# 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:** 5
**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 21, 2022, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/81 "2022-05-21T07:39:21Z")
I feel obliged to offer some justification in re the Full English Breakfast. Let’s see. Fried bacon Fried sausage Fried eggs (swimming in grease) Fried tomatoes Fried mushrooms Fried bread Baked beans For breakfast. Can you eat it? Yes. Is it nice? Some. Kinda. Shameful? Each to their own. Someone mentioned meatballs upthread, which reminded me of a proposal for the Netherlands: the meatball and peanut butter sauce sandwich. Had it once in Amsterdam. That’s enough for a lifetime. j ---
**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 21, 2022, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/82 "2022-05-21T07:44:32Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > I’m surprised nobody’s mentioned [Scotland’s haggis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haggis) Haggis is fine, especially if you don’t know what “lights” means on the ingredients list. Vegetarian haggis is, surprisingly, both delicious and wholesome. j ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2022, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/83 "2022-05-21T08:27:16Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > I only know of poutine because of the Dope. I gather it divides opinion. I don’t know if “Canada’s national dish of shame” is fair or accurate (its how I briefly described it to a mystified Mrs T). I would associate poutine more with the province of Quebec than with Canada as a whole. It’s the French-Canadian dish of shame. I don’t think it’s all that common outside Quebec. ---
**Author:** ![PookahMacPhellimey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pookahmacphellimey/32/3175_2.png) [@PookahMacPhellimey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PookahMacPhellimey)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2022, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/84 "2022-05-21T09:14:15Z")
I Dutch and we have a number of tasty but unhealthy deep fried snacks. They will clog up your arteries but are pretty good and, at least to me, hard to resist after a few beers. However, there is a thing called [FEBO](https://images.app.goo.gl/JvDGUM3My1EkzEGX8) which is an automatic distributor of this type of food. They lie in there all day at a lukewarm temperature. Miraculously no one seems to ever catch anything from eating them, but it does NOT improve the flavour. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2022, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/85 "2022-05-21T09:16:10Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > I would associate poutine more with the province of Quebec than with Canada as a whole. It’s the French-Canadian dish of shame. I don’t think it’s all that common outside Quebec. I agree with you, to a degree. Poutine is French-Canadian, and should not be called representative of Canadian cuisine as a whole. However, poutine is insanely popular here in the Canadian west (why, I don’t know), to the point where you almost have to specify, “Fries with my burger, yes, but no gravy nor cheese curds.” Albertans typically hate Quebec. Why Albertans love a Quebec food is beyond me. ---
**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 21, 2022, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/86 "2022-05-21T09:29:28Z")
As I don’t really like food all that much, and I just eat a limited range of bland boring stuff that is largely unchanged than since I was a child, I’m not sure if there’s a meal I can point to that matches what the OP is aiming for from my home country of New Zealand, nor my adopted country of Australia. Vegemite seems too obvious. So here’s: **toasted cheese rolls.** [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1BEKwTn1EFQ/maxresdefault.jpg) ](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1BEKwTn1EFQ/maxresdefault.jpg) **Mutton pies.** [![](https://live.staticflickr.com/2327/2273344798_59f134586f_b.jpg) ](https://live.staticflickr.com/2327/2273344798_59f134586f_b.jpg) **Fairy bread.** [![](https://www.wandercooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/australian-fairy-bread-ft-500x500.jpg) ](https://www.wandercooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/australian-fairy-bread-ft-500x500.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2022, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/87 "2022-05-21T09:32:41Z")
For the UK, I nominate Vesta Beef Curry. I was astonished to find that they are still available. Spam might be another, although I believe it’s made in Denmark for the British market. I read somewhere that its primary use is as fish bait. ---
**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 21, 2022, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/88 "2022-05-21T09:41:48Z")
Oh man, I forgot. The pie in a tin. > **[British Tinned Meat Pies Delivered Worldwide | British Corner Shop](https://www.britishcornershop.co.uk/tinned-meat-pies-food-cupboard)** > > Buy Tinned Meat Pies, Food Cupboard from British Corner Shop, the online supermarket for Expats. They were on the dinner rotation when I grew up. God knows why, because my mother could properly cook - I guess they must have been a cheap meal. Still around and going strong. Truly a national embarrassment. j ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2022, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/89 "2022-05-21T09:50:42Z")
Actually, both the cheese rolls and mutton pie look good – not so much the “fairy bread”. In fact they remind me that I have pork sausage rolls and meat pies in the freezer and are kinda making me hungry. Lord knows what the mutton pie would actually taste like, though, but I generally enjoy meat pies. > [@Spoons](#): > > Albertans typically hate Quebec. Why Albertans love a Quebec food is beyond me. It’s news to me (I mean about the poutine – we all know Albertans hate Quebec!) and the reason is beyond me, too! 😄 ---
**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 21, 2022, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/90 "2022-05-21T09:56:12Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Lord knows what the mutton pie would actually taste like, though I grew up with them, especially the one in the pic I posted which was made [locally to me](http://mcgregorsbakery.co.nz/) (at the time), so it’s hard to be objective, but they are greasy, and claggy, and completely 100% delicious. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2022, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/91 "2022-05-21T10:00:06Z")
Love the ad! Both Aussies and New Zealanders are so wonderfully irreverent! 😀 ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2022, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/92 "2022-05-21T10:09:21Z")
I have only ever eaten mutton pies in Scotland and enjoyed them. There are a couple of tinned meat puddings in my reserve cupboard. We used to eat these when camping as all you have to do is boil them for a while. Use a big pot and you can put potatoes in as well. There is also a tinned jam/sponge pudding. You put that in the boiling water after taking the other stuff out. Needs great care when opening. ---
**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:** [May 21, 2022, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/93 "2022-05-21T11:20:57Z")
The roasted whole sheep’s head dish known as the [smiley](https://rove.me/to/south-africa/smiley). I can see the whole “eat everything” point of the origins. But that doesn’t mean they need to be displayed at the side of the road and served whole. Learn how to make brawn, FFS. > [@snowthx](#): > > an invention just for the tourists Bread soup bowls go back to at least the Middle Ages. And they are awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2022, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/94 "2022-05-21T12:18:32Z")
Every company cafeteria in Switzerland serves [Riz Casimir](https://www.helvetickitchen.com/recipes/riz-casimir#:~:text=Riz%20Casimir%20is%20a%20sweet,at%20his%20restaurants%20in%201952). A dish invented to bring exotic food to the tables of Swiss families. Amazingly, it does not include the horror which is Aromat. It’s possible to buy hard-boiled eggs accompanied by a „personal-sized“ shaker of Aromat. > **[10 Facts About Aromat: A Typically Swiss Condiment – CUISINE HELVETICA](https://cuisinehelvetica.com/2017/05/12/ten-facts-about-aromat/)** > > Discover 10 facts about a typically Swiss condiment known as Aromat, which people especially like to put on their eggs. Let‘s not forget the humble gipfeli. Looks like a croissant, but not as yummy. And it’s usually eaten on its own, without jelly or jam. ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2022, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/95 "2022-05-21T12:54:27Z")
> [@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. Was that a creation of the La Choy, perhaps? > **[Chicken Chow Mein](https://www.lachoy.com/products/chicken-chow-mein)** > > Your entire family is sure to love our delicious Chicken Chow Mein! Find it in a store near you today. I once took a trip to Italy, then France, then England. The worst food on the trip: England. The hotel served bangers and mash and I ate a bite or two of each, then left. I love sausages and potatoes but it tasted like they boiled the stuff till all flavor had left. The best food on the trip: also England. There was a place not far from Covent Garden, but I don’t remember the name. I got some very good chicken there. > [@nearwildheaven](#): > > I don’t get chicken and waffles, ESPECIALLY for breakfast. It doesn’t even look good later in the day. I stopped by specifically to mention this dish. I’m a brunch kinda guy, so this got my attention initially. And if you have pancakes and sausage, a little syrup on that sausage plays well. So maybe that was the idea here. But it doesn’t work for me with C&W. > [@terentii](#): > > Warm bread pudding fresh from the oven is divine Can’t do it. There’s something off-putting about the texture, like it needed to cook longer to finish. > [@Monty](#): > > I’m surprised nobody’s mentioned [Scotland’s haggis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haggis) I was watching “Win Ben Stein’s Money” one night and the contestant got a question about Scots throwing a big log. The answer of course was the caber toss. He didn’t know, so he took his best guess. “The haggis toss?” I need to try a Scotch egg, though. They look killer. Continuing the nationality, has anybody tried Buckfast? Apparently it creates anarchy. Some NSFW language possibly in this… [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/v6Ftsc69DdI/maxresdefault.jpg "Getting Buzzed off Buckfast: MUNCHIES Guide to Scotland (Episode 1)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6Ftsc69DdI) > [@Civil\_Guy](#): > > First, from the US of A, I nominate ‘American’ cheese Yeah, although Velveeta is good (especially for chile con queso). Then there’s McDonald’s. > McDonald’s uses their very own blend of processed cheddar cheese. > > Their blend is 60% cheddar cheese and 40% other ingredients, which include water, salt, whey powder, butter, milk proteins, emulsifying salts, natural cheese flavoring, and food coloring. > **[What Kind of Cheese Does McDonald’s Use? (Explained)](https://www.thecoldwire.com/what-kind-of-cheese-does-mcdonalds-use/)** > > What kind of cheese does McDonalds use? We answer this question and cover everything to know in our complete guide. ETA: [https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/buckfast-scotland](https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/buckfast-scotland) ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2022, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/96 "2022-05-21T13:12:35Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > Now, Callos a la Madrileña, on the other hand… [revolting](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callos_a_la_Madrile%C3%B1a). That is my contribution for Spain. I’m sorry, what’s wrong with this? It sounds lip-smackingly good. As mentioned on the wiki page, we’ve got a version in the Philippines made with chickpeas. Also heavenly. For the Philippines, I’ll nominate [Filipino spaghetti](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filipino_spaghetti). It’s based on the American version of spaghetti Bolognese, so it’s twice-removed from its putative country of origin. It’s made with tomato sauce sweetened with sugar, or just straight-up [banana ketchup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana_ketchup). You’ll want to add some cut up hotdogs, the more artificially red the better. On top of it all, grate a crapton of cheddar. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2022, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/97 "2022-05-21T14:24:15Z")
> [@lobotomyboy63](#): > > > [@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. > > Was that a creation of the La Choy, perhaps? > > [Chicken Chow Mein](https://www.lachoy.com/products/chicken-chow-mein) I believe LaChoy is (or was) based in Minnesota (Duluth, I think), but the dish I was talking about is served in restaurants and takeaways. There was one restaurant the family ate at when my parents were still together (the FuChu, on old Highway 12, just west of Minneapolis), and celery chow mein was always on the menu. (A trip to the FuChu on Saturday evening was always a big deal.) The few times I had anything by LaChoy were enough to put me off it. (Think “bland” and :“watery.”) In their defense, however, they at least _tried_ to emulate Chinese food by using such ingredients as water chestnuts and bamboo shoots. (At least, those seemed more Chinese to me.) If you want really good Chinese in Minneapolis, go to The Village Wok by University Stadium, near where University and Washington avenues intersect (IIRC). The place is always packed with Asians, and you almost need a bilingual dictionary to read the menu. ---
**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 21, 2022, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/98 "2022-05-21T14:39:21Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > If, by dried fruit, you mean raisins, what would bread pudding be without them? Uh, really really good? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2022, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/99 "2022-05-21T14:54:01Z")
> [@lobotomyboy63](#): > > The worst food on the trip: England. The hotel served bangers and mash and I ate a bite or two of each, then left. I love sausages and potatoes but it tasted like they boiled the stuff till all flavor had left. I believe the bangers commonly sold in British supermarkets are a holdover from WWII food rationing—they’re mostly filler, which is why they’re so bland. On the other hand, you can find some very good regional sausages in England, if you buy from a traditional butcher’s shop. If the mash you had was bland, it’s because the chef was cooking for the lowest common denominator. Making good mashed potatoes can be a challenge for many people; I usually put garlic and pureed root vegetables into mine, plus gobs of butter. A good gravy is also needed with bangers and mash. I make mine with pork drippings whenever possible. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2022, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784/100 "2022-05-21T15:30:10Z")
For Pennsylvania, Scrapple is hideous. Like greasy crunchy meatloaf. The South’s Boiled Peanuts are wrong on every level. Taiwan’s boiled pigs ear served cold has got to be a joke on tourists. Actually I have had boiled chicken dummies served cold in England a few times as well….just……why? I agree the full English can be hard to eat, but it can be very good. Haggis can be good as well. I spent some time in The Czech Republic, I thought hot red wine for breakfast was going to be weird, but I loved it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-national-dish-of-shame/964784.md?page=6)