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Well modern America has no real food culture. Most countries combine the same 5 local staples like rice, vegetables meat, local seasonings etc so they always ha
by porknubbins 7y ago
Well modern America has no real food culture. Most countries combine the same 5 local staples like rice, vegetables meat, local seasonings etc so they always have it on hand and know how to easily make something. Here check an Nytimes recipe and it will have you doing hours of prep and ridiculous steps like getting one pan out and dirty just to slightly toast something to make it restaurant quality presentation. Don’t get me wrong I love that detailed stuff because cooking is an escape and relaxing for me but there is no easy first step for most people to acquire a few simple recipes and techniques that they can execute quickly here so they go for instant gratification frozen food boxes.
- shantly 7y ago> Well modern America has no real food culture. Most countries combine the same 5 local staples like rice, vegetables meat, local seasonings etc so they always have it on hand and know how to easily make something. Glad you threw in "modern". We do have regional food cultures but they're too boring for most people, especially if you do it right and shift the menu with the season ("Stew and cornbread? Again?" well yes, it's Winter, want a side of hardy greens to go with it? "ew, catfish! Gross!" yes, that's... what's around. What, you want mahi mahi?). We want more variety and to eat all kinds of produce year-round. You can just pick any "ethnic" cuisine (especially if it has a similar climate to the one you're in) and get like results, but people in the US don't do that either, mostly, probably for the same reasons: that they'd start to find it too dull, or would prefer not to eat so many of the dishes for one reason or another that they'd have to sub in others from other cuisines to make up for it.
- opportune 7y agoI guess there isn’t an absolute default culturally, but it’s not that hard to get started making basic food. I think most people are just lazy / get anxiety about things they don’t know how to start. When I first started cooking I mostly just baked or pan fried meat, microwaves or sautéed vegetables, and made slow cooker chili / other soups. Maybe that doesn’t fit most people’s definition of cooking but IMO there is nothing wrong with a dinner of (seasoned) baked chicken thighs with some microwaved frozen broccoli. It takes like 5 minutes of actual work too.
- FussyZeus 7y agoThat's absolutely my ideal dinner. I enjoy cooking but I don't want to spend a ton of time on it. Season a piece of chicken or maybe a steak if it's a treat night, sautee some veggies, warm up some pre-cooked rice, and eat. Whole process generally takes less time than running out for a takeout, and is of course WAY cheaper. That's not say I NEVER eat out of course, just, I save a ton of money cooking at home.
- bpicolo 7y agoNYT has a lot of beginner friendly recipes. Most of them, even.
- dole 7y agoMarcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce, namely. NYT’s recipe mailing list is surprisingly good for ideas and quicker recipes, it’s not all complex dishes.
- jriot 7y agoYou obviously haven't been to the southern portion of the country. Louisiana - Cajun country near Lafeyette, Creole in New Orleans, has a strong food culture. It is a sin down here not to be able to make your own roux.
- porknubbins 7y agoI have been and the food is great but I think its thanks to French and Caribbean influences. Quebec also has good food for the same reason, but mainstream America does not.
- jriot 7y agoCajun food is unique to the region as it was developed when Acadian immigrants fled Canada while incorporating the cultures of the region at the time. If anything it is quintessentially American.