# Does putting "California" in front of the name of food mean you can make it from whatever you want?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-putting-california-in-front-of-the-name-of-food-mean-you-can-make-it-from-whatever-you-want/548203
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [July 27, 2010, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-putting-california-in-front-of-the-name-of-food-mean-you-can-make-it-from-whatever-you-want/548203 "2010-07-27T17:25:24Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2010, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-putting-california-in-front-of-the-name-of-food-mean-you-can-make-it-from-whatever-you-want/548203/1 "2010-07-27T17:25:24Z")
We all know that a “California Roll” is an Americanized facsimile of makizushi. Today in the cafeteria at my work they were serving “California” reuben wraps, comprised of a wrap (obviously) instead of rye, turkey instead of corned beef, cole slaw instead of sauerkraut, provolone instead of Swiss cheese, lettuce (?!) and Russian dressing. So basically it was a turkey wrap with Russian dressing. Why even bother trying to call it a reuben?! This is bullshit! I wanted a fucking reuben, not this lame shit!
---
### Author:  [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2010, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-putting-california-in-front-of-the-name-of-food-mean-you-can-make-it-from-whatever-you-want/548203/2 "2010-07-27T17:34:48Z")
The proper way to California-ize any food is to add avocado, so clearly that was not a California Rueben Wrap.
---
### Author:  [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2010, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-putting-california-in-front-of-the-name-of-food-mean-you-can-make-it-from-whatever-you-want/548203/3 "2010-07-27T17:41:29Z")
Avocado at a minimum, alfalfa sprouts also maybe. Anything trendy-hippie or organic will work too.
I didn’t think of it until you mentioned it, but the Turkey might be part of it too. “Healthier” than red meat, and not chicken, so that might CA-ize it.
---
### Author:  [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2010, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-putting-california-in-front-of-the-name-of-food-mean-you-can-make-it-from-whatever-you-want/548203/4 "2010-07-27T17:50:23Z")
Maybe the turkey’s name was Reuben.
---
### Author:  [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2010, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-putting-california-in-front-of-the-name-of-food-mean-you-can-make-it-from-whatever-you-want/548203/5 "2010-07-27T17:54:30Z")
That’s more like a Rachel than a Reuben anyway. I love a good turkey Rachel.
---
### Author:  [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2010, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-putting-california-in-front-of-the-name-of-food-mean-you-can-make-it-from-whatever-you-want/548203/6 "2010-07-27T18:04:47Z")
Well, it’s nice that “California” seems to mean a healthy version of something. However, I agree that your cafeteria way overstepped poetic license. I mean it could have been worse. They could have just given you a celery stalk.
---
### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2010, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-putting-california-in-front-of-the-name-of-food-mean-you-can-make-it-from-whatever-you-want/548203/7 "2010-07-27T18:07:45Z")
IME, as noted by others, ‘California’ means it has avocados in it.
I worked at Edwards AFB (CA) in the '80s. One day I went to the NCO Club and ordered a cheeseburger with avocado. The woman at the counter said, ‘You’re from California, aren’t you?’ I told her I am, and asked how she knew. ‘Only Californians put avocado on their sandwiches.’
---
### Author:  [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2010, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-putting-california-in-front-of-the-name-of-food-mean-you-can-make-it-from-whatever-you-want/548203/8 "2010-07-27T19:12:01Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#):
>
> IME, as noted by others, ‘California’ means it has avocados in it.
>
> I worked at Edwards AFB (CA) in the '80s. One day I went to the NCO Club and ordered a cheeseburger with avocado. The woman at the counter said, ‘You’re from California, aren’t you?’ I told her I am, and asked how she knew. ‘Only Californians put avocado on their sandwiches.’
I refuse to believe that only Californians would be intelligent enough to understand that avocados improve pretty much any given meal.
---
### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2010, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-putting-california-in-front-of-the-name-of-food-mean-you-can-make-it-from-whatever-you-want/548203/9 "2010-07-27T19:16:38Z")
It’s what she said.
The funniest thing – remember, this was in the '80s – was one time in the O-Club. A woman from back East looked at the huge bowl of freshly-made guacamole, and had no idea what it was or how to use it! (Oh, I miss Wednesday lunch at the O-Club!) It was explained to her. Oh, and one of my coworkers (from Iowa) said she liked ‘tor-till-ee-as’.
---
### Author:  [@kath94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kath94)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2010, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-putting-california-in-front-of-the-name-of-food-mean-you-can-make-it-from-whatever-you-want/548203/10 "2010-07-27T19:56:19Z")
> [@Kyla](#):
>
> > [@Johnny\_L.A](#):
> >
> > IME, as noted by others, ‘California’ means it has avocados in it.
> >
> > I worked at Edwards AFB (CA) in the '80s. One day I went to the NCO Club and ordered a cheeseburger with avocado. The woman at the counter said, ‘You’re from California, aren’t you?’ I told her I am, and asked how she knew. ‘Only Californians put avocado on their sandwiches.’
>
> I refuse to believe that only Californians would be intelligent enough to understand that avocados improve pretty much any given meal.
Interesting. I was at Marie Callender’s in SoCal last night. The avocado/pepper jack burger was called “Cabo San Lucas.”
I agree that anything with avocado tends to be associated with California. And in Hawaii, it’s “Hawaiian Style” if it’s got pineapple. Imagine, a McDonald’s breakfast “Hawaiian Style.” Just add a slice of pineapple. :rolleyes:
---
### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2010, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-putting-california-in-front-of-the-name-of-food-mean-you-can-make-it-from-whatever-you-want/548203/11 "2010-07-27T20:01:55Z")
> [@](#):
>
> I refuse to believe that only Californians would be intelligent enough to understand that avocados improve pretty much any given meal.
It’s not that folks elsewhere don’t like avocados, just that they’re not as easily available here. If I want guacamole on, say, a burrito, it’ll cost me as much as a dollar more.
---
### Author:  [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2010, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-putting-california-in-front-of-the-name-of-food-mean-you-can-make-it-from-whatever-you-want/548203/12 "2010-07-27T22:45:19Z")
I’ve always understood it to mean avocado, like anything florentine has spinach, or anthing Denver has ham, or VeraCurz and tomato sauce. I need to eat out more.
Obviously this may not apply when you’re actually in these places.
---
### Author:  [@cuberdon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cuberdon)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2010, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-putting-california-in-front-of-the-name-of-food-mean-you-can-make-it-from-whatever-you-want/548203/13 "2010-07-28T03:44:06Z")
“California” seems to be shorthand for “they do xyz activity this weird way no one else would think of doing”. Anywhere in the States outside of California, a reference to California can be used to convincingly explain any sort of unusual behavior, and I do mean _any_. If you are inside of California, mention San Francisco or Berkeley for the same effect.
Also the avocado thing. The way “Florentine” refers to dishes with spinach.
---
### Author:  [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2010, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-putting-california-in-front-of-the-name-of-food-mean-you-can-make-it-from-whatever-you-want/548203/14 "2010-07-28T20:47:39Z")
> [@Greg\_Charles](#):
>
> Well, it’s nice that “California” seems to mean a healthy version of something. However, I agree that your cafeteria way overstepped poetic license. I mean it could have been worse. They could have just given you a celery stalk.
With Russian dressing. Then it’s a Ruben celery stalk.
---
### Author:  [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2010, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-putting-california-in-front-of-the-name-of-food-mean-you-can-make-it-from-whatever-you-want/548203/15 "2010-07-28T20:57:06Z")
If you substituted Spam for turkey and sweet bread for the wrap, you’d have a Hawaiian reuben – which I just made up. Maybe that should have a slice of pineapple on it somewhere.
Putting any state name (other than New York, I guess) in front of the generic food name is an obvious tip off that the ingredients will be different. So yes, it does mean you can make it from whatever you want. Diner beware. If they had simply called it a reuben, however, that would be an outrage worthy of drastic measures.
---
### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2010, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-putting-california-in-front-of-the-name-of-food-mean-you-can-make-it-from-whatever-you-want/548203/16 "2010-07-28T21:08:21Z")
> [@](#):
>
> “California” seems to be shorthand for “they do xyz activity this weird way no one else would think of doing”. Anywhere in the States outside of California, a reference to California can be used to convincingly explain any sort of unusual behavior, and I do mean _any_. If you are inside of California, mention San Francisco or Berkeley for the same effect.
One calls to mind Heinlein’s short story [“–And he Built a Crooked House”](http://books.google.com/books?id=FtQzvJEjXmEC&pg=PA91&lpg=PA91&dq=%22and+he+built+a+crooked+house%22+California+Los+Angeles&source=bl&ots=tUxB2yLqBn&sig=bDsq-2B-QwwuGP8kUnoqkL9sb-U&hl=en&ei=DppQTPHNNon6sAP9ycmYBg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CBkQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=%22and%20he%20built%20a%20crooked%20house%22%20California%20Los%20Angeles&f=false). It starts off by saying that Americans, worldwide, are regarded as crazy, but that Americans blame that reputation on California. Californians admit to the charge, but point out that it’s mostly due to Los Angeles. And so on through Hollywood, the Canyon Drive neighborhood, one particular road off of Canyon, and a particular address on that road. Where, of course, the protagonist of the story lives.
> [@](#):
>
> Putting any state name (other than New York, I guess) in front of the generic food name is an obvious tip off that the ingredients will be different. So yes, it does mean you can make it from whatever you want. Diner beware.
Eh, I’d expect that it’d be different, but I’d expect something like rye bread with corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, Russian dressing, and avocado. Maybe leave off one of the other ingredients to make room for the avo, or swap a wrap for the bread, but at least keep most of the ingredients the same. What the OP’s describing, they might as well have just described as a “turkey wrap”, which would have given a much more accurate idea of what it is, and for two syllables less.
---
### Author:  [@Tethered\_Kite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tethered_Kite)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2010, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-putting-california-in-front-of-the-name-of-food-mean-you-can-make-it-from-whatever-you-want/548203/17 "2010-07-28T21:23:27Z")
In the Midwest when I was growing up a “California” hamburger meant that it had onion, lettuce and tomato on it.
When I hear “California style” I think of avocado or black olives.
---
### Author:  [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2010, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-putting-california-in-front-of-the-name-of-food-mean-you-can-make-it-from-whatever-you-want/548203/18 "2010-07-28T21:50:08Z")
As a chef, I’ve always said that “California” in the name is a code word for “whatever trend-sucking yuppie bastards everywhere are eating these days”. Invariably, it’s a dish that is considerably more of a pain in the ass to prepare than its non-“California” version.
But I live in Washington (state). What do I know 😃
---
### Author:  [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2010, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-putting-california-in-front-of-the-name-of-food-mean-you-can-make-it-from-whatever-you-want/548203/19 "2010-07-28T21:53:44Z")
> [@Tethered\_Kite](#):
>
> In the Midwest when I was growing up a “California” hamburger meant that it had onion, lettuce and tomato on it.
>
> When I hear “California style” I think of avocado or black olives.
That’s also common in diners in the Mid-Atlantic states.
---
### Author:  [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2010, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-putting-california-in-front-of-the-name-of-food-mean-you-can-make-it-from-whatever-you-want/548203/20 "2010-07-28T22:10:49Z")
> [@Tethered\_Kite](#):
>
> In the Midwest when I was growing up a “California” hamburger meant that it had onion, lettuce and tomato on it.
What did a “regular” burger have on it? 😕
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-putting-california-in-front-of-the-name-of-food-mean-you-can-make-it-from-whatever-you-want/548203.md?page=2)