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[nded]

nvm

I'd say Mexican and lots of South American cuisines can easily hang with Mediterranean, but that's just my opinion.

Edit: You edited that awful fast.

 

[Stallion Dan]

Then you don't know anything.

What people seem to by realize is that, like probably everywhere in he world, there are really low quality versions of everything Americans eat. Lots of Americans eat the lowest quality available in the interest of cost, not preference.

If you come to America and try some store-brand yellow mustard and then say "wow American mustard sucks" then you're only disservicing yourself.

I work for one of the most awarded specialty food companies in the world and our mustards are amazing.

Are Hershey bars lousy and waxy? Yeah. Can you find significantly better chocolate five feet away? Absolutely!

American mustard is different to English Mustard, it not about quality.

 

[Randy Monk]

You can literally find anything and everything in American. It's a cultural melting pot. I got these grasshopper tacos not that long ago.

You just have to know where to look and get out of your normal social circles to find it. There are TONS of ethnic enclaves all over the place. My wife is Vietnamese, so she shows me all the Asian grocery stores and restaurants around and I show her all the BBQ, burger joints, and other places.

Bloody hell, please tell me you didn't get any grasshopper legs stuck in your throat.

Looks delish, I love grasshoppers but you gotta pull off the legs!

 

[Skellig Gra]

I'd say Mexican and lots of South American cuisines are easily a match for Mediterranean, but that's just my opinion.

That and Mediterranean cuisine is relatively ubiquitous in the western world. Its everywhere already so it's not much of a comparison point.

 

[balladofwindfishes]

Provolone is another common one. Although not as common as the aforementioned.

There's also blue cheese, but what us Americans call "blue cheese" would likely make a European squirm.

 

[Chococat]

In 1997 there wasn't food variety in America? What am I reading.

The 90"s were the boom of variety movement in grocery stores. Before then, you didn't have 15 flavors on the shelves of Poptarts with seasonal flavors mixed in every quarter. Even if they did have many flavors, your grocery store carried 3 flavors max.

Pringles were one flavor. Ranch and BBQ were exotic.Cheerios had one flavor. Broccoli was "new" and was serves slathered in processed Velveeta like cheese. I remember when Cheddar flavored chips becoming a thing. In the 80's, Cherry Coke/Pepsi was mind blowing- that was only served in bars or made at home. Look at beer aisle- Bush, Miller, and Bud were the staples, with Coors and Pabst being niche. Now days half the aisle is micro brewery beers.

LOL, I remember the day the Chicken Nugget was introduced at McDonalds- it was a exotic family event. lol.

What you are reading is how food stocked stores and marketing in America grocery stores has changed over time. It not a slight.

 

[nded]

That and Mediterranean cuisine is relatively ubiquitous in the western world. Its everywhere already so it's not much of a comparison point.

Not sure what your point is. The post I replied to originally stated that Mediterranean is superior to all American cuisines.

 

[balladofwindfishes]

In the 90s (especially in the late 90s) there was a new gimmick of cheerios, or Doritos, or pop tarts or whatever released on a near weekly basis. We had weird stuff like 3D shaped Doritos and colored ketchup and stuff. I remember pizza flavored Pringles were huge.

I think you need to go back another decade or two, but I do get your point.

 

[Skellig Gra]

Not sure what your point is. The post I replied to originally stated that Mediterranean is superior to all American cuisines.

I know I'm saying Mediterranean cuisine IS American cuisine.

 

[Snowybreak]

So I went to a bar for lunch and got myself a fried bologna sandwich that consisted of:

A brioche roll

House-made bologna that had been brined and then fried on the flat top

A fried egg that had shaved Gouda on top

A few planks of hot kosher pickle

And for sauce, some horseradish mayo and brown mustard.

On the side were shoestring Cajun fries, and to drink I had a Southern Tier Harvest.

I love living in the states.

 

[Kill3r7]

The 90"s were the boom of variety movement in grocery stores. Before then, you didn't have 15 flavors on the shelves of Poptarts with seasonal flavors mixed in every quarter. Even if they did have many flavors, your grocery store carried 3 flavors max.

Pringles were one flavor. Ranch and BBQ were exotic.Cheerios had one flavor. Broccoli was "new" and was serves slathered in processed Velveeta like cheese. I remember when Cheddar flavored chips becoming a thing. In the 80's, Cherry Coke/Pepsi was mind blowing- that was only served in bars or made at home. Look at beer aisle- Bush, Miller, and Bud were the staples, with Coors and Pabst being niche. Now days half the aisle is micro brewery beers.

LOL, I remember the day the Chicken Nugget was introduced at McDonalds- it was a exotic family event. lol.

What you are reading is how food stocked stores and marketing in America grocery stores has changed over time. It not a slight.

FWIW, broccoli has been popular in the US since the 1920s.

 

[Hektor]

Who in their right mind likes German food? It's just a bunch of nasty meat. Boring food. Sure I've had some good roasts in Germany. But, I don't think cuisine that consists of mostly of Shnitzels and sausages is very good at all. Relative to America, the food is boring and bad.

Schnitzel isn't even german, it's austrian.

 

[Anoregon]

Can confirm that proper smoked Texas-style BBQ does not need sauce, at least for ribs. That being said, I don't have anything against having some sauce to dip it in.

 

[Pandora012]

So I went to a bar for lunch and got myself a fried bologna sandwich that consisted of:

A brioche roll

House-made bologna that had been brined and then fried on the flat top

A fried egg that had shaved Gouda on top

A few planks of hot kosher pickle

And for sauce, some horseradish mayo and brown mustard.

On the side were shoestring Cajun fries, and to drink I had a Southern Tier Harvest.

I love living in the states.

Damn that sounds like it can kill someone.

 

[Skii]

American cuisine is not every cuisine you can have in America lmfao

You don't go to America for Korean food. You go to Korea for Korean food.

America is known for BBQ and diner food generally. That is your cuisine. You can't just take mexican, thai, japanese food and say its American. It literally isn't.

 

[Snowybreak]

Damn that sounds like it can kill someone.

It's still magnificent and extremely tasty.

 

[BannedEpisode]

There is some truth to American food scene growing in the last twenty years.

The twin cities went from terrible family restaurants as your only option to having a TON of great small restaurants and international options. Especially Vietnamese and East African.

 

[gun_haver]

American cuisine is not every cuisine you can have in America lmfao

You don't go to America for Korean food. You go to Korea for Korean food.

America is known for BBQ and diner food generally. That is your cuisine. You can't just take mexican, thai, japanese food and say its American. It literally isn't.

well i'm sure you get the american version of various kinds of food, just like in the UK or germany or where-ever else. it kind of develops off on it's own branch, so you can (probably, i haven't spent much time in america) make a comment like 'i don't like american chinese food, but i like german chinese food' or something like that.

 

[Ionic]

You can't just take mexican, thai, japanese food and say its American. It literally isn't.

Can we make claim to Tex-Mex and takeout style Chinese at least?

 

[WildZero]

.

 

[Skellig Gra]

American cuisine is not every cuisine you can have in America lmfao

You don't go to America for Korean food. You go to Korea for Korean food.

America is known for BBQ and diner food generally. That is your cuisine. You can't just take mexican, thai, japanese food and say its American. It literally isn't.

America is a nation of immigrants so I respectfully disagree. Our cuisine was brought here from other cultures. Cuisine evolves over thousands of years. We've been here for a couple hundred.

 

[BlackRainbowFT]

I've never been to the US and I'm sure the food is fantastic. ...But I do value our stricter norms about pesticides, hormones, etc.

 

[Chococat]

it's hard to go to the deli case?

Trader Joe's is pretty common in the US and their cheese section has dozens of varieties.

In Michigan, there are 7 Trader Joe's in the whole state- 5 of them in the Metro Detroit Area. That is not common for everyone. For me, yes- I bike to the local one to get "exotic foods" once a month.

For your information, Mejier's out local chain also has dozens of cheeses in their deli section. But culturally, that is not what the majority of American's actually buy.

This thread is about European preconceptions / misconceptions of American food culture. As an American, I don't think their idea that majority of American food consumed is overly fat, sweet, poor quality, large quantity is wrong. The idea that America has no quality food however, is wrong. You just need to know where to look and have money.

 

[balladofwindfishes]

American cuisine is not every cuisine you can have in America lmfao

You don't go to America for Korean food. You go to Korea for Korean food.

America is known for BBQ and diner food generally. That is your cuisine. You can't just take mexican, thai, japanese food and say its American. It literally isn't.

You can't get General Tso's chicken in China. You can't get California roll in Japan (without looking hard). Nachos are not common in Mexico.

These foods are as American as BBQ. They were invented in the US. They are American cuisine.

 

[nded]

I know I'm saying Mediterranean cuisine IS American cuisine.

I mean, it's available in America but it's not distinctly New World like Mexican is. Would you also consider Mexican a European cuisine?

 

[HariKari]

American cuisine is not every cuisine you can have in America lmfao

You don't go to America for Korean food. You go to Korea for Korean food.

America is known for BBQ and diner food generally. That is your cuisine. You can't just take mexican, thai, japanese food and say its American. It literally isn't.

When you've got one of everything around you and they're owned by Americans that have been here for generations, it's 'American'. Americanized versions of everything you named differ significantly from the home country cuisine.

Food is the one thing this country gets right.

 

[Skellig Gra]

I mean, it's available in America but it's not distinctly New World like Mexican is. Would you also consider Mexican a European cuisine?

Definitely not. While there are certain Spanish influences to it there are so many things that are unique to Central America. The difference is Mexicans is the aboriginal culture is still there to a significant extent. In the US we wiped that out pretty thoroughly unfortunately.

 

[rudger]

American cuisine is not every cuisine you can have in America lmfao

You don't go to America for Korean food. You go to Korea for Korean food.

America is known for BBQ and diner food generally. That is your cuisine. You can't just take mexican, thai, japanese food and say its American. It literally isn't.

But if you went to LA and didnt have Korean food, did you really go to LA? Koreatown is literally half the city.

And Tex mex is uniquely American. It is a combination of styles, but it's not food you find in Mexico.

 

[balladofwindfishes]

Fortune cookies are an American made cookie, invented by Japanese immigrants, served in Chinese restaurants.

Which country do I visit to eat an "authentic" fortune cookie, since it's obviously not American cuisine?



The idea that food invented in America, by immigrants, served almost exclusively in the US, is not American cuisine is ridiculous.

 

[Orayn]

I think I eat cottage cheese, celery sticks or carrots, and a small salad for lunch most days but I'm American so that's clearly impossible.

 

[Chococat]

FWIW, broccoli has been popular in the US since the 1920s.

There was a big marketing push for it national is the 80's. All the time I worked catering in the 90's, it was the hip food to serve at wedding. I seriously got burned out on broccoli in early 2000's cause it was in everything. I've only recently gotten back to eating it.

https://www.kingstonregion.com/news-story/4855440-a-brief-history-of-broccoli/

When Italian immigrants tried to market broccoli in the US in the 1920s, they experienced push-back. Racism against Italians meant that some people saw broccoli as a strange, "foreign" vegetable.

But advertising campaigns and radio spots began to win the public over. The strangeness of broccoli became an asset; some began to see it as an exciting new vegetable.

Even after the Second World War, however, broccoli was on the margins for most North Americans, partly due to a distribution problem. Other members of the Brassica family are tougher. Cabbage stores incredibly well, either fresh or pickled, and can be shipped over distance.

But broccoli stores terribly by most traditional methods; it wilts after a few days without refrigeration, and if you try to can it you'll end up with unpalatable mush.

But you can freeze it. The rise of refrigeration after the Second World War, and the development of "cold chains" brought good quality vegetables from the field to distant eaters. (In Canada, broccoli is the now third most popular frozen vegetable, after carrots and peas.)

But the real boon for broccoli was the push for healthy eating around the 1970s. Research showed that broccoli (and its relatives) were extremely nutritious, and very high in Vitamin A among other things. So health-conscious parents made sure to serve their kids broccoli, because broccoli is good for you.

Since 1980, the eating of fresh broccoli has quadrupled in North America. Kids who were raised in the 70s and 80s are still eating broccoli, and some of them are having families and feeding it to their own kids.

 

[jstripes]

My most shocking experience with bread in the US was when I had literally the best barbecue in my whole life and it was served with a gooey piece of "bread". They called it whole wheat but it was just some cheap slice of factory made toast that wasn't even toasted.
Like this:

Thats not bread if you ask me. Serving it together with that amazing brisket was almost comical, as if they've done it on purpose to fuck with people.

American bread, like many things, was designed for mass distribution. The rapidly-developed cities and suburbs didn't really have local bakeries, so bread was baked at large factories, to be shipped to corner stores and supermarkets, and are full of preservatives so they could sit on a shelf for a week or two without going bad.

Of course, you can get freshly baked bread at Walmart now, but people stick with what they're used to.

 

[Nightfall]

It's all in good fun. You are right about your last point but that's the thing that some Europeans don't seem to understand about America. We have 10,000 kinds of everything. So naturally there is going to be loads of trash. But there is a significant amount of great stuff too. People eat Hershey's and think "this is American chocolate". Yes it is ONE but there are many others. I doubt if people picked up Ghirardelli first they'd have the same opinion.

You’re absolutely right! I love the US and besides all the shitty cheap stuff you have a lot of really great and awesome food. No doubt about it.

 

[Bloodporne]

I've really stopped caring about the actual intent of this thread entirely and am just hungry as fuck right now...

Das ganze Deutsche Zeug...ach du Scheisse...

 

[fwoibles]

Think about where in the USA could a gas station attendant make you a real cappuccino and bakery fresh dessert?

It definitely feels more accessible than what I found in my two weeks in america. Best I got in terms of unprocessed food was a mexican chicken shop off the strip in Las Vegas, we spent at least 30 minutes for each lunch or dinner to find a 'real' restaurant each day. We were probably hampered by our unwillingness to get in the car and drive for at least 20minutes to some shack we got from TripAdvisor.

Here in Italy or back in Germany you drive by one of many a restaurant at appropriate times (lunch- and dinnertimes are clear cut for those establishments) and you'll get something local and freshly made. Never had a bad experience. Restaurants just don't stay open if they serve crap.

I've really stopped caring about the actual intent of this thread entirely and am just hungry as fuck right now...

Das ganze Deutsche Zeug...ach du Scheisse...

I saw the Roggenmischbrot on page 1 and got peckish myself. That's the only thing I miss in Italy, german bread.

 

[Bakercat]

Use this rule eurogaf when you visit the States, "if it can be eaten, it's been cooked in grease".

 

[Skellig Gra]

Use this rule eurogaf when you visit the States, "if it can be eaten, it's been cooked in grease".

Or just pretend you are visiting Edinburgh.

 

[Snowybreak]

Use this rule eurogaf when you visit the States, "if it can be eaten, it's been cooked in grease".

...huh? Not everything here is fried you know.

 

[Westbahnhof]

...huh? Not everything here is fried you know.

Are you saying this isn't everyday life in the US?

 

[Snowybreak]

Are you saying this isn't everyday life in the US?

What's the point of a response like this?

To be clear, I find none of this amusing.

 

[balladofwindfishes]

We actual prefer our grease cold when we dump 800 calories of it onto lettuce, thank you very much.

 

[zelas]

What's the point of a response like this?

Lighten up

 

[Skellig Gra]

What's the point of a response like this?

To be clear, I find none of this amusing.

He's making a joke, this isn't that serious of a thread.

 

[Westbahnhof]

What's the point of a response like this?

To be clear, I find none of this amusing.

Wow. Okay, then maybe stand back, take a breath, and realize it's not that serious.

The video and attached text was posted, hopefully obviously, kiddingly. No offense or insult meant.

The point is that the clip is funny, and just like the comment you replied to before, it portrays (American) fast food habits using hyperbole.

 

[Snowybreak]

Lighten up

Why? I've been on GAF long enough to see trends in common perspectives and memes, that when I see a thread with a title like this, any humor or playfulness is gone. The point of this thread isn't to have a light hearted discussion about the differences between European and American foods, it's to raise French, Spanish and Italian food on a pedestal while simultaneously bashing and disparaging the food culture of my country.

 

[G.ZZZ]

I find most American and European food to be really bland. I like spice and flavor. For that, I love Asian food.

Form mostra people,it's a genetic thing. There's a reason south asians use a lot more spice for example. Gonna look for the science on it later

 

[Natetan]

I was in Germany last week. Had some kolrabi schnitzel that was great.

German food is generally bad, it's super carb-y bread bread bread bread pretzels beer. I never feel full at meal time because I'm still full of carbs.

French food quality isn't that amazing. I live here now, and I will say there is far more diversity just in the produce aisle in the us. Plenty of good food coops that work with local farmers.

Japan has wonderful quality produce too. Although you pay for it....

 

[Skellig Gra]

Why? I've been on GAF long enough to see trends in common perspectives and memes, that when I see a thread with a title like this, any humor or playfulness is gone. The point of this thread isn't to have a light hearted discussion about the differences between European and American foods, it's to raise French, Spanish and Italian food on a pedestal while simultaneously bashing and disparaging the food culture of my country.

I get your point Snowy (I'm American too) but this thread is actually a healthy discussion all things considered. There has been very little drive by shit posting from snobby Europeans, especially now that the thread has past the initial waves of hot takes. If it still bothers you that much I'd recommend just bailing from the thread.

 

[nded]

The difference is Mexicans is the aboriginal culture is still there to a significant extent. In the US we wiped that out pretty thoroughly unfortunately.

It is unfortunate. The only consolation is that a surprising amount of Native American food traditions persist in various U.S. regional cuisines and in some cases around the world. Anyone that makes corn polenta and calls it a traditional Italian dish is lying to themselves.

 

[Snowybreak]

I get your point Snowy (I'm American too) but this thread is actually a healthy discussion all things considered. There has been very little drive by shit posting from snobby Europeans, especially now that the thread has past the initial waves of hot takes. If it still bothers you that much I'd recommend just bailing from the thread.

It bothers me because I have seen with my own eyes the resurgence of experimentation and creativity in our culinary sphere. In the past ten years we have developed and extremely sophisticated food culture that only continues to expand and evolve, mixing and merging disparate concepts from hundreds of various cuisines into something inherently unique.

So when I come into a thread like this, and see the same shit-flinging over and over and over again, it makes me want to break down and cry.