On Wed, 10 Dec 2003 04:55:55 GMT, slim > wrote:

>Frogleg wrote:
>
>> I resent "dumbed down" and "American tastes."

>If you are born here, and ate nothing but poorly represented ethnic
>food, you would not know what you are missing untill you finally
>had the real deal, and guess what? You might find the REAL food
>not to your liking!

But why must everything from a "foreign" cuisine that is cooked/served
inside the US automatically become inferior "poorly represented
ethnic" food? Why can't at least some of it become "cleverly adapted"
or "emblematic of American willingness to embrace new tastes"? I
*haven't* been trying to say that pizza is fine Italian cuisine, or
that a corner Chinese takeout represents a pinnacle in dining.

I guess what I don't like is the scorn. I say "I like Thai food" and
am smacked because it isn't "real" Thai food. Why isn't it? I can only
read English translations, but it looks to me as if all the
ingredients for Pad Thai or Som Tam are available locally. If a
(formerly) Thai person living in the US makes these foods, or if I do,
are they automatically "poorly represented"?

Now, in searching out recipes, I came across a description of Bangkok
street food that made my mouth water. No, I've never come across
mango/coconut cream pancake 'tacos', or thin pork slices and noodles
in broth. Dipping fruit in a salt/sugar/chile combo sounds like
something I would like. And I'll bet American fruit, salt, sugar, and
chiles are pretty much the same. I haven't tasted *all* Thai food, but
I've enjoyed *some* quite a bit.
>
>How about "ignorant tastebuds" for "dumbed down"?

Well, ignorance isn't *really* a pejorative -- merely another name for
inexperience. I guess I can go with that. :-)
>
>"American tastes" can't be helped. We are what we eat.
>
>The same can be said of anybody from any other country as
>foods/spices and customs differ from culture to culture.

Exactly. Again, it's the scorn I bristle at.