Comment Re:American Cuisine (Score 1) 844
Perhaps I wasn't specific enough. I don't seen a failure in American "Cuisine" in general, not in the way you'd refer to "French Cuisine". There are American chefs doing some amazing stuff. Even pretentious assholes like Bobby Flay put a damn fine dish on the table.
1 and 6) Viticulture. Yes, I will fully grant you that the american wines are damn fine. But I'll counter with american beer. Yes, #6 you have Microbreweries, but those are the exception, not the rule. Find me someone discerning who likes BUD LIGHT, or even *shudder* Milwaukee's Best.
2) Not sure where you live. I live in Cincinnati, a generic midwestern city. I can get all of those things too, but not at my grocery store. I'd have to make special trips to specialty stores. I've spent time in Manhattan and San Francisco where you CAN get those things easily. Again, that's the exception, not the rule.
3) True, Asian Cuisine is more realistic these days. You can say the same things about other cuisines. Real Mexican, not nacho cheese laden tex-mex. Real Italian, not pizza and americanized pasta. Though all of the bad sides of those cuisines is here too. How many people in the US truly believe that Taco Bell is mexican?
4) No argument here. The success of FoodNetwork is a clear indication that many people do enjoy food more. Though I would give them marks off for feeding into the Emeril Lagassee cult of personality. (Which is a damn shame, his Louisiana Real and Rustic is one of the best cookbooks I've ever read.)
5) I have a love-hate relationship with WS. They are so expensive that I've never been able to bring myself to buy anything there. They also feed into the notion that expensive gadgets are required to cook, and they aren't. Granted, I lust after the All-Clad stainless cookware, but my inexpensive Calphalon I bought dirt cheap off of ebay serves me just fine.
My question was not so much a query as to the sad state of food in America (Why Can't Johnny Saute?) but more of a question about the split in our culture. There are foodies (Hi there) and there are junkfoodies. McDonalds, Taco Bell, and their ilk are a poor legacy for america to foist upon the world. You don't see "Supercrepes" stands in the mall food court, nor do you see a worldwide chain of Charlie Trotter's.
There's a serious dichotomy in American cuisine between good food and fast food.
1 and 6) Viticulture. Yes, I will fully grant you that the american wines are damn fine. But I'll counter with american beer. Yes, #6 you have Microbreweries, but those are the exception, not the rule. Find me someone discerning who likes BUD LIGHT, or even *shudder* Milwaukee's Best.
2) Not sure where you live. I live in Cincinnati, a generic midwestern city. I can get all of those things too, but not at my grocery store. I'd have to make special trips to specialty stores. I've spent time in Manhattan and San Francisco where you CAN get those things easily. Again, that's the exception, not the rule.
3) True, Asian Cuisine is more realistic these days. You can say the same things about other cuisines. Real Mexican, not nacho cheese laden tex-mex. Real Italian, not pizza and americanized pasta. Though all of the bad sides of those cuisines is here too. How many people in the US truly believe that Taco Bell is mexican?
4) No argument here. The success of FoodNetwork is a clear indication that many people do enjoy food more. Though I would give them marks off for feeding into the Emeril Lagassee cult of personality. (Which is a damn shame, his Louisiana Real and Rustic is one of the best cookbooks I've ever read.)
5) I have a love-hate relationship with WS. They are so expensive that I've never been able to bring myself to buy anything there. They also feed into the notion that expensive gadgets are required to cook, and they aren't. Granted, I lust after the All-Clad stainless cookware, but my inexpensive Calphalon I bought dirt cheap off of ebay serves me just fine.
My question was not so much a query as to the sad state of food in America (Why Can't Johnny Saute?) but more of a question about the split in our culture. There are foodies (Hi there) and there are junkfoodies. McDonalds, Taco Bell, and their ilk are a poor legacy for america to foist upon the world. You don't see "Supercrepes" stands in the mall food court, nor do you see a worldwide chain of Charlie Trotter's.
There's a serious dichotomy in American cuisine between good food and fast food.
