hmm food....

I'm beginning to understand the strange (to me at least) relationship America has with food. Considering America's vast immigrant community and rich history, despite having all these sources to sample from, America has managed to create an industry of quick meals and poor tastes.

I know taste is a subjective thing, but we can all agree that a homemade burger with fresh lettuce and tomato tastes better than a quarterpounder made in less than 40 seconds. Even the people who religiously eat convenient fast food will be amazed if you cook them a simple homemade spag-boll. This isn't something new to me either, but experiencing it first hand has made me ask why?

Is convenience really worth the sacrifice? To me it's not, I enjoy the process of cooking and experimentation, but here cooking seems intimidating. People are scared of their stove tops. Mention a heirloom tomato and you get strange looks. Vegetable and fruit trays are used for storing beer and donuts. Breakfast is donuts and maybe some coke. But still there must be unique American cuisine somewhere.

Then I mention Thanksgiving. Turns out that this is the ultimate celebration of food. Suddenly I'm told about 4 different ways to cook a turkey, which stuffing is the least dry, which glazing makes the crunchiest skin. Family recipes become mantra by which people swear and defend their honor.
Then something very interesting comes up, in mashed potatoes of all places. I'm told that the best mash is made with 3 buttery spuds, 2 sweet potatoes, half a tub of french onion dip, a quarter-cup of mayo, table spoon of corn syrup, half a cup of butter and half a cup of full cream milk. (most available in your local 7/11). An arteries' worst nightmare but tasty none the less. These are ingredients that separately define the 'Gross Food Movement' of America but together create a specific taste comparable to the variety of flavors in a good wine.

Ok so maybe I'm exaggerating a little, but the principle is true. I've been looking at this all wrong. While the rest of the world has been using tried and tested ingredients that haven't changed for years, America has been creating it's own culinary language of dips, sauces, synthetic sugars and precooked & packaged meats. There is still that passion for food and taste, just unfortunately comfort and security has bred complacency and their great foods only emerge on those special occasions.

I'll also quickly mention that when I say Americans I'm not encapsulating every person in this country. There are so many subcultures in this country that you could spend 3 years traveling here and still not experience all that is strange and wonderful. This post is merely a stray thought sparked while I was walking down 109th, looking at the forest of fast food billboards calling me to my next meal. For the record I had 'Pot Belly' because it was the closest to me. hmmm...convenience.