NationStates Jolt Archive

I think the idea of British food being bland is such an urban myth, especially when there are many other nationalities that really do have tasteless food.
Authentic British cuisine is actually very tasty, it seems to me that the people who slate it have never actually tried it.
But then I am originally British so I could be biased.
Please let me know your experiences of culinary excellence in the bland department also which nationality.

Why would you assume that Albanian food is bland? Especially compared to British food?
While I agree that British cuisine isn't the blandest on the planet, it's definitely among the top 10, sorry to say. Irish is worse, though.

Irish is worse, though.

I remember a great little cartoon about Irish food, and although a little harsh, it had a waiter saying to a diner, "Would you like chips with your potatoes, Sir?"

Playing on a myth, but funny anyway.

There's a hunter-gatherer tribe somewhere that mostly eats some sort of gluey paste. I'd say that probably qualifies as the blandest food.

I chose Britain because Other is such a boring option. I'd say the Mongolians, Mordvans, Nenetsis or some other people living in the middle of nowhere have the blandest cuisine.

I think the idea of British food being bland is such an urban myth, especially when there are many other nationalities that really do have tasteless food.
Authentic British cuisine is actually very tasty, it seems to me that the people who slate it have never actually tried it.
But then I am originally British so I could be biased.
Please let me know your experiences of culinary excellence in the bland department also which nationality.

There is no such thing as 'authentic' british cuisine. Like all sensible people the entire thing is a mix of flavors that just taste good.

Anyway, there are some damn tasty places you can go and eat if you want however.

[QUOTE=Lacadaemon]There is no such thing as 'authentic' british cuisine. Like all sensible people the entire thing is a mix of flavors that just taste good.

Maybe I should have said 'Traditional' hmmm.

It doesn't matter if you get something bland here. Just put copious quantities of English mustard; Brown, Worcestershire or Horseradish sauce; or simply tons of salt and vinegar on it.

Bland no more.

I would say it was amongst the blandest, but the amount of samosas, bargis, curries etc mean that is no longer the case.

[QUOTE=Lacadaemon]There is no such thing as 'authentic' british cuisine. Like all sensible people the entire thing is a mix of flavors that just taste good.

Maybe I should have said 'Traditional' hmmm.

Yah, you could say that, but you have to remeber that fish and chips came from the sephardic jews,

Personall, I revel in out non traditional cuisine. We are, after all, the country that invented the PHALL.

mmmm Pidgeon pie all the taste of a game bird but at half price

What is traditional British food anyway? Is there something that isn't greasy and salty?

What is traditional British food anyway? Is there something that isn't greasy and salty?


The tea... occasionally.

The tea... occasionally.
:D I do like tea. But not with milk..

No gotta say english food rocks - the thing is proper english food is dieing out due to american fast food jointstaking over the world!!

THere is noting better than a Sunday lunch - proper home made english food - LOVE IT:) :cool:

I don't understand the idea that British food is bland. What particularly makes British food supposedly bland? Does anyone have any actual examples?

I think you're being rather unfair on traditional English food: on one level there are everyday meals, such as roasts, pies, etc. which can all be very flavorsome if prepared using good ingredients.

On the other level there is English haut cuisine, heavily influenced by French cooking: Churchill was very partial to:

Rabit strudel with aspparagras, spring peas and May Morels (a wild mushroom), Perigord truffle sauce.

Warm stilton and red onion tart with poached strawberries.


So not really bland.

Oh jeez. I'm at the point where I gotta have everything all spicy and flavorfull, so I'm biased, but Irish food by far. Disgusting and bland as all hell.

8 people voted America? My god ... where have you 8 eaten? I'll admit Pennsylvanian-Dutch food is the most god awful stuff ever put on a plate, but head a little further south.

Try some Texas chili or Cajun food. You cannot possibly call that stuff "bland".

i dunno, i suppose antartica has a pretty bland cuisine; i mean ice, ice and more ice. And maybe some snow. But seriously, some chinese food can be bland as hell. I once tried sort of jelly thing, it tasted of nothing, and i mena nothing. It was like eating that sticky stuff they glue freebie cds to magazines with.

British food's fine. I've been eating it all my life. It's better than Polish food, at least. And us Brits make some of the best cheese in the world.

It was like eating that sticky stuff they glue freebie cds to magazines with.
You've eaten that stuff? :confused: Why?

You've eaten that stuff? :confused: Why?

it looked tasty..

My Canadian was told that the food here in England was bad, bland and generally crap....He was impressed and surprised by the food here, has had some amazing meals. Even in pubs...not everywhere serves greasy burgers and chips...and to be honest, we only get that at places because people are dumb enough to keep buying it...I think that reputation for blandness comes from the the 50's and the left over results of war time rationing.

Steak and Kidney pie is not bland, neither is Pheasant, venison, partridge, Duck, a good roast dinner, stilton and the many other decent cheeses. Good vegetables, locally grown and well cooked, local meat and game, rabbit, black pudding....all manner of good home cooked food, and the influences that we have had from all over the world, people have not lived in a vacuum...its just a big myth, the worst and most bland food I ever ate was in Florida, but I don't imagine that all food in America is like that..I also had some very bad meals in France, badly cooked and presented with a terrible attitude...but I know that its not like that everywhere...it is a stupid reputation that is not deserved.

By the way, my beer loving Canadian says that the beer here is excellent, especially the small breweries making real ale, and much better than any produced in North America.

If you think British food or any food to be precise is bland then you either a) eat everything with chilli and like it that way (which I would call bland as you've got used to the spice) OR b) you have no idea how to make the most of the ingredients you cook with OR c) very poor quality ingredients were used (such as processed meats and cheeses and foods with too many added artificial preservatives

What is traditional British food anyway? Is there something that isn't greasy and salty?What mainstream indian restaurant sells food that isn't greasy and salty?

Traditional English food includes
Roasts, Oggies, a full english, Lancashire Hotpot, Fish and chips, Shepherds Pie, Toad in the Hole, Bangers and mash, Cauliflower Cheese, Bakewell tarts, Pork Pies, Streak and Kidney pie, Cumberland sausage, Sherry Trifle, Strawberries and cream, scones with west country clotted cream, then you can get a variety of soups, desserts, and sandwiches (which where invented in Britain). And there's lots of stuff I haven't mentioned as well.

And if you're still after spice then try proper English Mustard and Horseradishes.

Anyone ever tried nettle soup? Very yummy.

stilton and the many other decent cheeses.

By the way, my beer loving Canadian says that the beer here is excellent, especially the small breweries making real ale, and much better than any produced in North America.
Mmmm...stilton...I have some downstairs right now. And some crackers :) I think I know what's for lunch today.

And yes, beer here is excellent. The best beer from this country is only bettered by the best beer from Belgium and Germany.

I chose Britain because Other is such a boring option. I'd say the Mongolians, Mordvans, Nenetsis or some other people living in the middle of nowhere have the blandest cuisine.

mongols eat bull's testicle stew (or it might have been goat's) - that ain't bland thats fucking mental.

this is going to be unpopular but i reckon italian is the blandest (besides pesto, love that stuff). there's too much emphasis on dough and pasta for me and their sauces all seem to have tomatoes in, which is all well and good but it gets boring after a while. and the herbs are always the same. and mozarrella is the blandest cheese in existence. maybe i'm desensitised cuz of eating so much pizza and pasta but i've always been disappointed going to italian restaurants, more so than any other.

i also think french and chinese foods are vastly overrated (wine in everything is boring, though the garlic is good; the sort of chinese food you get over here is generally shit, not so much bland but unpalatable, except crispy chilli beef or garlic chilli dishes, and i'm told that food in china is mainly rice and fish which sounds bland as anything to me)

Before you get crazed about what I am about to say, I should tell you my parents have traveled all across Europe. They loved German food, Czech food, Greek food, Spanish food, French food and all the various regions of Italian food...

They did NOT like 'typically British food'. To be fair, they were on a tour and probably were not getting the BEST of British food -- but my mom was so sick (as in needing medication for intestinal distress, shall we say) from the amount of grease in what they were served that she actually asked my dad to bring her back McDonald's as being LESS greasy.

My cousin lived there for a number of years as he went to University there, and he preferred eating ethnic foods -- like Indian, French, etc.

this is going to be unpopular but i reckon italian is the blandest (besides pesto, love that stuff). there's too much emphasis on dough and pasta for me and their sauces all seem to have tomatoes in, which is all well and good but it gets boring after a while. They have some sauces based on squid inkt.. That's something different..

and mozarrella is the blandest cheese in existence. Quite bland, but so are most unripened cheeses. They also have much more savory cheeses, like parmazan.

Besides, they make the best ice-cream. Which easily offsets anything else.

They did NOT like 'typically British food'. To be fair, they were on a tour and probably were not getting the BEST of British food -- but my mom was so sick (as in needing medication for intestinal distress, shall we say) from the amount of grease in what they were served that she actually asked my dad to bring her back McDonald's as being LESS greasy.Hahaha, really? That's crazy... do you know what the specific thing she ate was?

But in that case never try Osh/Plov. I'm British and I think that's verging on getting a bit too greasy.

If you think British food or any food to be precise is bland then you either a) eat everything with chilli and like it that way (which I would call bland as you've got used to the spice) OR b) you have no idea how to make the most of the ingredients you cook with OR c) very poor quality ingredients were used (such as processed meats and cheeses and foods with too many added artificial preservatives

What mainstream indian restaurant sells food that isn't greasy and salty?

Traditional English food includes
Roasts, Oggies, a full english, Lancashire Hotpot, Fish and chips, Shepherds Pie, Toad in the Hole, Bangers and mash, Cauliflower Cheese, Bakewell tarts, Pork Pies, Streak and Kidney pie, Cumberland sausage, Sherry Trifle, Strawberries and cream, scones with west country clotted cream, then you can get a variety of soups, desserts, and sandwiches (which where invented in Britain). And there's lots of stuff I haven't mentioned as well.

And if you're still after spice then try proper English Mustard and Horseradishes.

Anyone ever tried nettle soup? Very yummy.
I would like to add apple pie to your list. And for those in the North East, ham and peas pudding stotties.
Also Haggis, black pudding, yorkshire curd tart, chicken tika masala, balti (Glasgow and Brum), coronation chicken, Cornish pasties (and any pastie for that matter) oh... the list goes on. But special mention must go to chippie chips with a splash of chip shop curry sauce!

We have one of the most diverse cusines in the world, we don't care where it originally came from we'll change it and make it our own.

LOL well she liked fish and chips -- but she said every meat she got on that tour was positively swimming in grease.

8 people voted America? My god ... where have you 8 eaten? I'll admit Pennsylvanian-Dutch food is the most god awful stuff ever put on a plate, but head a little further south.

Try some Texas chili or Cajun food. You cannot possibly call that stuff "bland".


The Anti-American crowd is unwilling to admit anything good about America.

They're so full of hate, it even clouds there taste buds.

Sad.


mattr0cka

Besides, they make the best ice-cream. Which easily offsets anything else.

i've had italian icecream - it tasted good (coffee flavour) but it was gritty so i didn't really enjoy it. i've had squid ink spagetti before, that was okay but the flavour was so delicate as to be almost unnoticeable.

Have we mentioned spotted dick yet ... ?

Bland taste, (or at least so I've been lead to believe, I've never been able to summon the courage to try it) colourful name.

I would like to add ... Cornish pasties (and any pastie for that matter)...What do you think an Oggy is? ;)
LOL well she liked fish and chips -- but she said every meat she got on that tour was positively swimming in grease.
Aye, you can get some pretty greasy spoons in the UK. I think they may might be part if the reason why we drink so much tea. I think it aids in the digestion of fats or something.

edit: whoops I spelt Oggy as Oggie... which is wrong, but then I say it more than I type it...

I'm sorry, I just think most British food is crap. It's not the worst, but I mean, horrible weather and horrible food? I swear, all you Brits have going for you is the fact you talk cool. That must be why you managed to conquer a fourth of the world...

Of course, American food is bad too, exept for at least ours has taste. Granted, that's from all the many pounds of pure fat in it, but meh.

I'm sorry, I just think most British food is crap. Well, in fairness most food turns to crap eventually :rolleyes:

LOL well she liked fish and chips -- but she said every meat she got on that tour was positively swimming in grease.
That sounds odd, really. I can't think of what she was eating... Only fry-ups and fish and chips can really be greasy, and you know what you're getting then.

The Anti-American crowd is unwilling to admit anything good about America.

They're so full of hate, it even clouds there taste buds.
I'm going to agree with Keruvalia, but you have to admit that stereotypical US food (burgers, chicken and grits for instance) is about as bland as it gets.

I'm sorry, I just think most British food is crap. It's not the worst, but I mean, horrible weather and horrible food? I swear, all you Brits have going for you is the fact you talk cool. That must be why you managed to conquer a fourth of the world...

Of course, American food is bad too, exept for at least ours has taste. Granted, that's from all the many pounds of pure fat in it, but meh.

Never had a real Sunday roast, then, with roast potatoes, beef and horseradish, yorkshire puiddings, brocolli, parsnips, carrots and tasty gravy?

And fish and chips is pretty nice.

But yeah, there's not that much going for British food.

Never had a real Sunday roast, then, with roast potatoes, beef and horseradish, yorkshire puiddings, brocolli, parsnips, carrots and tasty gravy?

And fish and chips is pretty nice.

But yeah, there's not that much going for British food.

Horseradish? Yorkshire Puddings? Parsnips? Tasty Gravy?

I'll pass.

Although, I have to admit, Fish and Chips is pretty nice. But that's the only "traditional" British dish I can actually eat.

What do you think an Oggy is? ;)

Aye, you can get some pretty greasy spoons in the UK. I think they may might be part if the reason why we drink so much tea. I think it aids in the digestion of fats or something.

edit: whoops I spelt Oggy as Oggie... which is wrong, but then I say it more than I type it...

Well you learn somehting every day. I now know what an Oggy is!
We have some great greasy spoons along with some of the best (posh) eating places about. Food is a passion of mine, I live to eat.

In the US and Canada I enjoyed much of the food but found, unlike the UK, the range in many of the smaller places very limited. I live near a 'town' of fewer than 20,000 people, there are three itialian restaurants, one Turkish, two Indian, one Chinese, one French, then half a dozen pubs that do food and a number of chip shops and other take aways. And this is not unusuall for the UK.

Again the same for France, some great places to eat in Paris, and the food was great, but the range and choice is less than I can find in my local city of Newcastle.

Loving food I find little bland, what I see is the range availble to people as important. In Italy they have fantastic local foods, but many itialinas are very provicial in thier tastes.

There are a couple of things,

Someone mentioned preffering ot eat Indian food in England rather than English food. I imagine what was served were English curries and curries and samosas are a major part of English cuisine and are distinct from the Indian originals. We accept pasta as Italian rather than regarding it as a Chinese import, so it is with curry in England.

Secondly, if you want to eat out, England is still very poor. I would have to spend a lot of money before I would be able to buy something that I would not be ashamed to serve myself.

You can get excellent food served in England, but the cost is prohibitive. If you pop in to a cafe etc the food is likely to be bad. In the French equivilent it would be very good.

Horseradish? Yorkshire Puddings? Parsnips? Tasty Gravy?

I'll pass.

Although, I have to admit, Fish and Chips is pretty nice. But that's the only "traditional" British dish I can actually eat.
So no cooked breakfast for you then?
No apple pie? Tart I'll give to the french.
No sarnies?
No lobster?

I'm sorry, I just think most British food is crap. It's not the worst, but I mean, horrible weather and horrible food? I swear, all you Brits have going for you is the fact you talk cool. That must be why you managed to conquer a fourth of the world...

Of course, American food is bad too, exept for at least ours has taste. Granted, that's from all the many pounds of pure fat in it, but meh.
It's a quarter, dude, not a fourth.

Chippy chips is what this country was built on.

I chose Britain because Other is such a boring option. I'd say the Mongolians, Mordvans, Nenetsis or some other people living in the middle of nowhere have the blandest cuisine.

Mongolian BBQ is quite tasty - me not agreeing.

Chippy chips is what this country was built on.So... You just mine for it then?!
Or is more like landfills :p

Bland?

Go to [nearly] any pub in Britain, and you'll get a better meal than...well most places.

OK so I've never been able to find a meal better than those I had in Italy, but still British food (not counting fast food crap bein churned in from America) is way up there on good taste.

I think the idea of British food being bland is such an urban myth, especially when there are many other nationalities that really do have tasteless food.
Authentic British cuisine is actually very tasty, it seems to me that the people who slate it have never actually tried it.
But then I am originally British so I could be biased.
Please let me know your experiences of culinary excellence in the bland department also which nationality.

I think some GIs brought back to America the idea that British (maybe English, to be exact) food sucked... I'm not certain about that though. I remember hearing the Brits (or English, I don't want to use them interchangeably) used to BOIL their beef... which is pretty much the worst way to cook beef.

if you put salt on something, it will almost always taste better (except for salting things like yogurt, donuts, etc.)... so whenever brits started salting their food... is probably when their food moved out of the realm of blandness. hehe

(the preceding post was a load of bullshit and should not be taken seriously... er, with a grain of salt)

So... You just mine for it then?!
Or is more like landfills :p
It's the major mining industry of this country now that the coal mines are shut. :p

I think some GIs brought back to America the idea that British (maybe English, to be exact) food sucked... I'm not certain about that though. I remember hearing the Brits (or English, I don't want to use them interchangeably) used to BOIL their beef... which is pretty much the worst way to cook beef.

if you put salt on something, it will almost always taste better (except for salting things like yogurt, donuts, etc.)... so whenever brits started salting their food... is probably when their food moved out of the realm of blandness. hehe

(the preceding post was a load of bullshit and should not be taken seriously... er, with a grain of salt)
It may also be that if those GIs were in the UK even years after the war they would have found most things were rationed and people here ate what they had and had little choice about it. In the UK the effect of WWII was far, far etc greater on every member of the population than most Americans can imagine.

You can get excellent food served in England, but the cost is prohibitive. If you pop in to a cafe etc the food is likely to be bad. In the French equivilent it would be very good.Pfft, you just don't know where to look.

I can get an excellent breakfast/lunch for less £4 down at one of my local cafes. Rasberry pancakes were pretty amazing.

You can get excellent food served in England, but the cost is prohibitive. If you pop in to a cafe etc the food is likely to be bad. In the French equivilent it would be very good.
Nonsense, you can get a brilliant pie and a pint in loads of pubs. And there's a pub near here where you can get an excellent lamb shank for about the price you'd pay for the meat in a supermarket (the owners of the pub also own an abbatoir, I think... It's the Red Lion in Welham, anyway).
I'd generally much rather eat in a pub than a fancy restaurant... Same food, less money, no being waited on, beer from the hand pumps.

if you put salt on something, it will almost always taste better (except for salting things like yogurt, donuts, etc.)Salt goes quite well with yogurt actually. :p

I think some GIs brought back to America the idea that British (maybe English, to be exact) food sucked... I'm not certain about that though. I remember hearing the Brits (or English, I don't want to use them interchangeably) used to BOIL their beef... which is pretty much the worst way to cook beef.

IIRC the idea that British food was primarily bland was one that arose in the post-war years of austerity, and is to a large part shaped by the influence that Elizabeth David had in introducing Mediterranean tastes to the British palate. The role of the Good Food Guide shouldn't be ignored either, although it was primarily interested in just hunting out better chocies in the options available to those who ate out in that period - in other words it was not criticising British food as such, but rather the unadventurous and frequently shoddy dishes and service of the time in restaurants, hotels, cafes and pubs.

Nonsense, you can get a brilliant pie and a pint in loads of pubs. And there's a pub near here where you can get an excellent lamb shank for about the price you'd pay for the meat in a supermarket (the owners of the pub also own an abbatoir, I think... It's the Red Lion in Welham, anyway).
I'd generally much rather eat in a pub than a fancy restaurant... Same food, less money, no being waited on, beer from the hand pumps.

Most pies sold in pubs are bought in frozen and heat up jobs. They are processed stews with a pastry lid with no substance. Generally the food I cook is better than that served in a pub.

No doubt there are great places you can hunt out, but there is no reason why we should have to know where to look. We still do not expect to get a good meal.

I can eat really well and in all manner of places for a VERY reasonable amount of money near to where I live, I am living on a really low income as I just got divorced, but I can still eat out now and again, and pub food here is damn good in many places, but they tend to be the places that the coaches (I live in a tourist area) don't frequent, my rule is usually..if the coach firms go there...don't touch it with a ten foot pole, it will be terrible, and as with many of the hotels that cater for coach and low priced holidays...crap.

I live in a village, and we have two pubs that both serve reasonable food, one in particluar has homemade stuff, we have an italian restaurant that is just fantastic and a nice cafe that does a good breakfast...and within reasonable walking distance of my house I can eat in Thai, Mexican, Italian, Indian, and English...also Sea food is very good here, being a seaside place, lobster and fish are fresh and good, we also grow a lot of tomatoes and sweetcorn here too...and the garlic grown here is exported to France....

As to grease in food, the worse meat I ever ate was in france....and the grease in the food I had in Florida had to be seen to be believed.

No gotta say english food rocks - the thing is proper english food is dieing out due to american fast food jointstaking over the world!!

THere is noting better than a Sunday lunch - proper home made english food - LOVE IT:) :cool:

Indeed.

Personally French, and, then Italian, cuisine will always surpass it, however Fish and Chips is unrivalled.

Even though i'm an American, I think America has very bland food.

American foods:

Fried chicken -- not bland

barbecue -- not bland

cheeseburger -- blandness depends on how the beef is seasoned and the burger's toppings, i suppose

apple pie -- not bland (apples, cinnamon, sugar, etc., in the filling)

meat loaf -- depends on what you put in it

mac and cheese -- not bland if seasoned

mashed potatoes -- not bland if you make them right (to me that means you add sour cream, butter, plenty of salt and pepper)

southwest cuisine (tex-mex... i suppose we share credit with Mexico) is not bland

what's this bland American food? I suppose maybe some have had bad meat loaf/cheeseburger experiences.

Most pies sold in pubs are bought in frozen and heat up jobs. They are processed stews with a pastry lid with no substance. Generally the food I cook is better than that served in a pub.

No doubt there are great places you can hunt out, but there is no reason why we should have to know where to look. We still do not expect to get a good meal.

I do at my local(s), superb establishments. However, for truly abysmal pies, try Old Trafford.

I do at my local(s), superb establishments. However, for truly abysmal pies, try Old Trafford.
Even Layer Road does better pies than OT.

I do at my local(s), superb establishments. However, for truly abysmal pies, try Old Trafford.

Pies from any kind of sorts event other than pavillion teas when you're actually playing cricket are generally of poor quality.

American foods:

Fried chicken -- not bland

barbecue -- not bland

cheeseburger -- blandness depends on how the beef is seasoned and the burger's toppings, i suppose

apple pie -- not bland (apples, cinnamon, sugar, etc., in the filling)

meat loaf -- depends on what you put in it

mac and cheese -- not bland if seasoned

mashed potatoes -- not bland if you make them right (to me that means you add sour cream, butter, plenty of salt and pepper)

southwest cuisine (tex-mex... i suppose we share credit with Mexico) is not bland

what's this bland American food? I suppose maybe some have had bad meat loaf/cheeseburger experiences.

Ummm you have quoted burgers TWICE....and Barbecue? Its just a method of cooking outdoors...we do that here too and I believe that the Australians do quite a bit of it as well........

Even Layer Road does better pies than OT.

I'll thank you not to insult my two teams grounds, I live in walking distance (7 miles) of Layer Road. It's a lovely ground isn't it?;)

Pies from any kind of sorts event other than pavillion teas when you're actually playing cricket are generally of poor quality.

Because for too long people have accepted crap...if nobody bought it, they would have to raise their game so to speak.....

I'll thank you not to insult my two teams grounds, I live in walking distance (7 miles) of Layer Road. It's a lovely ground isn't it?;)
Must be why they're moving then. :p

Pies at Highbury are quite good.

Ummm you have quoted burgers TWICE....and Barbecue? Its just a method of cooking outdoors...we do that here too and I believe that the Australians do quite a bit of it as well........

i see one line for cheeseburger

Must be why they're moving then. :p

Pies at Highbury are quite good.

Moving, where to?

As for Highbury, shit hole!;)

American foods:

Fried chicken -- not bland
True.

barbecue -- not bland
How can you claim that's American?

apple pie -- not bland (apples, cinnamon, sugar, etc., in the filling)
Apple pie is not American.

meat loaf -- depends on what you put in it
He eats all kind of crap doesn't he?

mac and cheese -- not bland if seasoned
I assume you mean macaroni and cheese. Macaroni is pasta. It's Italian.

mashed potatoes -- not bland if you make them right (to me that means you add sour cream, butter, plenty of salt and pepper)
Mash is most definitely English.

i see one line for cheeseburger

cheeseburger -- blandness depends on how the beef is seasoned and the burger's toppings, i suppose

mac and cheese -- not bland if seasoned

My bad, I thought mac and cheese was a Mcdonalds, as thats what my kids call it...I am thinking that it might be Macaroni Cheese? I take it all back...well not the 'American food is bland' thing..

Moving, where to?

As for Highbury, shit hole!;)
Cuckoo Farm. I shit ye not. http://www.cu-fc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/TheStadium/0,,10424,00.html

Highbury is not a shithole! :)
Don't hold out much hope for Ashburton Grove, though. I just get the feeling it'll be a bit soulless. And I'm not sure how far away from the pitch the seating is. Hopefully it'll be as close as possible.

The Anti-American crowd is unwilling to admit anything good about America.

They're so full of hate, it even clouds there taste buds.

Sad.


mattr0cka


Bingo. There is a huge diversity of foods available in America- all types of food available everywhere. All ingredients available-fresh-all the time.

America bland- yeah-maybe if you had plain grits only while you were here-If you were here.

Being an ex-pat, I really miss Ambrosia Devon Custard & Ambrosia rice pudding, Cadbury's chocolate, Bovril, Oxo stock cubes, Bisto gravy, our finest colonial lamb :D(New Zealand), gravy on my chips, Lemon Curd.
I'll have to stop now, getting all misty-eyed.

America has the blandest food? I'm going to have to raise an eyebrow (http://www.geocities.com/nightshade_pheonix_gallery4/micallef/intro5.jpg) to that one.

Cuckoo Farm. I shit ye not. http://www.cu-fc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/TheStadium/0,,10424,00.html

Highbury is not a shithole! :)
Don't hold out much hope for Ashburton Grove, though. I just get the feeling it'll be a bit soulless. And I'm not sure how far away from the pitch the seating is. Hopefully it'll be as close as possible.

Oh god! Of course I know about Cuckoo Farm, you simply do if you live in Colchester. Are you a U's fan incidentally?

8 people voted America? My god ... where have you 8 eaten? I'll admit Pennsylvanian-Dutch food is the most god awful stuff ever put on a plate, but head a little further south.

Try some Texas chili or Cajun food. You cannot possibly call that stuff "bland".

Currently sitting at 25 votes/41% of posters who don't know a damned thing about the highly varied cuisines of the US. You better damned believe that's plural: New England, Pennsylvanian-Dutch, Anglo Southern, Soul Food, Tex-Mex, New Mex, Cajun, Creole, proper Barbecue (ie not grilled), etc., etc. etc.

People forget that US cuisine, like any othe cuisine, is a fusion of it's root influances.

And anybody that calls my Texas Yankee Killer chili "bland" is simply an idiot or insensate (or looking for an extra spicy bowl - but I repeat myself).

People forget that US cuisine, like any other cuisine, is a fusion of it's root influances.
Thus, why I raised the eyebrow (http://www.geocities.com/nightshade_pheonix_gallery4/micallef/intro5.jpg). American dishes are not bland. If they were, we wouldn't have this obesity problem.

Thus, why I raised the eyebrow (http://www.geocities.com/nightshade_pheonix_gallery4/micallef/intro5.jpg). American dishes are not bland. If they were, we wouldn't have this obesity problem.

Eh? I think you've confused bland (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=bland) with unhealthy. Or maybe I've misunderstood what you were trying to convey. Could you elaborate?

Could you elaborate?
My basic understanding of food is, under normal circumstances the general population will not consume food that is lacking of flavor, as most Americans in my circle think of that as a negative on par with bad taste.

My basic understanding of food is, under normal circumstances the general population will not consume food that is lacking of flavor, as most Americans in my circle think of that as a negative on par with bad taste.
Case and point:
McDonalds.

Oh god! Of course I know about Cuckoo Farm, you simply do if you live in Colchester. Are you a U's fan incidentally?
Ah, well. I don't live in Colchester. Went to school there though. Vaguely a U's fan - they're my local team, so I follow them. Used to go to more matches than I do now, but that's because I'm away at uni most of the time. Though next season I'll go see them when they come up to Leicester. :D

My basic understanding of food is, under normal circumstances the general population will not consume food that is lacking of flavor, as most Americans in my circle think of that as a negative on par with bad taste.

Are you trying to say that it's not bland and thus Americans eat to much? Because I read the post in question as meaning tasty=unhealthy, which is certainly not true (at least in my experience).

Are you trying to say that it's not bland and thus Americans eat to much? Because I read the post in question as meaning tasty=unhealthy, which is certainly not true (at least in my experience).
No, tasty does not imply unhealthy. But when you eat tasty food, and don't bother to stop yourself at satisfaction, you eat more food and thus the sheer ammount becomes unhealthy. Unless you never break composure, which could very well occur. A dish that is tasty could also be unhealthy, et cetera. Anyhow, I admit to eating more food than I should when it tastes good at times. But that's subjective as well, as I like the spicy heart-burn and caribou tastes the most.

American food in general is not bland, and that could be a factor to the obesity problem if you want to take it that way.

American food, bland? My ass.

American cuisine is derived from its roots, which are French, English, Irish, German, Mexican, Polish, Czech, Italian, Chinese, and Japanese, among many others. There's also the authentic ethnic cuisine that's readily available just about anywhere.

And what's this about hamburgers, chicken, and grits being bland? Maybe if they weren't cooked properly. Hamburgers cooked correctly over here are hardwood smoked, usually with mesquite or hickory. Chicken is usually grilled with a lot of different spices and basting sauces, and grits are topped with just about anything (I'm partial to butter and sugar). Now, I like cream of wheat (Farina) more than grits, but they're roughly the same (grits are corn, whereas cream of wheat is... wheat). And macaroni & cheese? How the hell can you call a mix of real cheeses over buttered noodles bland?

Sheesh. You guys need to think before you speak. American food is not bland.

One historian I once read believed the true motivation behind Great Britian's awesomely successful age of imperialism was that those blokes were merely looking for a decent meal!

American food is *by far* the worst garbage ever! http://assets.jolt.co.uk/forums/images/icons/icon13.gif
Can't get any more disgusting than Us-style fast food (McDonalds&Co).

british food is fantastic, tikka massala is brititsh and it is fantatsicly unbland


but depends what we mean by bland, if in this case we mean lack of variation then im sorry america its you, go to one place on the street, hmm pizza burger fries or steak hmmm
next place along street, pizza burger fries or steak
etc etc
tru the tasta is not bland but the lack of variety is

American food is *by far* the worst garbage ever! http://assets.jolt.co.uk/forums/images/icons/icon13.gif
Can't get any more disgusting than Us-style fast food (McDonalds&Co).

Our fast food is hardly "real" American food.

Saying that all American food is shit just because you don't like our fast food is ridiculous. And hey, a lot of us don't like our fast food, either. But it's cheaper than eating at a nice restaurant, and it's, well, fast.

American food is *by far* the worst garbage ever! http://assets.jolt.co.uk/forums/images/icons/icon13.gif
Can't get any more disgusting than Us-style fast food (McDonalds&Co).

:rolleyes:

:::Feeds "Heavenly" Sex a proper down home meal:::

And thanks, Mariehamn. At least that flauts the idiocy of the above sort of BS.

british food is fantastic, tikka massala is brititsh and it is fantatsicly unbland


but depends what we mean by bland, if in this case we mean lack of variation then im sorry america its you, go to one place on the street, hmm pizza burger fries or steak hmmm
next place along street, pizza burger fries or steak
etc etc
tru the tasta is not bland but the lack of variety is

Don't open your fucking mouth if you've never been here, which you obviously haven't. Our cities are hardly like that at all.

Unique, small-business restaurants dominate our cities. And their food is usually very good (especially the Chinese and Vietnamese places in Houston).

Mongolian BBQ is quite tasty - me not agreeing.
Wild guess, you're British ;)

For all others. I've lived in Britain. I know you can get great British food on some restaurants but let's face it. GB is not the home of the "chefs". I've never met so many people who couldn't cook. It's the home of readymade meals. Almost noone knew what to do with raw meat, how to cut it etc. Then again I've heard that the situation is not that bad anymore and cooking is now quite trendy. Just like here in Finland. (our "cuisine" is nothing to celebrate for either)

The best holiday destination abroad "stomach-wise" has been (quite surprisingly) Madeira.

Como?

Floyd rules. But that's not quite what I meant.

oo a nice roast dinner, my mum makes the best food

bangers and mash is nice, if the sausages are denct quality

I think the idea of British food being bland is such an urban myth, especially when there are many other nationalities that really do have tasteless food.
Authentic British cuisine is actually very tasty, it seems to me that the people who slate it have never actually tried it.
But then I am originally British so I could be biased.
Please let me know your experiences of culinary excellence in the bland department also which nationality.

Even if British food actually is bland, what's the big deal?

I don't care about if it's bland; if it won't kill me and it tastes well enough it's perfect to me.

oo a nice roast dinner, my mum makes the best food

bangers and mash is nice, if the sausages are denct quality
I honestly believe that when a woman gives birth, her cooking skills rise. Granmas are even better but that's because they cheat. They put double amount of sugar in everything.

American food is *by far* the worst garbage ever! http://assets.jolt.co.uk/forums/images/icons/icon13.gif
Can't get any more disgusting than Us-style fast food (McDonalds&Co).


Uh...yeah, sure:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Morcilla_cocida.jpg


By far, huh?

Wait-dont run away- some non American fast food- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Currywurst.jpg



you'd rather have a Big Mac or a Whopper though, we know.

Uh...yeah, sure:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Morcilla_cocida.jpg


By far, huh?
If you want to find ugly food try (google) our delicacies, mämmi or mustamakkara (=like this morcilla cocida) :D

If you want to find ugly food try (google) our delicacies, mämmi or mustamakkara (=like this morcilla cocida) :D

I dont call it ugly-maybe just not as appealing to someone not used to it.

I can personally eat most things-if someone somewhere eats it,I will try it. And I have eaten many things that could be considered ugly.

I just have problem with people that feel some need to criticize everything American. Especially when they have only stupidty for experience.

Yes much fast food- any where in the wrold - is bland - it has to be to be acceptable to a wide variety of personal tastes.

But that aside - talking about American food- yes some things in their base are bland- grits, cream of wheat etc come to mind, but they really are the exception not the rules. They are generally eaten with additions- cheese, cinnamon & sugar, brown sugar and raisins etc.

As far as restraunts- Houston, Texas has over 11,000 restraunts - and that doesn't count fast food. Houstonains go out to eat more than any other Americans, and the variety of restraunts is astonishing. ( as is the quality - some are indeed abysmal, but others are pearls to be enjoyed for years and told about only to a select few. )

I've done quite a bit of travelling and have tried native cusine in more than a few countries. All have their high and low points - and tourist food- no matter where it's found SUCKS!

I'm inclined to say British, but that's probably because that's basically what i'm used to, so it will seem bland in comparison with more exotic foods.

I chose Britain because Other is such a boring option. I'd say the Mongolians, Mordvans, Nenetsis or some other people living in the middle of nowhere have the blandest cuisine.

I can't argue for the others, but Mongolian food (or at least the westernised version of it) is good.

others are pearls to be enjoyed for years and told about only to a select few. )

Fu Kim!

The Hunan Inn out on I-10 west - owned & run by the same family for over twenty years, never had other than a simply superb meal there. And yes I am violating one of my strongest rules to mention this little gen of a restraunt. But I think they will withstand the advertizing.:cool:

The Hunan Inn out on I-10 west - owned & run by the same family for over twenty years, never had other than a simply superb meal there. And yes I am violating one of my strongest rules to mention this little gen of a restraunt. But I think they will withstand the advertizing.:cool:

I've seen that one, but I've never been. I most likely won't be going anytime soon, since I don't have a car, and bus service doesn't come out here. :p

Our fast food is hardly "real" American food.

Saying that all American food is shit just because you don't like our fast food is ridiculous. And hey, a lot of us don't like our fast food, either. But it's cheaper than eating at a nice restaurant, and it's, well, fast.

Well put! Why is it that everyone from outside North America (read: Europe) thinks that Americans only eat fast food, and that this is somehow our national cuisine? There are foreign fast food chains, i.e. Quick in France, Belgium and Luxembourg, and Britain's Wimpy (which began in the United States, but since there were only twelve US restaurants when the company was moved to London, from where it spawned over a thousand outlets under English leadership, I'll give that one to the UK.) In any case, it's ridiculous to call hamburgers and french fries "American cuisine" because they both originated in Europe. Come to think of it, I think there are very few dishes that can honestly be considered to have come from the US, and among these, most are rather healthy and flavorful, for example, chop suey and just about anything made with corn.

No vote ! There are great dishes all over the world !

The blandest food I've ever tasted is Egyptian food. It's not cooked unless it's frazzled, dry, tasteless and without any herbs or spices. Yeuch!!!

Ok - here we go - a culinary journey.

1) British Food - it has a reputation for being very bland and poor - an undesereved (mostly) reputation. I've lived in the UK for 4 years as a US Ex-pat working overseas. I found that while a lot of Brit foods tend to be "heavier" dishes and shares a lot of background with their northern European neighbors, but I wouldn't say they're either the worst food around or necessarely bland. In fact, some of the hottest vindaloos and curries I've ever had were not Indian or Southeast Asian - they were purely British in their invention, albeit inspired by Indian and Pakistani dishes. The Brits have a taste for spice.

2) German Food - Ummm... see British Food, with less emphasis on emulation of the former Brit imperial holdings. :-) Again, heavier dishes are the norm. I guess I would qualify them as blander than the Brits, but they make up for it in the libations department.

3) American Food. There is no such thing. Almost everything in American cuisine is derivative - with the possible exception of actually finding one of the tremendously rare TRUE Native American resturaunts. Good luck. That being said, American food is very diverse. If, on the other hand, you think only in terms what is called American Cheese (umm... laughingly called cheese) then I suppose you can say it is bland. Myself, as an American, prefers almost any OTHER cheese - and I don't know of any American older than 3 who doesn't, so despite the name, I don't count it. American fast food also doesn't count - it's usually just a standardized version of some other ethnic food (Hamburgers were NOT invented in the US, sorry) and though I do not have proof of it, somehow I don't think that the US came up with the idea of frying chicken first either. Pizza is also derivative and if you're thinking dominoes or pizza hut, then that's not REAL pizza - that's a pizza-like foodstuff in the same way a McDonalds hamburger is just a hamburger-like food.

4) Holland. Hmmm... I spent a day in Amsterdam. I don't think of myself as qualified to say anything on the basis of the airport food. 'Nuff said.

5) Switzerland. See Germany, with the caveat I have for Holland - insufficent experience. On the other hand, I could say Swiss Cheese - 'Nuff said! :-D

6) Albanian. I don't know. Sorry, just don't know.

7) Other. I chose other as bland because I know there has to be something blander than all of these choices out there somewhere - however, as my preference is to Asian, Indian and Middle Eastern cuisines, I can safely say that they are not, as a rule, bland. Other than that, I dunno.

There is one thing to take into consideration when it comes to the spicyness of ethnic cuisines: areas that are known to have a very spicy cuisine are also areas known for having infections with intestinal parasites. In a way, the capsaicin in the food acts as a natural way of ridding one's self of parasites. If it doesn't seem reasonable, rub a cut jalepeno in your eye. Now imagine if your whole body felt like that. If I were a parasite, I'd be getting the hell out of Dodge pretty quick.

3) American Food. There is no such thing. Almost everything in American cuisine is derivative - with the possible exception of actually finding one of the tremendously rare TRUE Native American resturaunts. Good luck. That being said, American food is very diverse. If, on the other hand, you think only in terms what is called American Cheese (umm... laughingly called cheese) then I suppose you can say it is bland. Myself, as an American, prefers almost any OTHER cheese - and I don't know of any American older than 3 who doesn't, so despite the name, I don't count it. American fast food also doesn't count - it's usually just a standardized version of some other ethnic food (Hamburgers were NOT invented in the US, sorry) and though I do not have proof of it, somehow I don't think that the US came up with the idea of frying chicken first either. Pizza is also derivative and if you're thinking dominoes or pizza hut, then that's not REAL pizza - that's a pizza-like foodstuff in the same way a McDonalds hamburger is just a hamburger-like food.

Cool - very diverse nothing. Your argument that it doesn't exist because it's derivitive would mean that almost any other cuisine doesn't exist.

Cool - very diverse nothing. Your argument that it doesn't exist because it's derivitive would mean that almost any other cuisine doesn't exist.

Ah, but note how one part refers to 'American Food', while the other refers to 'American food'. The latter is food that happens to be consumed in the US, whereas the first is a mythical notion of a purely American cuisine.

I can't argue for the others, but Mongolian food (or at least the westernised version of it) is good.
mmmOkay.... o_0

I believe that you can get great dishes from all over the world but I also believe that very few Mongolians (well, ok, Mongolians were a bad example because only some of them live as nomads) can regularly eat that well. The difference between great (Mongolian/Belarussian/Australian/Other) restaurants and ordinary dishes people really eat can be huge.


The blandest food I've ever tasted is Egyptian food. It's not cooked unless it's frazzled, dry, tasteless and without any herbs or spices. Yeuch!!!
Here's an example. I've only eaten fabulous Egyptian food. Very tasty, very well seasoned and anything but dry. Then again. I've never been to Egypt :)

Fish and chips.... Come on...is that a food ?

The Brits should be grateful to the Indians (or Bangladeshis who run the majority of the "Indian" restaurants in UK) for the curry dishes.:p :D

this is going to be unpopular but i reckon italian is the blandest (besides pesto, love that stuff). there's too much emphasis on dough and pasta for me and their sauces all seem to have tomatoes in, which is all well and good but it gets boring after a while. and the herbs are always the same. and mozarrella is the blandest cheese in existence. maybe i'm desensitised cuz of eating so much pizza and pasta but i've always been disappointed going to italian restaurants, more so than any other.


You. Must. Be. Shot. Italy is a pasta-heavy country. But there are ways to make pasta brilliant.

As for tomato sauces, there are also a number of different white sauces which are used, as well as some great stews and roasts. Also, some types of Italian seafood dishes are quite good(This coming from a man whom has a dislike of most seafood).

As for herbs being the same, not always true. There are some which are used more often than not, such as garlic(Which, IMO, makes most any dish far better and more palatable), basil, and oregano, but others which are not so much.

This is not even getting into the various types of sausages and meats used(Boar=God of all meat).

As for pizza being Italian... yeah. You obviously haven't been introduced to the finer qualities of Italian cooking. Pizza is a hodge-podge of random ingredients(I'm not even sure this is actually true Italian cuisine), with little care as to quality. Great Italian cuisine, on the other hand, is a delicate balance of herbs, spices, sauces, and foods which when done well, is delectable to the palate(Yay, I'm a food critic now!).

Oh, and as for pastas being bland, that is true only of the crappy dehydrated store-bought pastas. Try some fresh pasta. It is absolutely delicious.

Ah, but note how one part refers to 'American Food', while the other refers to 'American food'. The latter is food that happens to be consumed in the US, whereas the first is a mythical notion of a purely American cuisine.

And you ignore the whole point of my post - if you define a national cuisine as being purely X, with no outside influances whatsoever, as both you and Carterway seem to be doing (feel free to correct this if I have your argument wrong), the there are almost no national cuisines. Somehow people seem to belive that there is no American Cuisine because it's all derived from other cuisines, while that those other cuisines are some how unique and non-derivitive. They aren't.

mmmOkay.... o_0

I believe that you can get great dishes from all over the world but I also believe that very few Mongolians (well, ok, Mongolians were a bad example because only some of them live as nomads) can regularly eat that well. The difference between great (Mongolian/Belarussian/Australian/Other) restaurants and ordinary dishes people really eat can be huge.

Hence why I noted "At least the westernised version of it" :)

Hence why I noted "At least the westernised version of it" :) Yeah, what I've read about travelling in Mongolia, you better be prepared to eat lots of mutton and lots of yak cheese and yoghurt and not much of anything else. And seriously - as much as I'd love to go to Mongolia one day, I'm not sure I could do even one day on a mutton and yak yoghurt diet. Yuk. (Yak?).

I haven't had traditional foods from most of those countries. I have heard that there's a lot of deep frying involved in british cooking...

Hence why I noted "At least the westernised version of it" :)
I know. Hey! Just think about it! A true Mongolian restaurant! Menu includes yak milk, horse milk, camel milk and sheep milk. Yak's fat, yak's fat tea, dried yak meat, boiled yak meat and of course yak meat cooked under your arse :D



"Traditions of Mongolian Cuisine

Still many recipes and methods of cooking came from those far hungry years of the Middle Ages. As it was a thousand years ago, diverse soups constitute a great part of the national menu. We should note here that anything fried is not popular in Mongolia. And it is quite natural, for in the steppe you can’t find even a twig, to say nothing about firewood. That’s why they preferred to boil or to cook by steam. But more often they just jerked or smoked meat, or acted in the following way — they put slips of meat under the saddles and after a day’s ride the meat was cooked."
http://www.ucmenus.co.uk/html/mongolian.html

Yeah, what I've read about travelling in Mongolia, you better be prepared to eat lots of mutton and lots of yak cheese and yoghurt and not much of anything else. And seriously - as much as I'd love to go to Mongolia one day, I'm not sure I could do even one day on a mutton and yak yoghurt diet. Yuk. (Yak?).

I don't see what's wrong with yak yoghurt, honestly. I'd eat it.

I know. Hey! Just think about it! A true Mongolian restaurant! Menu includes yak milk, horse milk, camel milk and sheep milk. Yak's fat, yak's fat tea, dried yak meat, boiled yak meat and of course yak meat cooked under your arse :D



"Traditions of Mongolian Cuisine

Still many recipes and methods of cooking came from those far hungry years of the Middle Ages. As it was a thousand years ago, diverse soups constitute a great part of the national menu. We should note here that anything fried is not popular in Mongolia. And it is quite natural, for in the steppe you can’t find even a twig, to say nothing about firewood. That’s why they preferred to boil or to cook by steam. But more often they just jerked or smoked meat, or acted in the following way — they put slips of meat under the saddles and after a day’s ride the meat was cooked."
http://www.ucmenus.co.uk/html/mongolian.html


~Shudders~
You didn't mention Brick Tea.
Brick Tea may be the foulest drink on the face of the planet, and it's probably why the Mongol Empire was so huge. They conquered people by going "Hey, try this tea, it's great!" and killed them while they were choking.

Otherwise, lots of camel milk (i was in the south, where there's no yaks, but lots of camels), lots of meat and lots of hideous tea. The only vegetables i ever saw were wild onions, which they apparently believe the gods created solely for Mongols.

The only vegetables i ever saw were wild onions, which they apparently believe the gods created solely for Mongols.
I guess gods weren't too happy with Mongols..

One historian I once read believed the true motivation behind Great Britian's awesomely successful age of imperialism was that those blokes were merely looking for a decent meal!


LOL...thats about the funniest thing i've heard today.....yeah..come to think of the variety of cuisines under the Imperial Regime from East Africa..(well, no one accused them of having great culinary traditions, but, they sure do grow decent stuff there i'm told)..to the Subcontinent and the Malay peninsula....they sure seem to have been looking for stuff that tasted good:)..

but in all fairness...a good Sunday roast is quite a nice meal to have.....and cottage pies are nice too...not to mention the pastries and tarts.....(and I'm Indian..and if i can say that good British food isnt really bland....you better take it to be a fact:)...)

[QUOTE=Carterway]Ok - here we go - a culinary journey.

3) American Food. There is no such thing. Almost everything in American cuisine is derivative -


Well..thats true...but only partially so.....

sure....American cuisine is derivative but for its native american component...but so is its populace..culture and everything else......

Denying the existence of 'American cuisine' would be akin to denying everything 'American' that is not indigenous American......

Well put! Why is it that everyone from outside North America (read: Europe) thinks that Americans only eat fast food, and that this is somehow our national cuisine? There are foreign fast food chains, i.e. Quick in France, Belgium and Luxembourg, and Britain's Wimpy (which began in the United States, but since there were only twelve US restaurants when the company was moved to London, from where it spawned over a thousand outlets under English leadership, I'll give that one to the UK.) In any case, it's ridiculous to call hamburgers and french fries "American cuisine" because they both originated in Europe. Come to think of it, I think there are very few dishes that can honestly be considered to have come from the US, and among these, most are rather healthy and flavorful, for example, chop suey and just about anything made with corn.

A real Hamburger is more akin to a sausage, not the flat things sold by restaurant rapide as the French have it.

'French fries'? There is no such thing! The crisp strips of fried potato originate in Belgium and, if cooked properly, should not be swimming in fat.

Yes much fast food- any where in the wrold - is bland - it has to be to be acceptable to a wide variety of personal tastes.

But that aside - talking about American food- yes some things in their base are bland- grits, cream of wheat etc come to mind, but they really are the exception not the rules. They are generally eaten with additions- cheese, cinnamon & sugar, brown sugar and raisins etc.

As far as restraunts- Houston, Texas has over 11,000 restraunts - and that doesn't count fast food. Houstonains go out to eat more than any other Americans, and the variety of restraunts is astonishing. ( as is the quality - some are indeed abysmal, but others are pearls to be enjoyed for years and told about only to a select few. )

I've done quite a bit of travelling and have tried native cusine in more than a few countries. All have their high and low points - and tourist food- no matter where it's found SUCKS!




Hmm...no...fast food in India.(and elsewhere on the Subcontinent) is anythign but bland..on the contrary..it could be spicier than actual home cooked meals....and we call it junk food here just coz its spicy:)


lol..so..Houstonians cant quite cook...thats why they eat out so often:P

I haven't had traditional foods from most of those countries. I have heard that there's a lot of deep frying involved in british cooking...

If British, in fact any, food is fried correctly then it should be perfectly healthy. It is when foolish cooks, from all over the world, serve dishes with liberal amounts of lard sauce that it becomes unhealthy and distasteful.

British food's fine. I've been eating it all my life. It's better than Polish food, at least. And us Brits make some of the best cheese in the world.

British 'champagne' is also ranked very highly, even amongst some of the great French houses.

I would like to add apple pie to your list. And for those in the North East, ham and peas pudding stotties.
Also Haggis, black pudding, yorkshire curd tart, chicken tika masala, balti (Glasgow and Brum), coronation chicken, Cornish pasties (and any pastie for that matter) oh... the list goes on. But special mention must go to chippie chips with a splash of chip shop curry sauce!

We have one of the most diverse cusines in the world, we don't care where it originally came from we'll change it and make it our own.

I'm afraid that Haggis is not British. Nor is it Scottish for that matter. It originated in what is current-day Italy some 2,000 years ago.

American food=burgers i challenge anyone to think of something blander than tht seriously

A real Hamburger is more akin to a sausage, not the flat things sold by restaurant rapide as the French have it.

'French fries'? There is no such thing! The crisp strips of fried potato originate in Belgium and, if cooked properly, should not be swimming in fat.


Don't think I'm defending fast food, because I'm not. Both the dishes to which you refer did indeed have their origins in Europe, regardless of whatever monstrous transformation they have undergone at the hands of Ray Kroc and McDonald's, and don't you dare deny it! Did I ever say that pommes frites did not originate in Belgium, or that Rundstük warm isn't more like sausage? I would stick to attacking points actually in my post, if I were you.

In brief, don't go there, girlfriend.

American food=burgers i challenge anyone to think of something blander than tht seriously

rice crackers.

American food=burgers

:::Beats Fredralasia with various US regional cuisine cookbooks until he comprehends that American Food =/= burgers:::

Anyone who belives that all American Food is fast food deserves the crap they get. You eat at my table, or the table of anyone in my family, and you'll learn different. Fast.

American food=burgers i challenge anyone to think of something blander than tht seriously

apparently you've never had a well-seasoned burger...

follow these directions (try it):

Making the patties:
ground chuck
ground sirloin
garlic powder
Worcestershire sauce OR soy sauce

Mix the meat/seasonings well and shape the mixture into patties

season BOTH SIDES (Emeril: I hate one-sided-tasting food) of the patties with salt and pepper.

Cook the burgers on a grill or a george foreman grill machine (or some such contraption) ... cook to medium or medium-rare.

Toward the end of the patties' time on the grill, toast the hamburger buns.

Building the burger:

bottom half of the bun:
slice of cheese (American, Swiss, Cheddar, Jack, etc.)

Lay the burger on top of this bottom slice of cheese

On top of the burger, place (in this order):
slice of cheese
crisp, cooked bacon strips
tomato slice(s)
lettuce
onion (optional)
mayonnaise and/or ketchup (spread onto top half of the bun before putting it all together)


by the time you're done building, the cheese should be melted (or melting).

This SHOULD be good... and with the beef seasoned thusly, you should no longer think of hamburgers as "bland"

I've only been in England once and it was on business in an odd part of London probably not famous for it's cuisine ... just it's new office towers and bank/news organizations. Never the less, and despite my limited time (less than a week) I found all of the food there very enjoyable.

As someone from the United States I have to object to the notion of American Food. Saying that there is "American Food" is just as sloppy as saying that there is "European Food." (And the US is technically larger than Europe.) New England cuisine is not the same as Southern cuisine which in turn is vastly different from Pacific Nrothwest cuisine. Fast food is not American Food.

Granted the only completely American product is probably corn, everything has been adapted over the years by immigrants. As with all cuisine things came and went. Colonial era cuisine is almost impossible to find these days. 19th century cuisine is difficult, but I have found a resturant here and there that specialized in it. Early 20th century ... aka the Horn and Hardart age is also impossible to find these days.

From New England lobster, Long Island duck, Maryland crabs, and Washington salmon, there is enough good food in the U.S. to make anyone happy.

apparently you've never had a well-seasoned burger...

follow these directions (try it):

Making the patties:
ground chuck
ground sirloin
garlic powder
Worcestershire sauce OR soy sauce

Mix the meat/seasonings well and shape the mixture into patties

season BOTH SIDES (Emeril: I hate one-sided-tasting food) of the patties with salt and pepper.

Cook the burgers on a grill or a george foreman grill machine (or some such contraption) ... cook to medium or medium-rare.

Toward the end of the patties' time on the grill, toast the hamburger buns.

Building the burger:

bottom half of the bun:
slice of cheese (American, Swiss, Cheddar, Jack, etc.)

Lay the burger on top of this bottom slice of cheese

On top of the burger, place (in this order):
slice of cheese
crisp, cooked bacon strips
tomato slice(s)
lettuce
onion (optional)
mayonnaise and/or ketchup (spread onto top half of the bun before putting it all together)


by the time you're done building, the cheese should be melted (or melting).

This SHOULD be good... and with the beef seasoned thusly, you should no longer think of hamburgers as "bland"


NICE!!! I almost missed where you suggested the bun be toasted and was going to add it-but you didnt forget anything.

Who the hell really cares what they think? Let them keep telling themselves American food is bland-maybe they'll stay away.

:::Beats Fredralasia with various US regional cuisine cookbooks until he comprehends that American Food =/= burgers:::

Anyone who belives that all American Food is fast food deserves the crap they get. You eat at my table, or the table of anyone in my family, and you'll learn different. Fast.

no kidding

if all those "America" votes are there because the only American food they've eaten includes bland (ill-seasoned or non-seasoned or overcooked) hamburgers or fast food, then they've not really eaten good American food.

try:

- Fried Chicken (myriad recipes on the Web)
- Mashed potatoes (butter, sour cream, salt, pepper... cheddar is optional)
- Fried Okra
- Sweet potatoes (cooked with brown sugar... melts in your mouth)
- Meat Loaf (check out recipes)
- Fried Catfish (Memphis is famous for it)
- Barbecue (KC style, Memphis style, N. Carolina style, Texas-style brisket)
- Tex Mex (we get credit for half... great food)
- Macaroni and cheese (try a box of Kraft and add a handful of cheddar)
- Chicago-style pizza (cheese on bottom, then meat/veg, then sauce)
- Sloppy Joes (hamburger and Manwich on a bun. hehe)
- POTATO CHIPS (American invention)
- BAGLES (American invention)


and... here's an invention of an American girl I know... if you need a knock-out side for your main entree, try this:

Cheesy Asparagus Casserole

Needs:
1 can Durkee (or French's) French Fried Onions (or cheddar cheese variant)
2 cans asparagus spears (whole spears)
1 can Campbell's condensed cream of chicken soup
1 package shredded cheddar cheese
1 can bread crumbs
Olive oil
Casserole dish

Dab bottom of the dish with olive oil

from the bottom-up, layer the dish thusly:

1) Breadcrumbs (thin coating)
2) Asparagus
3) Condensed soup (spread evenly -- just add it condensed, no water)
4) Cheddar
5) Durkee onions

repeat steps 2-5 (Asparagus, soup, onions, cheese) until you reach the top of the dish or run out... make sure that, no matter the stage you're at, you top the dish with cheese and then the crispy fried onions.

Bake in the center of the oven at about 350F for about 25-30 minutes, or until it looks done (bubbling at the sides, top is browned, etc.)


That is a killer casserole.

Don't think I'm defending fast food, because I'm not. Both the dishes to which you refer did indeed have their origins in Europe, regardless of whatever monstrous transformation they have undergone at the hands of Ray Kroc and McDonald's, and don't you dare deny it! Did I ever say that pommes frites did not originate in Belgium, or that Rundstük warm isn't more like sausage? I would stick to attacking points actually in my post, if I were you.

In brief, don't go there, girlfriend.

I was elaborating on your point, not criticising it.

"- Mashed potatoes (butter, sour cream, salt, pepper... cheddar is optional)"

I prefer to use fresh cream myself, double.

"-POTATO CHIPS"

Do you mean crisps or chip potatoes?

apparently you've never had a well-seasoned burger...

follow these directions (try it):

Making the patties:
ground chuck
ground sirloin
garlic powder
Worcestershire sauce OR soy sauce

Mix the meat/seasonings well and shape the mixture into patties

season BOTH SIDES (Emeril: I hate one-sided-tasting food) of the patties with salt and pepper.

Cook the burgers on a grill or a george foreman grill machine (or some such contraption) ... cook to medium or medium-rare.

Toward the end of the patties' time on the grill, toast the hamburger buns.

Building the burger:

bottom half of the bun:
slice of cheese (American, Swiss, Cheddar, Jack, etc.)

Lay the burger on top of this bottom slice of cheese

On top of the burger, place (in this order):
slice of cheese
crisp, cooked bacon strips
tomato slice(s)
lettuce
onion (optional)
mayonnaise and/or ketchup (spread onto top half of the bun before putting it all together)


by the time you're done building, the cheese should be melted (or melting).

This SHOULD be good... and with the beef seasoned thusly, you should no longer think of hamburgers as "bland"

I'm sorry, but after that I would personally go to bed.

By the way, I might suggest Gruyere to you as that melts well.

"-POTATO CHIPS"

Do you mean crisps or chip potatoes?

They're what you guys call "crisps". The really crunchy, thin potato products bought by the bag.

They're what you guys call "crisps". The really crunchy, thin potato products bought by the bag.

I assume that you mean Britishers. Coincidentally, you are American?

I was elaborating on your point, not criticising it.

:rolleyes:

Of course you were criticizing it; don't pretend otherwise. You said the following:

A real Hamburger is more akin to a sausage, not the flat things sold by restaurant rapide as the French have it.

'French fries'? There is no such thing! The crisp strips of fried potato originate in Belgium and, if cooked properly, should not be swimming in fat.

This was in response to the line:

In any case, it's ridiculous to call hamburgers and french fries "American cuisine" because they both originated in Europe.

I do believe that most people would interpret your response as an attempt to distance what you consider American-style hamburgers and french fries from their European counterparts. The half-quotes around "French fries," the exclamation, "There is no such thing!," the characterization of French hamburgers (modeled after American ones) as "flat things" - these are clear attempts to destroy the validity of my point. Had you truly meant to elaborate on my statement, your diction would have been less combative.

Cool - very diverse nothing. Your argument that it doesn't exist because it's derivitive would mean that almost any other cuisine doesn't exist.
That's a legitimate point... perhaps I should say that I don't think the US has a distinct cuisine - at least not yet. There seems to be a strong relationship between dishes in a given "cuisine" but this hasn't happened yet in the US much. If the US is a culinary melting pot, it's taking a very long time to incorporate everything into something distinctly "American."