‘I just want to bring back the chicken parm’: Visiting Europeans find culinary shocks and delights in Boston
As Europeans flood Boston, the Transportation Security Administration has a message for visitors from across the pond.
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“If you’re visiting for a very large sporting event & you happen to discover RANCH while you’re here… pls pack it in your checked bag on the way home,” the TSA posted on its Instagram account, apparently inundated with fliers attempting to bring the quintessentially American salad dressing in their carry-ons.
That’s right: Europeans are back in Boston, and they aren’t here for our land this time around. Just ranch, apparently.
While on their Boston pilgrimages, many European visitors are experiencing culinary culture shock: novel condiments, shocking portion sizes, unexpected potato chip flavors, and surprisingly sweet sandwich bread at fast-food joints.
Some leave impressed. Others leave craving something more.
“The portions are so large you can’t even finish your main meal,” said Calum McNab, of Glasgow. He had advice for American fast-food chains: “You would save so much money if you just cut down the prices and portion sizes.”
“I quite like Wendy’s,” said Alex Myles, who was visiting Boston with his father, Graham. “In Scotland, I could eat another one, but here it’s pretty big,” he said, gesturing with his hands to form a circle nearly the size of his head.
(The large lunches didn’t seem to be negatively affecting the locals, however, in McNab’s opinion. “Everyone here looks great, so it’s not like they’re eating a lot and big,” he added.)
Ranch dressing wasn’t the only sauce that impressed World Cup tourists.
“I love Raising Cane’s sauce,” said Ryan McNicol, surrounded by fellow Scots and several bags of takeout from the chicken chain on Wednesday in Boston Common.
“The Texas Toast is so buttery,” McNicol added, contemplating how he could bring the sauce — along with bags of white cheddar popcorn — back to Scotland.
For Daniel Grant, a trip to Carmelina’s in the North End was a revelation. “The chicken parm was the best thing I’ve ever had in my life, man,” he said.
After American friends encouraged him to try the Italian-American staple, Grant said he could not stop talking about it.
“I messaged everyone back home and said, ‘I just want to bring back the chicken parm,’” Grant said.
McNab said he would rather bring home another American favorite: cheddar-flavored chips.
Others gravitated toward America’s more indulgent offerings.
“In Scotland, we deep-fry all the food,” said Hugo McGurk, another visitor from Scotland. “So when I saw a deep-fried pickle, I thought, ‘Did they bring this here just for us?’”
Asked what he would bring back from America, McGurk had an unexpected answer.
“I want to bring Moxie back because it looks like a can of Irn-Bru,” he said. “But it’s not better. Irn-Bru is the best drink created by mankind,” he clarified, holding up two bottles of the popular Scottish soda, both empty.
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