I think Americans "bastardize" other cuisines, but America is hardly the only country doing in. I've traveled around a fair bit, and all countries do it to one extent or another - they localize the dishes from that cuisine to suit their taste buds. For me, it's not a bad thing. I just consider it a separate cuisine from the original. For example, I consider American Chinese food a separate category from Authentic Chinese Food. I'm a lot more likely to eat the latter than the former, but I do like a handful of dishes from the former.
Most people are in their comfort zone when it comes to food - I wouldn't expect an American to appreciate the taste and texture of Uni (Sea urchin), unagi (eel), natto (fermented soybeans), pi dan (century eggs), chou tofu (smelly tofu), etc. They didn't grow up eating that stuff like I did, so they wouldn't find those things appetizing like I do. Just like I can't bring myself to eat Twinkies, cakes loaded with a billion pounds of sugar, or American non-fat milk.
Some people may, but i think most know that pizza chains, tacobell, etc. are Americanized. I have a Thai, Mexican, and Chinese restaurant near my place that actually speak the respective languages and they are authentic, but we as a culture know we have American food. In America we also have traditional brick oven pizza places that in my opinion are superior to Domino's. Thier are also regional dishes like Buckeyes, Philly Cheese Steaks, Lobster Rolls, Wedding Soup, smash burgers, Paddy melts, and Chickenfriend steak that you can't get everywhere in America so the food options in America have their own tendencies by region.
No I think the people from those countries adapt there own food to make it appeal to people from the country there in and maximize profits so USA Britain or any other multicultural country hasn't bastardised the food the Chinese Mexican Indian etc people who saw the opportunity have
It mostly came from not being able to get the same ingredients or using what was available, originally.
No excuse for Taco Bell though. I don't know what that shit is made of.
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Um this is literally every country in the world. I highly doubt the French are making authentic Mexican food. I genuinely doubt korean people are making authentic American style bbq.
Every country adapts other countries foods to better fit their pallet.
Fun fact- Chinese immigrants invented American Chinese food.
Chinese immigrants who moved out west weren't allowed to buy land for gold mining, so they instead set up hotels, restaurants, etc to profit off the miners. One of the things they did was use local ingredients to create pseudo-Chinese dishes that catered to American tastes while still appearing alien and exotic to the American customers. So the Chinese did it themselves, not because they didn't know how to make "real" Chinese food, but because they either didn't have access to ingredients for proper Chinese food or were deliberately changing it to become more appealing to the rest of the Americans. I wouldn't necessarily call that bastardization.
It very much represents what America is and that's a melting pot for all cultures where every culture can be enjoyed by every person it's not just foreign food even European culture is the U. S is "bastardized" that Italian food in the U. S is nothing like real Italian food from Italy, Irish pub food isn't the same, Spanish and Portuguese food isn't authentic and any other countries food won't be either which is why (insert your genetic background here) -American culture is nothing like the real thing and tbh most Americans are mixed White and Native or Black and White or White and Hispanic or Black and Hispanic seem to be the most common even if you have to go very far back in history to see it so truth be told American culture is an individual identity and anything foreign that's common in the states or Canada or The Caribbean, Mexico, South America if it wasn't a new concept invented there will be "bastardized"
I know some ingredients you can't get here. Or if you did, you might not want them.
Take Japanese seafood for example. Sushi, yakitori, and some other dishes are literally eaten while they're alive or with no cooking or other preparation. I know in the U. S., sushi meat has to be flash-frozen for several hours to ensure that microorganisms are killed before it gets served. The Japanese don't do that.
It has to do with lack of the proper food items. Usually when my grandma shops she goes to an Asian food store where the prices are ramped up. Buys everything but meat there. When you can't afford to get a Pekin duck, sometimes you have to settle for the Muscovy your friend caught in the park.
They do, but mostly because the US is a consumerist society, where everything has to be cheap and available in great quantity.
Which can't be done with handmade food, since it takes time to prepare something well.
So they had to adapt it to that kind of society.
Ingredients and the tastes of people that you serve. I am reminded of an episode of Seinfeld where Jerry gives Babu restaurant advice at first it has to do with the location, but when Jerry comes there to the Authentic Pakistani restaurant he doesn't like the dish served.
I’m Korean in North America. Actually it’s the immigrants who do this. Like a lot of immigrants started restaurants and food chains (ie Chinese opened Chinese restaurants, Koreans opened korean restaurants). I’ve talked restaurant owners as well. They change their own recipe to appeal to Americans.
Bastardised Food Is Very Common, Americans Aren’t The Only Ones Who Do It...
Veggies Are Always Added To Chinese Food, To Cut Costs, Chicken, Meat & Fish Is Expensive, So They Cheat From The Original Recipe That Does Not Have Veggies, To Save Money Using Veggies And Very Little Meat...
Mexican Food Is Often Premixed With Onions, Peppers And Other Veggies, For Two Reasons, Less Meat And Quicker To Prepare...
The List Goes On, Italian, Japanese, French Food And Many More Dishes...
Food in the USA has become what it is because of our history. So many different cultures have come together in one place at different points in time, and people have adapted the dishes to fit certain needs of the times - making them unique to America. Americans know that Chinese, thai, Nigerian, Ethiopian, Egyptian, Mexican, Brazilian, Peruvian, Cuban, Scottish, Japanese, Korean, food etc is not the same in America as it is in their countries of origin.
Have you had real Mexican food? Be glad we "bastardized" it. And that's coming from a guy who loves Mexican food.
Yes yes yes. We always have to time down our food for American who can't take it. My Indian friends mom made samosas for us but she toned them down f 'll r some of the people in the group. Since I had the real deal from her, I was disappointed. Same with restaurants. I have to go and find authentic restaurant for all kinds of food because the American palette is so unrefined. However, when you find those places, you realize what's so great about America. All of this great food in one location.
Cultural appropriation is the best part of America. Who cares if it's not authentic? If you want authentic, go to a specialized restaurant or go to that country. If you want an enormous variety of food, go to a major city in America.
Yes, our versions of Italian food are nothing like actual Italian cuisine but sometimes I prefer that fake Chinese food ya know? I know some real places but the fake has it's time
Literally every single country does this, America's not special.
Bastardize? Definitely not. Alter recipes and preparation to suit the tastes of customers, or because certain ingredients are terribly difficult and expensive to import? Introduce cultural fusion techniques? Or just make mistakes or bad choices? Definitely. But so does every other country that does foreign cuisine, especially for tourists. So what?
Immigrants just love complaining.. I also think that they feel like their country is lacking attention and love so they try to "little" American things to make theirs look better..
Typical in insecured or uneducated people.
I love the Americanized versions of that food!! I don't care!!! But I will try the other stuff but bring on the Chinese buffet!!!
Try having a traditional dish in a cantina in Juarez, then try the same dish in Chihuahua. They won't taste the same. You really can't bastardise something that is made from what is available.
There are a few "Chinese" dishes that didn't even come from China. Chop Suey and fortune cookies are a couple that come to mind. That is what I consider bastardising.
Ehm yes but... I think you will find that the same many places outside the US
Different cuisines gets adapted to locally available ingredients and tastes
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