– Time For A Tiara: Column by Ginna Young – - I’m lovin’ it – I hope

– Time For A Tiara: Column by Ginna Young –

The other day, my friend and I got to talking about what countries we would visit if we could afford it, and could take the time off to go on an adventure. My wishlist countries were Ireland; England, specifically London and the countryside; New Zealand; and Germany.

Can you imagine? The beautiful landscapes, the languages, the culture, the food. Oh. The food. I came back down to earth with a thump. What in the world would I eat in another country?

I am probably the world’s pickiest eater and don’t like many foods, so I said I’d have to find a McDonald’s wherever I go. Thankfully, there are over 41,000 thousand of the restaurants around the world.

McDonald’s is my favorite place to get food from and I know that it’s not that good for a person, but I can’t stay away from it. I’m kind of a plain-Jane eater, though, and only order chicken nuggets, with sweet ’n sour sauce, French fries or plain cheeseburgers (I carry my own Heinz ketchup in the car with me).

Well, my friend made fun of me for a while, that I would go to another country and not even try their cuisine, but I like what I like and I can’t make myself eat something I don’t want. She then pointed out that since it’s in another country, McDonald’s could have a different menu.

Whaaaat? We did some quick research and actually, it’s fascinating what we discovered. By typing in “McDonald’s menu in (insert country),” we found what they serve for breakfast and the rest of the day.

For example, an Ireland Mc-Donald’s has this great-sounding breakfast wrap, consisting of a pork sausage patty, two eggs, a slice of bacon, a crispy hash brown and cheese, served in a flour tortilla shell, with either ketchup or brown sauce (whatever that is).

Another item also caught my attention – bacon on a soft white roll, with a choice of ketchup or brown sauce. An all-bacon sandwich? Sign me up!

They also had a thing called a “toastie,” which is basically a pancake folded over, with bacon and cheese, and an English muffin spread with jam. For the lighter side, they offer a pineapple spear, instead of apples that we have here.

In Japan, they have a teriyaki chicken sandwich and for Happy Meals, they offer edamame and corn. If you want to dunk your nuggets in something unique, try the scallop chowder-style sauce. There’s also a luscious looking chocolate pie.

Australia’s menu also caught my eye, with chicken breast, McChicken sauce (?), bacon and cheese, on a warm, toasted English McMuffin. In India, there’s a sandwich that has a potato patty, topped with an Italian herb sauce and shredded onions, as well as a pizza McPuff, which has vegetables – including peas and carrots – in a shell that reminds me of a Hot Pocket.

If you’re craving a hamburger, keep craving, because the only “burger” on an Indian McDonald’s menu, is a chicken one.

I also haven’t found any bagel sandwiches in my searches and that’s my very favorite. When they did away with them for a couple years, I went through major withdrawals and signed a zillion petitions, imploring McDonald’s to bring back the breakfast item.

My patience and diligence was rewarded, so perhaps if I start a campaign to get bagels in other countries, if I ever get to go on a dream vacation, I shan’t starve when I get there!