Looking for advice from our UK members regarding being a host family

My sons are attending a soccer camp next week sponsored by Chicago Fire Soccer. The club brings in coaches from the UK and Ireland. Two of the coaches will be staying in our home for 7-10 days (depending on their 4th of July plans). I would like to make their stay as comfortable and pleasantly memorable as possible and am looking for any advise or suggestions.

I don't know any particulars about the young men coming to stay yet, and won't until they arrive. If you were coming to the US for the first time, specifically, Wisconsin, what would you like to experience?

We have a Brewers baseball game planned with tailgate pre-game. Summerfest (huge music festival) is also happening.

My big question is meal planning. What would you want to try if you were in America for the first time? I will be providing breakfast and an evening meal for the duration.

Any advice or suggestions are greatly appreciated!

originally posted by: frayedknot
My sons are attending a soccer camp next week sponsored by Chicago Fire Soccer. The club brings in coaches from the UK and Ireland. Two of the coaches will be staying in our home for 7-10 days (depending on their 4th of July plans). I would like to make their stay as comfortable and pleasantly memorable as possible and am looking for any advise or suggestions.

I don't know any particulars about the young men coming to stay yet, and won't until they arrive. If you were coming to the US for the first time, specifically, Wisconsin, what would you like to experience?

We have a Brewers baseball game planned with tailgate pre-game. Summerfest (huge music festival) is also happening.

My big question is meal planning. What would you want to try if you were in America for the first time? I will be providing breakfast and an evening meal for the duration.

Any advice or suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Let them taste your local stuff and for Petes sake it is FOOTBALL and not SOCCER😉

Us Brits have open taste buds.

Lags

a reply to: frayedknot
Is a "tailgate pre-game" likely to involve meeting girls? Even the chance to chat might make them more cheerful.

a reply to: Lagomorphe
Sorry! Football, of course!

a reply to: frayedknot


Try to make them feel like they never left. Dress up as the Queen and don't let them look directly at you, have plenty of jellied eels on hand and finally, when they think it's time to go don't let them leave, just like Brexit.

a reply to: DISRAELI

Tailgating is when you go to the ball stadium and set up a grill in the parking lot with thousands of other fans, grill bratwurst and drink beer before the game. So, there is an opportunity to meet girls.

Summerfest is a 10 day music festival and meeting girls is guarantied!

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus
Darnnit! I've misplaced my crown and the stores are all out of jellied eels!

I do have beans and toast though. Will that work?

originally posted by: frayedknot
I do have beans and toast though. Will that work?

I hope not, which would make this even more enjoyable.

a reply to: frayedknot
The traditional "Full English breakfast", if that's what they want, will involve a frying-pan.
Starting with bacon and eggs, and perhaps extending to things like tomatoes, sausages, mushrooms. And if one of them asks for "a fried slice", he means bread. If you cook it in oil, it's not quite as unhealthy as when my mother was using lard.

a reply to: frayedknot

My son is 12yrs old and a Footie fan - also would love to visit US.

I know he would like to try your brightest and most dangerous breakfast cereal.

He watches Man verses Food - so BIG MEAT stuffed inside a loaf of bread, which is then stuffed inside a chocolate and cream cake smothered in sauce and served on the bonnet of a T-Bird.

Oh yeah and get some Marmite in....

Seriously - do what you do best.

PS - He keeps asking about Corndogs....

We had some traveling English singing group in town and we hosted a couple of guys at our house for a couple of days. They really liked bacon. Everyone where they stayed fed them that health food crap, they gorged themselves on bacon, sausages, and eggs here, they said it was like being at home. We also had a bbq for the suppers. I actually have one of them on facebook as a friend, he posts lots about Brexit and how the cornish people feel in support of it.

originally posted by: DISRAELI
a reply to: frayedknot
The traditional "Full English breakfast", if that's what they want, will involve a frying-pan.
Starting with bacon and eggs, and perhaps extending to things like tomatoes, sausages, mushrooms. And if one of them asks for "a fried slice", he means bread. If you cook it in oil, it's not quite as unhealthy as when my mother was using lard.

AAHH......but which tastes best?

a reply to: frayedknot

Hopefully it will rain....a lot. That will make them feel at home.

A Full English Breakfast will go down a treat.

But I imagine sampling all that Wisconsin and the surrounding areas have to offer would be greatly appreciated....and a large dollop of that well known US hospitality.

Regardless of what our Mr Masonicus says jellied eels are a definite no-no - they are disgusting.

Personally I've always wanted to experience local culture and heritage away from the usual tourist attractions whenever I go abroad.

The baseball game sounds great.

originally posted by: eletheia

originally posted by: DISRAELI
a reply to: frayedknot
The traditional "Full English breakfast", if that's what they want, will involve a frying-pan.
Starting with bacon and eggs, and perhaps extending to things like tomatoes, sausages, mushrooms. And if one of them asks for "a fried slice", he means bread. If you cook it in oil, it's not quite as unhealthy as when my mother was using lard.

AAHH......but which tastes best?

Lard all the way! I still love bread and dripping

Ba reply to: frayedknot

Best thing to do is ask them what they actually like, the whole point of going abroad is not to feel like your at home. Though I admit that’s not true of many brits especially footy fans..

I’m sure they might appreciate an authentic curry though one evening, one of the greatest British culinary inventions!

a reply to: YesTodayTomorrow

Your boy is welcome here anytime! My sons are 9 and 11 so I am sure they would be fast friends.

I don't know about your meat/bread/cake combo, that sounds disgusting!

Full English Breakfast, I can swing for Sunday Brunch. I am sure my family will love it too! I can manage a curry too. I was planning on grilling a few nights, and maybe a Friday fish fry Wisconsin style.

We are surrounded by lakes and farmland here, but Milwaukee isn't far, so we will take in some sights.
I am planning a little welcome cookout when they arrive with a few friends and family.

Thanks for all of the suggestions!

Is it right you have ham with eggs for breakfast? Or is it bacon you call ham. Give em burgers or chicken. But word of warning, not many British people equate fish as coming from fresh water, the vast majority go for sea fish.
Just ask them what they would like, it depends what their mothers cooked for them. I'm sure they will enjoy themselves if you are going to this much trouble to make them happy.

originally posted by: frayedknot
a reply to: YesTodayTomorrow

Your boy is welcome here anytime! My sons are 9 and 11 so I am sure they would be fast friends.

I don't know about your meat/bread/cake combo, that sounds disgusting!

Thanks for your kind offer - we'll be coming over next week...lol - not really

The meat/bread/cake combo was just me taking the P out of 'Man V Food' TV series. Where the guy goes around the US taking part in some of the eating challenges that restaurants offer. 40oz steak in an hour type thing.

We don't have them over here - food's too expensive and our cows are too small.

Best of luck - i'm sure they will enjoy whatever you make them, as its with love....

a reply to: crayzeed
www.diffen.com...


You may be thinking of Canadian Bacon, which is ham.