[Sarape]

Two stories today. The good news, a McDonalds franchise in an Italian city pulled out because the locals wanted to shop at the traditional Italian bakery. Hurray.

Bad news: long story in today's New York Times about Chinese immigrant children adopting the American habit of eating: McDonalds, processed food, and they are seeing signs of diabetes in the Chinese-American population. Also, the kids are now watching too much television and not doing enough in gym class at school. Hence, obesity.

I love America, but the traditional way to buy groceries in the Italian and Chinese home lands seems to be much better than our brand of giant supermarkets. Both articles talk about the vast cultural difference in the open-air food markets in China and the traditional Italian bakery.

It's too bad too many people abandon their traditional ways for our American ways. Again, congratulations to the Italians, and let's hope for the Chinese.
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' She says, 'I am the glamorous type.' I said, 'So what?'

[FoodSciGeek]

The McDonald's story is very funny. It seems the people didn't mind it in the beginning, but got ticked off by the 24hr golden arches that were put up in a historical town. The restaurant closed down a couple years ago, but the big M just recently came down, and now it's news. Here's a pretty good article about it all.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/01/12/news/italy.php

Another interesting story, is about the import of Coca-Cola from Mexico into the US. It seems that it tastes better with cane sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup and in glass bottles. It's primarily for the imigrant community who prefer what they grew up with. It's getting the company's knickers in a knot over regional contracts etc. Funny, 'cause it's all still Coke.

http://www.beverageworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5212
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Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon. - The Dalai Lama

[DrMell]

I was in Bermuda recently, where they allow no fast food restaurants (except for the KFC which got in before the bill was passed). I want to live there.

[woodstocker]

i'm living in Edinburgh now on study abroad and the lack of fast food restaurants shocks me. me...the average college kid forced to eat wholely unhealthy food at my home school (think burger king). here, i've only seen one BK and one KFC. other than that, it's subway (maybe 3 of them) or the traditional foods and eateries. although, i've noticed kebabs are popular in these parts.

[Judy]

FoodSciGeek, my kids would agree with you about the taste of Coca Cola - they love it here in Australia, but hated it in the US and we figured it was because of the corn syrup sweetening instead of the sugar they are used to.

Personally I can't tell the difference between any of those black drinks .... Pepsi, Coke, Pepsi Max, Diet Coke .... they're all the same to me, but the rest of my family assures me they're all different. While we were in the US the boys tried all kinds of weird and wonderful concoctions we don't get at home - CherryVanilla Dr Pepper was the strangest, I think.

Cheers!
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Doing what you like is freedom
Liking what you do is happiness

www.cupcakerecipebook.com.au

[FoodSciGeek]

Breaking News - The French are getting fat too!!! I guess the diet book is way off base.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1568314/posts
_________________
Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon. - The Dalai Lama