# Your National Dish Of Shame **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [May 20, 2022, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784 "2022-05-20T19:31:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2022, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/221 "2022-05-24T08:33:13Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > Sorry, but I can’t begin to imagine what could be wrong with toasted cheese rolls. They look delicious, and how do you make them? Toasted cheese rolls are delicious, but they’re also just cheese and bread, which is not very impressive for a local delicacy. They are from the southern half of New Zealand’s South Island, and are usually made with a particular mix of tasty cheddar cheese and onion spices found in onion soup mix. Rolled, toasted, then buttered. It seems a Google search tells me they have expanded their availability and are being called Grilled Cheese Roll Ups now. Hmm. Not sure I like that! > **[Cheese Rolls](https://www.bestrecipes.com.au/recipes/cheese-rolls/t0k5ygls?nk=884e21ff96171f94833c3a0d3099d017-1703972307)** > > A tasty cheesy snack that can be made up and frozen then cooked as necessary. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2022, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/223 "2022-05-24T13:31:38Z")
New Zealand had some interestingly bad things based on lack of supply and tradition. “Mince on toast”. I saw this when visiting once, and didn’t eat it, when we went back I struggled to find anywhere serving it on South Island. It ended up being pretty spagbol mince on toast. Possibly from a tin. However, they claim to eat, “Spaghetti on pizza”. And the spaghetti is the tinned kind, ie: spaghetti hoops without the hoops. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2022, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/224 "2022-05-24T13:44:15Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > > [@GuanoLad](#): > > > > toasted cheese rolls > > Sorry, but I can’t begin to imagine what could be wrong with toasted cheese rolls. They look delicious, and how do you make them? I was thinking the same thing! ---
**Author:** ![BoydJeffery1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@BoydJeffery1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoydJeffery1)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2022, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/225 "2022-05-24T16:38:55Z")
i dont know too haha ---
**Author:** ![alovem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@alovem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alovem)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2022, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/226 "2022-05-24T18:11:27Z")
> [@SleepyParrot](#): > > The dish of shame in Denmark is actually our national dish. It is panfried porkbelly with boiled potatos with a white sauce with parsley in it. Old fashion, salty and boring… Is that _stegt flæsk_? I’ve only just read about it because of your post, and I have to say it sounds good. Maybe a bit plain (no onions, garlic or seasoning?), but I think I’d enjoy it if I went a week or so without eating anything similar. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2022, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/227 "2022-05-24T18:39:02Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > > [@Cardigan](#): > > > > I’ll open with the **corn dog**. This staple of county fairs frequented by bumpkins is as far as one can get from haute cuisine. > > Speaking of fair food, at the Texas State Fair the corn dog long ago metastasized into an ungodly proliferation of Deep Fried “X” — Oreos, butter, beer, ice cream, pecan pie, pop tarts, potato salad, etc. I know it’s just a novelty for most, but the seemingly endless willingness of fair goers to cram into their maws any food or food-adjacent item that has been coated in batter and fried in probably filthy cooking oil is disconcerting. Deep Fried butter balls… My wife decided to try it on the Arizona State Fair. One bite was enough, we both decided to toss them into the trash as one can also feel one’s arteries clogging at the sight of it. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2022, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/228 "2022-05-24T19:07:10Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > Deep Fried butter balls… I’ve made fried cheese sticks before and even those are hard to keep the cheese in the batter or breading. How is it done with (_shutters_) butter? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2022, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/229 "2022-05-24T19:20:16Z")
I’m guessing very cold butter and very hot oil. ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2022, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/230 "2022-05-24T19:35:26Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > While I’m not _ashamed_ of it, one thing I will add to the list is Minnesota chow mein, a gloopy green concoction that consists mainly of ground pork and stewed celery, doused with soy sauce and served over white rice and crispy noodles I certainly hope you aren’t ashamed! This was a staple of my mom’s cooking rotation (once or twice a month, probably). She was a decent cook, but a lot of her stuff centered around “how can I cheaply provide enough food for six children?” (five boys). I think I’ve got that recipe - I may have to try and make it sometime. ---
**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:** [May 24, 2022, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/231 "2022-05-24T19:38:53Z")
Hell, I’ve seen a Youtube video showing deep fried water. You can always freeze the butter if it’s a problem. I’m not sure if it’s necessary with deep fried butter balls, but … hey … I could look this up with this amazing Internet thingy. Let’s see … Paula Dean has a recipe, so it’s gotta be legit if it’s deep fried butter. And … yes … she does freeze them. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2022, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/232 "2022-05-24T19:48:44Z")
Americans will eat anything fried. If someone just fried the batter and served it with ketchup - that would be a hit at the fair - why spend extra on extraneous fillers? I always thought fried chicken skins would also be a hit - I mean, who needs getting full from all that meat and protein - leaves more room for the crunchy, battered goodness. Wait - [it’s already a thing](https://www.amazon.com/Howards-Crispy-Fried-Chicken-Skins/dp/B01H65IUUI) - I missed my chance at a fortune! ---
**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:** [May 24, 2022, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/233 "2022-05-24T19:58:30Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > Americans will eat anything fried Hey, so will Scots. They got deep fried Mars bars there, something I haven’t seen here. Battered sausages, too (though that is across the UK. I think the Mars bars are specifically Scottish, but I’m happy to be corrected.) ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2022, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/234 "2022-05-24T20:09:17Z")
They’re associated with Scotland, but I have seen battered Mars Bars for sale in English chip shops, on rare occasions. I did have one former local which pretty much operated a ‘you bring it, we batter and fry it’ service, for a fee. I never took advantage though. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2022, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/235 "2022-05-24T20:11:55Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Battered sausages, too (though that is across the UK… Very true, battered and deep fried. And as a sausage has a skin, I guess there’s no structural need for the batter. Batter for batter’s sake. As a young person I would, but not these last few decades… .j ETA - that just reminded me of this: [Scraps (batter) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scraps_(batter)#:~:text=Scraps%20or%20batter%20bits%20are,places%20charge%20for%20the%20scraps). - which I used to regard as a treat when I was a kid. Not really a dish (_or is it…?_) but it reminded me of: > **[Savoury pattie](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savoury_pattie)** > > A savoury pattie is a battered and deep fried mashed potato, seasoned with sage. It is commonly sold in the British port towns of Hartlepool, Kingston upon Hull, Wirral, Liverpool, North Tyneside, Kirkwall and Thurso. It is a popular item in fish and chip shops, and is consumed either as a snack or as an inexpensive substitute for fish in a fish and chip meal. > There are additional pattie variations such as the meat pattie (corned beef) and the cheese pattie (cheese and onion), although these ... Pattie and chips was a post-pub “snack” in my home town of Workington… Yep, deep fried potato in batter - with chips. This definitely is a dish, and _definitely_ qualifies for this thread. ---
**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:** [May 24, 2022, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/236 "2022-05-24T20:15:21Z")
It’s not all that far afield from an American corn dog, so I guess we do it too. ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2022, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/237 "2022-05-24T20:23:42Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Battered sausages > [@pulykamell](#): > > t’s not all that far afield from an American corn dog, so I guess we do it too. That was my thought - it’s a corn dog with presumably a better class of sausage in it. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2022, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/238 "2022-05-24T20:53:36Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > They are from the southern half of New Zealand’s South Island, and are usually made with a particular mix of tasty cheddar cheese and onion spices found in onion soup mix. Rolled, toasted, then buttered. Are those Mrs. Marlowe’s famous cheese rolls? ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2022, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/239 "2022-05-24T21:11:19Z")
Yes. But also no. > **[Southland Cheese Roll](https://www.196flavors.com/new-zealand-southland-cheese-roll/)** > > It is much more than a divine cheese sauce spread on a slice of bread. The Southland cheese roll, also nicknamed the Southland sushi or roll-up cheese, is a delicious cheese roll and one of New Zealand's holiest treasures. What is a Southland cheese... ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2022, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/240 "2022-05-24T21:15:50Z")
Well, that’s disappointing. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2022, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/241 "2022-05-24T21:48:39Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Hey, so will Scots. They got deep fried Mars bars there, something I haven’t seen here. Battered sausages, too (though that is across the UK. I think the Mars bars are specifically Scottish, but I’m happy to be corrected.) I’m Scottish, and while I don’t live in Scotland, I’ve never eaten a deep fried Mars Bar. Neither, as far as I know, have any of my friends or family. It was a hilarious novelty invented to feed to tourists. Battered sausages isn’t a scottish thing. Every chip shop in the UK sells them. They are as common as battered fish. If you’re going to critique the countries cuisine, then best get it right. Deep fried pizza. The most basic of supermarket cardboard level of pizza, cheese and tomato, dropped in the fryer for a minute, folded then served. With salt and vinegar. Now that’s a level of fat consumption unmatched… Ok, so nobody ate it apart from if you’re a teenager, they’re not very nice. Cheap though. Poverty food. But unlike deep fried mars bar, a lot of Scots have eaten deep fried pizza. I heard someone in the US then battered a pizza and fried it. I mean hows the bread supposed to absorb all the fat??? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784.md?page=13)