Author Topic: What the World Thinks America Eats  (Read 5761 times)

Ben

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What the World Thinks America Eats
« on: January 10, 2017, 10:45:44 AM »
The "American food" sections of various grocery stores around the world.  :laugh:

https://www.buzzfeed.com/daves4/american-food?utm_source=dailywatercooler&utm_term=.yq6LVPo2Wp#.ey53r4pgm7
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Perd Hapley

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Re: What the World Thinks America Eats
« Reply #1 on: January 10, 2017, 11:06:04 AM »
Maybe those are the American foods that people in those countries buy, rather than a reflection on what we actually eat. Then again...

I've spent loads of time in stores with names like "World Market," and "Global Foods," and I'm sure some of the offerings there are not perfectly representative of nations in question. The latter store actually is meant for immigrants and guest worker types, but even there, they have gobs of junk food from those countries. Maybe it's just because it ships and stores conveniently.

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Ben

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Re: What the World Thinks America Eats
« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2017, 11:11:32 AM »
Maybe those are the American foods that people in those countries buy, rather than a reflection on what we actually eat. Then again...

What I was thinking is that those are the foods you might find in convenience stores, or the "grocery stores" at larger campgrounds, among other places. I would bet that international visitors, be it reporters or vacationers, spend more time in those kinds of stores than actual grocery stores, hence that's their exposure to "American grocery store food".
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K Frame

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Re: What the World Thinks America Eats
« Reply #3 on: January 10, 2017, 11:12:49 AM »
Interesting to see that my favorite pepper sauce, "Louisiana" by Bruce Foods, is in several of those photos.

But, I can't really see that the US does any better. At my grocery story the "Mexican foods" aisle is 90% Old El Paso and some actual Goya products.

Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, etc., is all lumped together, and 90% of it is again American manufactured.

The British foods is HP sauce and canned pudding.
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Re: What the World Thinks America Eats
« Reply #4 on: January 10, 2017, 11:14:15 AM »
I quit thinking about what the world thinks of us.

Ben

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Re: What the World Thinks America Eats
« Reply #5 on: January 10, 2017, 11:23:12 AM »
Terry forgot to take his anti-grumpy pills this morning. :P  :laugh:

On Mike's post, I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't do the same "research" into other countries foods as I hypothesized on how this list came about. I think there is a regional aspect as well. For instance, if you go into the international section of most CA grocery stores, the Mexican food part is pretty extensive and varied. Asian foods as well. There's not much from anywhere else.  I would bet grocery stores in WI have a pretty decent German food section.
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K Frame

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Re: What the World Thinks America Eats
« Reply #6 on: January 10, 2017, 11:25:51 AM »
I quit thinking about what the world thinks of us.

This isn't so much what the rest of the world thinks ABOUT us, it's what they think are (I'm guessing) traditional American foods.
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Perd Hapley

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Re: What the World Thinks America Eats
« Reply #7 on: January 10, 2017, 11:28:32 AM »
There are some areas of St. Louis City/County with a fairly large Jewish population, so the grocery stores there stock a certain amount of kosher items. At the grocery store of the same chain, in my not-so-Jewishy neighborhood, the kosher section is a small, wire rack at one end of the "ethnic" aisle. I was tasked with getting some latke mix, but it was just a potato pancake mix.  :lol: (My wife is not Jewish; she is just a foodie.)
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K Frame

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Re: What the World Thinks America Eats
« Reply #8 on: January 10, 2017, 11:36:44 AM »
The stores in metro DC do have a decent selection of kosher foods when Kashrut is in effect.
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Re: What the World Thinks America Eats
« Reply #9 on: January 10, 2017, 11:53:33 AM »
The grocery stores where I grew up had LARGE kosher sections, one even had an entirely separate kosher meat and kosher seafood counters, from the standard ones. And wasn't a specifically kosher store or anything, just a normal supermarket.


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Re: What the World Thinks America Eats
« Reply #10 on: January 10, 2017, 12:08:23 PM »
The Mexican/Hispanic aisles at the local grocery chains and Walmarts around the Milwaukee metro seems to grow a bit every year, and and appears to be getting into things that are more and more "staples" than novelties.

And it's not just an asile. Produce, and the bakery etc. Stuff like bulk dried peppers in bins etc.

I should probably figure out what you're supposed to make with a pound of dried Anchos. Besides boiling and pureeing them as the base for "real" TexMex Chilli.

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Re: What the World Thinks America Eats
« Reply #11 on: January 10, 2017, 12:27:41 PM »
I am just going to leave this right here: http://www.junglejims.com/  You've never seen a grocery store until you have been through this one.

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Take a trip around the world at Jungle Jim’s! Our International department holds over 50,000 products from over 70 countries to satisfy just about any craving. Travel through Asia and make stops at China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan. Venture over to our Hispanic section for products from South America, Puerto Rico, Mexico and Central America.
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Re: What the World Thinks America Eats
« Reply #12 on: January 10, 2017, 12:38:29 PM »
I'm sure they stock what sells.  I will say I've never met anyone that ate marshmallow fluff or used it as in ingredient.  I have noticed about half of the stuff on the "international" aisle of my local grocery store has a layer of dust on it.

K Frame

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Re: What the World Thinks America Eats
« Reply #13 on: January 10, 2017, 12:51:48 PM »
I've used marshmallow fluff a number of times over the years, primarily as an ingredient for making icing for cakes.
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Re: What the World Thinks America Eats
« Reply #14 on: January 10, 2017, 01:32:41 PM »
Fudge recipes also call for marshmallow fluff as well as Rice Krispies Treats.
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Re: What the World Thinks America Eats
« Reply #15 on: January 10, 2017, 01:40:00 PM »
I have noticed about half of the stuff on the "international" aisle of my local grocery store has a layer of dust on it.

Sort of like one of the stores here that used to include a Kosher section among their ethnic foods.  Though I'm sure all six Jews in town appreciated it, it likely would have been better suited to a smaller specialty store.

MechAg94

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Re: What the World Thinks America Eats
« Reply #16 on: January 10, 2017, 02:06:51 PM »
It is funny seeing French's Mustard and Canada Dry in the American foods section.
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Re: What the World Thinks America Eats
« Reply #17 on: January 10, 2017, 02:13:33 PM »
Got a buddy who works overseas for extended periods...months at a time.  When he calls to ask for a package from home, it's often crap like that.  Snacks, candy, hot sauce, condiments.  Things that he likes from USA, but you can't find and can't substitute for at all.  I imagine that shelves like those are aimed at ex-pats and other Americans, sell quickly, and have great shelf lives.
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Re: What the World Thinks America Eats
« Reply #18 on: January 10, 2017, 03:55:45 PM »
I notice cake mixes are among the common "American Foods" on this list. (And curse you for making me give clicks to Buzzfeed, btw.)

Do the citizens in these countries make all their cakes from scratch? Or just buy them?

That a cake mix (or brownie mix, or whathaveyou) would be exotic is surprising.
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Re: What the World Thinks America Eats
« Reply #19 on: January 10, 2017, 04:06:53 PM »
You're welcome on the Buzzfeed.  =D

As to the cake mix, I can only speak to one cross-section of small town krauts, and am probably a bit outdated, but if you're a female kraut, you'd better know how to bake a cake. That actually goes for guys too somewhat, and even the liberals. If you don't bake a cake, then go to the bakery to get one. Same goes for bread. When I was hanging out with the relatives for a Summer many years ago, I got sent to the bakery for fresh bread everyday. And that was living with the Aunt and Uncle who owned a grocery store. You just didn't buy bread and baked goods, other than like cookies and Lebkuchen and stuff, from the store.
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makattak

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Re: What the World Thinks America Eats
« Reply #20 on: January 10, 2017, 04:20:50 PM »
You're welcome on the Buzzfeed.  =D

As to the cake mix, I can only speak to one cross-section of small town krauts, and am probably a bit outdated, but if you're a female kraut, you'd better know how to bake a cake. That actually goes for guys too somewhat, and even the liberals. If you don't bake a cake, then go to the bakery to get one. Same goes for bread. When I was hanging out with the relatives for a Summer many years ago, I got sent to the bakery for fresh bread everyday. And that was living with the Aunt and Uncle who owned a grocery store. You just didn't buy bread and baked goods, other than like cookies and Lebkuchen and stuff, from the store.

Wow. That seems so inefficient.

I know how to make a cake from scratch. I know how to make bread from scratch.

I do the latter far more than the former, because I'm not all that happy with the "pre-mix" breads (and they all need time to rise, anyway, so the time savings is negligible, unless we're talking banana or fruit breads which are more like cake, anyway). "Pre-mix" cake mix is enough of a substitute that a from scratch cake is seriously not worth the effort. BUT, I've noticed that many other countries are far more willing to sacrifice time on things that just baffle me.
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Re: What the World Thinks America Eats
« Reply #21 on: January 10, 2017, 04:51:03 PM »
In Africa - where many people are illiterate - canned food typically includes a picture of the contents.

Upon its introduction, Gerber baby food - with a picture of a baby on the container - was a source of some . . . confusion.
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Perd Hapley

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Re: What the World Thinks America Eats
« Reply #22 on: January 10, 2017, 05:22:01 PM »
  I will say I've never met anyone that ate marshmallow fluff or used it as in ingredient. 


I always put it in my chili. I just assumed everyone did.  ???
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Re: What the World Thinks America Eats
« Reply #23 on: January 10, 2017, 06:48:44 PM »

I always put it in my chili. I just assumed everyone did.  ???

You might as well put it on your cornbread.
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Re: What the World Thinks America Eats
« Reply #24 on: January 10, 2017, 07:27:35 PM »
You're welcome on the Buzzfeed.  =D

As to the cake mix, I can only speak to one cross-section of small town krauts, and am probably a bit outdated, but if you're a female kraut, you'd better know how to bake a cake. That actually goes for guys too somewhat, and even the liberals. If you don't bake a cake, then go to the bakery to get one. Same goes for bread. When I was hanging out with the relatives for a Summer many years ago, I got sent to the bakery for fresh bread everyday. And that was living with the Aunt and Uncle who owned a grocery store. You just didn't buy bread and baked goods, other than like cookies and Lebkuchen and stuff, from the store.

We often had to shop on the economy when we lived in Germany.  Simply because frequently, the commissary would be out of various (lots) items (especially last few days and first week of the month, and again around the middle of the month).   And we learned how to shop like Germans.  Grocery stores were for fresh foods; vegetables and fruits, along with canned items.  Then the Backerei (Bakery)for breads, finally the Metzgerei (Butcher) for meats and cheeses.  Beer/wine from either Class VI on post or you went to Getranke Frank's on the economy.  Mostly for a couple racks of beer.  Since we lived near so many wineries, we usually bought several bottles from each place when we were out and about touristing...
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