Hello across the Channel!

[ChasonetteH]

This is about different culture/dining habits and repasts in the various areas of GB and other English speaking countries.
Would anyone be "thrilled" to assist me? I will be eternally grateful.;)

I was asked to be a voluntary substitute for the English teacher at an adult-class for conversational English.
I observed that the last time they learned about the different happenings during the day (e.g. get up, shower, breakfast, go to work and so on...).
The way it was set out appeared a bit boring.
My idea is to tickle their interest by talking about the different cultures and habits in connection with meals, festivities and so on.
For instance - how do people in different areas of GB and other English speaking countries call their meals (e.g. breakfast, brunch, elevenses, lunch, tea, supper, dinner etc....). At what time are they usually taken during the day/weekend etc.)
What are traditional meals for everyday, holidays etc.
I tought of continuing at the next lesson with the habits associated with Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas, as they are not too far off - what are the traditional meals and customs relating to those festivities... .
OK, I stop...,thank you sooooo much!

[nungate]

Isn't a roll petit pain in French?

[Euphemia]

Breakfast 08.00 - 09.45 Muesli/fresh or stewed fruit/yoghurt tea or coffee
Dinner 13.00 Light meal - salad or soup & roll
Tea 18.00 Meat/fish/potatoes/veg glass of wine
Retired couple
East Scotland

[askyourgran]

Shrove Tuesday is Mardi Gras (fat Tuesday) in France and falls the day before Lent (Ash Wednesday, when repentence is shown). Shrove Tuesday is Pancake Day, supposedly the last day you can eat forbidden things fat butter eggs ect. before Lent starts. We also have Maunday Thursday, a tradition when the reigning Monarch hands out alms to the poor, called maunday money. Leading to Easter Sunday, when the children are given Chocolate Easter eggs. As a child during the War there was no chocolate, we had ordinary boiled eggs that had been boiled in coloured dye red blue pink etc.

[sophie_1003]

In the midlands- we have breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast and lunch aren't eaten together so can be any time really; we have dinner quite late; usually around 8pm. Anything in between is a snack.

[sophie_1003]

Just thought; we have 'packed lunch' for school and work (our family call it pack up but thinks that's just us?)

[Chaffinch]

I have breakfast at about 08.00 (whilst at work so pain au chocolate or pain au raisen, grabbed from the shop)
Lunch is about 12.30 to 1.00, sandwich
Dinner about 6.30 to 7.00pm a cooked sit down meal

We also celebrate Mothers day on a Sunday usually at the end of March or begining of April, where we buy gifts for our Mothers and accept gifts from our children. Fathers day is usually in June, but is much newer than Mothers day, but is the same sort of thing.

[boxtops]

sophie, it's called a packup in the Midlands too - and in Scotland a sandwich is called a piece. A piece and jam is a jam sandwich. ..and it was in the Midlands that I first heard a sandwich called a sarnie.

[sophie_1003]

Yay boxtops! Someone else who's heard of it; when my dad used the phrase pack up with some blokes at his work they didn't know what he was on about; they were from the midlands too though! Ooh didn't realise sarnie was regional!

[erin-x]

I could go a jam piece the noo :)

[boxtops]

chasonette, where are you? I could see France from my old office, on a good day!

[nungate]

It's no a jam piece - it's a jeely piece!

[sophie_1003]

We sell petit pains at work nungate and there they are mini baguettes so not quite the same as a roll.

[boxtops]

You are so right nungate, and what do you call those square sweet pastries with mincemeat in the middle? They call them mincemeat squares down here but I'm sure they have a proper name, north of the border!

[ChasonetteH]

boxtops, I am in Germany. Nevertheless - I love French Baguettes and Croissants too. You got me so tempted now, I might have to hit the bakery in the morning and skip the Muesli one day.
I just tried to send you wonderfully helpful people a very funny little "wmv" attachment as a thanks for your effort but can not figure out how to do it. Maybe that does not work here.

[webbo3]

Bread roll with either ham or beef.



Dave.