# What is the most unusual thing about the American diet to people of other nationalities? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 15, 2012, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unusual-thing-about-the-american-diet-to-people-of-other-nationalities/612980 "2012-02-15T23:44:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**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:** [February 17, 2012, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unusual-thing-about-the-american-diet-to-people-of-other-nationalities/612980/221 "2012-02-17T17:38:57Z")
> [@gracer](#): > > Haha, then I need to add another item to the list of things foreigners don’t understand about American food: putting marshmallows in a casserole :S > > No disrespect to your sister’s cooking, I’m sure it’s great. Just baffling! Sweet potato casserole is just mashed sweet potatoes with a marshmallow topping, sometimes with crumbled oats and/or brown sugar on top. Personally I think it a bit grotesque as a main course (its nearly pie) but it’s popularity is highly regional. So that you’ll find some places where it is nearly universal, and others where it’s generally unknown except as something seen on TV. (Something which is always a problem in discussing “American” foodways) I don’t even know why they call it casserole, it doesn’t have a mixture of ingredients like casseroles usually do (I guess some recipes have egg beaten into the mashed sweet potato… but still). Don’t worry, marshmallow fluff is NOT a topping for lasagna or tuna casserole or anything that isn’t already sweet. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unusual-thing-about-the-american-diet-to-people-of-other-nationalities/612980/222 "2012-02-17T17:42:43Z")
> [@Lacunae\_Matata](#): > > I have a … well, sorta relative by marriage … from Boston. That’s the thing about New England, people here have squash instead. The few who are even aware of sweet potato casserole think that the idea is revolting. But I’ve made a few converts. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unusual-thing-about-the-american-diet-to-people-of-other-nationalities/612980/223 "2012-02-17T17:58:17Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > Sweet potato casserole is just mashed sweet potatoes with a marshmallow topping, sometimes with crumbled oats and/or brown sugar on top Speaking as an American, it’s horrible. But it’s definitely American. (shudders) ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unusual-thing-about-the-american-diet-to-people-of-other-nationalities/612980/224 "2012-02-17T18:25:13Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > It may be that when you say ‘jelly’ to a Brit, they’re quite likely to interpret it as meaning fruit-flavoured gelatin dessert (i.e. what you call Jello) - and that, in a sandwich with peanut butter is a weird idea. > > (It’s a popular misconception that what we Brits call ‘jam’ is called ‘jelly’ in the USA, but this isn’t really true - we have jam, you have jam. You have jelly - we also have jelly - although not grape - it’s just that what you call jello, we also call jelly) > . Why don’t you have grape jelly? ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unusual-thing-about-the-american-diet-to-people-of-other-nationalities/612980/225 "2012-02-17T18:29:27Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Speaking as an American, it’s horrible. But it’s definitely American. (shudders) I am actually laughing out loud and thinking of the Friends episode where Rachel puts meat in the trifle! It sounds like it could possibly be nice as a pudding (“dessert”). But as a main :eek: OK, now I’m actually crying with laughter! (And I still really mean no disrespect, it’s just so funny!) ---
**Author:** ![Jennyrosity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@Jennyrosity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennyrosity)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unusual-thing-about-the-american-diet-to-people-of-other-nationalities/612980/226 "2012-02-17T18:44:19Z")
> [@puddleglum](#): > > Why don’t you have grape jelly? The default purple fruit in the UK is blackcurrant rather than grape. I don’t think I’ve ever seen grape flavoured jam - or jelly for that matter. And I tried sweet potato casserole with marshmallows several years ago and thought it tasted rather like the pink mouth wash you get at the dentist. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unusual-thing-about-the-american-diet-to-people-of-other-nationalities/612980/227 "2012-02-17T18:48:03Z")
> [@puddleglum](#): > > Why don’t you have grape jelly? This is a total WAG on my part, but the position of grape flavouring in the US seems to be filled by blackcurrant in the UK. ---
**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unusual-thing-about-the-american-diet-to-people-of-other-nationalities/612980/228 "2012-02-17T18:57:14Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > This is a total WAG on my part, but the position of grape flavouring in the US seems to be filled by blackcurrant in the UK. Just another WAG: most UK jams are made from fruit that a. grows here and b. goes off quickly and so has to be used up. Commercially grown grapes are rare here and are generally intended for wine. The few grapes people manage to get from conservatory and greenhouse vines get eaten as soon as they are ripe. However we have apricot jam. And marmalade. And in the parts of Europe where they both make jam and grow grapes they don’t make grape jam either. I want to try some now 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unusual-thing-about-the-american-diet-to-people-of-other-nationalities/612980/229 "2012-02-17T19:02:55Z")
> [@Furious\_Marmot](#): > > I’m not about to defend the pre-made junkfood that many people eat and I’ve never even seen a Wegman’s, but plenty of US supermarkets have non-processed decent quality domestic and imported cheeses, just not the really good $30/lb artisanal stuff. This includes those bastions of middle-American mediocrity Super Target and Super WalMart, even in culinarily backward places like Oklahoma. You can _get_ those, IMHO but a lot of the stuff even at the deli counter just doesn’t have much taste. I don’t know if it loses something in travel, but the taste isn’t as good as locally-made or artisanal cheese. Maybe I’m a cheese snob or something, I don’t know… ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unusual-thing-about-the-american-diet-to-people-of-other-nationalities/612980/230 "2012-02-17T19:04:34Z")
Isn’t Grape jelly made mostly from Concordia grapes? i.e. those American-only not-really-proper-grapes with the overlly musky scent? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unusual-thing-about-the-american-diet-to-people-of-other-nationalities/612980/231 "2012-02-17T19:09:27Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Isn’t Grape jelly made mostly from Concordia grapes? i.e. those American-only not-really-proper-grapes with the overlly musky scent? Concord grapes. Yes, they’re foxy (fox grapes). ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unusual-thing-about-the-american-diet-to-people-of-other-nationalities/612980/232 "2012-02-17T19:32:38Z")
I’ve found that lots of other places have other things in grape flavour variations, like grape sweets, grape soft drinks, grape bubble gum. All not common here. Whenever I’ve had them it’s always been ridiculously sweet, but also nice. In Romania I always get grape Fanta, but it’s so sweet I can only have a few sips. So I think not having grape jelly/jam is part of a general grape thing, and partially related to grapes not growing here as **Springtime for Spacers** said. ---
**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:** [February 17, 2012, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unusual-thing-about-the-american-diet-to-people-of-other-nationalities/612980/233 "2012-02-17T19:44:25Z")
> [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](#): > > Just another WAG: most UK jams are made from fruit that a. grows here and b. goes off quickly and so has to be used up. Commercially grown grapes are rare here and are generally intended for wine. The few grapes people manage to get from conservatory and greenhouse vines get eaten as soon as they are ripe. However we have apricot jam. And marmalade. And in the parts of Europe where they both make jam and grow grapes they don’t make grape jam either. I want to try some now 🙂 Pretty much this - we don’t have a significant grape harvest - and what **Jennyrosity** said - purple=blackcurrant, or maybe blackberry. I tried grape soda for the first time recently (someone gave me a can for Christmas). Terrible - tasted like something I’d use to clean the bathroom - soapy, floral chemicals. I like Welch’s purple grape juice though. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unusual-thing-about-the-american-diet-to-people-of-other-nationalities/612980/234 "2012-02-17T20:01:02Z")
Ah, Welch’s, Methodist wine. Concord grapes are used for most grape-flavored things, but they are unsuitable for winemaking. Grape soda isn’t intended to taste like natural grape, but yeah, I know the metallic taste of it. Some people love it, most don’t care for it too much. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unusual-thing-about-the-american-diet-to-people-of-other-nationalities/612980/235 "2012-02-17T20:07:42Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Concord grapes are used for most grape-flavored things, but they are unsuitable for winemaking. Aren’t they used for kosher wine? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unusual-thing-about-the-american-diet-to-people-of-other-nationalities/612980/236 "2012-02-17T20:15:24Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Aren’t they used for kosher wine? I think you just proved his point. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unusual-thing-about-the-american-diet-to-people-of-other-nationalities/612980/237 "2012-02-17T21:17:46Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > Ice or not, I’m still surprised when I see someone talking about drinking six cans of Diet Coke over the course of a day (or whatever). I’ve only heard of Americans doing that kind of thing. Plenty of Irish people do that too. I know people who drink 6 cans of normal Coke a day or more. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unusual-thing-about-the-american-diet-to-people-of-other-nationalities/612980/238 "2012-02-17T21:27:15Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Cici’s is foul, foul pizza. Most frozen pizza is better. But, hell, you can put _anything_ on pizza. California Pizza Kitchen has a green salad pizza and a tostada pizza (with refried beans!). I like them both. You should try an Irish Breakfast or a Full English pizza. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unusual-thing-about-the-american-diet-to-people-of-other-nationalities/612980/239 "2012-02-17T22:18:44Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Pretty much this - we don’t have a significant grape harvest - and what **Jennyrosity** said - purple=blackcurrant, or maybe blackberry. Blackberry jelly … nothing better than. My mother was a remarkably mediocre cook when I was a young kid, but she was very good at making jams and jellies. I grew up in an area where wild blackberries grew abundantly (they were everywhere - walk out your back door and pick all you want - big, fat, sweet, juicy blackberries everywhere). We’d gather those and Mom would make the most wonderful blackberry jam and jelly. And blackberry pie! Blackberries are one of the things I miss most about living in that area (Southwestern Washington). We moved to the east, “dry” side of the state when I was a teenager, and blackberries are scarce here. Last summer my mom and stepdad were in town for a visit and we went to the local Shari’s restaurant, a chain based out of Oregon. Shari’s was doing a big promotion with various blackberry desserts, and so we jumped all over that. And then were horribly disappointed to discover that they were using marionberries instead of proper blackberries ☹ ---
**Author:** ![rogerbox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@rogerbox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rogerbox)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unusual-thing-about-the-american-diet-to-people-of-other-nationalities/612980/240 "2012-02-17T22:22:22Z")
I live on the west “wet” side of the moutains, and last year was so mild in summertime I didn’t bother picking any blackberries (I live walking distance from 3-4 large parks packed full of blackberry bushes) because all the blackberries looked mild and sickly. ☹ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unusual-thing-about-the-american-diet-to-people-of-other-nationalities/612980.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-unusual-thing-about-the-american-diet-to-people-of-other-nationalities/612980.md?page=13)