# what (if anything) do other cultures think is gross in American diets? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 8, 2004, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-anything-do-other-cultures-think-is-gross-in-american-diets/268271 "2004-10-08T21:29:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-anything-do-other-cultures-think-is-gross-in-american-diets/268271/121 "2004-10-12T03:07:52Z")
> [@yabob](#): > > And grits is a regional thing in the US - a lot of non-southerners find it just as foreign as foreigners. I only really feel like I have arrived in the “South” when I start seeing grits on menus. They do not gross me out at all but then neither do I see the point of that dish beyond basic sustenance. For me it is a toss-up between having grits or rice cakes but thankfully I have never actually been stuck with that choice. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-anything-do-other-cultures-think-is-gross-in-american-diets/268271/122 "2004-10-12T06:53:17Z")
> [@ntcrawler](#): > > You are not referring to your fellow countrymen’s tradition of putting peanut sauce on your french fries by any chance? Would that be patatje met or patatje speciaal? > > And the only thing that can top that (no pun intended) is patatje oorlog. I’ll be in Eindhoven for 2 weeks of company training. I cannot wait to do some research on the things that Dutch to their french fries 🙂 Ah! Yes, we do things to our french fries that makes potatoes wish they’ve never left the soil. French fries can be ordered, in the Netherlands:[ul] [li]Plain, [/li][li]Drowned in mayonaise (that’s the default setting) [/li][li]With ketchup. That one’s only ordered by scholgirls who want to eat frnc freis, yet want to skimp on calories). [/li][li]With peanut-buttersauce. The peanut-butter-sauce is meaty, sweet, tastes of soy-sauce, and is called saté-sauce. It’s a relic from our Indonesian colonial past. [/li][li]French fries speciaal (“special”). Drowned in mayonaise \*and \* ketchup and sprinkled with raw chopped onion.[/li][li]French fries oorlog (“war”) A “speciaal” with added peanut-butter sauce. I think it’s called war because the combination of sauces looks like a war-wound. 😛 [/li][li]And finally: french fries zuurvlees, to which I was referring. It is a local speciality. The fries are drowned in a sweet/sour sauce that contains pieces of potroast-beef, cinnamon, cloves and vinegar. [/li][/ul] And, as **Gum** mentioned, we eat raw fermented herring, too. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![gum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bbe5ce/32.png) [@gum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gum)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-anything-do-other-cultures-think-is-gross-in-american-diets/268271/123 "2004-10-12T07:42:39Z")
Originally posted by **Maastricht** > [@](#): > > \*Gum, have a heart. Patronizing and free-all-you-can-eat-buffets are the two Dutch national hobbies. Combining them in the same situational comedy is just playing dirty. 🙂 \* Yep. 😃 The sit-com might end with the Dutch tourist lady either giving no tip at all, or meticulously counting her spare change in order to give a 15% tip. Oh, and let us not forget our [in]famous ‘stamppot’. A concoction of potatoes & sauerkraut or, potatoes & curly kail or, potatoes & onions and carrots. Mashed together and when you put it on your plate \*you’re supposed to make a hole in the middle of it and fill it up with gravy. \* A HEMA sausage on top of it makes the picture complete. That’s our national cuisine. I haven’t even mentioned the peasoup. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-anything-do-other-cultures-think-is-gross-in-american-diets/268271/124 "2004-10-12T08:06:42Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > . And the French seem to think slapping a glob of jelly on their food is OK. > […] > I’m almost surprised the French didn’t invent the Maple syrup/sausage combo. Seems like something they’d do. Jelly isn’t used at all in France (I only ate it in the UK, and found the stuff quite weird). What we call “gelée” which litterarily translate as “jelly” is actually a kind of jam. Besides mixing sweet and salted foods is quite uncommon in France. Either it is a recent evolution, develloped by some chefs wanting to innovate, either it’s at the contrary a pretty old dish (like say venison with fruits), dating back to the times before the “classical” french cuisine (you know, things like meat with a lot of cream-based sauce) appeared, IIRC roughly during the 17th century. The traditionnal “countryside” dishes don’t mix sweet and salt, usually either (though there are some counter-examples, like blood sausage stuffed with chesnuts, unfortunately difficult to find). All in all, mixing sweet and salt isn’t really a french cooking thing. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-anything-do-other-cultures-think-is-gross-in-american-diets/268271/125 "2004-10-12T15:29:45Z")
I know some Irish people who found biscuits and gravy the most disgusting thing they had ever eaten. My sole experience of the US has been LAX, and I have to tell you that the smell from the 3 fast-food joints in the departure lounge was so vile that I couldn’t bear to even try something. The air within a 10 metre radius of the counters seemed to be about 30% grease. And the wrappers of American candy were off-putting enough that I didn’t bother to buy any. When the wrapper looks that artifical, the chances of the contents being less than 100% synthetic seem very slim. ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-anything-do-other-cultures-think-is-gross-in-american-diets/268271/126 "2004-10-12T16:53:30Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > Jelly isn’t used at all in France (I only ate it in the UK, and found the stuff quite weird). What we call “gelée” which litterarily translate as “jelly” is actually a kind of jam. Americans often use the generic term of either “jelly” or “jam” to mean jelly, jam, preserves, or conserves. They don’t really mean that jelly is ONLY jelly. When an American makes a peanut butter and Smucker’s Strawberry Preserves sandwich, nobody calls it a “peanut butter and preserves” sandwich. They call it a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, even though they are not making it with jelly. France sells lots of the food that Americans typically _call_ “jelly” even though it’s really jam. ---
**Author:** ![Shrinking\_Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Shrinking\_Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shrinking_Violet)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-anything-do-other-cultures-think-is-gross-in-american-diets/268271/127 "2004-10-12T17:59:42Z")
> [@missbunny](#): > > > [@clairobscur](#): > > > > Jelly isn’t used at all in France (I only ate it in the UK, and found the stuff quite weird). What we call “gelée” which litterarily translate as “jelly” is actually a kind of jam. > > Americans often use the generic term of either “jelly” or “jam” to mean jelly, jam, preserves, or conserves. They don’t really mean that jelly is ONLY jelly. When an American makes a peanut butter and Smucker’s Strawberry Preserves sandwich, nobody calls it a “peanut butter and preserves” sandwich. They call it a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, even though they are not making it with jelly. > > France sells lots of the food that Americans typically _call_ “jelly” even though it’s really jam. If **clairobscur** ate “jelly” in the UK, she probably had what is known as “jello” in the US. ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-anything-do-other-cultures-think-is-gross-in-american-diets/268271/128 "2004-10-12T18:08:30Z")
Shrinking Violet, you’re right - I forgot about UK jelly being American Jello. I don’t recall ever seeing Jello or its French equivalent in France. Then again, they certainly are fond of aspic, which is kind of not-sweet Jello. Those wacky French! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-anything-do-other-cultures-think-is-gross-in-american-diets/268271/129 "2004-10-12T18:53:30Z")
These threads are fun. The longest time I’ve spent in the US was back in '85 (nine months) and I gather things have improved. Beck then it was what many others have said: Weak beer, weak coffee, wonder bread, synthetic cheeses, over cooked pasta. My last visit was in '99 and things had gotten better. I was staying at a hotel at the time and didn’t do any serious shopping in a larger store, so maybe I’m just tinted by the breakfast bar at Hilton, Orlando. But why is it so hard to find _fresh_ dark bread? AS for things that gross me out, or at least are unpleasant enough for me not to try it a second time. This will include combinations that are foul to me: - Drinking coffee, pop or mixed drink with your entree (sp?). Ordering a nice dinner and then destroying it by having coffe as the beverage of choice. Eww. - PB&J. I like peanut butter. The combination with jelly and that white bread is just vile. - Cream soda. - Ordering t-bone steak for breakfast. With eggs and grits. - Candy. Most of it is way too sweet. - Most breakfast cereals are way too sweet, too. Thanks heaven for plain corn flakes. On the other hand. I come from a country where the national candy is salty licorise. There’s even an ice cream with that taste. ---
**Author:** ![singersargent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/edb3f5/32.png) [@singersargent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singersargent)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-anything-do-other-cultures-think-is-gross-in-american-diets/268271/130 "2004-10-12T19:53:15Z")
> [@gum](#): > > Oh, and Jell-O. > > I mean: What _is_ that? Colored, sweet, bone-marrow and water. I’ve often thought the same thing. I think a lot of people don’t realize what Jello really is. I thought it was a deriative of jelly for a long time, not gelatin, although I guess jelly has gelatin in it, too. I eventually asked someone what made jello set & that did it for me. “Ewww” is right… ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-anything-do-other-cultures-think-is-gross-in-american-diets/268271/131 "2004-10-12T20:04:29Z")
> [@](#): > > putting ice in drinks I don’t find this _disgusting_, but I hate it because I hate the feeling of too-cold drinks. They hurt my mouth, they feel weird in my stomach, and they’re impossible to drink quickly. Cut it out with the ice! ---
**Author:** ![gum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bbe5ce/32.png) [@gum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gum)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-anything-do-other-cultures-think-is-gross-in-american-diets/268271/132 "2004-10-12T20:41:54Z")
**singersargent** , Yep. No Jello for vegetarians, huh. 🙂 **The Gaspode** , [if you all excuse the hijack] : As you may know, we have the salty [black] licorice as well. \*- Màn, do we have it. We’re addicted to it. - \* And the ice-cream _and_ a 40% liquor with that flavor. [a licorice-liquor, yes. :)] My question: What’s the Swedish name for the licorice? [ours is ‘drop’] ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-anything-do-other-cultures-think-is-gross-in-american-diets/268271/133 "2004-10-12T22:22:37Z")
There are a lot of complaints about American foods that I can agree with (I’m born in the U.S.A, and Dad was Scots-Canadian), but many of them are based on misconceptions or on getting the worst and the cheapest. **American beer** is some of the best in the world. I’ve had some mighty fine beers in Scottish pubs and German hofbraus, and I don’t think they’ve got anything on the fine ales, porters, steam beers, stouts, bocks, and other styles brewed right here in the U.S. of A. I really have to chuckle when I hear Canadians and Japanese complain about American beers (referring to Bud, Coors, et al), and then hold up similar megabrews from their own countries as examples. Line up a bunch of cheap American, Canadian, and Japanese beers, and most folks couldn’t tell which ones came from which country. **American cheese** , referring to that “processed American cheese food” (read the label) from Kraft and others, is pure drek. On the other hand, I’m a big fan of sharp cheddar from Wisconsin, Monterey Jack from California, and other “real” cheeses made here. **American bread** is the same story as the cheese. I can’t get excited about Wonder Bread, but the dark rye I get around here is just as good as the dark rye I get in Germany (in my humble opinion). I wish I could find a source of good Bavarian-style soft pretzels around here, though. If you’re looking for bad foods, you can find them almost anywhere. I really enjoy a good haggis, but most Americans find them grotesque. I wonder how many Scots would enjoy Rocky Mountain oysters? ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-anything-do-other-cultures-think-is-gross-in-american-diets/268271/134 "2004-10-12T23:14:47Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > Jelly isn’t used at all in France (I only ate it in the UK, and found the stuff quite weird). What we call “gelée” which litterarily translate as “jelly” is actually a kind of jam. > > Either it is a recent evolution, develloped by some chefs wanting to innovate, I do know the difference between jelly & jam, gelatin, aspic, etc. Maybe I’m being too hard on the French, but I swear to you when I was younger my first experiences with what was supposed to be “fancy” French cuisine often ended up being something sorta like an omelette with jam & some grapes stuck in it. It was probably some chef trying to be innovative. To be fair, I was in Reins only a few months ago and we had lunch at a nice little outdoor cafe & I had a steak cutlet with fries & gravy, which was all pretty good and the waiter (who was really very friendly) never once tried to slap jelly on my food. When I was in Russia they serve what looks like the American dessert which is Jello with shredded carrots in it (never liked that BTW), but the Russian version definitely is not Jello, it’s made from fish and is not a sweet dessert, although it sure looks like a dessert to an American. ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2004, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-anything-do-other-cultures-think-is-gross-in-american-diets/268271/135 "2004-10-13T00:54:45Z")
> [@The Gaspode](#): > > - Cream soda. I have to agree wholeheartedly. This was too sweet a beverage for me even when I was a child and considered sugar a major food group. Bouncy bouncy off the walls. I recently was given a six-pack of IBC Cream Soda and couldn’t drink it. It was simply too sweet. I found someone who appreciated the five bottles I didn’t touch soon enough. The root beer pleased, as always, though. > [@](#): > > On the other hand. I come from a country where the national candy is salty licorise. There’s even an ice cream with that taste. Vile! Licorice is just…shudder. I’ve tried and tried to eat it, but I just can’t. I’m sure it’s a great country, but the licorice is just wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2004, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-anything-do-other-cultures-think-is-gross-in-american-diets/268271/136 "2004-10-13T01:20:20Z")
> [@singersargent](#): > > I thought it was a deriative of jelly for a long time, not gelatin, although I guess jelly has gelatin in it, too. No, jelly (and jam, and preserves, etc) is thickened with pectin, which is a soluble fiber found in apple peel as well as other vegetables and fruits. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2004, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-anything-do-other-cultures-think-is-gross-in-american-diets/268271/137 "2004-10-13T15:04:02Z")
> [@gum](#): > > What’s the Swedish name for the licorice? [ours is ‘drop’] Lakrits. I’m sure there’s some weird connection to licorise there. Yes, we have the alkoholic type too. And a shot called Turkish Pepper, which is salty licorise. Many times I’ve found that there are so many similarities 'tween the Low Countries and Sweden, it’s amazing. I think we act and think more alike than Swedes and Danes, or Swedes and Norwegians. Our national dish is Matjes sill; cured, pickled, half rotting herring. I’m sure we got that from you guys. Back on topic. I like it myself, but most of my country men find Dr. Pepper vile. And Coca-Cola totally bombed with Vanilla Coke here. No one bought it. There’s something odd with American flap jacks, too. Not unpleasant, but there’¨s certainly another taste to the flour. I don’t know why, though ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2004, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-anything-do-other-cultures-think-is-gross-in-american-diets/268271/138 "2004-10-13T17:00:35Z")
> [@InvisibleWombat](#): > > **American bread** is the same story as the cheese. I can’t get excited about Wonder Bread, but the dark rye I get around here is just as good as the dark rye I get in Germany (in my humble opinion). I wish I could find a source of good Bavarian-style soft pretzels around here, though. > > If you’re looking for bad foods, you can find them almost anywhere. > > I really enjoy a good haggis, but most Americans find them grotesque. I wonder how many Scots would enjoy Rocky Mountain oysters? Amount Measure Ingredient – Preparation Method * * * 1 package Yeast; Active – Dry 4 cup Flour – Unbleached 1 1/2 cup ;Water, Warm – 110-120 Degrees 1 Egg; Large – Beaten 1 teaspoon Salt Salt – Coarse 1 tablespoon Sugar Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add salt and sugar to yeast mixture. Blend in flour and knead dough until smooth, about 7 to 8 minutes. Cover and let dough rise until double in bulk. Punch down. Cut dough into small pieces and roll into ropes. Twist ropes into pretzel shapes and place on greased cookie sheet. Using a pastry brush, bursh pretzels with egg and sprinkle with coarse salt. Allow pretzels to rise until almost double in bulk. Bake at 425 degrees F. for 10 to 15 minutes or until browned. Best if eaten immediately. If not, store in airtight container. Makes 12 6-inch pretzels. ``` - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ``` ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2004, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-anything-do-other-cultures-think-is-gross-in-american-diets/268271/139 "2004-10-13T17:17:26Z")
**DtC:** _I’m surprised that no one has yet mentioned our godawful, American, piss-water beer._ [sniff] [sniff] Moddddddddds! **Dio** called me a no-one! ☹ > [@Kimstu](#): > > Does being grossed out by American beer count? 🙂 😉 And yeah, I agree that there actually is a lot of very good American beer out there, even if the major name brands are mostly lousy. [hijack] **Maastricht:** _French fries speciaal (“special”). Drowned in mayonaise and ketchup and sprinkled with raw chopped onion._ Ooooh, I’m going to have to try that. I eat french fries with ketchup back home, but here I have the mayonnaise sauce, which is actually quite tasty. Next month (I have patat frites only about once a month for fear of ending up being mistaken for **two** Americans) maybe I’ll splurge on the “speciaal”. Haven’t sampled the raw herring yet, though my officemate assures me it’s delicious and reminiscent of sushi. [/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![swannguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@swannguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swannguy)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2004, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-anything-do-other-cultures-think-is-gross-in-american-diets/268271/140 "2004-10-13T17:43:07Z")
**Maastricht** - refresh my memory here…is it common for folks “below the rivers” (ie us Limbos) to use ‘curry’ instead of ketchup? or viceversa? Iremember there being a divide in preference… That’s the one item I have a hard finding in this country (US)…I can get dropjes (be at ridiculously high prices at Dean&DeLuca), beschuit, etc,etc…but have yet to find gol old 'curry’sauce [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-anything-do-other-cultures-think-is-gross-in-american-diets/268271.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-anything-do-other-cultures-think-is-gross-in-american-diets/268271.md?page=8)