--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It didn’t take long for us to realize…" description: "\"“It didn’t take long for us to realize, though, that we hadn’t eaten since the eggs twenty-four hours earlier. Eating was the one desire of the flesh w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ded/ree-drummond-818_american-food_it-didn-t-take-long-for-us-to-realize-th_765473.jpg" --- # It didn’t take long for us to realize, though, that we… ![“It didn’t take long for us to realize, though, that we hadn’t eaten since the eggs twenty-four hours earlier. Eating was the one desire of the flesh we hadn’t fulfilled. I remembered seeing a McDonald’s near the entrance of our hotel, and since I needed a little exercise I offered to dart out for…” quote by Ree Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ded/ree-drummond-818_american-food_it-didn-t-take-long-for-us-to-realize-th_765473.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ded/ree-drummond-818_american-food_it-didn-t-take-long-for-us-to-realize-th_765473.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ded/ree-drummond-818_american-food_it-didn-t-take-long-for-us-to-realize-th_765473.jpg) > ““It didn’t take long for us to realize, though, that we hadn’t eaten since the eggs twenty-four hours earlier. Eating was the one desire of the flesh we hadn’t fulfilled. I remembered seeing a McDonald’s near the entrance of our hotel, and since I needed a little exercise I offered to dart out for some safe and predictable American food, which would tide us over till the dinner we had reservations for that night. Our blood sugar was too low to comb the city, looking for a place to have a quick lunch. I knew Marlboro Man was a ketchup-only guy when it comes to burgers, and that’s what I ordered when I approached the counter: “Hamburger, ketchup only, please.” “Sar…you only want kitchipinmite?” the innocent clerk replied. “Excuse me?” “Kitchipinmite?” “Uh…pardon?” “You jis want a hamburger with kitchipinmite?” “Uh…what?” I had no idea what the poor girl was saying. It took me about ten minutes to realize the poor Australian woman behind the counter was merely repeating and confirming my order: kitchip (ketchup) inmite (and meat). It was a traumatic ordering experience. I returned to the hotel room, and Marlboro Man and I dug into our food like animals. “This tastes a little funny,” my new husband said. I concurred. The mite was not right. It didn’t taste like America.”” [Ree Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ree-drummond/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A humorous anecdote about cultural miscommunication and the challenges of finding familiar food while traveling, highlighting how language barriers can turn a simple meal into a confusing experience. **In simple terms:** Travel mishap with food due to language differences. Key Takeaway Expect misunderstandings when ordering abroad. Themes travel communication food culture Mood amused reflective Type anecdotal humorous When to use this quote - hotel stay - fast food ordering - travel planning - language learning Key Concepts misunderstanding language barrier cultural adaptation Questions to Reflect On - How do you prepare for language differences abroad? - What strategies help clarify orders in foreign settings? A Different Perspective Even with preparation, local dialects can cause confusion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-food/) [Blood sugar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blood-sugar/) [Burgers Ordered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burgers-ordered-5928040/) [Eaten Eggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eaten-eggs-3434023/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Hadn Eaten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hadn-eaten-400603/) [Hamburger Kitchipinmite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hamburger-kitchipinmite-5928039/) [Hotel room](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hotel-room/) [Want Hamburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-hamburger-2276368/) ## Related quotes > [I've never eaten eggs or taken muscle building supplements. I eat less and work out more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sangram-singh/i-ve-never-eaten-eggs-or-taken-muscle-building-supplements-i-eat-less/) [Sangram Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sangram-singh/) > [Give the people what they want and then go have a hamburger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-garland/give-the-people-what-they-want-and-then-go-have-a-hamburger/) [Judy Garland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-garland/) > [Most people want a perfect relationship. I just want a hamburger that looks like the ones in commercials.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/most-people-want-a-perfect-relationship-i-just-want-a-hamburger-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To get rid of my cellulite, I'd have to go on a diet. I don't want to do that; I want to eat. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anitta/to-get-rid-of-my-cellulite-i-d-have-to-go-on-a-diet-i-don-t-want-to/) [Anitta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anitta/) > [Everybody wants instant gratification for everything. It's all got to be like fast food. You want a hamburger now, you get it now. Hey,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-avalon/everybody-wants-instant-gratification-for-everything-it-s-all-got-to/) [Frankie Avalon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-avalon/) > [If I want a hamburger, I'm going to have one. No 21-year-old should be worrying about whether she fits a sample size.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coco-rocha/if-i-want-a-hamburger-i-m-going-to-have-one-no-21-year-old-should-be/) [Coco Rocha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coco-rocha/) > [“I think so. I want a hamburger and a hot dog." I paused. “And ice cream in one of those waffle cones. And— and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-l-armentrout/i-think-so-i-want-a-hamburger-and-a-hot-dog-i-paused-and-ice-cream-in/) [Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-l-armentrout/) > [“We walked two blocks up the street to a diner. Brody had said he was going to order in food for us in his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vi-keeland/we-walked-two-blocks-up-the-street-to-a-diner-brody-had-said-he-was/) [Vi Keeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vi-keeland/) > [I was homeless for almost a year and a half, just living in my car or bouncing around peoples' houses, going to 7-Eleven at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-biersack/i-was-homeless-for-almost-a-year-and-a-half-just-living-in-my-car-or/) [Andy Biersack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-biersack/) > [“The only problem,” he added, “is that it takes over an hour to cook.” “Over an hour!” The thought of waiting made my head…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-diffenbaugh/the-only-problem-he-added-is-that-it-takes-over-an-hour-to-cook-over/) [Vanessa Diffenbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-diffenbaugh/) > [“It would be nice if I could make my wife happy now because she seems upset. I can ask what she's upset about and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/it-would-be-nice-if-i-could-make-my-wife-happy-now-because-she-seems/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [A homeless guy came up to me on the street, said he hadn't eaten in four days. I told him, "Man, I wish I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-dangerfield/a-homeless-guy-came-up-to-me-on-the-street-said-he-hadn-t-eaten-in/) [Rodney Dangerfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-dangerfield/) > [You still haven’t eaten your muffin. (Sunshine) ‘Yeah, right. He still hadn’t eaten his boots either, and he’d rather feast on one of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/you-still-haven-t-eaten-your-muffin-sunshine-yeah-right-he-still-hadn/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [ When \[Charlie Parker\] saw the young guys, especially the ones that were scuffling... "Did you eat today?" And if you hadn't eaten, he'd take… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/when-charlie-parker-saw-the-young-guys-especially-the-ones-that-were/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [“He hadn't eaten a bite of breakfast, sex always made him hungry. Suddenly Matt realized he was starving.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-webb/he-hadn-t-eaten-a-bite-of-breakfast-sex-always-made-him-hungry/) [Peggy Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-webb/) ## More by Ree Drummond > [“What else haven’t you told me?” I thought for a minute. “Actually, yes…there is,” I replied, pausing to consider my words carefully, “I eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ree-drummond/what-else-haven-t-you-told-me-i-thought-for-a-minute-actually-yes/) [Ree Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ree-drummond/) > [Butter, cream, and bacon. That's such a great foundation right there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ree-drummond/butter-cream-and-bacon-that-s-such-a-great-foundation-right-there/) [Ree Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ree-drummond/) > [“More and more, I began helping around the homestead. I learned to operate my John Deere mower so I could keep the yard around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ree-drummond/more-and-more-i-began-helping-around-the-homestead-i-learned-to/) [Ree Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ree-drummond/) > [“I walked proudly out of the church, the new wife of Marlboro Man. When we exited the same doors through which my dad and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ree-drummond/i-walked-proudly-out-of-the-church-the-new-wife-of-marlboro-man-when/) [Ree Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ree-drummond/) > [“When we arrived at the wedding at Marlboro Man’s grandparents’ house, I gasped. People were absolutely everywhere: scurrying and mingling and sipping champagne and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ree-drummond/when-we-arrived-at-the-wedding-at-marlboro-man-s-grandparents-house-i/) [Ree Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ree-drummond/) > [“What is it?” I asked, pasting a magazine photo of a football--found in an old Seventeen magazine spread--on my beloved’s collage. “Well, a bunch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ree-drummond/what-is-it-i-asked-pasting-a-magazine-photo-of-a-football-found-in-an/) [Ree Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ree-drummond/) > [“When I arrived, I immediately saw the mother of an ex-boyfriend, the kind of ex-boyfriend that would make you want to look as good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ree-drummond/when-i-arrived-i-immediately-saw-the-mother-of-an-ex-boyfriend-the/) [Ree Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ree-drummond/) > [“At times the differences concerned me. Could I ever be with a man who’d never, in his entire life, eaten sushi? Could I, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ree-drummond/at-times-the-differences-concerned-me-could-i-ever-be-with-a-man-who/) [Ree Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ree-drummond/) > [“You did not do my homework assignment for me,” he said, grabbing the collage again and looking it over. “I had insomnia,” I said.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ree-drummond/you-did-not-do-my-homework-assignment-for-me-he-said-grabbing-the/) [Ree Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ree-drummond/) > [“I couldn’t bear the thought of a ham sandwich. Imagining milk trickling down my esophagus almost sent me over the edge. Even the saltines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ree-drummond/i-couldn-t-bear-the-thought-of-a-ham-sandwich-imagining-milk/) [Ree Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ree-drummond/) > [“Marlboro Man picked me up the next evening, exactly one month before our wedding day. Our evening apart had made the heart grow fonder,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ree-drummond/marlboro-man-picked-me-up-the-next-evening-exactly-one-month-before/) [Ree Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ree-drummond/) > [“I’ll send the nurse in here in a minute, okay?” Waste of time , I thought. “Okay, but…do you think there’s anything we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ree-drummond/i-ll-send-the-nurse-in-here-in-a-minute-okay-waste-of-time-i-thought/) [Ree Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ree-drummond/) > [“How come I wasn’t riding around in his middle seat? Was I supposed to initiate this? Was this expected of me? Because I probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ree-drummond/how-come-i-wasn-t-riding-around-in-his-middle-seat-was-i-supposed-to/) [Ree Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ree-drummond/) > [“I’ll see you in the morning. Oh, and hey…if I don’t answer the door right away it probably means I’m doing some weight training…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ree-drummond/i-ll-see-you-in-the-morning-oh-and-hey-if-i-don-t-answer-the-door/) [Ree Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ree-drummond/) > [“Minutes later, we were back at the sliding glass door that led inside the house--me, leaning against the glass, Marlboro Man anchoring me there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ree-drummond/minutes-later-we-were-back-at-the-sliding-glass-door-that-led-inside/) [Ree Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ree-drummond/) [Explore all 361 Ree Drummond quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ree-drummond/) ## More American food quotes > [A man accustomed to American food and American domestic cookery would not starve to death suddenly in Europe, but I think he would gradually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/a-man-accustomed-to-american-food-and-american-domestic-cookery-would/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Food as a hobby used to be an elite pastime, and it has become something that is totally ordinary for people of every background.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/food-as-a-hobby-used-to-be-an-elite-pastime-and-it-has-become/) [Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/) > [“It is often difficult, I find, for people today to grasp the notion that one family, working through several restaurants could change the eating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caleb-carr/it-is-often-difficult-i-find-for-people-today-to-grasp-the-notion/) [Caleb Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caleb-carr/) > [“Thinking about anything interesting?” I shrug and force my brain to stay with safer topics. “I didn’t know you could feed a baby Thai…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-kemmerer/thinking-about-anything-interesting-i-shrug-and-force-my-brain-to/) [Brigid Kemmerer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-kemmerer/) > [The growth of the American food industry will always bump up against this troublesome biological fact: Try as we might, each of us can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/the-growth-of-the-american-food-industry-will-always-bump-up-against/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [We know so much about the European food story, and we're getting to know about the American food story; but we know so little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-samuelsson/we-know-so-much-about-the-european-food-story-and-we-re-getting-to/) [Marcus Samuelsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-samuelsson/) > [America knows nothing of food, love, or art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isadora-duncan/america-knows-nothing-of-food-love-or-art/) [Isadora Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isadora-duncan/) > [American food is not what I'm used to - everything is like three portions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/estelle/american-food-is-not-what-i-m-used-to-everything-is-like-three/) [Estelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/estelle/) > [No one had told us that in L.A. we would get only American food. I had no choice but to eat rice porridge without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-t-usha/no-one-had-told-us-that-in-l-a-we-would-get-only-american-food-i-had/) [P. T. Usha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-t-usha/) > [“Much of our food system depends on our not knowing much about it, beyond the price disclosed by the checkout scanner; cheapness and ignorance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/much-of-our-food-system-depends-on-our-not-knowing-much-about-it/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [When I first came here, Italian food wasn't anything I recognized. I didn't know what Italian American food was; we never ate it at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lidia-bastianich/when-i-first-came-here-italian-food-wasn-t-anything-i-recognized-i/) [Lidia Bastianich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lidia-bastianich/) > [“What type of food?" "What do you mean what type?" "I mean Mexican, Italian, French, American?" "I wasn't aware that American was a type…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-arquette/what-type-of-food-what-do-you-mean-what-type-i-mean-mexican-italian/) [Brett Arquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-arquette/) > [When I founded the first Hard Rock, no one was serving American food in London; McDonald's wasn't there, Burger King, etc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-morton/when-i-founded-the-first-hard-rock-no-one-was-serving-american-food/) [Peter Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-morton/) > [Growing up, everybody would cross the border, even to just do grocery shopping. A lot of traditional American foods stuck with my parents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcela-valladolid/growing-up-everybody-would-cross-the-border-even-to-just-do-grocery/) [Marcela Valladolid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcela-valladolid/) > [Throughout most of my life, I've tried to downplay my Chinese heritage because I wanted so much to be an American. I was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-gerritsen/throughout-most-of-my-life-i-ve-tried-to-downplay-my-chinese-heritage/) [Tess Gerritsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-gerritsen/) [Browse all 38 American food quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-food/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It didn’t take long for us to realize, though, that we hadn’t eaten since the eggs twenty-four hours earlier. Eating was the one desire of the flesh we hadn’t fulfilled. I remembered seeing a McDonald’s near the entrance of our hotel, and since I needed a little exercise I offered to dart out for some safe and predictable American food, which would tide us over till the dinner we had reservations for that night. Our blood sugar was too low to comb the city, looking for a place to have a quick lunch. I knew Marlboro Man was a ketchup-only guy when it comes to burgers, and that’s what I ordered when I approached the counter: “Hamburger, ketchup only, please.” “Sar…you only want kitchipinmite?” the innocent clerk replied. “Excuse me?” “Kitchipinmite?” “Uh…pardon?” “You jis want a hamburger with kitchipinmite?” “Uh…what?” I had no idea what the poor girl was saying. It took me about ten minutes to realize the poor Australian woman behind the counter was merely repeating and confirming my order: kitchip (ketchup) inmite (and meat). It was a traumatic ordering experience. I returned to the hotel room, and Marlboro Man and I dug into our food like animals. “This tastes a little funny,” my new husband said. I concurred. The mite was not right. It didn’t taste like America.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ree Drummond" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ree-drummond/it-didn-t-take-long-for-us-to-realize-though-that-we-hadn-t-eaten/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "American food" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ree-drummond/it-didn-t-take-long-for-us-to-realize-though-that-we-hadn-t-eaten/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ded/ree-drummond-818_american-food_it-didn-t-take-long-for-us-to-realize-th_765473.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ded/ree-drummond-818_american-food_it-didn-t-take-long-for-us-to-realize-th_765473.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ded/ree-drummond-818_american-food_it-didn-t-take-long-for-us-to-realize-th_765473.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It didn’t take long for us to realize, though, that we hadn’t eaten since the eggs twenty-four hours…” — Ree Drummond", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ree Drummond", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ree-drummond/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It didn’t take long for us...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ree-drummond/it-didn-t-take-long-for-us-to-realize-though-that-we-hadn-t-eaten/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ree-drummond/it-didn-t-take-long-for-us-to-realize-though-that-we-hadn-t-eaten/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```