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[-] Carrolade@lemmy.world 55 points 10 months ago

While this meme is suburb, I assume you're aware that the legacy of bland British food is heavily influenced by WW2 and post-war rationing. It had an impact even here in the US, but a much stronger one in the UK where they were rationing well into the 50s if I remember right.

Culinary history is a fun branch.

[-] BarrelAgedBoredom@lemm.ee 26 points 10 months ago

Is that why the Midwest was addicted to canned vegetables, "casseroles", and why they're allergic to anything more flavorful than salt and pepper?

[-] BearOfaTime@lemm.ee 17 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Partly.

I'd say that impacted the entire US. The SNL skit Coneheads was all about this with "mass quantities".

Keep in mind the impact of the Depression on people too. Quality isn't a concern when you're not even getting enough to eat (my parents, but especially grandparents can/could speak to this). My father was always hungry until he was drafted.

Studs Terkel's Hard Times should be required reading today.

Twentieth century food production was a godsend to anyone born before the 1950's.

Plus the Midwest was heavily settled by Nordic folks and Eastern European, bringing their food traditions with them.

[-] BarrelAgedBoredom@lemm.ee 4 points 10 months ago

Yeah my family is from the Midwest. On my mom's side we're 4th gen Norwegians who founded a town in Kansas (pretty sure it's Kansas). They arrived just before the depression and I'm pretty sure my family's legacy of bland cooking is partly a result from that and our Norwegian heritage. We still make kumla every year. Good stuff (minus the canned veggies. Seriously Midwest, it's ok to use fresh vegetables)

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[-] Carrolade@lemmy.world 7 points 10 months ago

I'm no expert on Midwestern cuisine, there could be other factors like some central European culinary traditions, maybe religious conservatism and a general distrust of new things more common to inland cultures.

So, a factor for sure, but it's probably complicated.

[-] BarrelAgedBoredom@lemm.ee 5 points 10 months ago

You're probably right, I just wanted to take a cheap shot at the Midwest haha

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[-] odium@programming.dev 12 points 10 months ago

Dang, ppl are putting suburbs everywhere these days. First they put them in cities, then rural areas, and now they're putting suburbs in memes too? How does that even work?

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[-] PugJesus@lemmy.world 8 points 10 months ago

Oh, I've always assumed that the bland British food jokes are because a few of the less exciting offerings are just so easy to make fun of, like beans on toast, not an actual paucity of culinary culture.

[-] zalgotext@sh.itjust.works 4 points 10 months ago

Alternate take: this meme is expired, because all of the foods on that plate are only bland if prepared by a bad cook.

Toast with butter is a delight. It's not gonna knock your socks off with complexity, but good bread with good butter shouldn't be bland. Heck, good bread by itself shouldn't be bland. Same with fried fish - a nice juicy piece of flaky white fish fried in a properly-seasoned batter is an absolute delight, not bland at all unless you're using bottom of the barrel ingredients and don't know what you're doing. And canned beans are absolutely loaded with spices, salt, and acidity, they're probably the most complex thing on that plate.

[-] zante@lemmy.wtf 44 points 10 months ago

Food guide;

  • British food is tasteless
  • French food is pretentious
  • italian food takes all afternoon
  • American food is poisonous
  • Indian food is special because it uses something called “spice” and no one else does apparently
  • asians eat rice
  • anyone east of Berlin eats either turnips or caviar

What did I miss ?

[-] PugJesus@lemmy.world 42 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

American food is poisonous

American food is grease and sugar. Pure grease and sugar. Sometimes combined. God, I want a funnel cake right now.

Dammit, I just realized I haven't had a funnel cake in literal years. How sad.

[-] AEsheron@lemmy.world 8 points 10 months ago

3 things that will make anything better, fat, sugar, and salt. If your dish isn't doing it for you, just keep adding at least one of those three, based on the dish, and eventually it will be delicious.

[-] PlantJam@lemmy.world 6 points 10 months ago

Acid is another magic ingredient. Lemon juice, vinegar, or even just straight citric acid from a shaker if you don't want to add more liquid. Sometimes something will taste like it needs more salt, but adding a touch of acid is actually what it needed.

[-] BearOfaTime@lemm.ee 3 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

And funnel cakes are arguably Eastern European/Germanic. It's a similar batter as Dutch Baby (think Dutch as in "Deutsch"), aka German Pancake (and also popovers). There's a slight change for each one, but essentially an eggy batter with no leavening.

Though I'd guess every country has a version of it, and brought it with them to the US.

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[-] khannie@lemmy.world 19 points 10 months ago

Indian food is special because it uses something called “spice” and no one else does apparently

Was in Hyderabad for work a few times about 10-15 years ago and in fairness, India is the absolute GOAT of spicing food. Like every dish is flavourful but not necessarily spicy. Office canteen food costing about 40c served on a prison tray - Incredible. Hell even the airport food was delicious.

[-] Buddahriffic@lemmy.world 4 points 10 months ago

If you want more vegetarian dishes that aren't just soy pretending to be a meat dish (and usually disappointing), try out some Indian dishes. A decent portion of their population is vegetarian for religious reasons and they've made the best of it. I went to a vegetarian Indian wedding once and didn't miss having meat at all.

I make dol as part of my normal rotation and even my daughter loves it when I was expecting her to be disappointed with what was mainly lentils and spinach served with flatbread. But the little bit that isn't lentils and spinach is just as important.

[-] TheBat@lemmy.world 12 points 10 months ago

It's not just India, many Southeast Asian countries have spices in their dishes.

[-] odium@programming.dev 5 points 10 months ago

As an Indian I approve of this message

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[-] Maggoty@lemmy.world 24 points 10 months ago

Apparently the British did use spices until world war 2. Then it was decided that shipping is limited and spices were a luxury when the island needed an unending supply of food and guns.

Then instead of starting right back up in 1946, food remained an issue for the British through the 1950's. So the lack of spices became more accepted. It's the same reason America still has depression era dishes like chili.

Britain is actually starting to use spices again, just like the American beer scene is finally recovering from prohibition.

[-] cash@lemmy.world 20 points 10 months ago

If chili is a depression food then bring on more depression food I say.

[-] Maggoty@lemmy.world 4 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Well there's always been the idea of the anything soup or stew. Chili is really just the American take on it. It's popularity right now though is very much tied to the depression.

[-] AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world 8 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

I always thought that chili was from the cowboys of the old West. The one that existed, not Hollywood's/ Italy's version.

[-] Maggoty@lemmy.world 4 points 10 months ago

Stuff like chili often already exists somewhere before it gets popularized. The depression certainly didn't invent American style spiced beef stew. But much like cowboy breakfast (beans, salted pork, coffee) it was simple, cheap, and could stretch protein to feed a whole family.

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[-] GeneralVincent@lemmy.world 4 points 10 months ago

Also a pretty easy meal if you have depression

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[-] Mr_Blott@feddit.uk 7 points 10 months ago

Ha ha "starting" to use spices again lol

Nice info from 60 years ago

[-] SassyRamen@lemmy.world 18 points 10 months ago

This is the best use of this meme I have ever seen. It hit me in all the right spots xD

[-] JadenSmith@sh.itjust.works 16 points 10 months ago

It's a shame so many people don't get to experience flavourful British food, or go with stereotypes, since there's a bunch of really nice stuff.

I even have a book from the 1700s detailing the use of various herbs.

[-] Maggoty@lemmy.world 5 points 10 months ago

I went to Scotland recently and I'm not sure how representative that is of UK food over all, but they definitely seasoned and spiced their food. So if that tracks for the UK over all they are recovering, it's just one hell of a hang over. The US had to do the same with the depression era.

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[-] alcoholicorn@lemmy.ml 9 points 10 months ago

Everyone is always mocking Britain's cuisine, but some of their food is good, like Shepard's Pie.

You know who doesn't get enough hate? The Belgians.

[-] SomeoneSomewhere@lemmy.nz 11 points 10 months ago

The Dutch (Netherlands) and the Belgians are not the same...

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[-] PugJesus@lemmy.world 5 points 10 months ago

Belgians gave us good fries and fat waffles though, for that, as a grease-besotted American I can't bring myself to hate them.

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[-] whotookkarl@lemmy.world 9 points 10 months ago

Tomatoes were from America brought to Europe during the 16th century and add umami flavor to baked beans, not sure if that counts

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[-] criitz@reddthat.com 8 points 10 months ago
[-] PugJesus@lemmy.world 9 points 10 months ago

What good is money if it cannot bring you flavor?

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[-] rockSlayer@lemmy.world 7 points 10 months ago

They specifically invented tikka masala for that

[-] dejected_warp_core@lemmy.world 6 points 10 months ago

and for what!?

Ultimately? For humble pie.

The British were so hangry, so incredibly hung-over, so fed-up with the limited cuisine at home, that they colonized half the planet in search of a proper meal like their very lives depended on it. And for a time, the spice did indeed flow. But that quest cost countless lives, started many wars, and ultimately, ended in defeat. In the end, some people from those far off lands, now liberated, emigrated to their conqueror's homeland of their own free will and brought their pantries with them. In so doing, perhaps with a spicy side of defiance, meals are served in London daily that provide a reminder of how the surrounding kingdom is a mere shadow of it's former self.

[-] MonkderVierte@lemmy.ml 4 points 10 months ago
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[-] gmtom@lemmy.world 3 points 10 months ago

Yeah you should try a British vindaloo, absolutely no spices in there. That's why if you ever come here and try one you need to ask them to make it "properly spicy" just so you get some spice :)

[-] HonoraryMancunian@lemmy.world 3 points 10 months ago

Don't be throwing shade at beans fish fingers and bread Classic beige Brapas

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this post was submitted on 06 Sep 2024
587 points (100.0% liked)

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