"American" food

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  • jen_zz
    jen_zz Posts: 1,011 Member
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    This thread is interesting.

    I am from Hong Kong and lived in the US (Los Angeles) and UK (London) and Switzerland (Zurich) throughout my life.

    What I find very American is S'mores (no idea what that was until I got to my first bonfire (also new to me) during freshman year!)

    Mac and cheese is also very American, especially the neon yellow processed kind that seem to be the college student staple.

    My fav "American" thing is Pumpkin Pie!! Never heard of it until my first Thanksgiving dinner with my American college roommate. That stuff is AMAZING.

    Went to Texas / Florida and had grits and tater tots etc very "Southern" American to me.


    Back here in HK when you say apple pies people think of the McDonalds' apple pies. People aren't really into hot dogs here, might eat one in the cinema though.
  • RunsOnEspresso
    RunsOnEspresso Posts: 3,218 Member
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    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
    I've never seen most of that in the shops here, lol. On page 1, the only thing I recognised was the Quaker Oats. So weird.

    Being an American in America I don't know much on that list aside from Quaker and the original Lucky Charms cereal (I ate as a child). ETA: I do know poptarts but haven't had those since I was a child.

    I grew up with brats, lutefisk, lefse etc. Midwestern staples like meat and potatoes. Burgers and corn on the grill. Potato soup. Cheese. Now where I live I can't find good cheese or brats (or brat buns at all) or lefse but I can find all kinds of great Mexican foods and Greek/Mediterranean places. It really depends on where you are in America. It varies so much by region. When i cook at home I make all kinds of stuff from meat and potatoes to Asian influenced to Mediterranean. I like a little bit of everything.
  • debrag12
    debrag12 Posts: 1,071 Member
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    now grits are a horrible American thing sorry
  • scookiemonster
    scookiemonster Posts: 175 Member
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    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
    I've never seen most of that in the shops here, lol. On page 1, the only thing I recognised was the Quaker Oats. So weird.

    So, considering that, maybe the British view of "American" food may not be all that accurate either. What the average person actually eats in his/her home here in the US is not as disgusting or pathetic as some people seem to believe.

    Yes, exactly. Just as anything we get here from your country is going to be a processed, packaged version, the same is true for anything you're getting that's called "American." As in any other country, the real food that represents our culture is the food that is lovingly made from fresh ingredients, not the **** you get in a box at the supermarket or from McDonald's.

    Of course it's possible to eat healthy here. Of course you can get food here that's flavorful and fresh and healthy and crafted with genuine love and care. In the time I've spent in Europe, I've even some delicious, fresh food, but I've eaten things here at home that are just as good. It's just different, which is what makes eating when you travel so much fun.

    I think it's also important to remember that the US is a gigantic country, and that food varies hugely from region to region. Travel from New York to Maine to North Carolina to Texas to California and you'll get vastly different (and equally delicious) foods in each place. The idea that one item or type of food represents the food in this country as a whole is extremely limiting.

    It's definitely a "don't knock it until you've tried it" kind of situation. I suppose some of the foods people have listed here are things we only really do here in the US - peanut butter and jelly, s'mores, etc... but those are things that mostly are eaten by children or as a treat. Try them some time - they're good - but it's not what I think of when I think of American food. I think of the regional specialties that are never as good anywhere else as they are when you sit down at a table in a place where it's made fresh and sourced locally.
  • runlilyrun
    runlilyrun Posts: 140
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    I'm from Germany and we invented apple pie! But you see brats more often than hotdogs here.

    I thought so too but....


    http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1862315,00.html

    Apparently most fruit pies hail from England. Hm.

    I think you invented your Apfelstrudel which is different to what I'd call an apple pie. (I love them both though!!!)
  • pcastagner
    pcastagner Posts: 1,606 Member
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    now grits are a horrible American thing sorry

    You're obviously eating them wrong.
  • pandorakick
    pandorakick Posts: 901 Member
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    I'm from Germany and we invented apple pie! But you see brats more often than hotdogs here.
    I'm from the Netherlands and pretty sure apple pie was invented by the Dutch :wink:
  • debrag12
    debrag12 Posts: 1,071 Member
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    now grits are a horrible American thing sorry

    You're obviously eating them wrong.

    I had them for breakfast in a diner, we don't have to all like them.
  • caterpillardreams
    caterpillardreams Posts: 476 Member
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    Didn't realize this thread was a american food bashing thread, are the Brits in any position to criticize, really now!


    Exactly
    I mean we are not perfect by any means, but wow, when people get a chance to bash America they find something and run with it.
    Whatever, I love my country and I am proud.

    I love Apple Pie, I love Hot Dogs, I love Food, and what is cool is we can get all kinds of food here,

    I am first generation American so I grew up eating mostly Spanish food,
    I think America is different for everyone depending where you live and where you grew up. I grew up in The Bronx and Manhattan where everywhere I went was Spanish food, I did not grow up eating Apple pie.

    And Mcdonalds is Not a restaurant its a fast food place. People just make things up/
  • MelsAuntie
    MelsAuntie Posts: 2,833 Member
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    US food has to have a brand name and is generally yellow or beige - that's an impression from the UK.

    Apple (and other) fruit pies probably went to America from the UK or Europe back in the day. I doubt it was a Native American thing. I have no more idea what a s'more is than a sophomore. Sounds like a genetic mutation or a body shape.

    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.

    We now have Subway, but nobody knows WTF a "sub" is - to us it's an underwater warship. While Subway may be about the healthiest thing you can find in Florida it's about the opposite here.

    McDonalds is the most obvious manifestation of "American Food", I went to the first (and then only) McD nr Leicester Sq in London in about 1978, but now they're everywhere.

    Hot dogs are here, but aren't especially popular. We have whole streets of fried chicken joints waiting to serve greasy yellow food to people falling out of vertical drinking establishments in the town centres, but we can't really blame them on the US even if some of them put "Southern" in their name and have Stars & Stripes emblems.

    Finally, I always laugh to myself when I hear McDonalds or KFC described as a "restaurant" LOL. Here a restaurant is a place that serves propoer food, what US might call "fine dining". McDonalds is a burger joint. Cheap food is sold in a cafe or "greasy spoon".

    A s'more ( as in, give me s'more) is two graham crackers stacked with Hersheys chocolate and marshmallows. I think they're disgusting. Especially toasted over a campfire until it melts into an overly sweet gooey mess.
  • caterpillardreams
    caterpillardreams Posts: 476 Member
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    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
    I've never seen most of that in the shops here, lol. On page 1, the only thing I recognised was the Quaker Oats. So weird.

    So, considering that, maybe the British view of "American" food may not be all that accurate either. What the average person actually eats in his/her home here in the US is not as disgusting or pathetic as some people seem to believe.


    I second that
  • pcastagner
    pcastagner Posts: 1,606 Member
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    now grits are a horrible American thing sorry

    You're obviously eating them wrong.

    I had them for breakfast in a diner, we don't have to all like them.

    That's true. Not everyone needs to have good taste.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
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    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
    I've never seen most of that in the shops here, lol. On page 1, the only thing I recognised was the Quaker Oats. So weird.

    So, considering that, maybe the British view of "American" food may not be all that accurate either. What the average person actually eats in his/her home here in the US is not as disgusting or pathetic as some people seem to believe.
    I second that
    I can agree with that. My contention with 'American' food is more related to farming and agriculture regulations and legislations than the end results, really. I can't really think of anything you eat that is worse than black pudding or haggis, so heh, your common foods are more 'weird' to me than disgusting.
  • devil_in_a_blue_dress
    devil_in_a_blue_dress Posts: 5,214 Member
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    As an American living in America -- I think of condiments mostly --- things like Miracle Whip, Ranch Dressing, and those french fried onions that people put on green bean casserole.

    ETA: Those are the things that I would most frequently send my ex, who moved all over the place while he was in the Army.
  • debrag12
    debrag12 Posts: 1,071 Member
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    now grits are a horrible American thing sorry

    You're obviously eating them wrong.

    I had them for breakfast in a diner, we don't have to all like them.

    That's true. Not everyone needs to have good taste.

    I have terrible taste then, I don't like much of the food everyone keeps going on about on MFP. - Nuts, yoghurt and PB
  • eulenpiep
    eulenpiep Posts: 3 Member
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    I'm from Germany and here we have apple cake (not exactly sure if it's the same as pie) and instead of hot dogs there's Currywurst (basically sausage slathered with ketchup and curry).

    I have been to the US several times and while I think some of the fastfood chains aren't bad, I'd choose a basic italian or greek restaurant in Germany over these at any time (I'm not a big fan of german kitchen in restaurants, I rather eat these foods at home). Though the steak places in the US are pretty good and better than most steak restaurants in Germany. What I didn't see there as much as in Germany are the Döner Kebaps, I really love these here, though of course they're not german..

    What really annoys me in the US are the plastic dishes and cutlery in the hotels at breakfast. This is just awful! And of course the extremely weak coffee.
  • Carnivor0us
    Carnivor0us Posts: 1,752 Member
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    What we Germans think about American food:
    Burgers. Pizza. Burgers. Pizza. Pumpkin pie.

    And I actually do know what S'mores are, but that might be 'cause I spent 6 months in Texas...But since I've lived in both countries...German apple pies are way better. Hot dogs? Don't like them. But love frankfurters! Gotta admit that German sausages are the best ;)

    In all fairness, when I think of German food I think of brats, sauerkraut, and beer. People tend to prefer what they grew up on.
  • caterpillardreams
    caterpillardreams Posts: 476 Member
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    I'm from Germany and here we have apple cake (not exactly sure if it's the same as pie) and instead of hot dogs there's Currywurst (basically sausage slathered with ketchup and curry).

    I have been to the US several times and while I think some of the fastfood chains aren't bad, I'd choose a basic italian or greek restaurant in Germany over these at any time (I'm not a big fan of german kitchen in restaurants, I rather eat these foods at home). Though the steak places in the US are pretty good and better than most steak restaurants in Germany. What I didn't see there as much as in Germany are the Döner Kebaps, I really love these here, though of course they're not german..

    What really annoys me in the US are the plastic dishes and cutlery in the hotels at breakfast. This is just awful! And of course the extremely weak coffee.


    I grew up with "Bustelo" Columbian Coffee, a staple in most Hispanic homes, I have had German Coffee I love it, and I have been to Germany it was awesome, great food, great Beer, nice place.
  • Buddhasmiracle
    Buddhasmiracle Posts: 925 Member
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    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
    I've never seen most of that in the shops here, lol. On page 1, the only thing I recognised was the Quaker Oats. So weird.

    So, considering that, maybe the British view of "American" food may not be all that accurate either. What the average person actually eats in his/her home here in the US is not as disgusting or pathetic as some people seem to believe.

    Yes, exactly. Just as anything we get here from your country is going to be a processed, packaged version, the same is true for anything you're getting that's called "American." As in any other country, the real food that represents our culture is the food that is lovingly made from fresh ingredients, not the **** you get in a box at the supermarket or from McDonald's.

    Of course it's possible to eat healthy here. Of course you can get food here that's flavorful and fresh and healthy and crafted with genuine love and care. In the time I've spent in Europe, I've even some delicious, fresh food, but I've eaten things here at home that are just as good. It's just different, which is what makes eating when you travel so much fun.

    I think it's also important to remember that the US is a gigantic country, and that food varies hugely from region to region. Travel from New York to Maine to North Carolina to Texas to California and you'll get vastly different (and equally delicious) foods in each place. The idea that one item or type of food represents the food in this country as a whole is extremely limiting.

    It's definitely a "don't knock it until you've tried it" kind of situation. I suppose some of the foods people have listed here are things we only really do here in the US - peanut butter and jelly, s'mores, etc... but those are things that mostly are eaten by children or as a treat. Try them some time - they're good - but it's not what I think of when I think of American food. I think of the regional specialties that are never as good anywhere else as they are when you sit down at a table in a place where it's made fresh and sourced locally.

    Totally agree, particularly with "it's made fresh and sourced locally."
  • lenore304
    lenore304 Posts: 17
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    OMG I love those! (battered deepfried hotdogs on a stick) I used to get those at the fish and chip shop growing up, but I haven't had one in years. We also have all the other varieties of hot dogs too.

    To those outside of the U.S. we call battered hotdogs "corndogs". I imagine because of the fact that the batter resembles cornbread.

    As an American, I will be one of the first to bash a lot of our foods. Canned cheese, what the hell is that? LOL Not to mention "American" cheese slices are about the nastiest, most plastic-like cheese in the world. I'm not sure which is worse. However, I think every country has their foods that to them are a part of life but to everyone else is pretty nasty. What about ramen noodles? Ick. No one really wants to eat that, it's just for broke college kids.

    There are some fantastic things going on in the culinary world over here. If you want to see a good example of real American chef creativity come to Austin and stay away from the chain restaurants. The fresh seafood in Seattle is amazing. Surely some of you have been to Vegas? As long as you didn't eat somewhere like the Excalibur buffet I'm betting you found some pretty good food there! Just stay far away from places with questioningly low prices (ie Mcdonalds) and you will be fine. :)

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