Anyway, today got me thinking about food (naturally) and all of the diverse types of cuisine that we have here in America. I'm not necessarily talking about Panda Express and Pizza Hut kind of stuff, but real, authentic cuisine from countries all over the world. Maybe I notice it more where I live in California because my town contains families from all different backgrounds. It's a fact however, that I can choose from Thai, Vietnamese, Indian, Italian, and many more restaurants that exist within a mile radius of each other.
This begs the question, what surrounds the American culture in terms of cuisine? Sure, we have thousands of pizza places across the nation, many of them chain restaurants, but we attribute their food to the Italian culture. So naturally when we think American we think hamburgers, french fries, hotdogs - cheap things you can get at any sporting event.
I truly think that the beauty of American culture is that it is so diverse. We can't make up our mind as to whether we want Chinese, Japanese, or whatever food tonight for dinner. The multitude of choices available to us make us who we are. We have the opportunity to experience other cultures here (maybe not actually authentic foreign cuisine) even if it's just by ordering some tacos at a local chain establishment. The best thing about our culinary culture is that we have influences from everyone else. Every country has a place in our nation's foodie hotspots which in turn makes us more open and respectful to others in my opinion.
I truly think that the beauty of American culture is that it is so diverse. We can't make up our mind as to whether we want Chinese, Japanese, or whatever food tonight for dinner. The multitude of choices available to us make us who we are. We have the opportunity to experience other cultures here (maybe not actually authentic foreign cuisine) even if it's just by ordering some tacos at a local chain establishment. The best thing about our culinary culture is that we have influences from everyone else. Every country has a place in our nation's foodie hotspots which in turn makes us more open and respectful to others in my opinion.
These new fusion type restaurants that attempt to blend cuisines from different cultures are a blessing to people who love to try new things like me. I don't know about everyone else, but I always go into a restaurant with a mindset that urges me to look for the most unique dish on the menu. So in honor of these pioneers that seek to bring people together with food, lets all go out there and try something unique!
Last week I was fortunate to try Yucca Root, not the most common thing found in the supermarkets. I was amazed at how normal it seemed. It reminded me of a potato, perfectly seasoned with simply salt, pepper, and cilantro. It is always a splendid surprise when we find something new that can spark our interests.
Let me know what new foods you have experimented with and tried! Or if anyone has some suggestions for a new food I can try please share! I'm always looking for new ingredients to incorporate into my cooking.
Chow down on diversity America,
Stephanie, WWT
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