British Undeservedly Snotty about American Cuisine

[alfred russel]

I would argue that Chicago is known for offering a wide diversity of foods from around the world. The little neighborhoods offer amazing food as they've come from their homelands, since the restaurants are geared for the immigrants. If one avoids the kitschy tourist restaurants or the mass-market restaurants, one can find a vast array of amazing international cuisine made by immigrants for immigrants.

All of this being said, I think that with the superfluous amounts of mass-market restaurants around the world, there is quickly coming a homogeneous style of preparing food no matter where you are. Sure, McDonald's in Hong Kong is different from the MickyDs in Chicago in many ways, but the essence is still pretty much the same. If I really wanted to, I could travel the world over twice and never stray from that which I've known my entire life.

And so far as I'm concerned, having the top cuisine from any country will probably be magnificent. It's the day-to-day fare that is what is questioned, I think, and that will be what people are most likely to defend. Who wants to be told that they have no taste?

Meri, I didn't get across what I was trying to say well. Chicago has fantastic places to eat, and fantastic food, but I don't think there have been many foods born in Chicago that I'd be proud of as far as cuisine goes. Chicago is still one of the best places to eat in the world.

[alfred russel]

When I eat locally I eat thai, sushi, chinese, italian, middle eastern, and mexican regularly. Those options are out there even in small towns now. In 50 years local tastes may be homogenized away.

[garbon]

Is that similar to Mediterranean cuisine?

Umm...no.

[Grey Fox]

I'm hungry now.

How different is Chinese cuisine from Hong Kong to Urumqi?

[Eddie Teach]

Hong Kong- cats and dogs
Urumqi- horse

[Caliga]

Don't they mix yak blood and butter in with their tea in that part of China as well?

[Gups]

Well I didn't meant to imply that. Just to point out that the view you can get from the outside is quite flat and distorted. Many foreigners only see sevillanas, flamenco, paella and sangría. Those are actually fairly localized phenomena (from southern coastal areas). Personally I prefer the north, due to lower tourist density, milder climate and mountains. Food is excellent no matter where you go - though Larchie has a point and you should eat where the locals do.

I dunno. From my experience, food in the Basque country and Cantabria is superb the best I've had anywhere. Catalan food is very good too.  Andalucian cuisine is much more hit and miss.

[MadImmortalMan]

Chicago is one of the best places to eat in the world. Anyway, I don't think I can come up with anything that is so pervasive in the whole country that I can put my finger on it as "American" food. Even hamburgers are more a world-food than an American one. Invented by Germans and popularized by immigrants, IIRC. Hot dogs too. The only thing that came from the US are the names.


All our food is either regional or foreign. There is no US-cuisine.

[garbon]

I would argue that Chicago is known for offering a wide diversity of foods from around the world. The little neighborhoods offer amazing food as they've come from their homelands, since the restaurants are geared for the immigrants. If one avoids the kitschy tourist restaurants or the mass-market restaurants, one can find a vast array of amazing international cuisine made by immigrants for immigrants.

I'm not sure that is really a unique feature of Chicago...

[Caliga]

Yeah.  It's certainly true in Boston as well.  You all will laugh, but it's even true to a certain extent here.  We have a large Cuban exile community, which means we have a number of outstanding Cuban restaurants.  We also have a relatively large Indian community, so the Indian food scene is great as well.

[Josquius]

Really?  I am astonished.  Is the area where you find this to be true (I assume your own home area) closely associated with Oz, somehow?  That's the only explanation for such an unusual concept that I can think of.  Barbecue has been a style of cooking in the Americas (and known by that name) since long before Australia was even discovered.

I think he's right for the UK in general.  'Throw another shrimp on the barbie...' and so on.

Yeah, BBQs big rise back in the 80s/early 90s was as part of the Austraphilia going around at the time.

I think its more than just Britain too, many foreigners too seem to assosiate Australia with bbq.

And..I doubt Australia copied the US. BBQ is a fairly logical, basic way of cooking. When you're in a country with nice hot weather and plenty of meat...then its a given you'll want to BBQ and it'll become part of your culture.

[grumbler]

Yeah, BBQs big rise back in the 80s/early 90s was as part of the Austraphilia going around at the time.

I think its more than just Britain too, many foreigners too seem to assosiate Australia with bbq.

And..I doubt Australia copied the US. BBQ is a fairly logical, basic way of cooking. When you're in a country with nice hot weather and plenty of meat...then its a given you'll want to BBQ and it'll become part of your culture.

Given that Australian "barbecue" is nothing of the sort (just what Americans generally call "grilling"), you are almost certainly correct that the Australians simply took the name and applied it to a very un-original way of cooking.  In a way, that's a pity, because actual barbecue is wonderful stuff (though it takes forever to make), while grilling is very ordinary. Anyone thinking they are eating barbecue because the Australians convinced them that grilling is barbecue is losing out on the real thing.

[merithyn]

I'm not sure that is really a unique feature of Chicago...

I don't consider it unique. It's just what Chicago is most known for on the food front. At the same time, I think I remember a food critic article that claimed that only New York City has as many different cuisine styles as Chicago.

[Caliga]

I don't consider it unique. It's just what Chicago is most known for on the food front. At the same time, I think I remember a food critic article that claimed that only New York City has as many different cuisine styles as Chicago.

Los Angeles?

I know you didn't say it--some food critic did--but it seems like it would go NYC-LA-Chicago to me.

[Josquius]

Given that Australian "barbecue" is nothing of the sort (just what Americans generally call "grilling"), you are almost certainly correct that the Australians simply took the name and applied it to a very un-original way of cooking.  In a way, that's a pity, because actual barbecue is wonderful stuff (though it takes forever to make), while grilling is very ordinary. Anyone thinking they are eating barbecue because the Australians convinced them that grilling is barbecue is losing out on the real thing.

hmm, my Finnish flatmate always refers to BBQing as grilling.I thought this was just him getting confused and not a actual British/American English difference.