American Food

[Independent voter]

[Louisa Bannon]

Well, I'm Italian and my assertion is simply that most of what passes for pizza in the U.S. is not very good. Certainly poor ingredients is high on the list of faults. Most cities I've lived in I find that there are maybe 1-2 places that serve anything like an edible Italian styled pizza. By definition, catsup on a slice of wonder bread with American cheese might be called pizza.

My point was that all of these things are very interpretive. Different types of cuisine are brought to the U.S. and reimagined with ingredient available here. Usually the results are poor, but I still view the changes in say Tex-Mex as substantial enough to think of it as a uniquely American style of food. And FWIW, Mexican styled food seems hard to come by in many places, like a regular hamburger, it can be hard to find that elusive taste of home abroad. I've been to Pumper Nic, and it ain't no Burger King, of course Burger itself actually sucks.

Of General Tso's Chicken, Peng who invented it would later comment, "This is all crazy nonsense." Which strikes me as a less than ringing endorsement. Peng would later even admit that he altered his original recipe to suit American tastes better.

[fiestatastic]

Most "Chinese food" was created in the United States by Chinese immigrants via Taiwan. See: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart...ing-180956795/

Queso isn't a thing that really existed before. I make mine with Tillamook, Ballyshannon and sodium citrate. Mexican fast food is fairly unique to the states - for example the weird hard taco shell. Also, the burrito served American or anglais style, with enchilada sauce and cheese, then broiled is unique. Chili Colorado and a whole host of Tex-Mex cuisine is all relatively unique.

American pizza isn't really like Italian pizza either.

I've not noticed that the rest of the world eats much turkey, so that whole meal is fairly unique.

But everywhere borrows from everywhere else anyway. I mean, Italians didn't invent pasta - Marco Polo brought noodles from Asia. And so it goes...

Burritos in general were invented in San Francisco, Mexico did not have them prior.

[Deleted]

American processed food is pretty terrible. Too many chemicals (some of which are banned in Europe). Too much sugar. European processed food doesn't have as much crap in it, because regulation.

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Burritos in general were invented in San Francisco, Mexico did not have them prior.

California used to be Mexico.

[belfpala]

California used to be Mexico.

Shhhhhh, next you'll say the Louisiana Purchase never happened.

[Deleted]

Actually the British get the blame for that.

No, we don't. No-one eats Mac n Cheese in Britain. Italian Americans invented it (and Italians laugh at that shit, its gross)

[Deleted]

No, we don't. No-one eats Mac n Cheese in Britain. Italian Americans invented it (and Italians laugh at that shit, its gross)

You better go argue with wikipedia then.

[Fencers]

The quality of sausages around the world is extraordinarily high compared to America. It's a real shame we can't produce sausages like the Germans, Italians and Spaniards.

Also, ham. American ham is terrible compared to the mediocre stuff in Europe. I had a supermarket deli bought ham in a sandwich with a smear of mustard while in Portugal once and it wa the best fucking ham I ever ate in my life. I have spent $19.00/lb for ham here in the US that was not as good.

America's cured meat game is weak as fuck.

[Independent voter]

Burritos in general were invented in San Francisco, Mexico did not have them prior.

I don't think so, there was a certain style of burrito invented in San Francisco



The Mission burrito. These things are huge and could feed a whole village by themselves.

I think burritos are a Mexican thing.

"burrito" means little donkey, meaning the the white part of a the burro's face. I mean the idea is so simple that I would really really be amazed if some Mexican wife back in 1820 didn't make an over sized tortilla one day and stuffed it with beans and rice.

[belfpala]

No, we don't. No-one eats Mac n Cheese in Britain. Italian Americans invented it (and Italians laugh at that shit, its gross)

Without looking at any sources, it's this: extruded pasta in a Mornay sauce. That's more or less Italian and French.

I'll make you some boss white wine cream Mornay to go on cavatappi, if that sounds more appetizing. But, at the essence, it's the same thing.

[Radaney]

Your chocolate might be the worst in the world.

[belfpala]

Your chocolate might be the worst in the world.

Interesting opinion, as chocolate originated in the Americas. But you're right, the Swiss mastered the art, and the Dutch invented a cocoa process.

However, as with most things that will arise in this thread: this is a nation of over 300 million people. For every example of one bad product (say, Hershey's Kisses), I can find a hundred great products that will never get attention across the pond.

We can go the other direction too. If I wasn't a savvy beer person, I might think Newcastle is all you have over there.

[Dacien]

The worst American food i've had is Mac and Cheese, my god, that stuff is just vomit inducing, completely gross, disgusting.

I'd like to try some gator dishes sometime though.

I know a guy who will order from the kids menu at a restaurant if it's the only way he can get mac and cheese. Loves the stuff.

[Blobfish]

I know Americans like Cranberries.
When I first tried Cranberry juice I went eww very bitter.

But now I really like Cranberry juice and snack on dried Cranberries.
Cranberries are very healthy.

[belfpala]

I know a guy who will order from the kids menu at a restaurant if it's the only way he can get mac and cheese. Loves the stuff.

Picky eaters. bleh. One of my better friends will only eat mac and cheese, grilled cheese, chicken strips, and fries.

I can take go boxes when I leave work. If I'm going to hang out with people, I'll make whatever the fuck they want. Anything. On the phone with him? Nope, mac and cheese again, which he knows is only on my kids' menu, and it's just a frozen pouch of Kraft stuff.

Never argue with picky eaters. Not worth it.

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I know Americans like Cranberries.
When I first tried Cranberry juice I went eww very bitter.

But now I really like Cranberry juice and snack on dried Cranberries.
Cranberries are very healthy.

Yeah, it's an acquired taste, I'm glad you came around!

[belfpala]

As far as pizza in the US is concerned. Any Pizza found outside of the Northeast is always going to be trash. NY obviously has the best but the farther you get from NY the more the pizza sucks.

I don't know, I've lived in NYC, but I know a pizza place in Michigan that does NYC style better.

I've also lived in Italy.

Anyway, the argument is moot. There are plenty of places now doing Italian style pizza, 1000 degree brick oven and all. As long as we're not ordering from Domino's or Papa John's, there's good pizza to be had.

[Tulune]

I know Americans like Cranberries.
When I first tried Cranberry juice I went eww very bitter.

But now I really like Cranberry juice and snack on dried Cranberries.
Cranberries are very healthy.

Try fresh cranberries with honey and walnuts. Yum.

[belfpala]

Try fresh cranberries with honey and walnuts. Yum.

Vodka, tonic, splash of cranberry juice, watch out.

[belfpala]

Most American food is not really American just modified food from the rest of the world. Cajun food on the other hand is uniquely American...

You can say the same for any cuisine, really.

As for Cajun, 2 parts paprika, 2 parts garlic powder, 1 part onion powder, 1 part oregano, 1 part thyme, then salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste. That makes anything Cajun.

[Louisa Bannon]

Burritos in general were invented in San Francisco, Mexico did not have them prior.

Also, I really doubt this origin point. Wiki says only the "Mission burrito" style dates to the 60s and 70s. It also states the precise origins are not known.

@ Fencers:

I think Volpi or some of the New jersey makers of proscuitto aren't too bad, taste versus cost wise.

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But you're right, the Swiss mastered the art, and the Dutch invented a cocoa process.

Belgium for chocolate in my opinion.