Americans are borderline obsessed with hotsauces and spicy food, though. IME, the pushback about english mustard is usually the same as with vegemite - its too easy to use way too much, and thus obliterate the flavours of the rest of the dish. (Plus it doesn’t pair super well with a lot of regional menus). In many restaurants (diners) there’s always at least tobasco sauce next to the salt and cracked black pepper, and nowadays most have a selection of hot sauces on the table to choose from.
Most american stereotypes I understand or even represent (fat white guy with too many guns here) but I’ve never understood the “american food is bland” thing - I can’t think of a region of the US internally known for bland food. Even the Hot Dish parts of the country strive for bold flavors. Why the hell do you think we’re all so fat, if not because we have so much good food to tempt us into excess?
A lot of the boomer food trends are taken from depression recipes and are very bland by today’s standard. Shit like steamed veg with no seasoning or six thousand types of casserole with no seasoning. It took me literally two decades after moving out to convince my father to salt steak before grilling, and I am still working on getting him to salt tomatoes for burgers.
I guess? The alternatives to capsaicin (mustard, garlic, horseradish, etc) are all pretty overwhelming flavors, so if you want things even moderately pungent they’re the only thing you’re going to be tasting in a dish. I personally loathe the taste of most hot peppers (but love spicy food) so the trend of "spicy everything" is getting pretty tiresome.
Depends on where in the Midwest. It’s a big place.
My partner’s small hometown has a few local dishes. One is a Cream of Chicken soup Sandwich, which is awful IMHO, and seasonal fall apple spiced doughnuts, which are fucking amazing.
My town is a foodie heaven, but an hour away in any direction, and you better like fries and burgers, because that’s all there is.
I know some USAians like spicy sauces, on chicken wings for example. There’s also the guy I used to work with who said his favourite meal was lamb and vegetables with gravy. The most vanilla thing on earth.
I thought Americans thought English Mustard was far too spicy.
Americans are borderline obsessed with hotsauces and spicy food, though. IME, the pushback about english mustard is usually the same as with vegemite - its too easy to use way too much, and thus obliterate the flavours of the rest of the dish. (Plus it doesn’t pair super well with a lot of regional menus). In many restaurants (diners) there’s always at least tobasco sauce next to the salt and cracked black pepper, and nowadays most have a selection of hot sauces on the table to choose from.
American food can get spicy/spiced as hell
Most american stereotypes I understand or even represent (fat white guy with too many guns here) but I’ve never understood the “american food is bland” thing - I can’t think of a region of the US internally known for bland food. Even the Hot Dish parts of the country strive for bold flavors. Why the hell do you think we’re all so fat, if not because we have so much good food to tempt us into excess?
utah
Mormonville, as a theocracy, doesn’t count as America. It is categorized as a malignant internal growth.
yeah, but they’re known for jello. you eat that at the hospital
And the entire Midwest outside of big cities. Food has to white.
A lot of the boomer food trends are taken from depression recipes and are very bland by today’s standard. Shit like steamed veg with no seasoning or six thousand types of casserole with no seasoning. It took me literally two decades after moving out to convince my father to salt steak before grilling, and I am still working on getting him to salt tomatoes for burgers.
American food relies far too much on capsaicin for making things spicy. There are other spices too.
I guess? The alternatives to capsaicin (mustard, garlic, horseradish, etc) are all pretty overwhelming flavors, so if you want things even moderately pungent they’re the only thing you’re going to be tasting in a dish. I personally loathe the taste of most hot peppers (but love spicy food) so the trend of "spicy everything" is getting pretty tiresome.
The Midwest?
Depends on where in the Midwest. It’s a big place.
My partner’s small hometown has a few local dishes. One is a Cream of Chicken soup Sandwich, which is awful IMHO, and seasonal fall apple spiced doughnuts, which are fucking amazing.
My town is a foodie heaven, but an hour away in any direction, and you better like fries and burgers, because that’s all there is.
So why are you so scared of English mustard?
I’ve never heard of English mustard, but I don’t Americans as a whole are afraid of spicy mustard.
I was taking the piss.
I know some USAians like spicy sauces, on chicken wings for example. There’s also the guy I used to work with who said his favourite meal was lamb and vegetables with gravy. The most vanilla thing on earth.