Cyno01: pedobearapproved: Cyno01: Interesting that the three dishes youre unfamiliar with are southern.

southerners are more scottish, he's english, it all makes sense.

Thinking about it, there really isnt a strong regional culinary identity in the north... sure there are specific regional dishes, cinci chili, chicago style "pizza", but nothing like what we consider "southern food".

Italian cuisine and the various American spinoffs of it are very much a northern food. Clam Chowder, hot dogs, sub sandwiches, and baked beans are probably the best known northern dishes after pizza, along with traditional Thanksgiving food and apple pie. Lobster, crab, clams, and scallops all used to be poor northern food until seafood became a giant hit a couple of decades ago. Sausage and hamburgers are very midwestern historically... as is all plain, unseasoned food. The reason you don't normally think of any of those as being regional food is that decades of influence by gigantic food producers has spread their food styles nationwide, so now they're just "American" - New York was the center of marketing for so many years that everything spread by default. In 50 years, we might think the same of Southern food, though Southerners are so proud that we might never forget.

freewill: Shadow Blasko: //yes, I took skyline chili to Australia.

[WhyWouldYouDoThat.jpg]

Chili with cinnamon in it is a suitable example for demonstrating the Problem of Evil.

Tried Skyline once (canned). It had no meat or beans just a strangely flavored sauce. Was I supposed to do something with it like add my own beans/meat for somereason?

Living in Germany was certainly a change for me and my American habits...

I was put in a German hospital for a little over a month. Breakfast was coffee and a hard roll or two. Lunch was like what we Americans would consider "dinner" - like a full course meal. Dinner was tea, ham, cheese and two pieces of whole wheat break-your-teeth bread.

I stopped eating dinner when they brought me head cheese... *barf*

There is not nearly enough outrage in this thread defending red velvet cake.

kbotc: foxyshadis: TheXerox: Born, raised, and still live in Iowa, LOVE grits since being introduced to them as a little kid by my dad who spent some of his childhood in Florida before moving back to the Midwest. I only know one other guy here who eats grits and he's a Southern transplant, everybody else here is revolted by it and wonders how the hell I acquired a taste for them in the first place.

Midwesterners in general are the least willing to try any food they didn't grow up with. Well, and the FOBs. (Fresh off the boat or fresh over the border, they still refuse to eat anything their mama didn't make.) I've known my share of Californians and New Yorkers who blanch at the idea of expanding culinary horizons, but I've yet to meet a midwesterner outside of Chicago's Loop who would ever do so.

Tell that to the south. I can't believe how long I spent around Charleston, SC looking for some place that would sell asian ingredients. I think I checked six places, three grocery stores, three "international" food stores, and couldn't find anything for Mapo Tofu. It's only got two slightly "odd" ingredients ferchristsake! I live in a town in central IL and we've got four asian markets, three mexican grocers, and two "international" grocers. (One is mostly middle eastern, one is Indian subcontinent concentrated). That's on top of the three major chains in the area (For a town with a "metropolitan area population" of 210k, that's pretty good).

I live in the deep south with a town population of somewhat less than 200k. I can think of 6 asian markets and I'm sure that there are more that I don't know of.

I enjoy writing that is so bad, it defies description. No premise, no thesis, fabricated details, anecdotal evidence that is contrary to fact, and language that actually manages to be smarmy and boring at the same time. God I hope this writer pulls down six figures.

ciberido: unyon: Exactly. You'll notice that there is little to no dairy in most southeast asian cuisine. Paneer in India is one of the first appearances of cheese as you head west.

I have lots of asian friends, and almost every one of them is lactose intolerant.

Oh, FFS, not this canard again. Go to ANY city in Asia and you'll find McDonald's, Pizza Hutt, and some kind of shop selling ice cream. (Well, not Mongolia, franchises don't seem to exist there, but even there you'll find cheeseburgers and pizza). Go to ANY grocery store that has a refrigerated section and you'll find milk, cheese, and yoghurt.

This crap about Asians not eating dairy is getting really old. YES, it's not a big part of their traditional cuisine. NO, that does not mean that every Asian in the world, or even most, is lactose intolerant or thinks cheese is gross or whatever.

You're not correct. Most Asian adults, like almost everybody who isn't of northern European descent, don't have lactase (the enzyme that allows digestion of dairy) persistence into adulthood and thus don't easily digest dairy foods. That doesn't mean they can't eat any dairy, most can eat some occasionally without too many problems, but it definitely curbs the amount of dairy people eat in daily life.

It's not just Asians though, most Africans and South Americans and southern Europeans also have majority lactose intolerant populations. Lactose intolerance is actually the norm for people not of northern European descent and even within Europe there are surprisingly high percentages of people in some populations that maldigest lactose on some level (like in Finland, where they have all kinds of cool lactose-free dairy products.)

Angry Drunk Bureaucrat: OK, as a Northerner, I don't quite get grits either, but I don't think it's any different than any other milled, hot grain (Cream of Wheat, porridge, polenta, rice pudding, etc.).


How could you leave off that list:



/ hotlinked
// like my breakfast

Apparently, they missed out on American Fair Cuisine.

Do You Know What I Am Saying: There is not nearly enough outrage in this thread defending red velvet cake.

I hate red velvet cake.

/American

foxyshadis: Europeans introduced me to salty licorice, though, which is really just the next progression, and they make their own fizzy drinks and beers with it. The Dutch in particular seem to love it

Salt Licorice is also very popular here in Sweden, you can get several varieties and it's everywhere. I can't stand black licorice, so it does nothing for me.

One of my comfort foods from back in the US is Kraft mac and cheese. A friend was just here and brought me 15 boxes of the stuff. My boyfriend and other friends are totally grossed out by the mere thought of the bright orange powdered cheese. I can't wait to see my co-worker's expressions at lunch today.

Gyrfalcon: hellolove: THIS JUST IN: Everything other people eat seems weird if you're an ignorant, close-minded moron.

OK, but some food really is weird, and if you don't think that Phillippine dish of eggs just moments from hatching is odd, then you're the possible moron here. Also lutefisk is just evil.

You're thinking of baluk - those are duck eggs and I hear they're quite a treat. But I haven't ever tried one and nobody I know eats them either. Many of the comments about "Asian" do and don't is quite funny, too. I live in Metro Manila and while there are some differences between our diet and what the average American eats - that article is a bunch of nonsense. Bacon, eggs, cheese - they're in my refrigerator right now.

Americans eat junk? Who knew!

ricromero.jpg

ciberido: d_the_sandman: I'd say it depends on your definition. Most places outside of America I've been there always seems to be some variation of yogurt, but usually not what we would call ice cream.

I defy you to name one country on this Earth that does not have ice cream.

I can't and won't try to prove a negative on this one. As with the cheese debate here, if you really want to find it anywhere in the world, you will find it. And yes, there's always a McDonald's. I was speaking more about "local cuisine" and what the actual people of that country eat. In most of Asia, the middle east, and parts of Europe you won't find american-style "ice cream" unless you specifically go to american-style restaurants. Especially in the middle east and southwest asia where they put yogurt on everything (casseroles, pasta dishes, etc).

No matter where you go, there's always a tourist industry to provide westerners with all the comforts of home. I'll grant you that.

ciberido: This crap about Asians not eating dairy is getting really old. YES, it's not a big part of their traditional cuisine. NO, that does not mean that every Asian in the world, or even most, is lactose intolerant or thinks cheese is gross or whatever.

I live and work in Las Vegas. I've seen Japanese guests in casino borrow luggage carriers to haul loads of pizza back to their rooms.

Ed Finnerty: FTFA: "I always (and still think) cheese is weird." -- Miya, China

I would love to show her canned cheese and watch her freak the fark out.

Someone should invent a Chinese dish that uses cheese.

r1niceboy: Bill_Wick's_Friend: r1niceboy: freewill: NateAsbestos: except maybe the black stuff on the right. What is that?

Blood pudding.

Want to guess what it's made from?

It's made of 100% concentrated tasty. If you like bacon, you'll love the taste of black pudding.

Yeah. That

Of course I eat everything and lots of "gross" things. Tendon. Tripe. Trotters. Tongue. Street food wherever I travel. Durian.

Big list of things I like that make people gag.

A great street food from Australia is the pie floater. Essentially a steak pie covered in ketchup floating in a bowl of pea soup. Tastes great, but is physically impossible to eat politely. I usually go into an alleyway and do an impression of the green ghost in Ghostbusters.

I go to Australia often on business and have yet to meet this monstrosity. How do I go about making delightful friends with it? I'm mostly in Brisbane or Sydney.

Marcus Aurelius: No scrapple?

NO SCRAPPLE!

That stuff is bizarre. My friend from Philadelphia loves it ...

There are plenty of things worse than that

Black Pudding
Blood Sausage
Tripe
Grass Jelly Soda
Heineken, but I will give you that Budweiser should be on the list
Chicken Feet
Barnacles
Menudo

and that is just a short list of things I have actually tasted that are much worse than any entry on that list.

/Heineken and Barnacles were the worst.

darkone: There are plenty of things worse than that

Black Pudding
Blood Sausage
Tripe
Grass Jelly Soda
Heineken, but I will give you that Budweiser should be on the list
Chicken Feet
Barnacles
Menudo

and that is just a short list of things I have actually tasted that are much worse than any entry on that list.

/Heineken and Barnacles were the worst.

Barnacles are the worst? I've only ever had gooseneck barnacles in a soup, and they were quite good.

FTA: "I do think biscuits and gravy are gross and strange." -- Hala, Canada via Lebanon

So, is this a Canadian saying that hot, fluffy, buttery biscuits topped with delicious sausage gravy is gross and strange? The country where they serve poutine?

bahknee: FTA: "I do think biscuits and gravy are gross and strange." -- Hala, Canada via Lebanon

So, is this a Canadian saying that hot, fluffy, buttery biscuits topped with delicious sausage gravy is gross and strange? The country where they serve poutine?

It's the cold. Stunts the growth of taste buds.

Hey there subby, since when did America become the only place in the World to eat bacon and eggs?

I agree with you on the cheese though. There is nothing else anything like American cheese in the World, thank Dog!

kbotc: True, though the best solution no matter where you live is to get to know your grocer. The one thing I cannot get is seafood, which is bad, but what can you do?

I moved to San Diego ;)

The thing most foreigners should understand about American "cuisine" is that while it might look disgusting, and is almost always bad for your health, it usually tastes awesome. Many of our best dishes evolved because other countries weren't frying, salting, or covering their dishes in melted cheese/butter often enough, so we made them our own. And when you go to a restaurant here, you don't leave hungry. The restaurant will feel like they've failed you if you do.

darkone: There are plenty of things worse than that

Black Pudding
Blood Sausage
Tripe
Grass Jelly Soda
Heineken, but I will give you that Budweiser should be on the list
Chicken Feet
Barnacles
Menudo

and that is just a short list of things I have actually tasted that are much worse than any entry on that list.

/Heineken and Barnacles were the worst.

Things made with blood are great!
Tripe crunches like perfectly cooked onions, and is decent enough to taste like any broth you cook it in.
Barnacles? you mean sea urchin? or limpits?
Menudo is also pretty great, but I'm from the south and we have our own version of it.

WTF is Grass Jelly Soda?

Passive Aggressive Larry: The thing most foreigners should understand about American "cuisine" is that while it might look disgusting, and is almost always bad for your health, it usually tastes awesome. Many of our best dishes evolved because other countries weren't frying, salting, or covering their dishes in melted cheese/butter often enough, so we made them our own. And when you go to a restaurant here, you don't leave hungry. The restaurant will feel like they've failed you if you do.

Most American cuisine also has its origins in an era when the majority of Americans ate a big breakfast and then went to work doing hard physical labor for long hours in a factory/on a farm and needed energy-dense meals rich in protein and fat to keep them sustained throughout the day. Salted, smoked, and syrupy foods are also easier to preserve without refrigeration.

Our lifestyles have changed, but our diets haven't.

9beers: I like my bread squishy, fark the Germans.

Break free from the mob.

Think for yourself.

Given that they are the fattest farks on the entire planet, I would say it is Americans who don't understand these foods.

And while my last reply might sound sarcastic, it isn't. I like our food culture. We've done some great things with the deep fryer, we've made pizza and cheeseburgers our delicious biatch, and we continue to take the sandwich to bold new places other countries could only dream of.

However, you have to have some balance, and some portion control. And I like a little variety now and then. I like ethnic foods a lot, my favorite is currently almost anything from Thailand, Vietnam, or India. And I'll try anything once. I figure, if a lot of people in some other culture eat a particular dish or type of food, there must be something to it. I wish more Americans were the same way. We have some amazing ethnic restaurants buried in the places you'd least expect in this country. I'm not stuck up enough to be foodie, but I do listen when they tell me about a new restaurant to check out.

Passive Aggressive Larry: The thing most foreigners should understand about American "cuisine" is that while it might look disgusting, and is almost always bad for your health, it usually tastes awesome. Many of our best dishes evolved because other countries weren't frying, salting, or covering their dishes in melted cheese/butter often enough, so we made them our own. And when you go to a restaurant here, you don't leave hungry. The restaurant will feel like they've failed you if you do.

There was one Bourdain show where he's just fascinated with some street food, and he equates it to bringing a top chef to America and the guy can't get enough hot dogs, funnel cakes, and street nachos.

StoPPeRmobile: [www.dutch-food-online.com image 400x334]

Why are there meal worms all over that toast?

No one from China has any room to criticize anything that anyone else eats. Those guys will cook literally anything. Not saying it all tastes bad, but really - I get that you need to feed a billion people, but there just has to be some god damn limits.

As a representative of Canuckistan, I'll see your Frito Pie and raise you a Poutine!

r1niceboy: ciberido: d_the_sandman: I'd say it depends on your definition. Most places outside of America I've been there always seems to be some variation of yogurt, but usually not what we would call ice cream.

I defy you to name one country on this Earth that does not have ice cream.

Antarctica.

1. Antarctica isn't a Country.
2. Behold Whiskey and Honey Ice Cream from the Antarctic (new window).

Less than 15 minutes ago I ate breakfast in Munich, Germany, and it included bacon, eggs, and cheese.

/ of course most American food comes from Europe in one way or another, since most Americans' ancestors come from somewhere in Europe

Ivan Tudor C McHock: Given that they are the fattest farks on the entire planet, I would say it is Americans who don't understand these foods.

For every American kid that's a fat fark, there is another that's growing up into a tall, healthy, 6 foot 4 killing machine because of his all-American diet, ready to fight in any war necessary to maintain our status as the de facto global political and military superpower.

So yeah, maybe it's not a great ratio of fat to healthy, but did I mention that we're still a superpower?

Take that, whatever country you come from.

"I always (and still think) cheese is weird." -- Miya, China

It would take the backwards thinking of a communist to not like cheese.

TheOmni: I dip my fries in mayonnaise. It's awesome.

I dip mine in mayo mixed with ketchup and a little hot sauce!

/now I want some fries and it's damn 5am!

Ivan Tudor C McHock: Given that they are the fattest farks on the entire planet, I would say it is Americans who don't understand these foods.

Statistically, that honor probably belongs to some of the Pacific Island nations:

http://www.forbes.com/2007/02/07/worlds-fattest-countries-forbeslife- c x_ls_0208worldfat_2.html

Although, if the comparison is limited to the large Western nations, you appear to be correct.

/ the World Health Organization website has more current data, but I couldn't find a nice simple ranking like this one

randomjsa: "I always (and still think) cheese is weird." -- Miya, China

It would take the backwards thinking of a communist to not like cheese.

Well, it is a luxury, and indicative of our decadent western ways.

randomjsa: "I always (and still think) cheese is weird." -- Miya, China

It would take the backwards thinking of a communist to not like cheese.

China may use the word, but it is not communist (in any meaningful sense). They do have Pizza Hut there though, and the pizzas do have cheese, and Chinese people do eat it -- mostly younger people though.

Esmira: Mayo is an American/Western thing? Try Japan. I don't like mayo, and it is on EVERYTHING in Japan. Pizza, burgers, salad, I couldn't get away from it... But yeah, I was seriously missing cheese while I was there.

One time in Japan I was eating with a family who just kept worrying about my food intake, every meal they were so concerned and offering me more. I finally got a little tired of it and asked what the problem was, since I was eating the same amount they did! They were like "But you're American..." Asians I've known who visit America LOVE the bigger portions. I'm the opposite, I'll take theirs.

And I will never let another French person insult our food and eating habits. By far the biggest and most crowded McDonalds I have ever seen in my life was the one I tried to get into in Paris. I managed to get my Croque McDo, though. Because I like saying it.

Yeah, the Japanese go way overboard with mayonnaise. Mayo on pizza gets me... It's farking ludicrous. Or the corn mayo gunkan where they make a little cup out of seaweed and fill it with sweet corn and mayo. That shiat makes my skin crawl. They also put it on fried chicken, persimmon fruit, fries, pasta, lettuce, shrimp, pretty much anything. Then they have the nerve to say American food is unhealthy....

Esmira: One time in Japan I was eating with a family who just kept worrying about my food intake, every meal they were so concerned and offering me more. I finally got a little tired of it and asked what the problem was, since I was eating the same amount they did! They were like "But you're American..." Asians I've known who visit America LOVE the bigger portions. I'm the opposite, I'll take theirs.

When I was in Japan for 3 weeks, I lost about 15 pounds -- and that was eating double bentos at lunch every day and fairly large suppers (by local standards). Some people might appreciate the weight loss, but I don't weigh that much normally (6'2" and 170 lbs).

/ agree about the mayo though -- it's on everything -- blech

ThatGuyFromTheInternet: ThrnPhl: Now a Frito pie...that's just disgusting.

/never heard of such a thing

It's the 100% cholesterol, most purely redneckiest food in the world that I had once at a potluck in Idaho. And shiat is it goood.

haven't had Scrapple have ya now?
and no it's not good just jam packed with cholesterol and all manner of fat