# The 'What foreigners think of American food' drove me to this! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 18, 2004, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-foreigners-think-of-american-food-drove-me-to-this/269782 "2004-10-18T04:26:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Incubus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@Incubus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incubus)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-foreigners-think-of-american-food-drove-me-to-this/269782/1 "2004-10-18T04:26:25Z")
I was reading the thread about American food that grosses out Europeans. Ironically, the thread made me incredibly _hungry_, hungry for things they found disgusting! :eek: I had an overhwelming desire to to eat something…_unhealthy_ and so characteristically American that the very though would turn folks green in the gills 😛 While I was out, I bought a doughnut. Not a _good_ doughnut from a bakery, oh no, that’s too fancy! I went and got a doughnut from 7-11 (a convenience store chain). Feeling that paying $0.85 was excessive for a _fresh_ doughnut, I opted for one in the ‘day old’ section which were on discount for $0.50. From the looks of it, this pastry (if it still qualified as one) looked like it came out of the same factory that makes play-doh and as such was suitable for my personal indulgence. When I took it home, I cut it in half lengthwise like a bagel, and fried it…again. I fried the cut halves on a skillet to make them crispy (or as crispy as I could get it 😛 ). Reminded of the deep-fried ham sandwich with custard my best friend enjoyed at a restaurant the other day, I then stuffed some micowave bacon, along with some margarine in it and ate it like a sandwich. I washed the whole thing down with rootbeer. 😛 If this grossed out anyone, I’m sorry. Its just I read the thread about all the American food that makes foreigners gag, and it gave me this bizarre craving for all those things. I want to drink E-Z cheese product straight out of the can, eat pickled eggs until I get ill, and get drunk off cheap American beer right now. ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-foreigners-think-of-american-food-drove-me-to-this/269782/2 "2004-10-18T04:35:53Z")
I salute you with my ice cream spoon. ---
**Author:** ![Keapon\_Laffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e274bd/32.png) [@Keapon\_Laffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keapon_Laffin)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-foreigners-think-of-american-food-drove-me-to-this/269782/3 "2004-10-18T04:43:08Z")
> [@Incubus](#): > > get drunk off cheap American beer right now. :eek: Dear god, no. **Don’t do it, Incubus!!!** You won’t respect yourself tomorrow! ---
**Author:** ![Medea\_s\_Child](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Medea\_s\_Child](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Medea_s_Child)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-foreigners-think-of-american-food-drove-me-to-this/269782/4 "2004-10-18T05:04:22Z")
Where’s this thread? I’m currently in China and the moment I get home in December I’m grilling big, dripping cheesburgers. Snow or no snow. And baking pies. And bacon, bacon cheeseburgers. And _cold_ pop. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-foreigners-think-of-american-food-drove-me-to-this/269782/5 "2004-10-18T05:22:52Z")
> [@Incubus](#): > > Not a _good_ doughnut from a bakery, oh no, that’s too fancy! I went and got a doughnut from 7-11 (a convenience store chain). Well, where do you think those 7-11 doughnuts come from, if not a bakery? I have a friend who owns a ‘fancy bakery’; they also supply doughnuts & other pastrys to local chains like 7-11 and SuperAmerica, to some hotels, and even to 1 hospital. These bulk sales are a large part of their income. I asked him once if there was any difference between the doughnut that sells for $1.25 in his ‘fancy donut shoppe’ and the one that sells for 50¢ in a gas station. He said that they come from the same recipe, cooked in the same fryer, by the same cook. But in his shoppe, a pretty waitress sets it before you on a nice plate. In the gas station, you pick it up out of a bin with a sheet of wax paper. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Niceguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mr.Niceguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Niceguy)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-foreigners-think-of-american-food-drove-me-to-this/269782/6 "2004-10-18T05:42:44Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > In the gas station, you pick it up out of a bin with a sheet of wax paper. Well, maybe _you_ use the wax paper… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-foreigners-think-of-american-food-drove-me-to-this/269782/7 "2004-10-18T05:54:52Z")
> [@Incubus](#): > > Reminded of the deep-fried ham sandwich with custard my best friend enjoyed at a restaurant the other day Monte Cristo? ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-foreigners-think-of-american-food-drove-me-to-this/269782/8 "2004-10-18T06:14:23Z")
Dude. No, no, no. Do they not have Krispy Kreme where you are, the actual store with the “Fresh Donuts Now” neon sign? Because that is how you eat a donut. It’s still disgustingly American, as you can see the donut assembly factory machinery from where you eat, and something watching them scrape the gloppy glazing off the conveyor belt is… well, it might put you off your fresh hot donuts. For three or four seconds maybe. Day old donuts are un-American. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-foreigners-think-of-american-food-drove-me-to-this/269782/9 "2004-10-18T08:31:23Z")
> [@Incubus](#): > > If this grossed out anyone, I’m sorry. I’ll have to confess it did actually gross me out a little; I tried to read it objectively, but failed; to me it says "I took this stale ball of **fried** grease, **fried** it again, added some **fatty** meat, some more **fat** … It’s all subjective, but yes, it made me feel queasy, but if you enjoyed it, knock yourself out; they’re _your_ arteries, for as long as they continue to function as such. ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-foreigners-think-of-american-food-drove-me-to-this/269782/10 "2004-10-18T08:47:07Z")
You shoulda put some ketchup on it! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-foreigners-think-of-american-food-drove-me-to-this/269782/11 "2004-10-18T08:51:07Z")
Dammit…now you got me hungry (hey I got to use a …gry word) I think I’m gonna go fix me a hotdog and another whiskey w/ a dash of vanilla. mm-mmm good ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-foreigners-think-of-american-food-drove-me-to-this/269782/12 "2004-10-18T10:54:17Z")
Oh, man… now I’m craving doughnuts! ☹ I’ve been on the Atkins diet for the past 3 months or so, and while I’m down about 30 lbs., I sure miss doughnuts! Raw red meat is just no substitute… ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-foreigners-think-of-american-food-drove-me-to-this/269782/13 "2004-10-18T13:05:06Z")
Nothing says stupid American snack food like Pork Rinds. ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-foreigners-think-of-american-food-drove-me-to-this/269782/14 "2004-10-18T14:20:31Z")
You should make yourself a frito pie while you’re at it. ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-foreigners-think-of-american-food-drove-me-to-this/269782/15 "2004-10-18T14:25:42Z")
> [@Astroboy14](#): > > Oh, man… now I’m craving doughnuts! ☹ > > I’ve been on the Atkins diet for the past 3 months or so, and while I’m down about 30 lbs., I sure miss doughnuts! Raw red meat is just no substitute… You’re just not putting enough sugar on it. BTW the spicy hot pork rinds aren’t too bad, especially at two in the morning. and just WTF is wrong with Frito pie? ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-foreigners-think-of-american-food-drove-me-to-this/269782/16 "2004-10-18T14:29:05Z")
> [@slortar](#): > > You should make yourself a frito pie while you’re at it. And eat it out of the bag! ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-foreigners-think-of-american-food-drove-me-to-this/269782/17 "2004-10-18T15:16:25Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > It’s all subjective, but yes, it made me feel queasy, but if you enjoyed it, knock yourself out; they’re _your_ arteries, for as long as they continue to function as such. Hey! **Incubus** has hard, manly, **American** arteries. None of those flimly, flabby, foreign, girly arteries for him. **Incubus** , my arteries and I salute you. Remember, contrary to what every, single health professional in the world may tell you, such food is good for you. It makes your heart stronger, because it’s pumping sludge. Those so-called heath professionals don’t want you to have hard arteries, because it will make you as powerful as they are. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-foreigners-think-of-american-food-drove-me-to-this/269782/18 "2004-10-18T15:44:29Z")
> [@Sean Factotum](#): > > Nothing says stupid American snack food like Pork Rinds. You mean Microwave Pork Rinds, don’t you? ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-foreigners-think-of-american-food-drove-me-to-this/269782/19 "2004-10-18T15:49:32Z")
> [@Maus Magill](#): > > Hey! **Incubus** has hard, manly, **American** arteries. None of those flimly, flabby, foreign, girly arteries for him. > > **Incubus** , my arteries and I salute you. Remember, contrary to what every, single health professional in the world may tell you, such food is good for you. It makes your heart stronger, because it’s pumping sludge. Those so-called heath professionals don’t want you to have hard arteries, because it will make you as powerful as they are. Yeah! They never point out the health **benefits** of hardened arteries. It’s demonstable that hardened arteries reduce the chances of coming down with Alzheimer’s disease! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-foreigners-think-of-american-food-drove-me-to-this/269782/20 "2004-10-18T16:03:03Z")
Yeah. After reading that thread, I had to drive (not walk!) to the nearest diner and have pancakes and sausage, with syrup on both, for dinner. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-what-foreigners-think-of-american-food-drove-me-to-this/269782.md?page=2)