# What dish immediately comes to mind when someone says \[Country\] cuisine? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 29, 2016, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dish-immediately-comes-to-mind-when-someone-says-country-cuisine/761226 "2016-07-29T20:36:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dish-immediately-comes-to-mind-when-someone-says-country-cuisine/761226/1 "2016-07-29T20:36:13Z")
Assume any country for [Country] including your own. I know that technically this would fall into cafe society territory but I’d like to keep it in IMHO to hit a wider audience. I’m really interested in the differences of opinions between natives of the countries and those foreign to it. I’ll start the show. America: It’s a toss up. Hamburgers, hot dogs, steaks. Just about the all-American stereotype. Japan: Sushi of course. China: Fried rice or lo mien dishes. Italy: Nothing but lasagna Brazil: Steak again. Because of my experience with Brazilian steakhouses. England: Fish and chips. Thanks Al Capp. Germany: Schnitzel, from one of my old co-workers who spent time in Germany. Ireland: Shepherd’s pie. Amazing stuff. Greece: Gyros. I know that most, if not all, of these are stereotypical, but that’s pretty much the limits of my exposure. What else ya got? ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dish-immediately-comes-to-mind-when-someone-says-country-cuisine/761226/2 "2016-07-29T20:53:54Z")
America: Hamburgers Mexico: Burritos Japan: Sushi China: Kung Pao chicken India: Biryani (or Naan bread) Korea: Kimchi Vietnam: Pho Thai: Pad Thai Italy: Spaghetti & Meatballs England: Fish & chips Ireland: Corned Beef & Cabbage Germany: Pretzels Greece: Gyros Russia: Borscht Poland: Pierogies Ethiopia: Injera ---
**Author:** ![somepumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@somepumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/somepumpkin)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dish-immediately-comes-to-mind-when-someone-says-country-cuisine/761226/3 "2016-07-29T20:54:51Z")
I’ll add to your list. Jamaica: Jerk chicken Indonesia: Chicken feet Mexico: Arroz y Pollo Spain: Paella Argentina: Empanadas Australia: Roo on the barby 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dish-immediately-comes-to-mind-when-someone-says-country-cuisine/761226/4 "2016-07-29T21:30:21Z")
Canada: Poutine New Guinea: Long Pig ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dish-immediately-comes-to-mind-when-someone-says-country-cuisine/761226/5 "2016-07-29T21:33:19Z")
Weird mix of food I’ve had and stereotypes US of A: Hamburgers, hot dogs, steaks. Belgium: Waffles Brazil: Brazilian Barbecue Canada: Back bacon China: Won Ton Soup Cuba: Enchiladas England: Roast beef with Yorkshire pudding France: Duck Germany: Sauerbraten Greece: Moussaka India: Curried anything Ireland: Potatoes Italy: Spaghetti and meatballs Jamaica: Jerk goat Japan: Sushi Korea: Kimchi Mexico: Enchiladas Middle-Eastern: Hummus Morocco: Lamb Poland: Kielbasa Portugal: Paella Russia: Vodka (I guess borscht if that doesn’t count) Scandanavia: Lutefisk Scotland: Haggis Thai: Tom Yum soup ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dish-immediately-comes-to-mind-when-someone-says-country-cuisine/761226/6 "2016-07-29T22:43:06Z")
NM ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dish-immediately-comes-to-mind-when-someone-says-country-cuisine/761226/7 "2016-07-29T23:09:23Z")
I read the thread title as “country cuisine” and thought chicken fried steak! ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dish-immediately-comes-to-mind-when-someone-says-country-cuisine/761226/8 "2016-07-29T23:29:25Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > I read the thread title as “country cuisine” and thought chicken fried steak! Same here! One time in deep Texas, I ordered a hot roast beef sandwich, and it came with sausage gravy. US: hamburgers Canada: vinegar on french fries France: snails Italy: spaghetti England: spotted dick Mexico: tamales Germany: sausage (many, many sausage) India: tandoori (which it took me 20 years to realize that I liked Indian food, I just didn’t like tandoori) ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dish-immediately-comes-to-mind-when-someone-says-country-cuisine/761226/9 "2016-07-29T23:58:20Z")
Australia: [Meat pie](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/australia-food-blog/2014/may/07/meat-pie-a-great-australian-dish) > [@](#): > > What do you call a seven-course meal in Australia? A pie and a six-pack. Or so the old joke goes. While the nation’s standing in gourmet circles continues to climb, the meat pie itself remains as distinctly Australian as ever. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2016, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dish-immediately-comes-to-mind-when-someone-says-country-cuisine/761226/10 "2016-07-30T00:10:53Z")
_Enters pedantic mode_ > [@Projammer](#): > > England: Fish and chips. Thanks Al Capp. I think you meant the comic strip Andy Capp. Al Capp was an American cartoonist famous for the comic Lil’ Abner (favorite food in Dogpach: Hog jowls) \*Exits pedantic mode. Lived in the United Arab Emirates and for the Gulf area, it’s Shawarmas and Hummus. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2016, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dish-immediately-comes-to-mind-when-someone-says-country-cuisine/761226/11 "2016-07-30T01:07:18Z")
United States - hamburger Canada - cruller and a beer Poland - kishka England - pot pies Mexico - tamales Germany - bratwurst France - crepes Sweden or Norway - Lutefisk (but then again I am Lutheran) China - noodles Japan - bamboo shoots Australia - shrimp Greece - goat ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2016, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dish-immediately-comes-to-mind-when-someone-says-country-cuisine/761226/12 "2016-07-30T01:57:29Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > I read the thread title as “country cuisine” and thought chicken fried steak! I thought of cornbread. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2016, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dish-immediately-comes-to-mind-when-someone-says-country-cuisine/761226/13 "2016-07-30T11:25:55Z")
When I think “Italian” my first though is bagna cauda, a warmed oil dip from the Piedmont region. I first learned about it on, of all things, Babylon 5, the television show. Mr. Garibaldi was making it. It has olive oil, butter, anchovies, and lots of minced garlic. As Dr. Franklin said. “I can feel my arteries hardening just being in the same room with it.” ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2016, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dish-immediately-comes-to-mind-when-someone-says-country-cuisine/761226/14 "2016-07-30T12:37:17Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > When I think “Italian” my first though is bagna cauda, a warmed oil dip from the Piedmont region. > > I first learned about it on, of all things, Babylon 5, the television show. Mr. Garibaldi was making it. It has olive oil, butter, anchovies, and lots of minced garlic. As Dr. Franklin said. “I can feel my arteries hardening just being in the same room with it.” If you say “Italian” I’m torn between the polenta I had in a mountain village 2 hours east of Rome and insanely lemony limoncello I had in Capri. Pasta only plays a small role in authentic Italian cuisine, and when it does it’s an appetizer and more common in the south. Rice (as in risotto) and polenta are the equivalent in the north. Central Italy is a mix of the two. (and oh, the potato pizza I had in that mountain town was to die for too!) And gelato. Don’t forget gelato. I practically lived on it the last time I was in Italy, which was roughly 15 years ago. ---
**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:** [July 30, 2016, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dish-immediately-comes-to-mind-when-someone-says-country-cuisine/761226/15 "2016-07-30T12:50:17Z")
Nobody else has mentioned Hungary yet: Goulash. Poland, while pierogis and kishka are both very good, I think that the standard association is kielbasi (with or without sauerkraut). And while corned beef and cabbage is probably many Americans’ first association with Ireland, it’s not actually much of an Irish food. The association comes from Irish-Americans who came to the New World and hit it big (compared to what they used to have), and went crazy over things like corned beef that they _couldn’t_ get in the Old Country. Real Irish food, meanwhile, is mostly the same basic staples that you’ll find anywhere in Europe. Except for the brown soda bread. I’ve never been able to find that anywhere else, and I can’t seem to make it right myself, either. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2016, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dish-immediately-comes-to-mind-when-someone-says-country-cuisine/761226/16 "2016-07-30T15:49:27Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Weird mix of food I’ve had and stereotypes > > Cuba: Enchiladas While I have no idea what constitutes typical food in Cuba, Enchiladas are something I would never have guessed without many clues. > [@gigi](#): > > I read the thread title as “country cuisine” and thought chicken fried steak! I saw that coming when I was proofing my OP. Decided it was a valid interpretation and left it alone. 🙂 Cornbread for me too. > [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](#): > > _Enters pedantic mode_ > > I think you meant the comic strip Andy Capp. Al Capp was an American cartoonist famous for the comic Lil’ Abner (favorite food in Dogpach: Hog jowls) > > \*Exits pedantic mode. > > Lived in the United Arab Emirates and for the Gulf area, it’s Shawarmas and Hummus. You are quite right. I meant Andy Capp. According to [Esquire](http://www.esquire.com/food-drink/food/a13972/avengers-boosts-shawarma-sales-8707403/), shawarma sales got a huge boost in L.A. after a comment at the end of the Avengers movie. I had probably heard of it before then, but it had never really been on my radar. > [@kiz](#): > > Pasta only plays a small role in authentic Italian cuisine, and when it does it’s an appetizer and more common in the south. Rice (as in risotto) and polenta are the equivalent in the north. That’s exactly what I was talking about with foreign perception versus reality. I’ve always ‘known’ that pasta was as much a staple to Italians as rice is to Asians. I suppose that now someone’s going to tell me that Asians aren’t big on rice either. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2016, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dish-immediately-comes-to-mind-when-someone-says-country-cuisine/761226/17 "2016-07-30T16:03:11Z")
> [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](#): > > Al Capp was an American cartoonist famous for the comic Lil’ Abner (favorite food in Dogpach: Hog jowls) No way, dude! A Dogpatch banquet, if such a thing were ever to happen, would feature trashbean soup, followed by po’k chops and prasarved tarnips. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2016, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dish-immediately-comes-to-mind-when-someone-says-country-cuisine/761226/18 "2016-07-30T16:59:17Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > While I have no idea what constitutes typical food in Cuba, Enchiladas are something I would never have guessed without many clues. :smack:I don’t know if helps that it was supposed to be ‘Tamales’. I’ve had Cuban tamales, they have chunks of ham and peppers in them instead of loose meat mix, very good, and I don’t have any other particular association with Cuban food. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2016, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dish-immediately-comes-to-mind-when-someone-says-country-cuisine/761226/19 "2016-07-30T17:21:00Z")
(Breakfast) Eggs over easy but fried (nay, boiled) in REAL farm-fresh butter. Orange juice that was juiced from fresh oranges. (Lunch) Sweet Tea, from scratch. Fried Chicken, from scratch. (Dinner) Steamed clams, in season. Slow roasted pork, impregnated with layers of garlic cloves and brushed with a home made BBQ reduction sauce every 2-3 minutes while on a slow turning spit. Fresh pie, made with berries picked that day. Often, it was several inches deep and you could Still ask for a scoop of home-made vanilla icecream on top. * * * Growing up, I learned that just because someone lived in the country didn’t mean that they didn’t know how to live WELL… ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2016, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dish-immediately-comes-to-mind-when-someone-says-country-cuisine/761226/20 "2016-07-30T17:29:37Z")
You just playing **Count**? Or did you really not read the OP? 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dish-immediately-comes-to-mind-when-someone-says-country-cuisine/761226.md?page=2)