This American food thing got me to thinking.

When I was trying that raw vegan diet, a guy in Australia posted that his
church had an International potluck and he had offered to bring an American
dish. Now a raw vegan diet is very restrictive and probably hardly
indicative of any one culture's cuisine to start with.

He came back from the potluck, disappointed saying that apparently
Australians just did not like American food. So we asked him what he made.
And he said he had made crackers and dip because he knew that Americans
liked to dip things. We do? Hmmm...

So we then asked, what kind of crackers and what kind of dip? Flax crackers
and a bowl of Nama Shoyu (raw soy sauce) for dipping. Now why he would
think anyone would want this combination is beyond me! I don't know how
many here have tried flax crackers. I have. They're like eating nothing.
You can feel something in your mouth but other than that there isn't a lot
of taste. Unless you have flavored them. And believe me when I tell you
that the pizza or nacho flavored ones do not taste anything like the real
things.

Several of us tried to politely point out that this was not a combination
we'd ever eat. But that fresh fruit with an avocado/chocolate type pudding
for dip or apple slices and nut butter or even raw veggies and a nacho nut
cheese or salsa would have worked. Would have been tasty and would be quite
similar to something that many Americans would eat. He just sort of laughed
it off and said, "Yeah... Right!"

I think a lot of Americans seem to think that Italians eat tons of pizza and
pasta. Sure they do eat it but not like we do here. Their meals have
several courses with pasta being but one. Can't really speak for the pizza
except that my friend said that it could be bought by the slice in the
street. So perhaps more of a lunch dish? I know that sandwiches are
popular for lunch there too.

A lot of Americans also think that the food they get in a Chinese or Mexican
restaurant is the same that they would get if they go to those countries.
Sometimes it is. But often it is more Americanized and not something even
remotely close to what you'd find there. I also know that meat and fish are
used in much smaller portions in Chinese cooking than they are here.

I've also had it drilled into me that British food is bland and boring. And
yet, I used to watch The Two Fat Ladies and the food that they made was not
that at all. In fact any of their recipes that I tried were quite good. My
dad didn't help me out any after he went there for business and came home
telling us that you have to eat little fish for breakfast. I presume that
these were kippers?

I also thought that Canadian food was the same as what we get here and much
of it is, but they have things that we don't. Like Poutine! I think some
restaurants here are now serving it but not too many.

So did you have any false conceptions of foods that are eaten in other
countries? Or heard of any such things?