11 ms·

Yeah, I always find this fact + people saying "America" has no unique food culture to be quite funny in tandem. Of course the United States does have unique fo

Yeah, I always find this fact + people saying "America" has no unique food culture to be quite funny in tandem. Of course the United States does have unique food culture beyond that juxtaposition, but still.

Footingerm 2y ago
But its true. Europe has a refined food history even if certain foods are young. There was some type of pizza before and it evolved in what pizza is today. Alone the amount of cheese types is huge. What did the USA invent in comparision? What is specific to USA? Even plenty of typical USA Food was invented in Europe.
- Almondsetat 2y ago
  What is there to "invent" exactly? First of all, humans invent recipes based on the locally available raw foods, nothing special about that. Secondly, humans reinvent the same recipes time after time because we are all the same. Each culture invents their own stuffed dumplings, flat bread with toppings, etc. and they believe it's soooo unique and local
  - darkwater 2y ago
    Your strokes are too broad. Obviously different groups of humans in different times and locations are going to invent similar foods. But, for example speaking of flat bread, how you actually execute it and the differences in texture, thickness, crunchiness, what you put on top of it and what order can make two dishes that are the same macro idea but end up as two completely different things.
    - Almondsetat 2y ago
      Cooking something for 15 minutes more or 15 minutes less can cause massive differences in texture and taste, and we are not even talking about the potentially big differences that having slightly different ingredients can cause.
      - darkwater 2y ago
        So, you are saying I'm right. A steak tartare otherwise could be the same dish as an hamburger with egg and mustard, following the line of thought of your previous comment.
        Almondsetat 2y ago
        You are right, but at the same time your rightness doesn't serve your argument. Recipes can be dramatically different without anyone even putting a crumb of cretivity, just out of pure coincidence
  - sva_ 2y ago
    And curiously most older cultures have their own fermented food.
    - veunes 2y ago
      Yep! Fermented foods have been a cornerstone of traditional diets in many cultures (Kimchi)
- rapsey 2y ago
  > What did the USA invent in comparision? What is specific to USA? Even plenty of typical USA Food was invented in Europe. Low and slow style BBQ
  - ToxicMegacolon 2y ago
    Barbeque originated in the Caribbean
    - rapsey 2y ago
      Oh they were the first to cook meat on fire were they. /s
    - TeaBrain 2y ago
      The regional BBQ culture of different sauces and meats in the US has nothing to do with what the word was used to describe in the Caribbean. What was described as BBQ hundreds of years ago in the Caribbean, as a way of cooking fish, wouldn't even be considered BBQ in the US.
- anon373839 2y ago
  > What did the USA invent in comparison? Well, there’s California cuisine: https://guide.michelin.com/sg/en/article/features/california-cuisine-history-el https://guide.michelin.com/sg/en/article/features/california...
- hnbad 2y ago
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tex-Mex https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tex-Mex would be an obvious candidate? I'm not sure how you'd make a claim like "plenty of typical XYZ food was invented elsewhere" when all food is similar to or a variation of or build upon something that came before unless we literally evolve new ways of ingesting nutrients.
- akdor1154 2y ago
  > What did the USA invent in comparision? Clamato juice?
  - api_or_ipa 2y ago
    Canadians have elevated Clamato juice with the Caesar, the purest nectar of the gods. Mexicans come close with micheladas and Americans have bloody Mary’s but nothing compares to a proper Caesar. I think I might need to have one today.
- brianfryer 2y ago
  Cajun cuisine and multiple types of BBQ come to mind.
- deleted 2y ago
  [deleted]
- jogjayr 2y ago
  Breakfast cereals, hot dogs, hamburgers, toaster pastries, hot pockets, cornbread, jambalaya, grits, cranberry sauce, jerky, the chocolate chip cookie, pumpkin pie, the waffle ice cream cone, milkshakes, Coca-cola, peanut butter (although I learned today the first peanut butter patent was issued to a Canadian in Montreal). Some of these were invented in North America, but before the USA was founded. If you do some research you can find much more. It amounts to a considerable contribution to the culinary arts. Chocolate chip cookies alone are worthy of a lifetime achievement award.
  - jabroni_salad 2y ago
    Louisiana really is this country's best kept secret.
  - jltsiren 2y ago
    While most of the others sound North American, jerky is not. Dried meat is a pretty universal concept, and jerky specifically is something Europeans got from the Inca. Even the word itself is borrowed from Quechua.
    - jogjayr 2y ago
      Thanks! > Dried meat is a pretty universal concept Irrelevant in my opinion. Putting something on bread has probably existed since the day after someone invented bread. But we still give Italy credit for inventing pizza. Just like startups, the implementation is more important than the idea.
  - Footingerm 2y ago
    Early version of hot dog was invented in germany Hamburger might also been created in germany Cornbread: Native Americans I give you breakfast cereals, toaster pastries, hot pockets, grits, pumpkin pie, milkshake. Coca-cola? do we now start to listen all types of drink recipetes? So pure cultural, usa invented easy foods. This has very little to do with cultural foods like cheese, or the million types of sausages and breads and etc. It does not amount to a considerable contribution to the culinary arts
- OJFord 2y ago
  Fwiw I'm not American and get a good laugh out of /r/shitamericanssay sometimes, but I can think of: 'tex-mex', California roll sushi, deep dish pizza, bagels as sandwiches (I think? Not the bagel itself, but using it as a bun), different uses of okra than I'm aware of elsewhere like stewed/chowders/soup, some of that stuff in the south in general actually spicy shellfish chowders etc. I think there's a good argument is evolved from what came before it elsewhere.
lmm 2y ago
Using "America" to mean the US annoys me too, but blame the Americans for that one. There are definitely some unique food cultures within the US (cajun/creole comes immediately to mind, as does Chicago pizza), but are there really American food cultures - flavours or preparations that are eaten both throughout the US and not elsewhere? All of the obvious candidates like hamburgers are popular in many countries and cultures; whenever I've gone to an "American restaurant" (as distinct from a "New York deli" or a "New Orleans grill" or what have you) they've seemed to be serving much the same stuff as a generic restaurant.
- lolinder 2y ago
  The requirement that the food be eaten conventionally throughout the country is a really weird definition of what counts as "American food" that would to my first- and secondhand knowledge at the very least exclude Mexican and Italian cuisine from being distinct. Neither one really exists as a coherent cuisine in the way you seem to imagine, and if you talk to a native of those countries they'll very quickly tell you that the foods you think of as "Mexican" or "Italian" are actually from specific regions of those countries. Your second requirement—that it be not eaten elsewhere—would likewise exclude every major exported food culture. Do the Italians no longer get to claim spaghetti because an American mom makes it as a quick dish at home for her kids?
  - lmm 2y ago
    > would to my first- and secondhand knowledge at the very least exclude Mexican and Italian cuisine from being distinct. Neither one really exists as a coherent cuisine in the way you seem to imagine, and if you talk to a native of those countries they'll very quickly tell you that the foods you think of as "Mexican" or "Italian" are actually from specific regions of those countries. I don't know Mexico well enough to comment, but yeah there absolutely isn't a unified "Italian" culture (perhaps there is the beginnings of one) and it's a mistake to think of one (not just in food but in other matters as well). Just as there is no "Chinese" food, there are several distinct Chinese food cultures. > Your second requirement—that it be not eaten elsewhere—would likewise exclude every major exported food culture. Do the Italians no longer get to claim spaghetti because an American mom makes it as a quick dish at home for her kids? At some point it just becomes generic food yeah, just like trademarks. I'm sure for the first people to bake bread it was a unique cultural food, but it would be madness to call that Mesopotamian food now, it's just food.

Footingerm 2y ago

But its true. Europe has a refined food history even if certain foods are young. There was some type of pizza before and it evolved in what pizza is today. Alone the amount of cheese types is huge. What did the USA invent in comparision? What is specific to USA? Even plenty of typical USA Food was invented in Europe.

Almondsetat 2y ago
What is there to "invent" exactly? First of all, humans invent recipes based on the locally available raw foods, nothing special about that. Secondly, humans reinvent the same recipes time after time because we are all the same. Each culture invents their own stuffed dumplings, flat bread with toppings, etc. and they believe it's soooo unique and local
- darkwater 2y ago
  Your strokes are too broad. Obviously different groups of humans in different times and locations are going to invent similar foods. But, for example speaking of flat bread, how you actually execute it and the differences in texture, thickness, crunchiness, what you put on top of it and what order can make two dishes that are the same macro idea but end up as two completely different things.
  - Almondsetat 2y ago
    Cooking something for 15 minutes more or 15 minutes less can cause massive differences in texture and taste, and we are not even talking about the potentially big differences that having slightly different ingredients can cause.
    - darkwater 2y ago
      So, you are saying I'm right. A steak tartare otherwise could be the same dish as an hamburger with egg and mustard, following the line of thought of your previous comment.
      - Almondsetat 2y ago
        You are right, but at the same time your rightness doesn't serve your argument. Recipes can be dramatically different without anyone even putting a crumb of cretivity, just out of pure coincidence
- sva_ 2y ago
  And curiously most older cultures have their own fermented food.
  - veunes 2y ago
    Yep! Fermented foods have been a cornerstone of traditional diets in many cultures (Kimchi)
rapsey 2y ago
> What did the USA invent in comparision? What is specific to USA? Even plenty of typical USA Food was invented in Europe. Low and slow style BBQ
- ToxicMegacolon 2y ago
  Barbeque originated in the Caribbean
  - rapsey 2y ago
    Oh they were the first to cook meat on fire were they. /s
  - TeaBrain 2y ago
    The regional BBQ culture of different sauces and meats in the US has nothing to do with what the word was used to describe in the Caribbean. What was described as BBQ hundreds of years ago in the Caribbean, as a way of cooking fish, wouldn't even be considered BBQ in the US.
anon373839 2y ago
> What did the USA invent in comparison? Well, there’s California cuisine: https://guide.michelin.com/sg/en/article/features/california-cuisine-history-el https://guide.michelin.com/sg/en/article/features/california...
hnbad 2y ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tex-Mex https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tex-Mex would be an obvious candidate? I'm not sure how you'd make a claim like "plenty of typical XYZ food was invented elsewhere" when all food is similar to or a variation of or build upon something that came before unless we literally evolve new ways of ingesting nutrients.
akdor1154 2y ago
> What did the USA invent in comparision? Clamato juice?
- api_or_ipa 2y ago
  Canadians have elevated Clamato juice with the Caesar, the purest nectar of the gods. Mexicans come close with micheladas and Americans have bloody Mary’s but nothing compares to a proper Caesar. I think I might need to have one today.
brianfryer 2y ago
Cajun cuisine and multiple types of BBQ come to mind.
deleted 2y ago
[deleted]
jogjayr 2y ago
Breakfast cereals, hot dogs, hamburgers, toaster pastries, hot pockets, cornbread, jambalaya, grits, cranberry sauce, jerky, the chocolate chip cookie, pumpkin pie, the waffle ice cream cone, milkshakes, Coca-cola, peanut butter (although I learned today the first peanut butter patent was issued to a Canadian in Montreal). Some of these were invented in North America, but before the USA was founded. If you do some research you can find much more. It amounts to a considerable contribution to the culinary arts. Chocolate chip cookies alone are worthy of a lifetime achievement award.
- jabroni_salad 2y ago
  Louisiana really is this country's best kept secret.
- jltsiren 2y ago
  While most of the others sound North American, jerky is not. Dried meat is a pretty universal concept, and jerky specifically is something Europeans got from the Inca. Even the word itself is borrowed from Quechua.
  - jogjayr 2y ago
    Thanks! > Dried meat is a pretty universal concept Irrelevant in my opinion. Putting something on bread has probably existed since the day after someone invented bread. But we still give Italy credit for inventing pizza. Just like startups, the implementation is more important than the idea.
- Footingerm 2y ago
  Early version of hot dog was invented in germany Hamburger might also been created in germany Cornbread: Native Americans I give you breakfast cereals, toaster pastries, hot pockets, grits, pumpkin pie, milkshake. Coca-cola? do we now start to listen all types of drink recipetes? So pure cultural, usa invented easy foods. This has very little to do with cultural foods like cheese, or the million types of sausages and breads and etc. It does not amount to a considerable contribution to the culinary arts
OJFord 2y ago
Fwiw I'm not American and get a good laugh out of /r/shitamericanssay sometimes, but I can think of: 'tex-mex', California roll sushi, deep dish pizza, bagels as sandwiches (I think? Not the bagel itself, but using it as a bun), different uses of okra than I'm aware of elsewhere like stewed/chowders/soup, some of that stuff in the south in general actually spicy shellfish chowders etc. I think there's a good argument is evolved from what came before it elsewhere.

lmm 2y ago

Using "America" to mean the US annoys me too, but blame the Americans for that one. There are definitely some unique food cultures within the US (cajun/creole comes immediately to mind, as does Chicago pizza), but are there really American food cultures - flavours or preparations that are eaten both throughout the US and not elsewhere? All of the obvious candidates like hamburgers are popular in many countries and cultures; whenever I've gone to an "American restaurant" (as distinct from a "New York deli" or a "New Orleans grill" or what have you) they've seemed to be serving much the same stuff as a generic restaurant.

lolinder 2y ago
The requirement that the food be eaten conventionally throughout the country is a really weird definition of what counts as "American food" that would to my first- and secondhand knowledge at the very least exclude Mexican and Italian cuisine from being distinct. Neither one really exists as a coherent cuisine in the way you seem to imagine, and if you talk to a native of those countries they'll very quickly tell you that the foods you think of as "Mexican" or "Italian" are actually from specific regions of those countries. Your second requirement—that it be not eaten elsewhere—would likewise exclude every major exported food culture. Do the Italians no longer get to claim spaghetti because an American mom makes it as a quick dish at home for her kids?
- lmm 2y ago
  > would to my first- and secondhand knowledge at the very least exclude Mexican and Italian cuisine from being distinct. Neither one really exists as a coherent cuisine in the way you seem to imagine, and if you talk to a native of those countries they'll very quickly tell you that the foods you think of as "Mexican" or "Italian" are actually from specific regions of those countries. I don't know Mexico well enough to comment, but yeah there absolutely isn't a unified "Italian" culture (perhaps there is the beginnings of one) and it's a mistake to think of one (not just in food but in other matters as well). Just as there is no "Chinese" food, there are several distinct Chinese food cultures. > Your second requirement—that it be not eaten elsewhere—would likewise exclude every major exported food culture. Do the Italians no longer get to claim spaghetti because an American mom makes it as a quick dish at home for her kids? At some point it just becomes generic food yeah, just like trademarks. I'm sure for the first people to bake bread it was a unique cultural food, but it would be madness to call that Mesopotamian food now, it's just food.