Milford chronicle., 1952-12-19
THESE WOMEN
Ever Try
A Soup
Sandwich !?
BY CYNTHIA LOWRY
AP NeMsleafnres Writer


e IS the honest opinion of most
palate-wise Europeans, fortified
oy our own periodicals, that as
Iar as food is concerned, Ameri-
cans are nothing but bunch Of
germ-consci0us barbarians.
Few Frenchmen would exchange
their crusty, long loayes which
encounter Heaven knows what ad-
ventures during their naked route
rom oven to mouth, for a slice Of
our hygienic, dOuble-wrapped
vitamin-impregnated bread. Most
continentals regard with some
thing like awe mixed with amuse-
ment our national preoccupation
with sterile Wrappings, our adj
miration Of food prepared without
resort to human hands, our dedi-
cation to refrigeration, chlorine
and accompanying, not to mem
tion our determination to elimi-
nate the drudgery or depend
ing on how you look at it-of food
preparation, and our passion for
saving time.
TO the average American bless
ed with the normal complement
Of taste buds and appreciation OF
good food, the rather condescend-
ing attitude Of the gourmetstype
European on American food habits
smacks more Of boOk-learning
than eating.
AS one who has sampled the
fare Of a number Of countries with
vast appreciation, know that day
in, day-out eating in the United
States is far better than it is else
where no matter how long the di-
ner's purse. And I also know that
the United States, for all its pre-
OccutiOn with germs, is the only
country where routine inquiry
about drinking water isn't neces-
sary. And it's the only country I'll
travel in without packing along, as
standard equipment, bismuth and
paragOric to mitigate pangs of a
recurring, disagreeable ailment pc
culiaF to travellers and expeditions
ary forces.
However, ! believe that Ameri-
can pioneering spirit, as shown by
a national interest in trying
something new" is likely to give
the European. a rather peculiar idea
about our diet. Partly this is the
fault of our newspaper and maga-
zine writer who specialize in food
and recipes. All of them are con-
stantly in quest of something diff
ferent and interesting to write
about, and in a highly competitive
field, sometimes food combinations
sound strange
OF recent date. I've run across
some pretty unusual food sugges-
tiOns. Maybe they'd taste fine, but
the mere. contemplation of the reci-
pes sent shudders down by Ameri-'
can spine, and they probably will
make fodder for critical European
food conservatives for some time
to come.
There was, for instance, a surg
gsstion that ham be iced" with
oonfectiOner's sugar before balS-
ing. Then there was the recipe for
peanut-butter Goldfish balls. And
a salad made Of sauerkraut and
fruit.
I've heard talk about cola drinks
and soda pop IS the liquid in cake
mixes, and there was some serious
consideration given ring mold
which called for gelatine, cola
drink and slices of bologna. Also
cake made with tomato soup.
Recently it was. suggested that
doughnuts be used as the base Of
chicken a Ia king. / ate-and en-
joyed, for goodness sake-a- shrimp
curry served with baked bananas
Probably the rest Of them are
equally palatable, but my food
thinking is still too far to the right
Of center, and the habit of years
too ingrained, to send me scurrying
into the kitchen aflame with desire
to combine, for instance, sauer-
kraut and fresh fruit in a salad
I'll continue to think Of sauerkraut
happily wed to spare ribs.
Meanwhile, I'd feel happier about
the reputation Of American food
if our most violet critics would
visit a few homes and restaurants
and taste some Of the plain, taste
ful and good food which is routine
ly served.