"American" food

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Replies

  • jenniferwren
    jenniferwren Posts: 189
    Didn't realize this thread was a american food bashing thread, are the Brits in any position to criticize, really now!
    Yes. We are.

    The Brits can criticize, but they sure do LOVE fast food. The few times I've walked into a McD's here, the places were PACKED! Like...no place to sit.
    I love the English and their food, but they do tend to stereo type Americans and food. No not ALL Americans eat burgers, pizza and hot dogs. MOST of our food (the home cooked variety) comes from the DECADES of immigrants who have brought their recipes with them.
    What truly cracks me up are the people who stereo type either country and haven't visited for themselves or if they have, they've been to a tourist trap and not seen the "real" life of either place.


    True, trouble is the way the media portrays other countries!! It's difficult not to generalise x

    Saw a documentary the other night and they were interviewing some Hungarians in Hungary and they said that they thought without immigration British women would start to grow beards as we would need to inbreed as the population is so low? wtf???
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
    America is a whole lot bigger than the United States. And it's a whole lot bigger than North America.

    We have Mexican food. Then we have Tex-Mex, Cal-Mex, Flori-Mex, Cuban, Cajun, Southern-Soul food (which derives primarily from Ethiopian cuisine), the foods from the Mid-Atlantic, the New England foods, Carolina barbecue and low country boils, Memphis barbecue with sweet, tangy sauces, Kansas City barbecue with thick, sweet sauces, Texas barbecue with rubs and primarily using beef. We have unique pizzas from NY, Chicago, and California that don't even remotely resemble each other.

    And then there's beef. Big, thick, juicy steaks cut on the bone or boneless, cooked on the hottest grills imaginable, and served simply with salt, pepper, maybe a little garlic, a side of green veggies and a baked sweet potato or baked white potato. Believe it or not, that steak comes from Italy, but Americans all over - from Texas to New York - have improved it and made it their own. And we have bison.

    If there's one food that is uniquely American, though, it is corn. Roast corn, corn chowder, popcorn, cornbread, masa, corn cakes, corn tortillas, etc. Oh, and avocados. We have avocados. They're from the Caribbean and Central America and have been adopted in cuisines all over the world. In fact, the Americas grow a good bit of the world's produce.

    I'm one of those "Americans" who has lived and been all over the world, (was born an expat, and spent a decent amount of my 30s as one). I appreciate what we have available in the United States more than anything. We get greater varieties of everything in the US than anywhere else in the world. Most people really have no idea how spectacular food is here.

    It isn't all crappy fast food and boxes of pasta. Mac and cheese is Italian, by the way.
  • Vailara
    Vailara Posts: 2,464 Member
    I have no more idea what a s'more is than a sophomore. Sounds like a genetic mutation or a body shape.

    Roast a marshmallow in an open flame, and put the toasted marshmallow between 2 pieces of graham cracker with a piece of chocolate.

    Delicious!!! :drinker:

    What is a graham cracker like? I keep seeing them in recipes. I imagined a cream cracker to start with, then maybe a digestive - I don't know!
  • Vailara
    Vailara Posts: 2,464 Member
    Ummmmm yes the rest of the world has the same food you all have in the USA. It's not like US is the only place on earth that you can buy food.


    I wonder over in the US......do you have water?

    lol

    It's like saying the world revolves around the USA or nothing exists outside it.

    Isn't there a myth about Americans aren't told in schools about other countries etc?

    Not to hijack the thread (much) but when I studied in Albany NY, I had a friend from Scotland and many American students were amazed how well she spoke English....I think they thought all Scottish people spoke Gaelic as their first language? Or just hadn't thought about it at all. They also had never heard of Wales and didn't know Scotland was attached to England. I also saw world maps where the US was in the middle meaning there was a big slice down Russia with half on each side of the US. Not bashing the US - I love it, but I did think that was funny.

    To be fair, I went to school in Scotland and I don't think we were taught anything much about the US. I don't have much of a clue as to the geography, culture, etc. - just bits and pieces I've seen on the internet and in books and films! We weren't even taught much about England!
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
    I have no more idea what a s'more is than a sophomore. Sounds like a genetic mutation or a body shape.

    Roast a marshmallow in an open flame, and put the toasted marshmallow between 2 pieces of graham cracker with a piece of chocolate.

    Delicious!!! :drinker:

    What is a graham cracker like? I keep seeing them in recipes. I imagined a cream cracker to start with, then maybe a digestive - I don't know!

    A graham cracker is closer to a digestive, but it is flakier and crisper. they're usually dusted on the outside with a bit of cinnamon and sugar when it is treated as a cookie, or nothing at all when we use them as a digestive. They're slightly darker in color than a biscuit and are baked in flat sheets about 6 cm x 8 cm.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    America is a whole lot bigger than the United States. And it's a whole lot bigger than North America.

    We have Mexican food. Then we have Tex-Mex, Cal-Mex, Flori-Mex, Cuban, Cajun, Southern-Soul food (which derives primarily from Ethiopian cuisine), the foods from the Mid-Atlantic, the New England foods, Carolina barbecue and low country boils, Memphis barbecue with sweet, tangy sauces, Kansas City barbecue with thick, sweet sauces, Texas barbecue with rubs and primarily using beef. We have unique pizzas from NY, Chicago, and California that don't even remotely resemble each other.

    And then there's beef. Big, thick, juicy steaks cut on the bone or boneless, cooked on the hottest grills imaginable, and served simply with salt, pepper, maybe a little garlic, a side of green veggies and a baked sweet potato or baked white potato. Believe it or not, that steak comes from Italy, but Americans all over - from Texas to New York - have improved it and made it their own. And we have bison.

    If there's one food that is uniquely American, though, it is corn. Roast corn, corn chowder, popcorn, cornbread, masa, corn cakes, corn tortillas, etc. Oh, and avocados. We have avocados. They're from the Caribbean and Central America and have been adopted in cuisines all over the world. In fact, the Americas grow a good bit of the world's produce.

    I'm one of those "Americans" who has lived and been all over the world, (was born an expat, and spent a decent amount of my 30s as one). I appreciate what we have available in the United States more than anything. We get greater varieties of everything in the US than anywhere else in the world. Most people really have no idea how spectacular food is here.

    It isn't all crappy fast food and boxes of pasta. Mac and cheese is Italian, by the way.

    ^ This. I'll add Maryland crab cakes, and Louisiana red beans and rice, crawfish etouffee, and gumbo. Go diving in the Florida keys and tickle a Florida lobster out of its hiding place. Visit Main and have a lobster right off the boat. And don't even get me started on the availability of game meat here in the U.S.
  • HotrodsGirl0107
    HotrodsGirl0107 Posts: 243 Member
    I am American but more spacifically I grew up in the rural south. My idea of American cuisine is completely different than the stereotypes on this thread. What people meed to realize os that America is a melting pot of different cultures and region to region to region the types of foods and recipes that are staples are not all the same. My brother and I didn't even see fast food until we moved to a big city and I have never thought of fast food as American food. American to me would be homemade peach cobbler (grandma's recipe), made with peaches from the trees growing in the feild. Processed foods may seem like the norm here, but I feel that has more to do with the media. My family also farms and hunts for food so for my family America is completely different from what I read here.
  • debrag12
    debrag12 Posts: 1,071 Member
    See a biscuit in the UK is different to a biscuit in America.
  • Livingdeadgirl44
    Livingdeadgirl44 Posts: 264 Member
    We definitely have pies and hot dogs and other 'American' food. We also don't have a 'full English breakfast' every morning either. Well at least I don't know anyone that does. It's just a generalisation x

    I really wish I could, now its a fry up for tea as a rare treat :(
  • AnnaMarieDinVa
    AnnaMarieDinVa Posts: 162 Member
    ANY DESSERT is better with British custard, IMHO. :) (And I'm an American.)
  • I just want to say as an American living in the UK, the hot dogs here are GROSS...and I'm not that overly fond of our American hot dogs (I don't like processed meats much). Most of the "American" style hot dogs here are in a can or a jar full of some brine...and the casings feel like plastic. BLECH! :sick:

    That sounds gross. I love the Trader Joes hot dogs.
  • Here are the some of the home cook meals I grew up on, I'm American.

    Meatloaf
    Roast
    BBQ burgers and hotdogs (BBQ as in grilled, not lathered in BBQ sauce)
    Sauerkraut with chop hotdogs (not sausage), I know that isn't completely American but the hotdogs kind of puts an American spin on it
    Fried potatoes and onions
    Potato dumplings (no chicken in it)
    Potato soup which would have varies veggies in it
    Onion soup
    Lima beans with ham bone and onion
    Kidney beans with ham bone and onion
    Ham
    Baked beans

    Never realized how much potatoes and beans my family ate until I started to think of this list LOL
  • pcastagner
    pcastagner Posts: 1,606 Member
    I'm in the UK and when I was younger we used to love it when my Aunt from the US brought 'American candy' over as we had nothing like it over here - all the different flavours of bubble gum for a start! Now we can pretty much get most American candy over here.

    Things I think are particularly American? Sweet potato! It's more popular here now but the first time I had that was in the US int he early 90s where it seemed pretty commonplace. It wasn't something you buy easily here for years. I think having watched a few shows about American food I now think of it as the food from the south - African/ Caribbean inspired, and mexican style. And also barbecue style food - sweetcorn, burgers etc even though we do have all that stuff here. We do have hotdogs, but not really as street food unless as people have said, it's after a football match or pub closing time :)

    One thng that really seems to divide people is Canadian poutine! I love it but I have friends who retch at the idea of it.

    Ok, got say something here. It's not CANADIAN poutine. Poutine is from Québec, a place where Canada day is not even observed.

    This is a bit like saying scotch is English.
  • Lalasharni
    Lalasharni Posts: 353 Member
    Hi there, I'm in England and we DO have apple pie and hot dogs, but our English Applie Pie is somewhat different from th US version. Its not so sweet and it has spices like nutmeg in it.
    Our hot dogs are gross. English sausages are the BEST made from real pork. Topped with hot mustard, they rock!!
  • Vansy
    Vansy Posts: 419 Member
    The Brits have apple crumble with custard, which is wayyy better than apple pie in my opinion. :)

    That even sounds more delicious than apple pie. mmmmm
  • runlilyrun
    runlilyrun Posts: 140
    I'm in the UK and when I was younger we used to love it when my Aunt from the US brought 'American candy' over as we had nothing like it over here - all the different flavours of bubble gum for a start! Now we can pretty much get most American candy over here.

    Things I think are particularly American? Sweet potato! It's more popular here now but the first time I had that was in the US int he early 90s where it seemed pretty commonplace. It wasn't something you buy easily here for years. I think having watched a few shows about American food I now think of it as the food from the south - African/ Caribbean inspired, and mexican style. And also barbecue style food - sweetcorn, burgers etc even though we do have all that stuff here. We do have hotdogs, but not really as street food unless as people have said, it's after a football match or pub closing time :)

    One thng that really seems to divide people is Canadian poutine! I love it but I have friends who retch at the idea of it.

    Ok, got say something here. It's not CANADIAN poutine. Poutine is from Québec, a place where Canada day is not even observed.

    This is a bit like saying scotch is English.

    No it isn't, it's like saying scotch is British. Which it is.
  • Buddhasmiracle
    Buddhasmiracle Posts: 925 Member
    Hi there, I'm in England and we DO have apple pie and hot dogs, but our English Applie Pie is somewhat different from th US version. Its not so sweet and it has spices like nutmeg in it.
    Our hot dogs are gross. English sausages are the BEST made from real pork. Topped with hot mustard, they rock!!

    Perhaps the "U.S. apple pie" you had was store bought?

    My Mom made apple pie with granny smith apples (tart), spiced with nutmeg, cinnimon, and a touch of brown sugar; and crust from scratch.
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
    Hi there, I'm in England and we DO have apple pie and hot dogs, but our English Applie Pie is somewhat different from th US version. Its not so sweet and it has spices like nutmeg in it.
    Our hot dogs are gross. English sausages are the BEST made from real pork. Topped with hot mustard, they rock!!

    American apple pie has cinnamon and nutmeg in it, depending on who makes it. There are as many apple pie recipes as there are American families who make them.

    I just got back from the grocery store, and I happen to live in an area of the state where there are a lot of Brits. The food in the British section of the grocery store :sick: . Except for the Indian food selections that are imported from the UK, of course.
  • jody664
    jody664 Posts: 397 Member
    Hershey's candy can't be sold here as chocolate as it has too little cocoa in it. It also tastes and smells like sick to us.
    Having traveled to Europe and tasted REAL chocolate, I have to agree. Nothing like Belgium chocolates, Ritter Sport, and other European chocolates. I would blow a whole day's worth of calories on some good quality chocolate. But not a Hershey bar.
  • debrag12
    debrag12 Posts: 1,071 Member
    give me galaxy or lindt chocolate anyday.
  • cherryd69
    cherryd69 Posts: 340

    My Mom made apple pie with granny smith apples (tart), spiced with nutmeg, cinnimon, and a touch of brown sugar; and crust from scratch.

    Prefer Brambly apples/cooking apples, more tart than average granny smith.

    But then again, cant beat a decent rhubarb & blackberry crumble, or strawberry an apple pie

    HAS to be chunky!!! Simply cannot stand where its like a puree, makes my stomach churn.
  • I went to college with someone from the Netherlands...she had never had (or even thought of) a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I was like, "OMG IT'S THE BEST EVER!!!!!!!!!!" lol

    She tried it, and indeed liked it.
  • debrag12
    debrag12 Posts: 1,071 Member

    My Mom made apple pie with granny smith apples (tart), spiced with nutmeg, cinnimon, and a touch of brown sugar; and crust from scratch.

    Prefer Brambly apples/cooking apples, more tart than average granny smith.

    But then again, cant beat a decent rhubarb & blackberry crumble, or strawberry an apple pie

    HAS to be chunky!!! Simply cannot stand where its like a puree, makes my stomach churn.

    Rhubarb is the only cooked fruit I like and I only like granny smiths apples.
  • Lalasharni
    Lalasharni Posts: 353 Member
    I should explain that Marmite is produced from the yeast residue after making beer. We make it here, in Burton on Trent.
    It is a highly salty, savoury "Umami" flavour and is great on toasted bread. We have Marpite Crisps (chips) even. DO try it - if you hate it you can stir it into chilli or casseroles to get rid of it!
  • cherryd69
    cherryd69 Posts: 340
    I went to college with someone from the Netherlands...she had never had (or even thought of) a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I was like, "OMG IT'S THE BEST EVER!!!!!!!!!!" lol

    She tried it, and indeed liked it.

    See Jelly in the uk is something that is in a trifle, or is served with cream and fruit... or ice cream. Not sandwich material.

    Peanut butter an banana on toast though...... yum!
  • debrag12
    debrag12 Posts: 1,071 Member
    The idea of PB and jam/jelly yuck but banana and cheese lovely!
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    I just got back from the grocery store, and I happen to live in an area of the state where there are a lot of Brits. The food in the British section of the grocery store :sick: . Except for the Indian food selections that are imported from the UK, of course.
    What kind of stuff do you even see in a "British" aisle? All I can think of that is wholly British and not an import from a colony, are proper mustard, marmite, Earl Grey tea and Sausage Rolls.
  • Lupercalia
    Lupercalia Posts: 1,857 Member
    Didn't realize this thread was a american food bashing thread, are the Brits in any position to criticize, really now!

    As an American living in the UK, NO. Food here isn't too hot, and not especially healthy, lol. Produce here is pretty poor, both in terms of selection and quality.

    However, the laws regarding food additives and such are much better here.

    Yes, they have apple pie and hot dogs here in the UK. And yes, the European chocolate here is miles better than what passes as chocolate in the US.
  • Lupercalia
    Lupercalia Posts: 1,857 Member
    I just got back from the grocery store, and I happen to live in an area of the state where there are a lot of Brits. The food in the British section of the grocery store :sick: . Except for the Indian food selections that are imported from the UK, of course.
    What kind of stuff do you even see in a "British" aisle? All I can think of that is wholly British and not an import from a colony, are proper mustard, marmite, Earl Grey tea and Sausage Rolls.

    I find that interesting too--what's in that "British" aisle? Haggis in a tin? Angel Delight? Spotted **** in a tin?
  • debrag12
    debrag12 Posts: 1,071 Member
    don't start having a go at Angel delight.

    Here's what's in an American aisle in Britain http://www.tesco.com/groceries/product/browse/default.aspx?N=4294697392&Ne=4294793660