good experience ❤

[@ALLarson-k1k]

I like clam chowder, but I do not live near water so I do not make it at home. CHICKEN CORN CHOWDER is another option I make all the time since I tried in PA where I went to college. But yes, you need to try to make a chowder either way. (Edit 2- oyster crackers go in the chowder.) Andre, corn bread goes perfectly with chili. Chili and cornbread are soulmates. (Hint- chili and cornbread. Try that) Edit- I make chili with three kinds of beans!

[@necrogenesis1981]

You don’t need to live near water, I have family in New England and they still use canned, fresh is way too expensive for what was historically a poor man’s meal.

[@stuckgrenadepin.225]

I love corn chowder, but I prefer ham to chicken.

[@ALLarson-k1k]

@@necrogenesis1981 I used to live near water, so I did not even consider this!

[@a.j.merrifield7558]

Corn bread in clam chowder is AWESOME. Even better is sourdough bread in clam chowder.

[@lonegrimo6098]

Garlic bread and Clam Chowder

[@CrispyOkra]

I don't like clams, but clam chowder is one of my favorite things in the world. The clams don't taste like clams and give a nice texture.

[@joegresells2161]

Ketchup and mustard on hotdogs is normal. The no ketchup thing is generally a "New Yorker" preference the rest of the US finds odd. OK, after watching video I guess it's a New England thing.

[@Bad_Meach]

I find ketchup on a hotdog abhorrent and I’m a Southerner.

[@sewerrat7612]

Was taught it was just for kids I'm in nj

[@tex_083]

Based on how you feel about most American foods, I think you would absolutely love clam chowder! There's two main schools of clam chowder, the Boston style, and the New England style. The Boston style tends to be more heavy on cream, whereas the New England style is actually a tomato-based soup, which is really really unique. Nowhere else in the US does it like this as most of the US tends to favor the Boston-style. The cornbread is used to relieve the very cream heavy, and fat heavy portion of the soup and just makes it a little bit easier to get through. Also, the sweetness of the Corn breaks up the richness of the broth (or I guess the stew base?) and makes it a lighter flavor overall. Adding a pat of butter on top at the end, or even adding salmon to the soup itself is really popular in the Northwest and adding crayfish or Lobster can be really popular in New Orleans and the south. In fact, there is a popular spin-off soup called "salmon chowder" that tends to be exceedingly popular in Washington state and Oregon State

[@vickihines-martin6058]

New England clam chowder is level up in cooking. Try cornbread first. Mushroom soup is a common thing in the US.

[@carlaanderson3905]

He has already made cornbread and did really good.

[@jesterforhire]

I’m from Seattle, Washington and Clam Chowder is a MUST! You will love it. New England Style.

[@lisao9740]

I remember as a kid going with my parents and sister to the warf in Seattle eating under the heat lamps in the freezing rain. Big bucket of steamer clams, chowder and fresh sourdough bread.

[@SirTrollerDerby]

7. I grew up in Boston. My mother made a great Boston Cream Pie. When I get back for a visit I try to have clam chowder when I go out to eat. Massachusetts is easy to say if you keep in mind that it is pronounced like it is spelled: mass-a-CHU-setts.

[@tonyharmon8512]

Several people have given you the basics of clam chowder but I also throw some fresh cut Dill on top of each serving. The sweetness of the baked beans comes from the Molasses and the bacon gives it just the right accent. There are several versions just like anything else in the US as over all the years you experimented with what foods you had and sometimes you come up with gold. Catsup or Ketchup (it is actually spelled both ways) it a sweet condiment and as such fairly common in its use here in the States as well. My grandfather was born in 1892 in Oklahoma (yup. Three generations that stretch over three centuries) and grew up in the horse drawn wagon days. As a young man he even rode shotgun on the Wells Fargo wagons but he owned a diner and got recipes from old trail cooks from the disappearing cattle drives. They were also out on the ranches cooking from the back of a wagon for the cowhands so I inherited a lot of shorthand recipes that included things you would find growing on the trail and the various meats you might get from hunting. As a land of immigrants, add in the collision of French, Thai, African, Chinese, Italian, Middle Eastern and Mexican cooking on top of all that and you get the reason why we have so many things not common elsewhere. We are pretty much up for trying just about anything here as the entire world has contributed their favorites and then we have shuffled them all around and new things have appeared.

[@Sunset553]

I like hot dogs with ketchup, mustard, relish, and onions. There’s also a Chicago dog that comes with tomato quarters. I like that, too. I just like hot dogs. I can’t drink milk or eat cheese so no clam chowder for me. But it’s very popular.

[@chuckfina5388]

ketchup, spicy brown mustard, and dill relish is my preferred trio of deliciousness. :)

[@KatyFaulkner-f6c]

Cream of mushroom soup is DELICIOUS!!! Us Americans love it!!! 😍

[@notreallydaedalus]

I've never heard of anyone eating cream of mushroom soup... Just using the condensed cans as an ingredient in casseroles and crock pot dishes.

[@KatyFaulkner-f6c]

@ oh in a nice restaurant it’s insanely good! In LA I had a bowl of cream of mushroom soup that was still the best I’ve ever had at Spago!!! I miss that soup!!!

[@westtxtapper]

About the "Little Debbie" name, Debbie is the granddaughter of the founder of the McKee Foods company that makes the snacks. She's now the executive vice-president of the same company.

[@blondek767]

Clam chowder is potato soup with clams and clam juice added. In the USA, clams are of over abundance, anyone can go to the beach and dig them up. They are meat, protein the body needs. Regular potato soup doesn’t have protein so by adding diced clams makes it better for you. Considered a ‘shell fish’ (clams), it is not kosher so many do not eat it.

[@beverlybrown2673]

Every region, every family, every person, has favorite comfort foods.

[@necrogenesis1981]

The one she had is New England clam chowder, it’s not actually a state food, more of a regional specialty and there are variations. Manhattan clam chowder is tomato based and it’s from New York which is a different region. It really depends on if you like clams or not, but here’s a tip from someone who has gone to that area often, don’t bother trying to get fresh clams, canned is good enough. There will be some bougie people demanding you use fresh, but my family has always used canned and it’s always just as good as any restaurant.

[@Proudtman]

7 I love watching you make different foods! Please try making this

[@beckystrohl5539]

Since you love beans and cornbread there is another American meal that I haven't seen hit the "must have to try" level...YET. it's called ham and beans with cornbread 😊. We usually use great northern beans (the same type used in Heinz beans only without the tomato sauce added) but black beans, pinto, pretty much any beans you like. We use ham, hocks, even types of bacon too. Anyway there are many excellent recipes online. Since you love beans and American food you'll love this. And it's fairly easy to cook 😊

[@stuckgrenadepin.225]

Nearly any beans go well with cornbread.

[@tzarinaruths.2610]

With fried potatoes & collard greens, cornbread & honey butter. Yummmmmy!

[@jamesmcclain5005]

That's Pork and Beans!

[@skyydancer67]

​@stuckgrenadepin.225 what beans don't go with cornbread?

[@stuckgrenadepin.225]

@@skyydancer67 I don’t know, offhand, but I also don’t know every kind of bean there is.

[@OkiePeg411]

Comfort food is actually pretty individual. But usually, it has some kind of nostalgic memory with it. It can be regional, too. Foods that your mother or grandmother made when you were a kid. Those foods bring about a happy memory, hometown, childhood. Many comfort foods are hot dishes, casseroles, soups, stews, and baked foods. I'm sure in Portugal there are dishes that most Portuguese people agree that brings about happiness, comfort, childhood memories, tradition?

[@veronica978]

Comfort food is just food that brings you comfort. Think of a food you grew up with that feels like a warm hug once you eat it again.

[@iambecomepaul]

The Irish and the Brits. I love them. They crack me up. DUDES! You live on an island! If you’re in Ireland, you’re likely no more than two hours drive from the ocean… it’s ON ALL FOUR SIDES! You don’t like seafood? That’s like me living in Iowa and saying, “you know, I’m not a fan of corn.” Love those people! ❤

[@marygarrison9882]

“you know, I’m not a fan of corn.” 🤣

[@iambecomepaul]

@ 😁

[@chuckfina5388]

Plus, cuisine from the UK has the stereotype for being pretty bland and uninspiring. So how fish and seafood are prepared there I reckont is worlds apart from both US coasts.

[@Mainecoonlady.]

Boston cream cake is my favorite cake ever!

[@BTinSF]

@@iambecomepaul So I grew up in Maryland. Can I say I don’t like crab because I don’t.

[@yesiamanerd2040]

Corn bread made with "Corn Meal" is the way to cook this. You can even incorporate pork parts called "crackling"

[@brianboye8025]

WTF?

[@yesiamanerd2040]

@@brianboye8025 Yeah, I do not eat it that way. It is done like that in parts of the Deep South.

[@causticchameleon7861]

Oh my granddaddy used to make crackling cornbread. Sooo good.

[@veronica978]

Cracklin’ bread is the best. I can’t stand sweet cornbread.

[@yesiamanerd2040]

There you go Andre! You need to cook some cracklin Cornbread!

[@PaulBroughton-ig4qp]

There are 2 types of clam chowder, Boston and Manhattan. Both excellent but I prefer the Boston version.

[@Supremewin777]

New England and Manhattan

[@Estenberg]

A "Chowder" is in between a 'thick soup', a soupy Stew, & a dense Gravy (but it is eaten like a 'Soup', with a large spoon. The basis of a "Chowder" is also a rich homemade broth or 'stock' like chicken stock, beef stock, shellfish stock (lobster, crab, oyster or clam), or a super dense & flavorful Fish Stock. The stock is based on a silky thick 'Roux' (a paste made from pan-brown flour & butter), with finely diced Celery, Onions, Carrots, & cubes of Potatoes, and then thickened with Potato Cubes & potato starch. After that is cooked a Stock is poured in, and finally a main Protein (the seafood or rarely meat). American's eat many different Regional and Local Chowders, like: Clam Chowder, Fish Chowder, Corn Chowder, Seafood Chowder, etc.

[@elliotschwartz9774]

Comfort food is a term that means just what it says.....it's the food that makes you comfortable . So it varies greatly by region and usually consists of the local cuisine(s) of where you grew up

[@smokey72382]

From Alabama I'm 47 years old and I have never eaten clam chowder

[@deborahholst2689]

Same here, BUT FROM TEXAS

[@Supremewin777]

Freaks

[@Supremewin777]

​@@deborahholst2689I'm from the Northeast and never had BBQ or Texmex. Had New England clam chowder hundreds of times.

[@richardmartin9565]

"No one over 40 puts ketchup on hotdogs" is a TV ad.

[@lindayoungs4292]

Mosy people o know do.and onion and im78

[@carlaanderson3905]

My brother in law was shocked that not everyone eats their hotdogs with ketchup. 😀

[@tvc184]

I was going to say that ketchup is perfectly acceptable on a hotdog… If you’re under 12 years old. 😂

[@jaxmom9043]

54 still put ketchup on my hotdogs.

[@TamaraEvans-mu2px]

65 YRS and still put ketchup on my hotdogs.

[@iolafiengo5099]

All states have their own comfort foods!

[@Amy-zr5mn]

Each region in the US has their own comfort foods, but many of the Southern comfort foods are pretty well-known all over the US! And the oyster crackers are meant to be added to soup or chowder, so they are bite-sized. In Missouri, we put ketchup (and usually mustard) on hot dogs!

[@KarlsKronicles]

Little Debbie Boston Cream pies, and many other confections are made in Tennessee around Chattanoga, at the entrance to the Southern Adventist University. The family who owns it are Adventists, which is why they are near the campus of an Adventist University.

[@msgtpauldfreed]

Clam chowder, done right, is VERY good. I sometimes add some Cayenne pepper or Sriracha, which New Englanders would find sacrilege, but it tastes SO GOOD! It's my favorite comfort food when it's really cold outside. Make New England clam chowder. Avoid Manhattan Clam Chowder. It's okay, but not nearly as good. I don't consider it a chowder. It's a soup.

[@garycamara9955]

I like Manhattan clam chowder

[@kt7855]

Red wine vinegar too helps enhance flavor. Not too much

[@degassman]

Ketchup and mustard are great on hotdogs!

[@jamesmcclain5005]

Dijon mustard, chili-con-carne

[@BTinSF]

@@jamesmcclain5005 Dijon mustard is effetely French. Hot dogs are not. Ironically, French's mustard is the mustard of real Americans.

[@jamesmcclain5005]

@BTinSF 😂😂😂... I'm saying we put many things on hot dogs not just mustard. Sour kraut even, pickled relish. It's not an American thing, it's an availability thing.

[@BTinSF]

@@jamesmcclain5005 No need to tell me. Among my faves is our local Sonoran Hot Dog: Grilled wrapped in bacon and served with chopped onion & chopped tomatoes (i.e salsa cruda), mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, hot sauce, salt & pepper, and with one or several grilled jalapenos on the side. Yes KETCHUP.

[@jamesmcclain5005]

@BTinSF EXACTLY! 💯

[@kaseystephens3952]

I love Manhattan clam chowder

[@cassandradistin9699]

New England Clam chowder is a dairy based soup with clams and potatoes and often a few other things for flavor. One thing you might try one day is “Manhattan Clam Chowder” which actually came from Portuguese in Rhode Island despite the name, it is tomato based.

[@marks1638]

Even within the same state, the variations on foods, food preparation, and even the way it's served is endless. I've lived in Massachusetts as a kid and one variation with clam chowder was bits of fired salt pork in the clam chowder. When I lived in Maine, they liked to use whole belly clams (instead of clam strips) in both deep fried clams and in clam chowder (depended on the area).

[@VivacityTS]

Cornbread

[@anthonycochran6492]

Comfort food is just a hearty, hot meal that leaves you feeling satisfied. It can really be about anything...so long as it's hot and puts you to sleep. (Also: If you make it to Western Washington on your trip to the U.S. and need an Olympic Peninsula tour guide...I can tell you where to find the best spots.)

[@VivacityTS]

Holy tomatoes and potatoes

[@fordmanfisher]

yes you should absolutely try it. there are three types of clam chowder. all are good. hot dogs are to be eaten with mustard.

[@carriecoyalexander3323]

Chowder is a separate consistency from soup or stew. it is not as runny as soup and not as thick as stew. Bacon chowder is yum.

[@kennethdavis3736]

Some "foodies" in the Northeast criticize people who put ketchup on their hotdogs but kids, anyone who like FUN, and anyone who lives in the South knows that there are no rules when it comes to hotdogs!

[@abalicioushawk2549]

You are very close on the pronunciation of Massachusetts! I think most Americans even have trouble with the pronunciation of that one! Your pronunciation of Connecticut was spot on!

[@thomasjackson8096]

Masa-chu-sets & Con-net-i-cut. The north-east has a lot of names that came from native American words. Baked beans are seasoned with molasses and brown sugar. I put ketchup and mustard on my hotdogs for all my life!

[@jamesmcclain5005]

Mass-A-chew-sets

[@peace-changirl8161]

Melissa from Hayward, Wisconsin, here! Hello, family! ❤❤A comfort food is any food in any country anywhere that makes people feel good and like they’re feeling at home or safe - It’s the dopamine that our brains release when we see or smell or eat, or even talk about these foods - That’s why we call them”comfort foods.”

[@kathybouziane5269]

Janesville Wisconsin here and our comfort foods are the casseroles typically popular in the midwest. Tuns noodle casserole, tater tots casserole, au gratin potatoes with ham, cheesey potatoes. --- that kind of thing

[@scottglave4181]

Comfort food is any food that an individual person feels brings good memories of childhood and/or makes them feel comfy and nostalgic. It may be French fries for one person, grilled cheese sandwich for another, chicken or chowder soup for another, etc. very individualistic but trends by region or town or family..

[@vannederynen1]

To make a good clam chowder is a bit of an art. Cornbread is a great food to learn to cook and is definitely the easier of the two.

[@doctorteethomega]

I grew up in New England. I ate clams and scallops all the time as a little kid. For clam chowder there are a thousand recipes, and they're all an acquired taste. I love clam chowder.

[@tanyastanaland9439]

The north makes it like cake (baked) soft, the south makes it kinda like a fried pancake - ish (fried in lard/crisco/tallow or butter in cast iron) more crispy outside soft inside. Best cornbread is from cast iron. If it’s made right, you don’t need butter, you dip it in your beans or juices from your meal and it holds up to “sopping”. Beans and cornbread, southern/western fare. (Frontier food that can be cooked on an open fire.)

[@cathyfield4765]

That image is New England clam chowder, full of potatoes and cream. On the other hand Manhattan clam chowder is tomato based broth and full of vegetables. Both are delicious, but NE style is definitely a comfort food.

[@JosephGiannelli-eu6os]

Commenting about food, much that I say has to be past tense. I cannot, in any quantity, touch or eat onion, garlic, or tomato (soup, paste, etc). Think of all the foods that has eliminated from my diet!. So, both forms of clam chowder are delicious but people have definite favorites. Corn bread is wonderful. Warm corn bread with butter melting into it is fantastic. it's fine cold too. Boston baked beans is another marvelous food that fits into so many meals and circumstances. Boston cream pie and baked goods you can consider close cousins are delicious. Not mentioned yet, but corn chowder whether Native American or other varieties is also good. Diane, using Joe's tablet

[@tcov22]

The white clam chowder (New England style) is one of my favorites, especially in cold weather. I like to add a lot of black pepper and/or red pepper flakes and a little bit of soy sauce.