# You Can Eat Only One Kind Of Food For A Year - Which? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 30, 2010, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-eat-only-one-kind-of-food-for-a-year-which/551980 "2010-08-30T08:37:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-eat-only-one-kind-of-food-for-a-year-which/551980/61 "2010-08-31T12:02:00Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > > [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](#): > > > > Peruvian, there ain’t nuthin’ better. > > I don’t know much about Peruvian. Do you have some recommended dishes I could try out? Peruvian chicken is awesome beyond words. Not sure how popular it is outside the DC area, but it’s pretty popular there. I just grilled some here in Korea, and everybody loved it. Soy sauce, garlic, cumin, olive oil and paprika for the marinade and grill it on a covered grill. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Woo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7c8e57/32.png) [@Dr.Woo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Woo)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-eat-only-one-kind-of-food-for-a-year-which/551980/62 "2010-08-31T20:42:13Z")
> [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](#): > > Peruvian, there ain’t nuthin’ better. Although I voted for Indian, I’ve been to a Peruvian restaurant here in San Francisco several times and it is truly excellent. I think I could eat Peruvian for a year too. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-eat-only-one-kind-of-food-for-a-year-which/551980/63 "2010-08-31T20:48:52Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > Peruvian chicken…Soy sauce, garlic, cumin, olive oil and paprika… > [@Andrea Meyers](#): > > Why would a Peruvian grilled chicken recipe have soy sauce? Peru has hosted a large Japanese expatriate population since the late 1800s, and over the years Asian flavors mingled with local and European flavors to create one of the most diverse cuisines in the world. I found that [here](http://andreasrecipes.com/2009/01/29/peruvian-grilled-chicken/). I don’t know if I’m ready to sign up for an all-Peruvian year, but I’ll definitely look for a Peruvian restaurant. DC, you say? Has there been an influx of Peruvians in the last 15 years? ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-eat-only-one-kind-of-food-for-a-year-which/551980/64 "2010-08-31T21:30:18Z")
I voted Italian, but I’m guessing that most of what I have that is Italian isn’t really very Italian. Even though most of what I eat now is protein-based and not Italian, I still have to say that is what I’d be most happy with. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-eat-only-one-kind-of-food-for-a-year-which/551980/65 "2010-09-01T05:04:17Z")
Make mine pizza! ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-eat-only-one-kind-of-food-for-a-year-which/551980/66 "2010-09-01T14:30:27Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > I was all ready to choose “Dairy” but that wasn’t what you were asking. > > I barely eat as it is, and what I choose is plain and dull and would make most people cry, so I will happily continue to eat the basic plain stuff that you listed inaccurately as “American”. You’re one of those people. Except I think of you as some kind of alien species. I used to live with someone like you. I’ll never forget how fascinated he was by my ecstasy upon consuming lobster ravioli. He’d never even known someone who had the appreciation of food that I had, and I’d never known one with his degree of indifference. I knew we were from different planets when he told me, after trying a Ben & Jerry’s ice cream sundae, that Ben & Jerry’s could learn a lot from McDonalds about how to make an ice cream sundae. :eek: (And I’m not even a B&J fan, really, more of a Haagen Dazs girl - but McDonalds??!?!) ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-eat-only-one-kind-of-food-for-a-year-which/551980/67 "2010-09-01T17:52:50Z")
I picked Americann because I loves me a good cheeseeburger. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-eat-only-one-kind-of-food-for-a-year-which/551980/68 "2010-09-02T05:16:50Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > I picked Americann because I loves me a good cheeseeburger. Oh man! I had a cheeseburger in Cambodia and it was disgusting. So American food is off my list\*. - Unless all other food, like Chinese for example, can be added to “American” because of its long history in the States. Then I might choose American, because it includes everything. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-eat-only-one-kind-of-food-for-a-year-which/551980/69 "2010-09-02T05:38:53Z")
I picked American because a lot of what we call "Mexican, “Chinese,” “Italian,” etc. is really American anyway. ---
**Author:** ![BigBertha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@BigBertha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigBertha)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-eat-only-one-kind-of-food-for-a-year-which/551980/70 "2010-09-02T07:22:19Z")
Before I saw the choices, I was going to say beans. But I see you mean ethnic. Whatever ethnic makes falafels and hummus. ---
**Author:** ![Noone\_Special](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noone_special/32/2863_2.png) [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-eat-only-one-kind-of-food-for-a-year-which/551980/71 "2010-09-02T07:34:37Z")
> [@BigBertha](#): > > Before I saw the choices, I was going to say beans. But I see you mean ethnic. Whatever ethnic makes falafels and hummus. Arab. And Israeli. Choose your side of The Conflict… 😉 I’m going to go with this too; and just call it “Middle Eastern” in order to **avoid** specifying my (blatantly obvious from my location, but oh well…:D) side ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-eat-only-one-kind-of-food-for-a-year-which/551980/72 "2010-09-02T23:55:10Z")
Which one would I _love_ to eat for a year: Italian. Which one would probably leave me alive after a year: Chinese. (Can I tweak that Chinese a little with Thai to hot it up a little? The hottest Szechuan I’ve ever had didn’t hold a candle to the Thai for pure capsaicinic vulcanism, and I like it hot–but with a Chinese ingredient/flavor base.) ---
**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:** [September 3, 2010, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-eat-only-one-kind-of-food-for-a-year-which/551980/73 "2010-09-03T01:47:10Z")
> [@Rysdad](#): > > Which one would I _love_ to eat for a year: Italian. > > Which one would probably leave me alive after a year: Chinese. > > (Can I tweak that Chinese a little with Thai to hot it up a little? The hottest Szechuan I’ve ever had didn’t hold a candle to the Thai for pure capsaicinic vulcanism, and I like it hot–but with a Chinese ingredient/flavor base.) I’ve had Sichuan as hot as any Thai I’ve had, but even spicier (at least in my experience) has been the food from Hunan. You can certainly find Chinese cuisine as hot as you like it. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-eat-only-one-kind-of-food-for-a-year-which/551980/74 "2010-09-03T01:56:59Z")
Crap…I chose Chinese before remembering how much I love dairy products. \>.\< ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-eat-only-one-kind-of-food-for-a-year-which/551980/75 "2010-09-03T01:58:58Z")
I like both kinds of food, Southern and Cajun. That covers pretty much any animal that’s remotely edible, cooked any way imaginable, plus assorted veggies, rice, gravy, desserts, grits, biscuits, cornbread, sweet tea, beer, and bourbon. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-eat-only-one-kind-of-food-for-a-year-which/551980/76 "2010-09-03T02:49:24Z")
Aw, dude! Cajun food reeks! It’s what happens when decent, God-fearing Southern AME cooks are exposed to the Catholic French. ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-eat-only-one-kind-of-food-for-a-year-which/551980/77 "2010-09-03T04:29:23Z")
I voted “other” [EGGS](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HC5DnX0YqWA) tsfr ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-eat-only-one-kind-of-food-for-a-year-which/551980/78 "2010-09-03T12:51:08Z")
While the idea of forgoing any of those options for a whole year is pretty distressing, I’m sure I could do it with Chinese food. As _Seinfeld_ once noted, Chinese food is eaten pretty much every day year round by billions of Chinese people, so the worldwide vote’s already in 🙂 In addition to that wisdom, I chose it if only because the country is so large that there’s going to be tons more variety in it than otherwise, and it’s food I’m familiar with. And it all comes down to that most important meal of the day, breakfast. I’m Chinese-American and grew up eating pretty traditionally at home, at least on weekends. (I checked Wikipedia on [typical Chinese breakfasts](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breakfast#China) and I’ve had everything listed there, and like it.) Come to think of it, that’s probably cheating for this poll, but whatever. But while I am also familiar with a fairly wide range of the other cuisines listed by region - Indian, Italian and French, for instance - that’s only the dinner menu for the most part. I have no idea what an [Indian breakfast](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breakfast#India_and_Bangladesh) would be like, and my idea of a French or Italian breakfast (based on week-long stints in Europe) is the “[Continental breakfast](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breakfast#Continental_breakfast)” consisting basically of pastry and coffee, which I would grow to loathe very quickly (I’m not a big pastry enthusiast in any case, and I eat breakfast every day). ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-eat-only-one-kind-of-food-for-a-year-which/551980/79 "2010-09-03T15:02:15Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > > [@Krokodil](#): > > > > Peruvian chicken…Soy sauce, garlic, cumin, olive oil and paprika… > > > [@Andrea Meyers](#): > > > > Why would a Peruvian grilled chicken recipe have soy sauce? Peru has hosted a large Japanese expatriate population since the late 1800s, and over the years Asian flavors mingled with local and European flavors to create one of the most diverse cuisines in the world. > > I found that [here](http://andreasrecipes.com/2009/01/29/peruvian-grilled-chicken/). > > I don’t know if I’m ready to sign up for an all-Peruvian year, but I’ll definitely look for a Peruvian restaurant. DC, you say? Has there been an influx of Peruvians in the last 15 years? Not really, although Peruvian restaurants have been a DC mainstay for at least the past 20 years. There has been an influx of Salvadoreans and Hondurans, and they love the stuff as much as I do. Pollo Rico in Arlington is a personal favorite, and (Guatamalan) Pollo Campero runs a close second. Campero has franchises in Herndon, Falls Church and 14th Street NW. Probably more now. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-eat-only-one-kind-of-food-for-a-year-which/551980.md?page=3)