Thoughts on changing food preferences

[resqgeek]

This post started out as a reply to a post by martisman with a link to recipes from the 1950's, but got so long, I thought it would be better as a post in its own right.

It is interesting to explore how the tastes of a culture can change over time. I think the Americans have (as a whole) become much more adventurous and sophisticated in their food preferences in the last several decades. The number of different types of ethnic foods that are readily available both in restaurants and in the grocery stores is mind boggling, and these choices aren't limited to ethnic population centers. You can find a surprising diversity of food choices available in almost any community anywhere (though the quality can vary rather dramatically in some out-of-the-way places).

I got a reminder of just how simple and bland American tastes used to be a couple of years ago, when my wife bought a set of old Southern Living cookbooks at a yard sale. These books were from the late 60's or early 70's, and most of the recipes were very simple and didn't include a great number of "exotic" ingredients (or even much in the way of strong seasonings, either). There are some recipes for classic dishes, but by and large, I find myself drawn to more recent cookbooks with recipes built around stronger flavors.

However, when I do use recipes from these older cookbooks, I've learned to make some modifications. Americans apparently used to eat a LOT of salt. I automatically reduce the salt in any recipe I use from these books by at least half, often by much more. Otherwise, the food is far to salty. I would much rather flavor my food with pepper, garlic, or herbs...I rarely add much salt when I'm cooking.

Not everyone has developed more diversified tastes. I have some cousins who won't go near Chinese (or probably any other Asian) food, and consider Italian cooking to be exotic. One of my co-workers has similar attitudes about his food. However, the majority of the people I know routinely include Chinese, Thai, Indian and Hispanic foods in their diets, and wouldn't consider any of them particularly exotic.

Of course, now that I've been sitting here thinking and writing about food, I find myself hungry, so I think I'll have to go find a snack. Anybody got any Wasabi peas?

Comments

[texaswren.livejournal.com]

Not much diversity in my little area. We have burgers, chicken fried steak, fried catfish, home cooking, and Tex-Mex. Lots and lots of Tex-Mex.

If I walked into WM or Brookshires and asked for Wasabi peas, people would look at me funny and label me a furriner. ;-)

[resqgeek]

I have no problem with Tex-Mex...at least it has flavor! I think the thing that disappoints me most about the old Southern Living cookbooks is that I expected them to have recipes for good southern cooking in them. Instead, they seem to be trying to show that the South can be just as bland and boring as the rest of the country, or something.

That I can find Wasabi peas in the grocery stores here in the DC metro area is no surprise, but I've seen them on the shelves in rural towns in upstate NY!

[miketroll.livejournal.com]

I think Americans, like the Brits, still use too much salt. I hate it when restauarants do this. After all, you can always add salt if you want, but you can't take it out!

Once you're in the "no added salt" habit, your tastebuds attune and before long very little salt is enough for flavour. I always boggle at British TV chefs who throw in handfuls of salt. I wouldn't eat in their restaurants even if I could afford it!

[vysion-of-books.livejournal.com]

Now my mouth is watering! ;-)

I agree that old cookbooks require adjustments. Salt was the only seasoning practically. I fortunately got out of the habit of adding salt and pepper before tasting prepared food. After all, it might not need it!

I bet old spice racks have nothing compared to ones today.

[thebiblioholic.livejournal.com]

After all, you can always add salt if you want, but you can't take it out!

Actually, that's not quite true. While I agree that many restaurants use too much salt, if they didn't put any salt the food would turn out awful and you cannot add salt at the table to compensate. I've occasionally forgotten to properly salt something I was cooking and no amount of after the fact sprinkling of salt has made up for it. And you'd probably end up adding even more salt in an effort to make it not taste bland.

[buffra.livejournal.com]

I understand the desire for salt not to have a salty taste, but to "draw out" the other flavors. But I cook with very little of it.

I have an African-inspired cookbook, The Soul of a New Cuisine, by Marcus Samuelsson. I bought it for myself for Christmas. I was really surprised by how *little* salt is called for -- many recipes don't have any at all, not even the ever-present "salt and pepper to taste" line! It makes me happy.

[emperor-fool.livejournal.com]

I tend to gravitate towards bigger, bolder flavors too. (Though there's something to be said for very simply-prepared veggies with minimal seasoning to hide their native goodness.) But, oh me, you're right about older recipes and salt. Even with more recent cookbooks, I tend to undershoot the salt. And I've rarely heard complaints about it or had my food called "bland."