# 15 things Americans eat that Foreigners hate **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 4, 2014, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307 "2014-12-04T12:38:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/241 "2014-12-06T15:27:04Z")
> [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](#): > > Why the hell Fritos? This does seem like an intentional attempt to “Americanize” something in a very bad way. So, that aspect of it is annoying. Mmmmmmmmmmmm, Fritos! :o I sometimes use them to scrape ribbons from a brick of cream cheese and then let the combination melt in my mouth. Pure bliss! ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/242 "2014-12-06T16:10:09Z")
> [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](#): > > I’m not particularly repulsed by it, but to me there is simply no good reason to include corn chips. I’m not a fan of Fritos in general. I’m not a big chili eater, but I eat it without corn chips or spaghetti or whatever else it is people are always putting it on. > > I dislike “walking tacos” because I think they are just stupid. 1. A taco shell is not that exotic in the US in 2014. Most grocery stores carry about 6 different brands. You can get it crunchy or soft, flour or corn. They range in price from around 4-20 cents a piece. Pretty simple thing. I don’t see the point of not just using a taco shell. 2. OK, so instead of a shell, you want chips. So use tortilla chips or strips. Why the hell Fritos? This does seem like an intentional attempt to “Americanize” something in a very bad way. So, that aspect of it is annoying. It started as [Fair Food](http://www.foodandwine.com/slideshows/americas-wacky-fair-foods/2). The fritos bag makes it easy for the vendor to throw everything together and for the visitor to walk around seeing the sites while eating it. I’ve noticed that a lot of people see reports about Fair Food and confuse it with American Cuisine. We do not eat this stuff on a regular basis. Well, I suppose maybe in frat houses you might find it served. . . Vendors compete for the most cringe-inducing combinations. That’s the origin of the doughnut-as-cheeseburger-bun and fried butter, and Koolickles (A pickle frozen in Kool-aid). In all fairness, the Scottish really started it all with their deep-fried snicker bars. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/243 "2014-12-06T16:13:52Z")
> [@BaldDudePeekskill](#): > > This thread reminds of the time I cooked an “Exotic” American breakfast for my family in Sicily. I found Speck, which is similar enough to our bacon Wait a minute—are you saying there is no actual bacon there? A Land Without Bacon? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/244 "2014-12-06T16:19:28Z")
Italy has dozens of different kinds of pork products. I’d call pancetta close enough to be called bacon. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/245 "2014-12-06T16:34:01Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > … > Vendors compete for the most cringe-inducing combinations. That’s the origin of the doughnut-as-cheeseburger-bun and fried butter, and Koolickles (A pickle frozen in Kool-aid). > … I just Googled Koolickles and it appears that they’re not frozen, just steeped in brine that contains Kool-Aid and sugar. Disgusting either way. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/246 "2014-12-06T16:45:23Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Italy has dozens of different kinds of pork products. I’d call pancetta close enough to be called bacon. Yeah, I’d probably call it a type of unsmoked bacon. Different enough from American bacon that I wouldn’t substitute one for the other usually, but similar enough that it can be called a type of bacon. German speck like _bauchspeck_ is pretty close to American bacon, being smoked, cured, and made from pork belly. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/247 "2014-12-06T16:57:32Z")
There are a great many people in the world, even including many Americans, who have never tried biscuits and gravy. Most non-Americans wouldn’t even have a clue what the dish is, since while many places have a food called “biscuit” or something similar, the American biscuit is quite unlike any of those other foods (the closest actual relative is the scone). But I’ve never heard of anyone, from any country, who’s ever actually tried biscuits and gravy without loving it. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/248 "2014-12-06T17:00:31Z")
Indeed. What’s not to like? Sausage, gravy, and biscuits. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/249 "2014-12-06T17:17:35Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > To be fair, the spicing does make them quite different. Moreover, given the fact that she, a white woman, said “that’s what white people eat” I’d lay a bet she was entirely joking anyway. Someone either called what she was eating pierogi, or suggested that samosas are just like pierogi, and she quipped in reply. (Is pierogi the plural form too? I didn’t know that…) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/250 "2014-12-06T17:28:27Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > In all fairness, the Scottish really started it all with their deep-fried snicker bars. Huh! Next you’ll be saying haggis is no good! :mad: ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/251 "2014-12-06T17:33:11Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > Is pierogi the plural form too? I didn’t know that… Yes; from my limited knowledge of Polish, I believe the singular is pierog. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/252 "2014-12-06T17:35:24Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > There are a great many people in the world, even including many Americans, who have never tried biscuits and gravy. Most non-Americans wouldn’t even have a clue what the dish is, since while many places have a food called “biscuit” or something similar, the American biscuit is quite unlike any of those other foods (the closest actual relative is the scone). But I’ve never heard of anyone, from any country, who’s ever actually tried biscuits and gravy without loving it. Biscuits and gravy I don’t even think is all that regional any longer. It’s kind of like chicken and waffles in that it may have been regional at one point, but there are so many restaurants all over now that try to cash in on “hey this is [some other region] style food” that you can find that stuff everywhere. Cracker Barrel for example is mostly national (or at least not at all confined to the Southeast) and sells Biscuits and Gravy as a standard menu item. That’s probably one of the more well known big chains but I think even Hardee’s/Carl Jr served it as a national menu item for awhile. The one common denominator of course is that you won’t find it on any nice menu items, and it’s pretty strictly served for breakfast. A lot of people don’t eat at sit down restaurants for breakfast, and the restaurants that serve sit down restaurants all tend to be the lower end of the restaurant world (essentially diner style places.) ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/253 "2014-12-06T17:51:18Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > Moreover, given the fact that she, a white woman, said “that’s what white people eat” I’d lay a bet she was entirely joking anyway. Someone either called what she was eating pierogi, or suggested that samosas are just like pierogi, and she quipped in reply. > > (Is pierogi the plural form too? I didn’t know that…) In English, it’s “pierogies.” ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/254 "2014-12-06T17:56:59Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Yes; from my limited knowledge of Polish, I believe the singular is pierog. Yes, “pierog” is the singular in Polish, but generally not used in English. For the plural, I hear both “pierogi” and “pierogies” here in English. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/255 "2014-12-06T17:57:28Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > In English, it’s “pierogies.” Just like Pampers are “pampersy” (plural) in Russian. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/256 "2014-12-06T18:06:49Z")
> [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > The one common denominator of course is that you won’t find it on any nice menu items, and it’s pretty strictly served for breakfast. A lot of people don’t eat at sit down restaurants for breakfast, and the restaurants that serve sit down restaurants all tend to be the lower end of the restaurant world (essentially diner style places.) I was hitchhiking through Wisconsin once in the dead of winter (don’t ask me why; it’s a long story!) and freezing my ass off just west of the Dells. I was still miles from home and hadn’t had a lift in hours, so I decided to go into a roadside restaurant for some coffee. I was damned near flat broke, so you can imagine the delight I felt when I saw the cheapest thing on the menu was biscuits and sausage gravy. As difficult as it is to believe (this was 1983 or '84), I swear they cost only a half dollar, and when they came, they were on a huge platter. I have seldom enjoyed a meal in a sit-down restaurant so much in my life! :o ---
**Author:** ![vontsira](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/51bf81/32.png) [@vontsira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vontsira)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/257 "2014-12-06T18:13:55Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > **You make me a delicious sweet broccoli pie** and I will be all over that. Granted, there are desserts from elsewhere that I find a little weird (red bean ice cream, I’m looking at you), but in general I’m happy to eat delicious desserts and won’t raise an eyebrow at something if it’s delicious. I seem to mention my brother rather a lot on SDMB: but please, nobody breathe a word to him about the bolded-above idea. He’s a keen foodie and cook, and very adventurous; and loves vegetables, with broccoli high on his “like” list. I’m into the same kind of stuff, but in a somewhat less adventurous way – and am not keen on broccoli: will reluctantly eat it as a straight “side” to a meal, but that’s where I stop. I see him absolutely loving the idea of sweet broccoli pie; and making one, and trying it on me. ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/258 "2014-12-06T23:37:40Z")
> [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](#): > > 2nd time (early in the thread) that someone, I’m assuming non-American, has referred to grits as a “peasant food.” > > Maybe my interpretation of that owes to cultural differences, but as far as attitudes toward food goes, I can’t imagine anyone I know in America saying something like that as a reason for not consuming a food. Maybe you might say something like since you didn’t grow up in the South, you aren’t used to eating it. I guess a lot of food is regional, whether it’s grits, fried chicken, a bucket of crabs, ribs, whatever. Most of the people I know who eat grits have higher incomes, actually. What? How dare you Sir. How very dare you. Are you suggesting I have some kind of prejudice against the peasentry? I’ ll have you know some of my best friends are very nearly poor. Why, my cleaning lady is BULGARIAN for goodness sake. I demand satisfaction. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2014, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/259 "2014-12-07T01:21:03Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Yeah, I’m aware of that in theory, but the only grits I’ve had have been of the hominy type (at least as far as I know, because none of them could be confused with polenta in my estimation.) Like I said, I like both, but I could see liking one and not the other if we’re talking hominy vs corn. There’s a particular flavor to hominy, like when I thicken chili with masa harina (hominy flour) vs corn meal. Substantially different flavors to me, and I don’t think I have the most discerning sense of taste (though I love food and cooking and end up in a lot of “foodie” threads.) It took me awhile to enjoy chili thickened with masa harina because it had such a distinct flavor to it, whereas when I thickened it with corn meal, it didn’t have that particular flavor to it. The idea that grits and polenta are virtually the same product is common enough that Alton Brown dedicated an entire episode of Good Eats to it. I never saw the whole thing, so maybe he offers a better explanation. And I don’t think that the really aggressive bitter taste that I associate with masa harina is present in hominy grits. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2014, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307/260 "2014-12-07T01:58:49Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > I take it you’re not from the Midwest? :dubious: Sounds like typical fare there to me. > > I read somewhere once that Wisconsin (“The Dairy State”) has the highest incidence of cardiovascular disease in the US (and I think obesity as well). Oddly enough, I found the food to be the most appealing thing about the state the eighteen months I lived there. I was born in California and we moved around a lot, but my growing up school years were UP of Mich, Wisconsin and Minnesota. I’ve got Midwest street cred and \*used \*to have the accent to prove it. 🙂 I moved away, my sister stayed. Going back after many years was a culture shock. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-things-americans-eat-that-foreigners-hate/706307.md?page=14)