# Ketchup on Pizza?!? and other wierd international eating habits **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 29, 2008, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-pizza-and-other-wierd-international-eating-habits/439626 "2008-02-29T11:07:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-pizza-and-other-wierd-international-eating-habits/439626/41 "2008-02-29T16:43:39Z")
[QUOTE=Zsofia] …I had to order it, because he had no English and I had no German, by making the French noise the turkey makes. (I couldn’t remember the French word for turkey, either (dindon) but it got the job done.) Glouglouglouglouglou! [/QUOTE] This reminds me of when I tried to order chicken in a small town in the Czech Republic once. I didn’t have a phrase book with me at the restaurant, and I couldn’t get my point across, so I wound up drawing a picture of a chicken on a napkin. It got a smile out of the waitress, but there was no chicken on the menu. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-pizza-and-other-wierd-international-eating-habits/439626/42 "2008-02-29T16:43:42Z")
[QUOTE=BluePitbull] In Trinidad, ketchup is a typical dipping sauce for pizza. Never got around to trying it, it just sounds too gross. Any other wierd eating habits around the world? [/QUOTE] In Japan, “American Style” pizza includes corn and mayonnaise. -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-pizza-and-other-wierd-international-eating-habits/439626/43 "2008-02-29T16:44:12Z")
> [@](#): > > A little bird once told me that many many people in southeast asia find the the very concept of cheese to be revolting (it’s kinda just spoiled milk, isn’t it?). Hopefully a Doper who actually lives in the area can confirm or deny this. Anthropologist Marvin Harris, in his book **Good to Eat** , says that Chinese and southeast Asians see drinking a glass of milk as roughly equivalent to drinking a glass of cow saliva. The Chinese don’t have a tradition of drinking milk or eating dairy products, which is tied up with their general lactose intolerance, so you can understand their lack of enthusiasm. Taboo foods generally get the “Ewwww!” treatment from the people who hold the taboo. Muslims and Jews writing about the disgustingness of pork radiate such dislike. Or ask your average American how he or she feels about eating bugs. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-pizza-and-other-wierd-international-eating-habits/439626/44 "2008-02-29T17:31:42Z")
[QUOTE=Dominic Mulligan] Not fries - proper chips. [/QUOTE] Yeah, big fuck off fat chips at that. You tell 'em Dom. Bloody colonials ---
**Author:** ![Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sophistry_and_Illusion)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-pizza-and-other-wierd-international-eating-habits/439626/45 "2008-02-29T17:32:02Z")
[QUOTE=Max the Immortal] A little bird once told me that many many people in southeast asia find the the very concept of cheese to be revolting (it’s kinda just spoiled milk, isn’t it?). [/QUOTE] But how would they feel about gooey, runny, pumpable spoiled milk? Mmmm. > [@Harmonious Discord](#): > > Pump cheese is to cheese for food, as what bacon grease is to K-Y jelly for lube. Well, if you got all of the grit out first… mmm…bacon-flavored genitalia… ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-pizza-and-other-wierd-international-eating-habits/439626/46 "2008-02-29T17:39:18Z")
[QUOTE=Shecky] Up here, however, it’s all about pizza and mayo! [/QUOTE] When I was a kid I used to put mayonnaise on (Straw Hat) pizza. Tried it again as a teenager and didn’t like it so much. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_in\_second\_hand\_clothing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9d8465/32.png) [@wolf\_in\_second\_hand\_clothing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_in_second_hand_clothing)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-pizza-and-other-wierd-international-eating-habits/439626/47 "2008-02-29T19:21:14Z")
The pizza places in Mexico give ketchup packets along with delivered pizzas, too. Also, I knew a guy there who was disgusted by peanut butter, but would slather ketchup on peanuts and eat them with a spoon. My mom is from Hawaii, so I love spam. I also never realized how uncommon it is to eat chilli served over a bowl of rice. ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-pizza-and-other-wierd-international-eating-habits/439626/48 "2008-02-29T19:23:24Z")
They put ketchup on pizza in India too. I was wary at first, but it turns out it’s actually really good. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-pizza-and-other-wierd-international-eating-habits/439626/49 "2008-02-29T19:38:51Z")
Isn’t putting ketchup on a pizza a bit like putting ketchup on a tomato? Or mayonnaise on an egg? ---
**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:** [February 29, 2008, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-pizza-and-other-wierd-international-eating-habits/439626/50 "2008-02-29T19:44:31Z")
[QUOTE=spoke-] This reminds me of when I tried to order chicken in a small town in the Czech Republic once. I didn’t have a phrase book with me at the restaurant, and I couldn’t get my point across, so I wound up drawing a picture of a chicken on a napkin. It got a smile out of the waitress, but there was no chicken on the menu. [/QUOTE] Similar anecdote, whilst living in Hungary, my roommate and I went out to eat with some Hungarian friends. He ordered some dish that could be made from a variety of different meats and, when the dish came out and he began eating, he was curious to find out exactly what it was. So, wanting to learn the language and be self-sufficient rather than asking the Hungarians at the table for help, he calls over the waitress and asks her in his limited Hungarian, something like “_mi az_” (what is this?). He didn’t quite understand her explanation, so she began making the sound of the animal in question: _röff röff_. He turns blankly to the table, and asks, “I’m eating _dog_?” The Hungarians bust out laughing as, apparently, _röff röff_ is the sound pigs make in Hungarian. Needless to say, my roommate was relieved. (Oh, and ketchup on pizza in Hungary was not unusual, either.) ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-pizza-and-other-wierd-international-eating-habits/439626/51 "2008-02-29T20:09:53Z")
[QUOTE=nd\_n8] What is it about Americans and our aversion to eating cooked blood anyway? I’ve had conversations about how revolting blood pudding and sausages sound yet seen these exact same people drool over a sack of White Castles. Say sparky, you know that gooey bottom bun on the White Castle? You don’t think that’s just grease and onion juice do ya? And that soft and yummy greyish matter on the side of that meatloaf or home cooked hamburger? Ever wonder where that comes from anyway? [/QUOTE] It doesn’t come from blood, if that’s what you’re implying. Commercial meat has almost all the blood removed from it. It’s just liquid from the muscle cells. ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-pizza-and-other-wierd-international-eating-habits/439626/52 "2008-02-29T20:14:12Z")
Came upon the ketchup on pizza thing in Romaina. And pickled beats on hamburgers in Australia. Regarding maple syrup with bacon or breakfast sausage, it’s pretty easy for the syrup to run off your pancakes (or waffles or French toast) and contaminate whatever meat you’re having. What are you supposed to do, wash it off? I think I’ve even seen some sausage with maple flavor added. ---
**Author:** ![JR\_Brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JR\_Brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JR_Brown)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2008, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-pizza-and-other-wierd-international-eating-habits/439626/53 "2008-03-01T01:02:53Z")
Mexico and other southern parts: lime, salt and mild hot sauce on fresh fruit of all descriptions. Took a while to get used to the idea but is actually yummy. JRB ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2008, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-pizza-and-other-wierd-international-eating-habits/439626/54 "2008-03-01T02:58:46Z")
Guy I used to work with declared pizza to be flavored Italian bread. He folded it and then slathered it with butter. Couple calories there. ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2008, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-pizza-and-other-wierd-international-eating-habits/439626/55 "2008-03-01T03:12:52Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] In **Dave Barry Does Japan** he talks about the Japanese putti ng corn of pizza CORN!!! [/QUOTE] OMG - this totally freaked me out when I first moved to Korea. Corn on pizza? Are you kidding me? I kinda got used to it, but Koreans put some weird shit on pizza as a rule. Chestnut paste. Sweet potatoes. Kimchii. ---
**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:** [March 1, 2008, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-pizza-and-other-wierd-international-eating-habits/439626/56 "2008-03-01T03:17:44Z")
[More corn on pizza.](http://www.chew.hu/desk_test_american_mystificati.html) The Hungarians do it too and call it “American pizza.” I’m also fairly sure there was a frozen pizza made by Dr. Oetker (a German company) called “Big American” which also contained corn. Corn seems to be synonymous with “American” in much of the world, with good reason, too, I suppose. [Oh, boy, it gets even better.](http://www.chew.hu/desk_test_american_pizza_myste.html) > [@](#): > > Starting in the foreground is the Szex és New York pizza, named after the Hungarian title of the famous American cable TV show “Sex and the City,” and which features a layer of sour cream, chicken “ragú,” preserved peach slices, ginger and cheese (tejfölös alap, csirkeragu, barack, gyömbér, sajt). Joining it in the background is the “Los Angeles”: dilled yoghurt sauce, salmon, sliced orange, and mozzarella (kapros joghurtos alap, lazac, narancs, mozzarella sajt). Needless to say, you are about as likely to find pizzas like this in Los Angeles or New York as you are to find pizzas in Budapest that are like the ones you get in New York or LA. ---
**Author:** ![Shamozzle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shamozzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shamozzle)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2008, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-pizza-and-other-wierd-international-eating-habits/439626/57 "2008-03-01T04:51:09Z")
My friend’s sister enjoys soya sauce sandwiches. My boss drinks about 4L of completely flat, warm Pepsi per day and eats Hickory Sticks and butter sandwiches. He is going to die. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2008, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-pizza-and-other-wierd-international-eating-habits/439626/58 "2008-03-01T06:34:27Z")
[QUOTE=guizot] Yeah, but you’re from England, where they eat chip sandwiches. Good nutrition, innit? [/QUOTE] [QUOTE=Dominic Mulligan] Nothing better than a chip barm, melted butter oozing down the sides. [/QUOTE] That sounds similar to the sandwiches they make at [Primanti Brothers](http://www.primantibrothers.com/) in Pittsburgh. (Incidentally, I’ve never eaten a Primanti Brothers sandwich but I’d like to at least once in my life. Pittsburgh/Western PA dopers, are they worth it?) As for eating “odd” things with french fries, I’ve noticed dipping them in tartar sauce has gotten more common in the Pacific Northwest. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2008, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-pizza-and-other-wierd-international-eating-habits/439626/59 "2008-03-01T06:40:34Z")
[QUOTE=Max the Immortal] A few of the British backpackers I met during that trip could not be convinced that peanut butter and jam go well together in sandwiches. [/QUOTE] :dubious: 😕 :eek: :rolleyes: This makes sense if you really hate peanut butter. Maybe if you insist that it’s a “savory” flavor not to be mixed with sweet flavors. I wonder, would they like peanut butter & mustard? I’ve never heard of anyone but me eating that as a sandwich, but I devised it when without jam years ago. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2008, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-pizza-and-other-wierd-international-eating-habits/439626/60 "2008-03-01T06:50:07Z")
In Hannah, Montana, ketchup is drinken [straight from the bottle](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_4LxxERBHY). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-pizza-and-other-wierd-international-eating-habits/439626.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ketchup-on-pizza-and-other-wierd-international-eating-habits/439626.md?page=4)