Elsewhere, if you insist, you will be given a slice of Swiss or Dutch cheese. Vermont cheddar is worth trying for its robust flavour. A recent upsurge in the popularity of cheese has led to great advances in the manufacture of French-style cheeses, particularly those with herbs and garlic.
Desserts. Ice cream comes in a wonderful variety of flavours. Pastries and pies are not always as good, though there are exceptions, including cheesecake and apple pie, topped with a scoop of ice cream (a la mode) or whipped cream, and pumpkin pie, traditionally eaten on Thanksgiving Day. Rice pudding and jello are cofFee-shop staples.
In most restaurants you can ask for fresh fruit or fruit salad, which is sometimes offered as a first course.
Drinks. You will always be given a glass of iced water at the start of your meal. Iced tea frequently appears in the warmer months.
