# Foods that we won't eat



## Chief Longwind Of The North (Feb 17, 2012)

In some parts of China, dogs are part of the food chain for people.  Not so in the US.  Other foods that we generally won't eat:
cats
spyders
insects in general
blowfish
fish guts
baloot

And there are probably many more.

So what do we eat in North America that other nations won't touch?  I'm thinking;
Twinkies
Cheese Whiz
Some of the cheaper Easter chocolate candies.

What else can you think of that is eaten in North America that no one else will eat?

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## LPBeier (Feb 17, 2012)

This isn't a gross one, but butter tarts, which are a much loved sweet in Britain and Canada, are not that popular in the states.

Suzanne Summers of Three's Company fame who married a Canadian, Alan Hamel, loved the tarts when she tasted them at Christmas and tried to market them in the US and failed.  Ironically, she is now known as a fitness and health expert, who probably wouldn't touch the high calorie treat with a ten foot pole!

Yes, America as pecan pie, but it is not quite the same as our ooey gooey tarts.


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## Steve Kroll (Feb 17, 2012)

Oddly, peanut butter seems to be something that's not widely available outside of the US. A friend of mine from London was vacationing in California a couple of years back. He loaded up his suitcase with several jars of Skippy (the creamy variety) to take back home with him. We also had an exchange student from France who did the same thing.

Dairy products are not universally loved, either. Much of Asia doesn't drink milk or eat cheese like we do here.


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## Addie (Feb 17, 2012)

Steve Kroll said:


> Dairy products are not universally loved, either. Much of Asia doesn't drink milk or eat cheese like we do here.


 
I remember reading after Americans started to return to China as tourists, one of things the Chinse noticed about us immediately, is that we smelled like cows.


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## Addie (Feb 17, 2012)

Peanuts originated in Africa and came here with the slaves as food for them, and fodder for pigs. They are now considered an American crop and not high on the list of exported products. 

Odd how the plantation owners wouldn't dream of eating certain foods but considered them good enough for the slaves. In turn a lot of the foods were high in protein and* good for the slaves*.


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## Greg Who Cooks (Feb 17, 2012)

Peanuts are often called "ground nuts" in Asia, where they are popular in dishes like Kung Pao, Massaman curry and Pad Thai, in addition to peanut sauce served with many dishes in India and Asia. I make my peanut sauce from peanut butter but I guess if they don't get peanut butter in that part of the world they probably start by grinding peanuts. It's interesting that generally the only ingredients in peanut butter are peanuts and salt.

Some of the Japanese products I've seen in US Asian markets don't look much more nutritionally redeeming than Twinkies.

Maybe not Cheese Whiz but I bet fish whiz or shrimp whiz might sell in Japan. Lots of their junk foods feature fish and shrimp tastes (and seaweed).

Cheaper Easter chocolate candies? I've seen tons of junky looking candy sold in Mexican and Latino stores. (Mexico is of course in NA but I presume some of these products are popular in SA.) And from recall notices it appears that Chinese like lead in their candies.

Of course cows (steak, etc.) are not popular in India, for reasons I presume everybody knows.

We seem rather restrained in NA compared to many parts of the world. I can't think of much that is consumed here that isn't consumed elsewhere in the world, although perhaps not as popular outside NA.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Feb 17, 2012)

I can see your point GG.  And except for Native American food (which has been exported all over the world, think potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, maple, beans, corn, etc. the foods we eat in NA are made from food stuffs brought to this area by immigrants from all over the world.

It used to be said that America was a salad, with many distinct parts all in the same place, but each with its own unique flavor.  I think we are now becoming more of a bisque, with each flavor blending and adding richness to the whole.

I can't think of many things in NA cuisine that hasn't either come from, or been influenced from somewhere else.

Of course great eastern brookies, caught from the clear, running streams that empty into Lake Superior aren't eaten anywhere else, because no one else can get them.  And IMHO, they are the best eating fish on the planet.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Addie (Feb 17, 2012)

Chief, I take it is a fish. But what is a brookie and how did the name come about?


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## Greg Who Cooks (Feb 17, 2012)

It's interesting to realize how many crops were native to only the Americas and were exported to the other parts of the world and profoundly affected their cuisines. To your list of potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, maple, beans, corn we can also add avocados, peanuts, cocoa (chocolate), pineapples, squashes (sorry Abby, peanuts originated in the Americas), vanilla, common beans and lima beans. I believe chili peppers were discussed in a different DC topic. (And tobacco which is of course not a food. Also note that I did a bit of research, and my list wasn't just from memory.) It's interesting to think of what the world's various cuisines would be like without the contributions of New World crops.

Also, with the exception of Native American ("Indian") dishes, of which few have any worldwide impact (I can think of only fry bread at the moment) and some present day dishes influenced by ancient cultures such as the Mayans, Incans, Aztecs, most of present day American cuisine began with the arrival of the Europeans in the late 15th century. Many of the world's cuisines have had thousands of years to evolve. And yet at the same time many or most of present day cuisines would be nothing like they are now without the influence of the Americas and native American crops.

Now that I've written this longwinded post I've realized it has nothing to do with the question in the OP, "So what do we eat in North America that other nations won't touch?" I've been thinking more along the lines of what would the rest of the world be eating if it _wasn't_ for the Americas. I don't know what but it would be a lot different than it is without foods from the Americas.

Perhaps Longwind you meant American commercial products? Or did you mean American cuisines? (As noted, many American cuisines were created by immigrants.)

AFAIK McDonald's has spread over most of the world. Is that a boon or a scourge?

I'm wondering if there's anything North American that isn't appreciated by at least part of the world, although not in every part of the world.


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## Dawgluver (Feb 17, 2012)

Addie said:
			
		

> Chief, I take it is a fish. But what is a brookie and how did the name come about?



Brook trout.  A beautiful and tasty fresh water fish, found in brooks and streams.


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## Addie (Feb 17, 2012)

We have brook trout here. Have gone fishing for it. Caught a few. Very delicious. 

*Succotash*. Lima beans and corn came from Native Americans. I wonder if that is a dish that is served elsewhere? It was one of the dishes served at the Pilgrims big dinner. I love both of those veggies, but can't eat either one. Dang it!


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## Greg Who Cooks (Feb 17, 2012)

For that matter, turkeys are native to North America. (It makes you wonder how they knew to name the country Turkey.)


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Feb 18, 2012)

Addie said:


> Chief, I take it is a fish. But what is a brookie and how did the name come about?



The species name is - the Eastern Brook Trout, or speckled trout.  It is a freshwater fish that is found in streams East of the Mississippi.  It ranges anywhere between 8 to 15 inches (15 inches long is huge for a brook trout).  Average size is between 8 and twelve inches.  Wild brook trout have an orange-pink flesh that is firm, but tender.  The flavor is very similar to swordfish.  I love this fish dredged in flour, and pan-fried in a couple inches of hot oil.  Lightly salt when the fish is browned on both sides and removed from the pan.  The fish is also used for a dish called blue trout, and is great when placed into a foil pack with sliced potatoes, onions, and carrots, with butter of course.

Many people prefer whitefish, or walleye (pickerel in Canada), or even small mouth bass and perch due to the extremely mild flavor.  But me, I love brook trout.  Oh, and rainbow trout, at the same size, and even brown trout taste identical to brook trout.

Brookies is short for brook trout.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## LPBeier (Feb 18, 2012)

What about Spam?  To most it is a disgusting cheap meat product and yet in Hawaii it is a delicacy.


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## TATTRAT (Feb 18, 2012)

I have eaten Balut, and it was not something I would go back for.  I have eaten a lot of insects, as a kid, and as an adult, and honestly, not all that bad. I have eaten horse, and honestly, it's pretty good.


As far as what we eat, that other cultures don't, I have been surprised by some of the reactions I have had from summer employees/work exchange kids. . . 

The number 1 thing I was thrown off by: my Polish peeps wouldn't eat red skin new potatoes. They said that it was pig food, and what they fed farm animals. Also, they wouldn't eat a potato at all if it had skin on it.

Other than that, nothing really sticks out as a "Are you serious, you wont eat that" moment.

OH! Corn too, I have some Bolivian employees that only eat the big ole corn, corn that here, we feed to animals. Grrrrrrr, it's driving me crazy that I can't remember the name, bu tit is that really big kernel corn, and the rows are never straight. . . The maize de gringo, our nice sweet yellow corn, they refuse to eat.  **EDIT** Mote( mo-tay)


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## TATTRAT (Feb 18, 2012)

LPBeier said:


> What about Spam?  To most it is a disgusting cheap meat product and yet in Hawaii it is a delicacy.



In a LOT of the pacific, Spam is a staple. All throughout Indonesia, micro-nesia, it's a treat. Guam actually exceeds Hawaii in Spam consumption.


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## Aunt Bea (Feb 18, 2012)

The only ones I can think of are peanut butter, corn on the cob and popcorn. 

I guess I need to get out more!


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## Margi Cintrano (Feb 18, 2012)

*The Iberian Peninsula Doesn´t On A Large Scale*

Having lived in Madrid for quite sometime; the culinary culture has changed quite significantly due to Chef Ferrán Adriá who has endorsed uncountable imported food items. None the less, here are some that are not that popular on a large scale:

1) Raw Fish Culture - Japanese Sashimi
2) Except for Galicia, Extremadura, Catalonia ( Barcelona), Andalusia, Madrid Capital and the Canary Islands; Chili Peppers 
3) Peanut Butter 
4) In general, Asian Cuisines and when they do, it is in a Restaurant and they order: Rice 3 Delicious which has some peas and carrots diced tiny in it ... Spring rolls or egg rolls and the Noodles with strips of meat and shrimp. They are not too experimental. Younger generations are experimenting more and travelling more. 
5) Generally, Middle Eastern Cuisines except for Hummus. 
6) Corn: until very recently, this vegetable was feed for the horses and donkies ... Due to the large number of South Americans who legally reside in Spain, corn, a staple in their salads, soups, flour, desserts and dishes has become more popular.
7) Piquant spices, ginger, curry, cayenne etcetra : this is relatively not employed in most of the provinces except the ones I indicated in Number 2 ( note: there are 38 plus Melilla and Ceuta which are next to Morocco in Northern Africa, however, are Spanish territories, autonomous provinces, yet under Spanish rule ). 
8) Indian cuisine: relatively untried by the masses, there are 3 excellent Indian restaurants in Madrid and alot more in Barcelona, Catalonia. The unknown of the piquant, however now younger Spaniards are experimenting more. 
9) Spaniards have a very traditional home routine of stews, soups and roasts ... Now due to the 2 parent household in the work place, youngsters are watched by grandparents, if they have them --- thus, the preference is to their Traditional bean stews and soups, " the spoon tradition " is still very strong here, especially outside of the main urban cities.
10) Soy bean products: there are Vegetarian and Pescatarian people in Spain; as well as Vegans. However, the number of Vegetarians who do not eat dairy, fish and by products of an animal, are comparatively quite small in number. Spain is steeped to this day in A Pork Culture, due to the Inquisition of the 1490s - mid 1500s ... thus, Spain likes their meat, pork and beef and lamb. 

Margi.


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## Margi Cintrano (Feb 18, 2012)

*Cranberries are one of the Oldest American Fruits*

Cranberries were founded in Bay Colony by the 1st settlers in 1620, I believe it was. 

To my knowledge; USA native foods:

1) cranberries 
2) wild turkeys 
3) salmon 
4) lobsters ( Maine ) 

I am sure there are many other vegetables in the former Bay Colony ( New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island area in addition to the West --- only they were discovered later by the settlers ) 

M.C.


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## Greg Who Cooks (Feb 18, 2012)

LPBeier said:


> What about Spam?  To most it is a disgusting cheap meat product and yet in Hawaii it is a delicacy.



Adding to what Tat said, I was astonished to see huge SPAM displays in my local Korean owned supermarket. All I can guess from that is that SPAM must be very popular with Koreans.


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## Addie (Feb 18, 2012)

Spam came about during WWII. The goverment needed a source of meat for the military. Morrell had left over meat from the pig (smoked shoulder) and developed Spam with it. They got the contract. It was sent to the Pacific to see how the military would take to it For those who wouldn't eat it, it made a great item for trade with the native population. For a meat starved areas of the globe, it was a great hit. The Japanese would confiscate most local foods. But they wouldn't touch the Spam. They didn't understand the concept of canned foods. Remember at that time, the can of Spam had a key attached to it and you didn't need a can opener.


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## taxlady (Feb 18, 2012)

Margi Cintrano said:


> Cranberries were founded in Bay Colony by the 1st settlers in 1620, I believe it was.
> 
> To my knowledge; USA native foods:
> 
> ...



Cranberries are also native to Scandinavia. What a surprise.


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## Greg Who Cooks (Feb 18, 2012)

Addie said:


> ...They didn't understand the concept of canned  foods. Remember at that time, the can of Spam had a key attached to it  and you didn't need a can opener.



I haven't bought or eaten SPAM for decades... (Why does the product name  look better to me in all capitals?) I thought they has always had a  built in key to open the can. So many canned products these days come  with built in tabs to facilitate opening. It makes me wonder if can  openers are slated for obsolescence.

Way back many eras ago (glacial ages ago) I once succumbed to the "on  the can" recipe where you score the surface and poke in whole cloves and  IIRC sprinkle with brown sugar or something, some sort of malignant  parody of how hams are sometimes cooked. Surprisingly, I recall it  wasn't that bad... Maybe a bit fatty... 



taxlady said:


> Cranberries are also native to Scandinavia. What a surprise.



Really? Or joking? I can't find an authoritative source. I had always  thought cranberries were native to North America, thus the prominence in  US and CA Thanksgiving celebrations.

And the turkey... I have heard that Ben Franklin wanted to make the  turkey the official American bird (national emblem? whatever), instead of the eagle. I believe the  story although I am sometimes gullible.


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## Addie (Feb 18, 2012)

It now come with that pull tab also. And there are now 12 different SPAM products.


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## Greg Who Cooks (Feb 18, 2012)

Any of them SPAM Lite?  (For diet conscious SPAM lovers...)


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## Addie (Feb 18, 2012)

Gourmet Greg said:


> Really? Or joking? I can't find an authoritative source. I had always thought cranberries were native to North America, thus the prominence in US and CA Thanksgiving celebrations.


 
*Vaccinium oxycoccos* or _Oxycoccus palustris_ (*Common Cranberry* or *Northern Cranberry*) is widespread throughout the cool temperate northern hemisphere, including northern Europe, northern Asia and northern North America. It has small 5–10 mm leaves. The flowers are dark pink, with a purple central spike, produced on finely hairy stems. The fruit is a small pale pink berry, with a refreshing sharp acidic flavour.


From Wikipedia. Who'd a thunk it?


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## Addie (Feb 18, 2012)

Gourmet Greg said:


> Any of them SPAM Lite?  (For diet conscious SPAM lovers...)


 
Yes, In regular size cans and half size ones. 
SPAM > SPAM® Products


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## PrincessFiona60 (Feb 18, 2012)

I have a special cutter for SPAM:


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## Greg Who Cooks (Feb 18, 2012)

Addie, I'm not sure if "well spread" indicates origin of species. Nor is Wikipedia an authoritative source, although I use it all the time myself.

It seems to me that the less SPAM you eat the lighter it is. (Or "liter" in modern terms.) I imagine the "litest" SPAM would be any empty can, or not eating it at all.

Maybe somebody should start a topic "SPAM recipes." Not me...


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## TATTRAT (Feb 18, 2012)

Gourmet Greg said:


> Addie, I'm not sure if "well spread" indicates origin of species. Nor is Wikipedia an authoritative source, although I use it all the time myself.
> 
> It seems to me that the less SPAM you eat the lighter it is. (Or "liter" in modern terms.) I imagine the "litest" SPAM would be any empty can, or not eating it at all.
> 
> Maybe somebody should start a topic "SPAM recipes." Not me...




http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f49/spam-the-kind-you-eat-69636.html


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## Greg Who Cooks (Feb 18, 2012)

Thanks for the topic search Tat. I should have seen that coming...

There wouldn't be any SPAM topic about which I eat. I don't eat it. Too yucky for me.

Maybe I'll read that topic but I just ate dinner and I'm not so sure I wanna go there right now.


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## Addie (Feb 18, 2012)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I have a special cutter for SPAM:


 


She is an out of control woman. That is three for you today. You have reached your limit.


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## taxlady (Feb 18, 2012)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I have a special cutter for SPAM:



Does it have a name?


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## PrincessFiona60 (Feb 18, 2012)

Limit...I thought it was "at least.."    You should see my cheese knife.

Yes, TL.  It's name is...Excalibur!


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## taxlady (Feb 18, 2012)

Gourmet Greg said:


> Addie, I'm not sure if "well spread" indicates origin of species. Nor is Wikipedia an authoritative source, although I use it all the time myself.
> ...



How about Encyclopedia Britannica: cranberry (fruit) -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia


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## Greg Who Cooks (Feb 18, 2012)

From your article, "Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) fruit of any of several small creeping or trailing plants of the genus Vaccinium (family Ericaceae), related to the blueberries. The small-fruited, or northern, cranberry (V. oxycoccus) *is found *in marshy land in northern North America and Asia and in northern and central Europe." and "Other fruits of species in the genus Vaccinium are erroneously called cranberries. The cowberry, or foxberry (V. vitis-idaea), also known as mountain, or rock, cranberry, or as lingonberry, is not cultivated but is used in northern Europe and by Scandinavians in the United States."

Particularly noting "is found" is not equivalent to "originated from." Boa constrictors are found in Florida, doesn't mean they came from there.

Also interesting to note lingonberries evidently popular in Scandinavia, similar to but not actual cranberries.

I don't feel like pursuing the subject. I know nothing about this. All I can do is google it. I recall cranberries are native to NA but I recall lots of things that are wrong. You could write a book based upon things I'm wrong about, although it probably wouldn't be a very interesting book.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Feb 18, 2012)

The family (genus) is Vaccinium, the subgenus is oxycoccus, the sub-sub genus is macrocarpon...which are found in North America.

You are splitting hairs Greg, they are all in the same family of fruits.


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## Addie (Feb 18, 2012)

I am with you Greg. I grew up and aged quite a bit believing that cranberries were native to North America. I usually go to Wiki knowing it is not always an accurate place for info. Today is the first time that idea ever came into question. According to the Wiki cranberries grow in Scotland also then along with Northern Ireland.

I did once read that the lingonberries were similar to our cranberry. I think not only the berry is different but also the bush or vine it grows on. Our cranberry grows along the ground thus harvested with large wooden "comb scoops" or with the new method of shaking them loose in a flooded bog. I have no idea how the lingonberry in Scandinavia is harvested. I really am not intereted nor do I care. So I doubt I wil bother to look it up.


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## Greg Who Cooks (Feb 18, 2012)

I would feel better seeing "native to" as opposed to "is found." This is not a subject important to me. I don't view Wikipedia as any authoritative source. I can visit it right now and change "is found" to "native to." Let's just leave it be.

Meanwhile cranberries are pretty good. Don't buy the canned ones. Get frozen or fresh, then follow the package directions but cut the sugar in half. That is all.


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## taxlady (Feb 18, 2012)

Gourmet Greg said:


> From your article, "Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) fruit of any of several small creeping or trailing plants of the genus Vaccinium (family Ericaceae), related to the blueberries. The small-fruited, or northern, cranberry (V. oxycoccus) *is found *in marshy land in northern North America and Asia and in northern and central Europe." and "Other fruits of species in the genus Vaccinium are erroneously called cranberries. The cowberry, or foxberry (V. vitis-idaea), also known as mountain, or rock, cranberry, or as lingonberry, is not cultivated but is used in northern Europe and by Scandinavians in the United States."
> 
> Particularly noting "is found" is not equivalent to "originated from." Boa constrictors are found in Florida, doesn't mean they came from there.
> 
> ...



I meant cranberries, not lingonberries. The word for cranberry is different in Swedish (tranbär) or Danish (tyttebær) from the word for lingonberries, lingonbär & lingonbær. I can assure you that Scandinavians are almost as surprised that cranberries are native to North America, as North Americans are to find out that they grow indigenously in Scandinavia.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Feb 18, 2012)

C'mon, I am "native to" Fort Ord, CA...I lived there for a week...still does not change my family background.


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## Addie (Feb 18, 2012)

One last note on Cranberries. I took part in a study last year for cranberry juice. Was it beneficial for heart patients or not? Ocean Spray wanted to place the heart on its products and tout it as heart healthy like Cheerios does. I went through two types of juice. Sweetened and unsweetened. I have yet to see the heart on their product. All I can say is the unsweetened almost gave me a heart attack. Getting that down, well, I think death would have been better. What a nasty taste. And to think I used to eat them right off the bog as a kid.


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## taxlady (Feb 18, 2012)

I like unsweetened cranberry juice. I dilute it three parts water to one part cranberry juice. Has a nice zing. I can imagine it would be "special" if it weren't diluted.


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## TATTRAT (Feb 18, 2012)

Gourmet Greg said:


> Thanks for the topic search Tat. I should have seen that coming...
> 
> There wouldn't be any SPAM topic about which I eat. I don't eat it. Too yucky for me.
> 
> Maybe I'll read that topic but I just ate dinner and I'm not so sure I wanna go there right now.




You may not have ever had it prepared properly, but I was once like you. Living on O'ahu changed all that. I am now a Spam fan.


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## LPBeier (Feb 19, 2012)

taxlady said:


> Does it have a name?


You HAD to ask that one didn't you?


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## PrincessFiona60 (Feb 19, 2012)

LPBeier said:


> You HAD to ask that one didn't you?



Just 'cuz I have it hanging on my wall....


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