Developing ethnic foodways and national specialties takes time...lots of
it. Something the United States, still in it's infancy as a culture,
has not had much of.
I would, however, like to hear some opinions, by non-Americans, on
United States cuisine as an ethnic food.
Such as:

Do you consider food American food to be ethnic?

What characteristics distinguish cooking in the U.S. from other ethnic
foods?

What do you see as the most typical trait of American cooking?

What do you see as the most distinctive American dishes?

Any other observations you'd like to make.

If you would, please tell me what country you are from.
Also, to avoid the embarrassment of having a McDonaldsBurger becoming
our national specialty, I'd like to restrict this to foods that are
prepared at home.

Thanks in advance for any responses.

Bubba
--
You wanna measure or you wanna cook?

Bubba wrote:
> Developing ethnic foodways and national specialties takes time...lots of
> it. Something the United States, still in it's infancy as a culture,
> has not had much of.
> I would, however, like to hear some opinions, by non-Americans, on
> United States cuisine as an ethnic food.
> Such as:
>
> Do you consider food American food to be ethnic?

I would have to say "no" to this question.

The most exposure I have had to "American food" is via this NG and find
it to be pretty much "universal" (and usually good). Let me put it this
way: you hear people saying "Should we have Chinese/Thai/Italian
(whatever) tonight?" I have yet to hear someone say "Lets have American
tonight".

Seriously, though, we have the same problem here in South Africa - we
have so many different cultures here (there are 11 official languages)
that it would be almost impossible to come up with one type of "ethnic
food".....


<snip>
>
> If you would, please tell me what country you are from.
> Also, to avoid the embarrassment of having a McDonaldsBurger becoming
> our national specialty, I'd like to restrict this to foods that are
> prepared at home.

I am afraid it already is (lol).

--
Cheers
Cathy(xyz)

On Tue 24 Jan 2006 03:18:33a, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Bubba?

> Developing ethnic foodways and national specialties takes time...lots of
> it. Something the United States, still in it's infancy as a culture,
> has not had much of.
> I would, however, like to hear some opinions, by non-Americans, on
> United States cuisine as an ethnic food.
> Such as:
>
> Do you consider food American food to be ethnic?
>
> What characteristics distinguish cooking in the U.S. from other ethnic
> foods?
>
> What do you see as the most typical trait of American cooking?
>
> What do you see as the most distinctive American dishes?
>
> Any other observations you'd like to make.
>
> If you would, please tell me what country you are from.
> Also, to avoid the embarrassment of having a McDonaldsBurger becoming
> our national specialty, I'd like to restrict this to foods that are
> prepared at home.
>
> Thanks in advance for any responses.

It will be interesting to hear, since much of American food has its origins
in other countries. What we've done with it, though, is almost always
different.

--
Wayne Boatwright Õ¿Õ¬
________________________________________

Okay, okay, I take it back! UnScrew you!

Wayne Boatwright wrote:
<snip>
>
>
> It will be interesting to hear, since much of American food has its origins
> in other countries. What we've done with it, though, is almost always
> different.
>
I'm hoping for some thoughtful responses and well as some 'gut'
reactions. I know there are some (dishes), mostly regional stuff...a
lot of 'vernacular' cooking shows itself as being American, too.
Hard, though, to see your own culture from the inside. I feel like
Steinbeck in "Travels with Charley". I need a culinary Charley to show
me the whatfor.

Bubba

--
You wanna measure or you wanna cook?

cathyxyz wrote:
<snip>

> Seriously, though, we have the same problem here in South Africa - we
> have so many different cultures here (there are 11 official languages)
> that it would be almost impossible to come up with one type of "ethnic
> food".....

Indeed! Lots of similarities in settlement history, too. Speaking of
which, and completely OT: Are you familiar with Wilbur Smith's writings,
and if so, what do you think?

Bubba
--
You wanna measure or you wanna cook?

> Do you consider food American food to be ethnic?

some of it yes. A lot of it seems to be very highly spiced.

>
> What characteristics distinguish cooking in the U.S. from other ethnic
> foods?

The amount of cheese and hot spices you use

>
> What do you see as the most typical trait of American cooking?

Cheese and sauces and spicy foods. Grilling meats on BBQ (grill) ))
Using packs of mixes to make things.. ie cakes, bisquick (sp) etc

>
> What do you see as the most distinctive American dishes?

Macaroni and cheese, Grilled meats, cheesecakes and very hot peppers

> Any other observations you'd like to make.

I love the meat recipes here and the sweet things. There just seems to
be a sauce on every vegetable and the food seems very rich. I think we
might eat more simple foods ie new potatoes with a little butter and
salt. May I am wrong and I will happily stand to be corrected if so
I have made much of the cheese and sauces aspect and I do love them, I
just don't eat them often.


>
> If you would, please tell me what country you are from.

Scotland

O awaits the fires of hell to rain down on her shoulders

Bubba wrote:
> Developing ethnic foodways and national specialties takes time...lots
> of it. Something the United States, still in it's infancy as a
> culture, has not had much of.
> I would, however, like to hear some opinions, by non-Americans, on
> United States cuisine as an ethnic food.
> Such as:
>
> Do you consider food American food to be ethnic?
>
> What characteristics distinguish cooking in the U.S. from other ethnic
> foods?
>
> What do you see as the most typical trait of American cooking?
>
> What do you see as the most distinctive American dishes?
>
> Any other observations you'd like to make.
>
> If you would, please tell me what country you are from.
> Also, to avoid the embarrassment of having a McDonaldsBurger becoming
> our national specialty, I'd like to restrict this to foods that are
> prepared at home.
>
> Thanks in advance for any responses.
>
> Bubba

My experience with "American" food is stylized Italian, Mexican, British,
German, Austrian, etc. so the short answer is "no". They don't call the USA
a "melting pot" for no reason.

Jill

Ophelia wrote:
>>Do you consider food American food to be ethnic?
>
>
> some of it yes. A lot of it seems to be very highly spiced.
>
>
>>What characteristics distinguish cooking in the U.S. from other ethnic
>>foods?
>
>
> The amount of cheese and hot spices you use
>
>
>>What do you see as the most typical trait of American cooking?
>
>
> Cheese and sauces and spicy foods. Grilling meats on BBQ (grill) ))
> Using packs of mixes to make things.. ie cakes, bisquick (sp) etc
>
>
>>What do you see as the most distinctive American dishes?
>
>
> Macaroni and cheese, Grilled meats, cheesecakes and very hot peppers
>
>
>>Any other observations you'd like to make.
>
>
> I love the meat recipes here and the sweet things. There just seems to
> be a sauce on every vegetable and the food seems very rich. I think we
> might eat more simple foods ie new potatoes with a little butter and
> salt. May I am wrong and I will happily stand to be corrected if so
> I have made much of the cheese and sauces aspect and I do love them, I
> just don't eat them often.
>
>
>
>>If you would, please tell me what country you are from.
>
>
> Scotland
>
> O awaits the fires of hell to rain down on her shoulders
>
>
>
Good observation on the hot peppers (chiles) and cheese, but it's a
fairly recent trend. Consumption of both chiles and cheeses has doubled
in the last 20-25 years.

And I agree with you in that sometimes...less is more.

Bubba

--
You wanna measure or you wanna cook?

jmcquown wrote:
<snip>
>
>
> My experience with "American" food is stylized Italian, Mexican, British,
> German, Austrian, etc. so the short answer is "no". They don't call the USA
> a "melting pot" for no reason.
>
> Jill
>
>
True, but then all cultures are victim of that to varying degrees even
if only in the foodstuffs they've made famous. The Italians took the
New World tomato and ran with it...and now it's almost exclusively Italian!

Bubba


--
You wanna measure or you wanna cook?

On Tue, 24 Jan 2006 14:08:59 GMT, "Ophelia" > wrote:

>
>> Do you consider food American food to be ethnic?

Some, yes.

>>
>> What characteristics distinguish cooking in the U.S. from other ethnic
>> foods?

Cheese everywhere, ketchup widely used, lot of "Americanization" of
ethnic food (see fondue with flour and "Swiss" cheese for instance)

>> What do you see as the most typical trait of American cooking?

Good grilling, bad sauces. My experience of US restaurants is that
simple food (i.e., simply cooked, with few ingredients) can be
delicious, but beware of complicated stuff. There is a very American
trend: "If X and Y are good, then X+Y must be terrific". Which leads
to pizza with 20 toppings at the same time... ugh.

>> What do you see as the most distinctive American dishes?

BBQed ribs, cheesecake, cornbread, fried chicken, brownies, poached
lobster with drawn butter.


>> Any other observations you'd like to make.

As in other areas, in food America offers the best and the worst.

Nathalie in Switzerland

Bubba wrote:
<snip>
> If you would, please tell me what country you are from.
> Also, to avoid the embarrassment of having a McDonaldsBurger becoming
> our national specialty, I'd like to restrict this to foods that are
> prepared at home.

I asked a similar question in an IRC chat a while back. Everyone
answered with "McDonalds" "Mountain Dew" "Froot Loops" and the like. And
the folks replying were *upset* that they couldn't get some of this
stuff there. Yeech.
--

saerah

http://anisaerah.blogspot.com/

"Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a
disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice."
-Baruch Spinoza

"There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly
what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear
and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There
is another theory which states that this has already happened."
-Douglas Adams

Bubba wrote:

>
> Indeed! Lots of similarities in settlement history, too.

Quite so...

> Speaking of which, and completely OT: Are you familiar with Wilbur Smith's writings,
> and if so, what do you think?

I am. I like his books, but must admit have not read much of his
"latest" stuff (try for the last 15 years)... But one of my all time
favourites was called "The Sunbird". Must have read that 5 times...

Cheers
Cathy(xyz)

> My experience with "American" food is stylized Italian, Mexican, British,
> German, Austrian, etc. so the short answer is "no". They don't call the USA
> a "melting pot" for no reason.
>
> Jill

I'm an American who has lived in Europe, Central and South America and
I think "Westernized cultures" (ie. availability of modern appliances,
spices & foods etc.) are very similar when it comes to food
preparation. The greatest difference is use of spices and indigenous
foods. Where the U.S varies from even those cultures (IMO) is our love
of prepared foods in the form of quick, easy frozen meals and preserved
and pre-packaged refrigerated foods. As a whole, Americans are suckers
for convenience because we have access to the technology that makes
convenience possible; something I believe most cultures embrace when
given the opportunity.
Fortunately for us, we are and have been for a very long time a
melting pot of cultures, so we seek out variety to satisfy that
diversity. Kev

Bubba wrote:
> Developing ethnic foodways and national specialties takes time...lots of
> it. Something the United States, still in it's infancy as a culture,
> has not had much of.
> I would, however, like to hear some opinions, by non-Americans, on
> United States cuisine as an ethnic food.
> Such as:
>
> Do you consider food American food to be ethnic?

Yes, in that it has a unique character
>
> What characteristics distinguish cooking in the U.S. from other ethnic
> foods?
>

The ingredients of course! Just like any other.

> What do you see as the most typical trait of American cooking?

Too many ingredients, and too many ready-made ingredients, like
pre-processed food. Boxed cake mixes, ready-made sauces, cheese whiz
(whatever that is) spring to mind. A lack of simplicity, and a
reluctance to let good ingredients speak for themselves.
>
> What do you see as the most distinctive American dishes?
>

Things unknown in the rest of the world:-
Chicken 'buffalo' wings. Took me a while to figure out Buffalo meat was
not an ingredient.
A 'salad' that includes savory and sweet ingredients in some kind of
gelatine/mayonnaise matrix, like chicken, marshmallows, lettuce, and
grapes, for example.
Pizza, always of a kind unlike anything I have eaten in Italy.
Brownies.
Cornbread.
Doughnuts. Sorry, make that donuts; Krispy Kreme donuts in particular.
Real slow BBQ and vinegar coleslaw.
Chile con carne.
Collards greens cooked with ham.
Burgers, though technically german. Ditto Frankfurters, when served as
Hot Dogs with over-sweet tomato ketchup and strangely flavour-free
mustard, in a dry cotton-wool bun. In fact, there seems to be an
obsession with wrapping or encasing food in bread throughout the states.
Hot Chillis with everything.
Chilled milky drinks.
San Francisco Sourdough bread
Iced tea. Not remotely like English tea; cold, over-sweet, and barely
tasting of tea at all.
Last, but not at all least, the habit of serving enough food to feed a
person for a week, as a single meal.


> Any other observations you'd like to make.

The strange custom, not shared with the rest of the world, of measuring
ingredients by volume instead of weight, and of using degrees fahrenheit
instead of centigrade.
>
> If you would, please tell me what country you are from.

UK/Italy/Holland/France.

> Also, to avoid the embarrassment of having a McDonaldsBurger becoming
> our national specialty, I'd like to restrict this to foods that are
> prepared at home.

Americans do seem to prepare food at home that is similar to that which
can bought as ready-made fast food. I find that very strange indeed.


To be fair, I do know Americans that are great cooks, that prepare their
great national produce simply and well, and understand good food in the
way it should be understood, and many of them haunt this newsgroup.
Unfortunately they are overwhelmed by the majority that have little
discernment; not a difficult thing to do in such a populous nation. I'm
sure the same case could be made for many other countries, mine own
included.

Hope I did not make a mistake in de-lurking for this thread.

>
> Thanks in advance for any responses.
>
> Bubba

Hmmmm. I don't think you will be thanking me.

Snail

Bubba wrote:
> Developing ethnic foodways and national specialties takes time...lots of
> it. Something the United States, still in it's infancy as a culture,
> has not had much of.
> I would, however, like to hear some opinions, by non-Americans, on
> United States cuisine as an ethnic food.
> Such as:
>
> Do you consider food American food to be ethnic?

No

>
> What characteristics distinguish cooking in the U.S. from other ethnic
> foods?
>

high fat, sugar, salt content especially fast foods

> What do you see as the most typical trait of American cooking?

speed rather than quality if fast food

>
> What do you see as the most distinctive American dishes?
>

apple pie, hot dogs, bbq brisket, all-you-can-eat buffets, biscuits &
gravy, shoo-fly pie

> Any other observations you'd like to make.

can't think of any

>
> If you would, please tell me what country you are from.

I'd prefer not to.

> Also, to avoid the embarrassment of having a McDonaldsBurger becoming
> our national specialty, I'd like to restrict this to foods that are
> prepared at home.

No fun since fast food seems to comprise the vast majority of meals in
the US. These restaurants were first established on American soil by
Americans so I think they should be included. Most have moved away from
their initial roots of good, fast food but that's what society has
demanded. I have very little experience with meals cooked in American
homes but and only but if some tv showes are indicitive of American
cooking, I'd say most home cooks prepare healthy meals. Some likely
lean a little heavier on pre-packaged foods. Our US relatives don't
cook anything I would consider uniquely American. Their food offerings
tend to be a mix of traditional recipes mixed with new ideas.
>
> Thanks in advance for any responses.

You're welcome. Good luck with your survey.
>
> Bubba

Bubba wrote:
> Developing ethnic foodways and national specialties takes time...lots of
> it. Something the United States, still in it's infancy as a culture,
> has not had much of.
> I would, however, like to hear some opinions, by non-Americans, on
> United States cuisine as an ethnic food.

I liek your idea. I am curious what the asnwers wil be.
> Such as:
>
> Do you consider food American food to be ethnic?
>
I don't normally use the word ethnic for anything - it is uncommon to do
so in my mother tongue and at the same time I think it is about as
specific as the "democracy"- it can be any number of things.

I think of American cooking as foreign, from a froeign countyr. I am
aware that it consits at elast in part of components form a number of
cultures, so I would find it hard to summarize the "essence" of American
cooking.

> What characteristics distinguish cooking in the U.S. from other ethnic
> foods?
>
Can't answer that.

> What do you see as the most typical trait of American cooking?
>
Tio me, the use of sweet flavourings along with meat stands out. And
American foods seem sweeter then Dutch foods in general. And I have to
say something like green bean casserole (which I read about here aroudn
Thanksgiving) wouldn't appeal to many people here.
Altogether, American food seems to be "starchier"than Dutch food. And I
am amazed that it seems to normal to buy meals/foods/snacks out all the
time.

> What do you see as the most distinctive American dishes?
>
Hamburgers, meat loaf, bagels, corn on the cob and various versions of
corn dishes (bread, grtis, hominy etc). Chocolate chip cookies, muffins.
Waldorf and Ceasr salads. Eggs for breakdfast, as well as other hot
foods for breakfast. Cereal. Rice Krispies. Jello. And jello salads
(weird stuff). Chocolate syrup. Combinations of many flavours in one
food (such as in ice cream variations). The number of decisions to make
before you have ordered your coffee at Starbucks. Cajun cooking, African
American cooking in general. Quick breads. Carrot cake. Zucchine bread.
Large, soft cookies. Twinkies. Pumpkin Pie, Key lime pie leomon meringue
pie, pecan pie, cheesecakes. Cream cheese. Processed Chesse. Mozzzarella
sticks. Cinnamon sticks. Tex Mex. Jalapenos (even though I knwo they're
probably Mexican). BBQ sauce. Sweet ptoatoes served with marhsmallows or
sweetish spices. Marshmallows. marshomallows on hot chocolate. Smars
(sp?). Hot dogs. Popcorn. Wheatgrass juice. Mac and cheese. Mac and
cheese with tuna and canned mushroom soup. Noodle soups. Chicken pot
pie. The extensive use of blueberreies (I envy you). Cookie dough in ice
cream. Fudge. The availbility of liquid smoke. Using baking poweder and
baking soda to a much larger extent. Devil's and Angel Food Cake.
Turkey. Subway-types sandwiches. Hoagies.

> Any other observations you'd like to make.
I'm sure things could come to mind if peeople ahve specific questions.
American protions are famous for their size, come to think of it. And
doggie bags seem to very specific to American eating.
>
> If you would, please tell me what country you are from.

Born and raised in The Netherlands. SOme of my food exepriences were in
other countires I have lived in: Canada, the UK, Germany.

> Also, to avoid the embarrassment of having a McDonaldsBurger becoming
> our national specialty, I'd like to restrict this to foods that are
> prepared at home.

I didn't read this until after writing my list of foods. I am glad I
didn't include McDonalds
>
> Thanks in advance for any responses.
>
> Bubba

>> What do you see as the most distinctive American dishes?
>>
> Hamburgers, meat loaf, bagels, corn on the cob and various versions of
> corn dishes (bread, grtis, hominy etc). Chocolate chip cookies, muffins.
> Waldorf and Ceasr salads. Eggs for breakdfast, as well as other hot foods
> for breakfast. Cereal. Rice Krispies. Jello. And jello salads (weird
> stuff). Chocolate syrup. Combinations of many flavours in one food (such
> as in ice cream variations). The number of decisions to make before you
> have ordered your coffee at Starbucks. Cajun cooking, African American
> cooking in general. Quick breads. Carrot cake. Zucchine bread. Large, soft
> cookies. Twinkies. Pumpkin Pie, Key lime pie leomon meringue pie, pecan
> pie, cheesecakes. Cream cheese. Processed Chesse. Mozzzarella sticks.
> Cinnamon sticks. Tex Mex. Jalapenos (even though I knwo they're probably
> Mexican). BBQ sauce. Sweet ptoatoes served with marhsmallows or sweetish
> spices. Marshmallows. marshomallows on hot chocolate. Smars (sp?). Hot
> dogs. Popcorn. Wheatgrass juice. Mac and cheese. Mac and cheese with tuna
> and canned mushroom soup. Noodle soups. Chicken pot pie. The extensive use
> of blueberreies (I envy you). Cookie dough in ice cream. Fudge. The
> availbility of liquid smoke. Using baking poweder and baking soda to a
> much larger extent. Devil's and Angel Food Cake. Turkey. Subway-types
> sandwiches. Hoagies.
>

I don't know whose impression of American food this is. Within the last
five years, I've not had narly a thang here on this danged list except
perhaps a jalapeno quite often (I'm not Mexican) and just the other day,
some cream cheese in a cheesecake. Oh, I forgot, I do use blueberries every
day, but then, that is an enviable thing. I do like hot chocolate, but I'm
looking into making it with goat milk -- whoa!
The above may be distinctive to most Americans, but not this household.

Oh, forgot!!! DH had an egg omelet for breakfast away from home this morning
because he had some business away from home.
The cost for an egg omelet with probably processed cheese, toast probably
slathered with margarine, potatoes fried but still white. $6 - no drinks.
He said this restaurant was full of people eating breakfast at this price
and more -- and we live in a county far from being affluent. I believe
people just like to eat out.
If we were at home, it would be Oatmeal, a good organic juice and tea. (not
a bag).
Just writing all this -- everyone doesn't have the same eating habits.
Although I know you don't mean to say that we do.
Dee Dee

> Hamburgers, meat loaf, bagels, corn on the cob and various versions of
> corn dishes (bread, grtis, hominy etc). Chocolate chip cookies, muffins.
> Waldorf and Ceasr salads. Eggs for breakdfast, as well as other hot
> foods for breakfast. Cereal. Rice Krispies. Jello. And jello salads
> (weird stuff). Chocolate syrup. Combinations of many flavours in one
> food (such as in ice cream variations). The number of decisions to make
> before you have ordered your coffee at Starbucks. Cajun cooking, African
> American cooking in general. Quick breads. Carrot cake. Zucchine bread.
> Large, soft cookies. Twinkies. Pumpkin Pie, Key lime pie leomon meringue
> pie, pecan pie, cheesecakes. Cream cheese. Processed Chesse. Mozzzarella
> sticks. Cinnamon sticks. Tex Mex. Jalapenos (even though I knwo they're
> probably Mexican). BBQ sauce. Sweet ptoatoes served with marhsmallows or
> sweetish spices. Marshmallows. marshomallows on hot chocolate. Smars
> (sp?). Hot dogs. Popcorn. Wheatgrass juice. Mac and cheese. Mac and
> cheese with tuna and canned mushroom soup. Noodle soups. Chicken pot
> pie. The extensive use of blueberreies (I envy you). Cookie dough in ice
> cream. Fudge. The availbility of liquid smoke. Using baking poweder and
> baking soda to a much larger extent. Devil's and Angel Food Cake.
> Turkey. Subway-types sandwiches. Hoagies.

I just thought of a few more... clam chowder, smoothies, milkshakes,
soda + ice cream, banana splits.
>
>

Dee Randall wrote:
>>>What do you see as the most distinctive American dishes?
>>>
>>
>>Hamburgers, meat loaf, bagels, corn on the cob and various versions of
>>corn dishes (bread, grtis, hominy etc). Chocolate chip cookies, muffins.
>>Waldorf and Ceasr salads. Eggs for breakdfast, as well as other hot foods
>>for breakfast. Cereal. Rice Krispies. Jello. And jello salads (weird
>>stuff). Chocolate syrup. Combinations of many flavours in one food (such
>>as in ice cream variations). The number of decisions to make before you
>>have ordered your coffee at Starbucks. Cajun cooking, African American
>>cooking in general. Quick breads. Carrot cake. Zucchine bread. Large, soft
>>cookies. Twinkies. Pumpkin Pie, Key lime pie leomon meringue pie, pecan
>>pie, cheesecakes. Cream cheese. Processed Chesse. Mozzzarella sticks.
>>Cinnamon sticks. Tex Mex. Jalapenos (even though I knwo they're probably
>>Mexican). BBQ sauce. Sweet ptoatoes served with marhsmallows or sweetish
>>spices. Marshmallows. marshomallows on hot chocolate. Smars (sp?). Hot
>>dogs. Popcorn. Wheatgrass juice. Mac and cheese. Mac and cheese with tuna
>>and canned mushroom soup. Noodle soups. Chicken pot pie. The extensive use
>>of blueberreies (I envy you). Cookie dough in ice cream. Fudge. The
>>availbility of liquid smoke. Using baking poweder and baking soda to a
>>much larger extent. Devil's and Angel Food Cake. Turkey. Subway-types
>>sandwiches. Hoagies.
>>
>
>
> I don't know whose impression of American food this is.

Why, min, of course It is from my Dutch perspective. Almost all
foods I mentioned are either unavailable, unknown or new, here. They are
things that stood out to me when I was in the US and Canada. And that
stand out to me when I read US recipes.

Within the last
> five years, I've not had narly a thang here on this danged list except
> perhaps a jalapeno quite often (I'm not Mexican) and just the other day,
> some cream cheese in a cheesecake. Oh, I forgot, I do use blueberries every
> day, but then, that is an enviable thing. I do like hot chocolate, but I'm
> looking into making it with goat milk -- whoa!
> The above may be distinctive to most Americans, but not this household.

I am not sure how to interpret what you are saying, Is there something
unpleasant about it? And/or do you think it is inaccurate?
>
> Oh, forgot!!! DH had an egg omelet for breakfast away from home this morning
> because he had some business away from home.
> The cost for an egg omelet with probably processed cheese, toast probably
> slathered with margarine, potatoes fried but still white. $6 - no drinks.

That particular breakfast wouldn't be available here. Breakfast is rare
in restaurants altogether, even lunch isn't served everywhere. But
based on what you are saying below, I am guessing $ 6 is expensive for it.
Eating out in The Netherlands is considerably more expensive than in
most countries I know of. I do it less than once a month. My income is
average/typical.

> He said this restaurant was full of people eating breakfast at this price
> and more -- and we live in a county far from being affluent. I believe
> people just like to eat out.

That sounds logical. Here, people would find it very decadent.

> If we were at home, it would be Oatmeal, a good organic juice and tea. (not
> a bag).

That would be uncommon, here, too. Relatively plain sandwiches (cheese,
jam, pb, chocolate sprinkles or sliced meat) are traditional. No juice,
but milk or coffee.

> Just writing all this -- everyone doesn't have the same eating habits.
> Although I know you don't mean to say that we do.
> Dee Dee
>
>

"jake" > wrote in message
. nl...
>>>>
>>>Hamburgers, meat loaf, bagels, corn on the cob and various versions of
>>>corn dishes (bread, grtis, hominy etc). Chocolate chip cookies, muffins.
>>>Waldorf and Ceasr salads. Eggs for breakdfast, as well as other hot foods
>>>for breakfast. Cereal. Rice Krispies. Jello. And jello salads (weird
>>>stuff). Chocolate syrup. Combinations of many flavours in one food (such
>>>as in ice cream variations). The number of decisions to make before you
>>>have ordered your coffee at Starbucks. Cajun cooking, African American
>>>cooking in general. Quick breads. Carrot cake. Zucchine bread. Large,
>>>soft cookies. Twinkies. Pumpkin Pie, Key lime pie leomon meringue pie,
>>>pecan pie, cheesecakes. Cream cheese. Processed Chesse. Mozzzarella
>>>sticks. Cinnamon sticks. Tex Mex. Jalapenos (even though I knwo they're
>>>probably Mexican). BBQ sauce. Sweet ptoatoes served with marhsmallows or
>>>sweetish spices. Marshmallows. marshomallows on hot chocolate. Smars
>>>(sp?). Hot dogs. Popcorn. Wheatgrass juice. Mac and cheese. Mac and
>>>cheese with tuna and canned mushroom soup. Noodle soups. Chicken pot pie.
>>>The extensive use of blueberreies (I envy you). Cookie dough in ice
>>>cream. Fudge. The availbility of liquid smoke. Using baking poweder and
>>>baking soda to a much larger extent. Devil's and Angel Food Cake. Turkey.
>>>Subway-types sandwiches. Hoagies.
>>>
>>
It is from my Dutch perspective. Almost all
> foods I mentioned are either unavailable, unknown or new, here. They are
> things that stood out to me when I was in the US and Canada. And that
> stand out to me when I read US recipes.
>
> Within the last
>> five years, I've not had narly a thang here on this danged list except
>> perhaps a jalapeno quite often (I'm not Mexican) and just the other day,
>> some cream cheese in a cheesecake. Oh, I forgot, I do use blueberries
>> every day, but then, that is an enviable thing. I do like hot chocolate,
>> but I'm looking into making it with goat milk -- whoa!
>> The above may be distinctive to most Americans, but not this household.
>
> I am not sure how to interpret what you are saying, Is there something
> unpleasant about it?

About the goat milk? :-))? Perhaps. But certainly not what you are saying;
that is not unpleasant.


>>And/or do you think it is inaccurate?

You say,
"It is from my Dutch perspective."

No, I don't think a person's 'perspective' could ever be inaccurate.

America is a big place and what you saw is your perspective. We all don't
eat and do things the same way. But, of course, you know that.
This year we're eating oatmeal, juice and tea. In years past, we've eaten
Mexican food for breakfast; In other years, we've eaten a year's worth of
Indian food, including at breakfast time.

I agree with you that what you saw is what you saw.
Thanks for sharing more of your prospective. I've only been in the
Netherlands a week in the 70's. I can't recall what I was served for
breakfast at the various pensions and one night at a home on Volendam, I
believe. The lady in a pointed hat, kept asking us while we were eating her
home-made breakfast: Is smack? We'll never forget that. We still use that
term occasionally.

Oh, I forgot to add; I've never had a hoagie and don't even know what it is.
Don't recall eating sweet potatoes with marshmallows. Can't stand hot
dogs - yuk! Haven't fixed a hamburger for years. The thought of cookie
dough is repulsive to me -- do you see what I mean? You'd have to look a
little further into people's homes, too, to see what they really eat.
Perhaps we all do eat what you say -- :-)) who am I to say.
Take care,
Dee Dee

kevnbro wrote:
>>My experience with "American" food is stylized Italian, Mexican, British,
>>German, Austrian, etc. so the short answer is "no". They don't call the USA
>>a "melting pot" for no reason.
>>
>>Jill
>
>
> I'm an American who has lived in Europe, Central and South America and
> I think "Westernized cultures" (ie. availability of modern appliances,
> spices & foods etc.) are very similar when it comes to food
> preparation. The greatest difference is use of spices and indigenous
> foods. Where the U.S varies from even those cultures (IMO) is our love
> of prepared foods in the form of quick, easy frozen meals and preserved
> and pre-packaged refrigerated foods. As a whole, Americans are suckers
> for convenience because we have access to the technology that makes
> convenience possible; something I believe most cultures embrace when
> given the opportunity.
> Fortunately for us, we are and have been for a very long time a
> melting pot of cultures, so we seek out variety to satisfy that
> diversity. Kev
>

We are a melting pot of cultures, but historically, for a very 'short'
period of time...it's been less than 500 years since we set foot here.
I think that's the reason we haven't established a distinctive culinary
style. We still in process.

Bubba

--
You wanna measure or you wanna cook?

sarah bennett wrote:
> Bubba wrote:
> <snip>
>
>> If you would, please tell me what country you are from.
>> Also, to avoid the embarrassment of having a McDonaldsBurger becoming
>> our national specialty, I'd like to restrict this to foods that are
>> prepared at home.
>
>
> I asked a similar question in an IRC chat a while back. Everyone
> answered with "McDonalds" "Mountain Dew" "Froot Loops" and the like. And
> the folks replying were *upset* that they couldn't get some of this
> stuff there. Yeech.

As the saying goes: The food's always greener.....


Bubba

--
You wanna measure or you wanna cook?

snail wrote:
<snip>

>> What characteristics distinguish cooking in the U.S. from other ethnic
>> foods?
>>
>
> The ingredients of course! Just like any other.

Not sure I agree with this one. Many cultures use the same ingredients,
but widely varying results, no?
>
<snip>

>
> Americans do seem to prepare food at home that is similar to that which
> can bought as ready-made fast food. I find that very strange indeed.
>

VERY astute observation. I'd never really noticed it, but you're
correct. Not the entire population, of course, but many of us. We even
have cookbooks devoted to duplicating the taste (if you call it that) of
our 'fast foods'.

>>
>> Thanks in advance for any responses.
>>
>> Bubba
>
>
> Hmmmm. I don't think you will be thanking me.

Quite the contrary...I thank you again.

Bubba

--
You wanna measure or you wanna cook?

Nathalie Chiva wrote:
> On Tue, 24 Jan 2006 14:08:59 GMT, "Ophelia" > wrote:
>
>
>>>Do you consider food American food to be ethnic?
>
>
> Some, yes.
>
>
>>>What characteristics distinguish cooking in the U.S. from other ethnic
>>>foods?
>
>
> Cheese everywhere, ketchup widely used, lot of "Americanization" of
> ethnic food (see fondue with flour and "Swiss" cheese for instance)
>
>
>>>What do you see as the most typical trait of American cooking?
>
>
> Good grilling, bad sauces. My experience of US restaurants is that
> simple food (i.e., simply cooked, with few ingredients) can be
> delicious, but beware of complicated stuff. There is a very American
> trend: "If X and Y are good, then X+Y must be terrific". Which leads
> to pizza with 20 toppings at the same time... ugh.
>
>
>>>What do you see as the most distinctive American dishes?
>
>
> BBQed ribs, cheesecake, cornbread, fried chicken, brownies, poached
> lobster with drawn butter.

Thank you, Nathalie in Switzerland...good obervations.
>
>>>Any other observations you'd like to make.
>
>
> As in other areas, in food America offers the best and the worst.

You're supposed to smile when you say that!


Bubba


--
You wanna measure or you wanna cook?

L'Espérance wrote:
<snip>
>>
>> What characteristics distinguish cooking in the U.S. from other ethnic
>> foods?
>>
>
> high fat, sugar, salt content especially fast foods

Indeed...and we're beginning to pay the price.
>
>> What do you see as the most typical trait of American cooking?
>
>
> speed rather than quality if fast food
>
>>
>> What do you see as the most distinctive American dishes?
>>
>
> apple pie, hot dogs, bbq brisket, all-you-can-eat buffets, biscuits &
> gravy, shoo-fly pie

Good picks...Being a Southerner, I especially like the last two!

>
<snip>
>
>> Also, to avoid the embarrassment of having a McDonaldsBurger becoming
>> our national specialty, I'd like to restrict this to foods that are
>> prepared at home.
>
>
> No fun since fast food seems to comprise the vast majority of meals in
> the US. These restaurants were first established on American soil by
> Americans so I think they should be included.
>
<snip
Sorry...didn't mean to take the fun out of it, but including fast food
opens a whole new window that I think would confuse the types of
responses I'm after. Besides, McDonald's having gone global, we may all
some day have the McBurger seen as our national dish.

Thanks for your response.

Bubba

--
You wanna measure or you wanna cook?

jake wrote:
<snip>
>>
>> Do you consider food American food to be ethnic?
>>
> I don't normally use the word ethnic for anything - it is uncommon to do
> so in my mother tongue and at the same time I think it is about as
> specific as the "democracy"- it can be any number of things.
>
> I think of American cooking as foreign, from a froeign countyr. I am
> aware that it consits at elast in part of components form a number of
> cultures, so I would find it hard to summarize the "essence" of American
> cooking.

Fair enough!

<snip>
>
>> What do you see as the most distinctive American dishes?
>>
> Hamburgers, meat loaf, bagels, corn on the cob and various versions of
> corn dishes (bread, grtis, hominy etc). Chocolate chip cookies, muffins.
> Waldorf and Ceasr salads. Eggs for breakdfast, as well as other hot
> foods for breakfast. Cereal. Rice Krispies. Jello. And jello salads
> (weird stuff). Chocolate syrup. Combinations of many flavours in one
> food (such as in ice cream variations). The number of decisions to make
> before you have ordered your coffee at Starbucks. Cajun cooking, African
> American cooking in general. Quick breads. Carrot cake. Zucchine bread.
> Large, soft cookies. Twinkies. Pumpkin Pie, Key lime pie leomon meringue
> pie, pecan pie, cheesecakes. Cream cheese. Processed Chesse. Mozzzarella
> sticks. Cinnamon sticks. Tex Mex. Jalapenos (even though I knwo they're
> probably Mexican). BBQ sauce. Sweet ptoatoes served with marhsmallows or
> sweetish spices. Marshmallows. marshomallows on hot chocolate. Smars
> (sp?). Hot dogs. Popcorn. Wheatgrass juice. Mac and cheese. Mac and
> cheese with tuna and canned mushroom soup. Noodle soups. Chicken pot
> pie. The extensive use of blueberreies (I envy you). Cookie dough in ice
> cream. Fudge. The availbility of liquid smoke. Using baking poweder and
> baking soda to a much larger extent. Devil's and Angel Food Cake.
> Turkey. Subway-types sandwiches. Hoagies.

WOW!!! Great list! You've been doing your homework. I've eaten
most of these at some point in my life, as I'm sure many Americans have.
But not all and not with frequency. Try to keep in mind that the U.S.
is big and while we are fairly homogeneous, traveling across the U.S. is
a little like traveling across Europe...little pockets of regional
specialties.
>
>> Any other observations you'd like to make.
>
> I'm sure things could come to mind if peeople ahve specific questions.
> American protions are famous for their size, come to think of it. And
> doggie bags seem to very specific to American eating.
>
>>
No 'doggie bags' elsewhere. Didn't realize that. I think maybe the
large portions led to the doggie bags

<snip>
> I didn't read this until after writing my list of foods. I am glad I
> didn't include McDonalds

Thank you for that, and thank you for your answers.

Bubba


--
You wanna measure or you wanna cook?

sarah bennett wrote:
> Bubba wrote:
> <snip>
>
>> If you would, please tell me what country you are from.
>> Also, to avoid the embarrassment of having a McDonaldsBurger becoming
>> our national specialty, I'd like to restrict this to foods that are
>> prepared at home.
>
>
> I asked a similar question in an IRC chat a while back. Everyone
> answered with "McDonalds" "Mountain Dew" "Froot Loops" and the like. And
> the folks replying were *upset* that they couldn't get some of this
> stuff there. Yeech.

hehe, my Norwegian relatives love Cheerios, and can't get them in Norway.

snail wrote:

> pre-processed food. Boxed cake mixes, ready-made sauces, cheese whiz
> (whatever that is) spring to mind.

OK, cheese whiz is not a food, it's an experience. It's "fun food" for
kiddies (or single men) to squirt on anything they want.

> Things unknown in the rest of the world:-
> Chicken 'buffalo' wings. Took me a while to figure out Buffalo meat was
> not an ingredient.

FYI, "Buffalo" refers to the origin, not the ingredient. Buffalo, New York.

> Hmmmm. I don't think you will be thanking me.
>
> Snail

Actually, you were not far off.

Dee Randall wrote:

> Oh, I forgot to add; I've never had a hoagie and don't even know what it is.

From my experience

Hoagie = Subway Sandwich

jake wrote:
> Bubba wrote:
> > Developing ethnic foodways and national specialties takes time...lots of
> > it. Something the United States, still in it's infancy as a culture,
> > has not had much of.
> > I would, however, like to hear some opinions, by non-Americans, on
> > United States cuisine as an ethnic food.
>
> > What do you see as the most typical trait of American cooking?
> >
> Tio me, the use of sweet flavourings along with meat stands out. And
> American foods seem sweeter then Dutch foods in general. And I have to
> say something like green bean casserole (which I read about here aroudn
> Thanksgiving) wouldn't appeal to many people here.
> Altogether, American food seems to be "starchier"than Dutch food. And I
> am amazed that it seems to normal to buy meals/foods/snacks out all the
> time.

I suspect the starchiness is a very astute observation. Growing up, my
dinners were always meat, starch, and veggie, except when we had no
veggies. I think most Americans are very accustomed to having at least
some sort of starch in every meal. It's actually something I've been
trying to work on, switching out the starch for a second veggie when
cooking.

>
> > What do you see as the most distinctive American dishes?
> >
> Hamburgers, meat loaf, bagels, corn on the cob and various versions of
> corn dishes (bread, grtis, hominy etc). Chocolate chip cookies, muffins.
> Waldorf and Ceasr salads. Eggs for breakdfast, as well as other hot
> foods for breakfast. Cereal. Rice Krispies. Jello. And jello salads
> (weird stuff). Chocolate syrup. Combinations of many flavours in one
> food (such as in ice cream variations). The number of decisions to make
> before you have ordered your coffee at Starbucks. Cajun cooking, African
> American cooking in general. Quick breads. Carrot cake. Zucchine bread.
> Large, soft cookies. Twinkies. Pumpkin Pie, Key lime pie leomon meringue
> pie, pecan pie, cheesecakes. Cream cheese. Processed Chesse. Mozzzarella
> sticks. Cinnamon sticks. Tex Mex. Jalapenos (even though I knwo they're
> probably Mexican). BBQ sauce. Sweet ptoatoes served with marhsmallows or
> sweetish spices. Marshmallows. marshomallows on hot chocolate. Smars
> (sp?). Hot dogs. Popcorn. Wheatgrass juice. Mac and cheese. Mac and
> cheese with tuna and canned mushroom soup. Noodle soups. Chicken pot
> pie. The extensive use of blueberreies (I envy you). Cookie dough in ice
> cream. Fudge. The availbility of liquid smoke. Using baking poweder and
> baking soda to a much larger extent. Devil's and Angel Food Cake.
> Turkey. Subway-types sandwiches. Hoagies.
>

Personally, I think this is a great list. There are certainly items on
here that don't appeal to me at all (jello salads, gah!), but I don't
think there's anything on here that would strike me as particularly
unusual. (Well, except for wheatgrass juice. I wonder if there's some
other name that I know that by.) Part of that might be geographic.
There's a fair bit in the list that I would characterise as "Southern"
cooking, which is the part of the States where I grew up.

--
Ernest

"Denise~*" > wrote in message
...
> Dee Randall wrote:
>
>> Oh, I forgot to add; I've never had a hoagie and don't even know what it
>> is.
>
> From my experience
>
> Hoagie = Subway Sandwich

Woah-ho! Hoagie is a submarine sandwich, better known as a
sub. Subway is a chain that makes some kinda sandwich, not the
real deal.

nancy

"jmcquown" > wrote in message
...
> Bubba wrote:
> > Developing ethnic foodways and national specialties takes time...lots
> > of it. Something the United States, still in it's infancy as a
> > culture, has not had much of.
> > I would, however, like to hear some opinions, by non-Americans, on
> > United States cuisine as an ethnic food.
> > Such as:
> >
> > Do you consider food American food to be ethnic?
> >
> > What characteristics distinguish cooking in the U.S. from other ethnic
> > foods?
> >
> > What do you see as the most typical trait of American cooking?
> >
> > What do you see as the most distinctive American dishes?
> >
> > Any other observations you'd like to make.
> >
> > If you would, please tell me what country you are from.
> > Also, to avoid the embarrassment of having a McDonaldsBurger becoming
> > our national specialty, I'd like to restrict this to foods that are
> > prepared at home.
> >
> > Thanks in advance for any responses.
> >
> > Bubba
>
> My experience with "American" food is stylized Italian, Mexican, British,
> German, Austrian, etc. so the short answer is "no". They don't call the
USA
> a "melting pot" for no reason.


Well, since we're all here because of food...does that make us the fondue
pot?

Lisa Ann

Bubba wrote:
<snip>

This is wonderful! Thank you all. I'm learning a lot and having a
great time doing it. It's also fun to get responses from such far away
places.
I've gotten some really great observations...some very unique ones that
had never crossed my feeble ethnocentric mind. I am seeing a trend,
however, and that's with the word...'too'.

Too many sauces
Too many processed foods
Too spicy
Too large
Too fast
Too much
Too......etc., etc.

I should have seen this one coming, but did not. We are a nation of
excess; it is probably our most defining trait as a nation, and is at
once, both our greatest asset and out biggest liability.
Addressing most of these would be argumentative and beyond the scope and
interest of this group, but I would like to address the issue of
"flavoring' foodstuffs with too many sauces, spices, ingredients, etc.
Realize, of course, that the opinions opined here are mine alone and do
not necessarily reflect the position of the establishment!

I have found that the addition of 'flavor' seems to come in inverse
proportion to the distance of the food from the cook. I think that
peoples that grow their own food, or , live in areas where they can
easily buy locally produced foodstuffs tend against adding sauces,
spices, etc.
Most of the foodstuffs in the U.S. have been developed, not to enhance
flavor, but to enhance 'ship-ability'. As example, the average tomato
travels about 2000 miles, arrives at the supermarket firm and
unblemished...and has about as much flavor as the box it was shipped in.
And so goes most of the rest of the average foodstuffs.
So....we 'flavorize' it!
There seems to be a trend against this, but only time will tell.

Thanks again for all of the wonderful and insightful comments....I hope
there will be many more to come.

Bubba

--
You wanna measure or you wanna cook?

Bubba wrote:

> Bubba wrote:
> <snip>
>
> This is wonderful! Thank you all. I'm learning a lot and having a
> great time doing it. It's also fun to get responses from such far away
> places.
> I've gotten some really great observations...some very unique ones that
> had never crossed my feeble ethnocentric mind. I am seeing a trend,
> however, and that's with the word...'too'.
>
> Too many sauces
> Too many processed foods
> Too spicy
> Too large
> Too fast
> Too much
> Too......etc., etc.
>
> I should have seen this one coming, but did not. We are a nation of
> excess; it is probably our most defining trait as a nation, and is at
> once, both our greatest asset and out biggest liability.
> Addressing most of these would be argumentative and beyond the scope and
> interest of this group, but I would like to address the issue of
> "flavoring' foodstuffs with too many sauces, spices, ingredients, etc.
> Realize, of course, that the opinions opined here are mine alone and do
> not necessarily reflect the position of the establishment!
>
> I have found that the addition of 'flavor' seems to come in inverse
> proportion to the distance of the food from the cook. I think that
> peoples that grow their own food, or , live in areas where they can
> easily buy locally produced foodstuffs tend against adding sauces,
> spices, etc.
> Most of the foodstuffs in the U.S. have been developed, not to enhance
> flavor, but to enhance 'ship-ability'. As example, the average tomato
> travels about 2000 miles, arrives at the supermarket firm and
> unblemished...and has about as much flavor as the box it was shipped in.
> And so goes most of the rest of the average foodstuffs.
> So....we 'flavorize' it!
> There seems to be a trend against this, but only time will tell.
>
> Thanks again for all of the wonderful and insightful comments....I hope
> there will be many more to come.
>
> Bubba
>

Bubba, this is going to be short as I'm leaving for the evening shortly.
We have had a lot of opportunity to eat in the US. No, we do not live
there. We have noticed the *too much* thing but personally I think that
is because America is as you say a land of excess. People want value
for their money and will really make a stink if they don't get it. The
worst part is they want it *now* Some restaurants focus on this
instead of fine tuning what they do best. I think that is a real shame.
People have forgotten to enjoy their food and that good food takes
time. Restaurants have buckled to get the customers in and out quickly
comprimising taste. Theme restaurants are the worst offenders! When
discussing flavouring, there are some who know how to use flavourings
effectively and those who just don't have a clue. Too much of the wrong
flavourings can be down right horrible as can the reverse of not enough.
A true cook knows how to balance and meld the flavours. As far as
your theory on flavouring and close to the food, I tend to be very much
a naked vegetable type person. A small pat of butter and maybe a little
salt is all that is needed for most cooked vegetables. Nothing really
needs to be added to raw vegetables and yes, I grow my own. I refuse to
mask the taste of good, home grown vegetables!

On Tue, 24 Jan 2006, Dee Randall wrote:

> >> What do you see as the most distinctive American dishes?
> >>
> > Hamburgers, meat loaf, bagels, corn on the cob and various versions of
> > corn dishes (bread, grtis, hominy etc). Chocolate chip cookies, muffins.
> > Waldorf and Ceasr salads. Eggs for breakdfast, as well as other hot foods
> > for breakfast. Cereal. Rice Krispies. Jello. And jello salads (weird
> > stuff). Chocolate syrup. Combinations of many flavours in one food (such
> > as in ice cream variations). The number of decisions to make before you
> > have ordered your coffee at Starbucks. Cajun cooking, African American
> > cooking in general. Quick breads. Carrot cake. Zucchine bread. Large, soft
> > cookies. Twinkies. Pumpkin Pie, Key lime pie leomon meringue pie, pecan
> > pie, cheesecakes. Cream cheese. Processed Chesse. Mozzzarella sticks.
> > Cinnamon sticks. Tex Mex. Jalapenos (even though I knwo they're probably
> > Mexican). BBQ sauce. Sweet ptoatoes served with marhsmallows or sweetish
> > spices. Marshmallows. marshomallows on hot chocolate. Smars (sp?). Hot
> > dogs. Popcorn. Wheatgrass juice. Mac and cheese. Mac and cheese with tuna
> > and canned mushroom soup. Noodle soups. Chicken pot pie. The extensive use
> > of blueberreies (I envy you). Cookie dough in ice cream. Fudge. The
> > availbility of liquid smoke. Using baking poweder and baking soda to a
> > much larger extent. Devil's and Angel Food Cake. Turkey. Subway-types
> > sandwiches. Hoagies.
> >
>
> I don't know whose impression of American food this is. Within the last
> five years, I've not had narly a thang here on this danged list except
> perhaps a jalapeno quite often (I'm not Mexican) and just the other day,
> some cream cheese in a cheesecake. Oh, I forgot, I do use blueberries every
> day, but then, that is an enviable thing. I do like hot chocolate, but I'm
> looking into making it with goat milk -- whoa!
> The above may be distinctive to most Americans, but not this household.
> Although I know you don't mean to say that we do.
> Dee Dee


I think it is a great list. With the exception of about half-dozen of
these items, they've all passed through my house in the last year. Many of
them are in the pantry or freezer right now.

You got me, though, on the "Wheatgrass juice".

Besides, Dee Dee, the OP was asking for the *opinions* and the
*observations* of non-Americans. If we rush to judge, as we Americans are
quick to do - then we will not get others' opinions. This is not a
contest to see whose opinions we accept or a contest to see if we can
countermand those opinions. Good, bad,
or indifferent, it is interesting to see how others see us and we need to
respect others honest input to this survey. The fact that you don't eat
any of these things and won't have them in your house is not relevant to
this thread.

It is not necessary for us to defend ourselves. We aren't
being attacked. There are 300 million of us in this country. There is no
way that a non-American can see all the differences - even an American of
long-standing would be hard pressed to do so. We all have impressions for
an overview of the US and for it's individual segments.

I would ask of you all: Don't kill the messenger.


Elaine, too

>
> Well, since we're all here because of food...does that make us the fondue
> pot?
>
> Lisa Ann
>
No - chop suey.
Dee Dee

"Denise~*" > wrote in message
...
> Dee Randall wrote:
>
>> Oh, I forgot to add; I've never had a hoagie and don't even know what it
>> is.
>
> From my experience
>
> Hoagie = Subway Sandwich

Really? I didn't know that.
Perhaps since I don't eat that sort of thing often -- actually, almost
never.
Thanks.
Dee Dee

Elaine Parrish wrote:
> On Tue, 24 Jan 2006, Dee Randall wrote:
>
>
>>>>What do you see as the most distinctive American dishes?
>>>>
>>>
>>>Hamburgers, meat loaf, bagels, corn on the cob and various versions of
>>>corn dishes (bread, grtis, hominy etc). Chocolate chip cookies, muffins.
>>>Waldorf and Ceasr salads. Eggs for breakdfast, as well as other hot foods
>>>for breakfast. Cereal. Rice Krispies. Jello. And jello salads (weird
>>>stuff). Chocolate syrup. Combinations of many flavours in one food (such
>>>as in ice cream variations). The number of decisions to make before you
>>>have ordered your coffee at Starbucks. Cajun cooking, African American
>>>cooking in general. Quick breads. Carrot cake. Zucchine bread. Large, soft
>>>cookies. Twinkies. Pumpkin Pie, Key lime pie leomon meringue pie, pecan
>>>pie, cheesecakes. Cream cheese. Processed Chesse. Mozzzarella sticks.
>>>Cinnamon sticks. Tex Mex. Jalapenos (even though I knwo they're probably
>>>Mexican). BBQ sauce. Sweet ptoatoes served with marhsmallows or sweetish
>>>spices. Marshmallows. marshomallows on hot chocolate. Smars (sp?). Hot
>>>dogs. Popcorn. Wheatgrass juice. Mac and cheese. Mac and cheese with tuna
>>>and canned mushroom soup. Noodle soups. Chicken pot pie. The extensive use
>>>of blueberreies (I envy you). Cookie dough in ice cream. Fudge. The
>>>availbility of liquid smoke. Using baking poweder and baking soda to a
>>>much larger extent. Devil's and Angel Food Cake. Turkey. Subway-types
>>>sandwiches. Hoagies.
>>>
>>
>>I don't know whose impression of American food this is. Within the last
>>five years, I've not had narly a thang here on this danged list except
>>perhaps a jalapeno quite often (I'm not Mexican) and just the other day,
>>some cream cheese in a cheesecake. Oh, I forgot, I do use blueberries every
>>day, but then, that is an enviable thing. I do like hot chocolate, but I'm
>>looking into making it with goat milk -- whoa!
>>The above may be distinctive to most Americans, but not this household.
>>Although I know you don't mean to say that we do.
>>Dee Dee
>
>
>
> I think it is a great list. With the exception of about half-dozen of
> these items, they've all passed through my house in the last year. Many of
> them are in the pantry or freezer right now.
>
> You got me, though, on the "Wheatgrass juice".
>
> Besides, Dee Dee, the OP was asking for the *opinions* and the
> *observations* of non-Americans. If we rush to judge, as we Americans are
> quick to do - then we will not get others' opinions. This is not a
> contest to see whose opinions we accept or a contest to see if we can
> countermand those opinions. Good, bad,
> or indifferent, it is interesting to see how others see us and we need to
> respect others honest input to this survey. The fact that you don't eat
> any of these things and won't have them in your house is not relevant to
> this thread.
>
> It is not necessary for us to defend ourselves. We aren't
> being attacked. There are 300 million of us in this country. There is no
> way that a non-American can see all the differences - even an American of
> long-standing would be hard pressed to do so. We all have impressions for
> an overview of the US and for it's individual segments.
>
> I would ask of you all: Don't kill the messenger.
>
>
> Elaine, too
>
>
Priceless...and well spoken. Thank you.

Bubba

--
You wanna measure or you wanna cook?

"Bubba" > wrote in message
. ..
> Elaine Parrish wrote:
>> On Tue, 24 Jan 2006, Dee Randall wrote:
>>
>>
>>>>>What do you see as the most distinctive American dishes?
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Hamburgers, meat loaf, bagels, corn on the cob and various versions of
>>>>corn dishes (bread, grtis, hominy etc). Chocolate chip cookies, muffins.
>>>>Waldorf and Ceasr salads. Eggs for breakdfast, as well as other hot
>>>>foods
>>>>for breakfast. Cereal. Rice Krispies. Jello. And jello salads (weird
>>>>stuff). Chocolate syrup. Combinations of many flavours in one food (such
>>>>as in ice cream variations). The number of decisions to make before you
>>>>have ordered your coffee at Starbucks. Cajun cooking, African American
>>>>cooking in general. Quick breads. Carrot cake. Zucchine bread. Large,
>>>>soft
>>>>cookies. Twinkies. Pumpkin Pie, Key lime pie leomon meringue pie, pecan
>>>>pie, cheesecakes. Cream cheese. Processed Chesse. Mozzzarella sticks.
>>>>Cinnamon sticks. Tex Mex. Jalapenos (even though I knwo they're probably
>>>>Mexican). BBQ sauce. Sweet ptoatoes served with marhsmallows or sweetish
>>>>spices. Marshmallows. marshomallows on hot chocolate. Smars (sp?). Hot
>>>>dogs. Popcorn. Wheatgrass juice. Mac and cheese. Mac and cheese with
>>>>tuna
>>>>and canned mushroom soup. Noodle soups. Chicken pot pie. The extensive
>>>>use
>>>>of blueberreies (I envy you). Cookie dough in ice cream. Fudge. The
>>>>availbility of liquid smoke. Using baking poweder and baking soda to a
>>>>much larger extent. Devil's and Angel Food Cake. Turkey. Subway-types
>>>>sandwiches. Hoagies.
>>>>
>>>
>>>I don't know whose impression of American food this is. Within the last
>>>five years, I've not had narly a thang here on this danged list except
>>>perhaps a jalapeno quite often (I'm not Mexican) and just the other day,
>>>some cream cheese in a cheesecake. Oh, I forgot, I do use blueberries
>>>every
>>>day, but then, that is an enviable thing. I do like hot chocolate, but
>>>I'm
>>>looking into making it with goat milk -- whoa!
>>>The above may be distinctive to most Americans, but not this household.
>>>Although I know you don't mean to say that we do.
>>>Dee Dee
>>
>>
>>
>> I think it is a great list. With the exception of about half-dozen of
>> these items, they've all passed through my house in the last year. Many
>> of
>> them are in the pantry or freezer right now.
>>
>> You got me, though, on the "Wheatgrass juice".
>>
>> Besides, Dee Dee, the OP was asking for the *opinions* and the
>> *observations* of non-Americans. If we rush to judge, as we Americans are
>> quick to do - then we will not get others' opinions. This is not a
>> contest to see whose opinions we accept or a contest to see if we can
>> countermand those opinions. Good, bad,
>> or indifferent, it is interesting to see how others see us and we need
>> to
>> respect others honest input to this survey. The fact that you don't eat
>> any of these things and won't have them in your house is not relevant to
>> this thread.
>>
>> It is not necessary for us to defend ourselves. We aren't
>> being attacked. There are 300 million of us in this country. There is no
>> way that a non-American can see all the differences - even an American of
>> long-standing would be hard pressed to do so. We all have impressions for
>> an overview of the US and for it's individual segments.
>>
>> I would ask of you all: Don't kill the messenger.
>>
>>
>> Elaine, too
>>
>>
> Priceless...and well spoken. Thank you.
>
> Bubba

Pontificating sermons on just about every aspect of manners and opinions and
calling human beings White Trash and White Trash Scum, etc. over the past
few weeks does not make you a candidate to lend my ear to any opinion you
have.
Plonk!
Dee Dee

Bubba wrote:
> jake wrote:
> <snip>

>>> What do you see as the most distinctive American dishes?
>>>
>> Hamburgers, meat loaf, bagels, corn on the cob and various versions of
>> corn dishes (bread, grits, hominy etc). Chocolate chip cookies,
>> muffins. Waldorf and Caesar salads. Eggs for breakfast, as well as
>> other hot foods for breakfast. Cereal. Rice Krispies. Jello. And jello
>> salads (weird stuff). Chocolate syrup. Combinations of many flavours
>> in one food (such as in ice cream variations). The number of decisions
>> to make before you have ordered your coffee at Starbucks. Cajun
>> cooking, African American cooking in general. Quick breads. Carrot
>> cake. Zucchini bread. Large, soft cookies. Twinkies. Pumpkin Pie, Key
>> lime pie, lemon meringue pie, pecan pie, cheesecakes. Cream cheese.
>> Processed Cheese. Mozzzarella sticks. Cinnamon sticks. Tex Mex.
>> Jalapenos (even though I know they're probably Mexican). BBQ sauce.
>> Sweet potatoes served with marshmallows or sweetish spices.
>> Marshmallows. marshmallows on hot chocolate. Smores (sp?). Hot dogs.
>> Popcorn. Wheatgrass juice. Mac and cheese. Mac and cheese with tuna
>> and canned mushroom soup. Noodle soups. Chicken pot pie. The extensive
>> use of blueberries (I envy you). Cookie dough in ice cream. Fudge.
>> The availbility of liquid smoke. Using baking powder and baking soda
>> to a much larger extent. Devil's and Angel Food Cake. Turkey.
>> Subway-types sandwiches. Hoagies.
>
>
> WOW!!! Great list! You've been doing your homework. I've eaten
> most of these at some point in my life, as I'm sure many Americans have.
> But not all and not with frequency. Try to keep in mind that the U.S.
> is big and while we are fairly homogeneous, traveling across the U.S. is
> a little like traveling across Europe...little pockets of regional
> specialties.

One time I was in Sweden in the office of a co-worker and he had two
maps on his office wall - The U.S. and Europe - side by side. Europe
looked small in comparison and I suggested that he get maps to the same
scale. He said, "They are."

I looked at them more. I never realized viscerally just how big a place
the U.S. is. He said that Europe had one-seventh the land area of the
U.S. with essentially the same population numbers. I pondered the day I
woke up in Budapest and drove to Brussels to my apartment. I passed
through Hungary, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, France and Belgium that
day (moving at a great velocity most of the way). How many cuisines did
I drive through in that half of one day?

As I considered it, I realized that we cover climate from arctic to
tropical. From high mountain to low desert. From temperate rain forest
on the Oregon coast to millions of acres of wide-plain grasslands.
Literally thousands of miles of sea coastlines on two oceans and the
Gulf of Mexico, and miles and miles of freshwater coasts in the Great
Lakes. Old, low mountains like where I live in Virginia to high, snow
covered crags in the Rockies.

Cross reference those topographical features with immigrant populations
from virtually every other country on earth, and the matrix begins to
get very, very complicated. Suddenly you get things like a large Basque
population in Nevada. Scandinavians in Minnesota. Jews in New York.
Irish and Italians in Boston. Look at New Orleans for cultural and
culinary influences - Acadian, German, Italian, French, Spanish, African
and still evolving. The west coast has Russians and Asians and Hispanics
from Mexico and points south.

I've either lived in or visited a couple dozen countries over the years.
And I've eaten great and terrible food in all of them. Local specialties
that just stand out from the run of the mill offerings. Small towns that
have taken a few raw materials or preparation methods or finished dishes
and raised them to great heights. So when one asks about Italian cuisine
or Chinese cuisine or French or any other, it's almost a meaningless
question. There isn't one French cuisine. Likewise the food of every
country or culture. There isn't ever just one.

In the U.S. the range of foods available is larger than anywhere else
I've ever visited, largely because of wonderful accidents of nature. We
have so very much farmland, water and moderate climate. That's good news
and bad news. Food is cheaper in the U.S. than it is anywhere else or
has ever been in all human history. More good and bad news. The quality
of foods available ranges from extremely high to very bad.

Starting to try to enumerate what the major elements of American cuisine
are is an impossible task. There is no description of American cuisine
that could possibly contain what people in Florida and Maine, Alaska and
Nebraska, Minnesota and Texas, California (which part?) and Rhode
Island... eat. And there are pockets that are as small as one city.
Cincinnati chili is unique to that area. Chicago pizza is different than
New York pizza and Philadelphia pizza and Boston pizza. And don't get me
started on what Wolfgang Puck has done to pizza... <LOL> It has only a
distant relationship with the idea of what those Neapolitan immigrants
brought with them.

All those immigrants brought their food ideas and applied them to new
ingredients or weather or limitations. And they evolved their cuisines
and created new ones. And shoehorned them all into the emerging American
mentality of innovation, progress and commerce. The sheer scale of the
market here and the willingness - maybe eagerness - to try new things
opened enormous possibilities for the spread of those regional
specialties. And it also opened the possibility for factories that
produced foods that sometimes resembled the old ones and even, on
occasion, improved on them, and sometimes created things impossible in a
home kitchen - Cheez Doodles, Pop Tarts, Twinkies, Velveeta (idea stolen
from European processed cheeses; Laughing Cow, et al.)...

To be sure, the list up top is certainly a kaleidoscope of American
foods. But look at how many are the result of old foods from far away
evolved for conditions here. In a sense, the ones that fly to mind most
quickly are the ones with the widest distribution, the ones that are
most ubiquitous, the ones most likely to be seen in movies and TV
programs. The ones that are easy to pin to all Americans for those
reasons. So, yes, those are to be included in American cuisine, but that
sort of list no more encompasses the vast panoply of availabilities than
a list of that many foods - lengthy though it may be - could do the job
any better for any nation's cuisines.

Interesting subject...

Pastorio