Week 1, Post 1: Views on London

I believe that many different countries have different cultures, and a big part of the culture is food. Before coming to London I wasn't sure what to expect when it came to food. The city is so diverse that it makes it difficult to know what you are getting yourself into, whereas if I were going to China, I would expect Chinese food and if I were going to Italy, I would expect Italian food. It kinda hit me about three days before the trip when my dad said "What are you going to eat over there?" "....I dunno.." So when I arrived, I was relieved to see the Subway sign directly in front of the tube station. Oddly enough, I haven't had Subway the whole time I have been in London. The first food I had in London was at a pub, it was Garlic Bread with Cheese. I mean you can't go wrong, right? It was very good, but the cheese was nothing like in the United States, it's almost like the cheese had a more distinct taste. It was like, extra cheesy tasting, stronger. Also a little more oily than in the United States, oily as in the cheese was having a hard time staying on the bread, whereas I'm used to it "becoming one with the bread."
My next cheese experience was at the Sainsbury's Starbucks, I picked up a Ham and Cheddar Cheese Croissant. The cheese was almost just like the cheese I had had at the pub a couple nights before, good but still not what I'm used to. I’m used to sharp cheddar cheese, the yellow-orangish colored cheese, so when I think Cheddar I think of that. There is a major difference however, and the only things that I can think of to cause the difference is either a different source used to get the cheese, or possibly processing that is done to the cheese. I'm starting to think it's the different source, because when I was in Mexico this past summer, I watched some people make cheese from their cows milk. But almost all of the cheese in Mexico tasted the same, very thick and chewy, but not as strong as the U.S. cheese.
Today, I had some what of a cheese experience when we were at a pub for the Global Foods class. I ordered the grilled mac and cheese, it wasn't much like the mac and cheese you would have in the U.S. but it also wasn't like any other cheese I have had here in London. It had almost the taste of what mustard smells like. Honestly, I've never tried mustard, the thought of it just isn't appetizing to me. So I'm really not sure if I had a little mustard mixed in with my mac and cheese or what, but I could taste a little kick.

I'm really excited to go to Subway and try out their cheese, because I know exactly what their cheese tastes like in the U.S. and since it seems to be world wide, I bet they get their cheese all from the same source, but who knows? I'll have to try it and let you know!