I totally agree about the food in Europe, and it was a happy surprise for me when I’ve been there. Only exception is the ice cream. See Mia, back there they don’t spend the atrocious amounts on marketing and processing that we feel compelled to do here. Although they are becoming more and more Americanized as time goes on.

And as I know you are acutely aware Emily, but maybe other’s aren’t, their system of farming is far different from ours. It mainly boils down to local markets–which Europeans are big on. Due to the price of petrol, and the natural inclination of Europeans to keep things on a more local level, they don’t pay to ship a peach from Florida to California–when the peach can be grown there.

It’s all very complex, but I know how surprised my mother was when she moved from Germany here. She has always maintained that, while America is the bomb in terms of selection, Europe has better quality foods, hands down. I do know that she said meat was always more expensive there.

Anyway, I would LOVE the prawn and cucumber sandwich, where are those Pret A Mangers?

And there are plenty of Pret A Mangers in the States.