Janet said:
On the tea issue-- we always boil the water in a teapot (tea kettle in the UK?)-- usually metal with a spout, cover, and handle and set onto the burner. Then the boiling water is poured over the teabag in the cup... or poured over the teabags or loose-tea-in-a-tea-ball in ANOTHER teapot (the ceramic kind you set on the table).
Actually, that's just a kettle.
And in the UK and Ireland (can't speak for the rest of Europe) we've been using electric kettles for years. Hardly anyone uses stove-top kettles any more, and you never find electric kettles shaped to look like stove-top ones, yet these seem to be the majority of electric kettles on the American side of the Atlantic. We had a lot of difficulty finding a simple, good-quality kettle of the sort we had in the UK: cordless with a sealed element.
Like this:
![[Linked Image]](http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00005OTY4.01-A23NLORBGXOLEO.MZZZZZZZ.jpg)
Ensuite is common in the UK/Ireland too. But we only ever use the term 'bath' to refer to
a bath - the thing you climb into and soak for hours while reading a good book.
Otherwise it's a bathroom - but only if it has a bath or shower in it. If not, then it's just a toilet, or if one wishes to be coy, then a cloakroom.
But then, coyness runs in both directions. I remember the first time I saw an advert for diahorrea medication on TV - in the US, of course; I was shocked! In the UK and Ireland, we're very reserved about such things - even advertisements for tampons never even hint at what they're used for.
Speaking of being coy, what's with 'restrooms'? Or 'washrooms' in Canada? When I'm out and need to use the toilet, it's not that I need to have a rest or to wash!
Again, in the UK or Ireland, you'll see signs directing you to toilets.
Or, occasionally, public conveniences.
One more thing, and changing the subject: Pasta v Noodles!
UK, Europe, I guess Australia: pasta is that Italian stuff you use to make lasagne, spaghetti Bolognese, tagliatelle, macaroni and so on. Noodles are used for chow mein and in stir-fries - ie for Chinese, Thai, Malaysian etc food. Noodles and pasta have different ingredients, according to Elena.
So I was taken aback to discover in the US/Canada something called 'pasta noodles'. As in 'place the lasagne noodles in the dish'.
)
