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This post started out as a reply to a post by ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
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?
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?
