I really cannot agree with this view and there is really not much logic behind.
Even if Norway is clearly colder than, say, Croatia, the weather cannot materially affect how you could store food in those countries. Whether the outside temperature is 10 degrees higher or lower makes no difference if it's well above freezing. And most of spring and fall are definitely above, not to mention summer. In fact, smoking fish and meat has been around for as long as you have humans, and it has nothing to do with latitude.
The true reason has nothing to do with it. Let's start from salt: apart from few mines, most of the salt is produced by evaporation from the sea. So… southern countries had more of it.
Spices: commercial routes for spices landed in the southern part of Europe part first. It wasn't until the age of great explorations that we started circumnavigate Africa and bypass the middle east as the gate to Asia. Until then, everything passed through the med.
And survival needs.. northern climates have to deal with freezing winters hence the stodge.. British food gets a bad rap but a heavy steak pie with potatoes tastes 50x better after hours out in the cold
Pizza is western food. Pasta and lasagna too. Also chicken tikka masala was invented in Scotland. And the greatest foodstuffs of all time, chips, are from Belgium. Rib eye steak. Shepherds pie. Basically everything good is western apart from curry.
Also if you go to china the Chinese food is way worse than the version of Chinese food we have. So many bones.
What are you talking about? Who says "western food" is bad?!
First of all, the US and UK have some of the best restaurants in the world, and an incredible variety and quality of food in all price ranges. NYC and London, specifically, are foodie paradise.
Secondly, western food in general is incredibly popular and loved. French, Italian, Spanish, Greek, Romanian and Bulgarian cuisines are frigging excellent. German, Dutch and Scandinavian - ok, not as good, but they do have a few brilliant dishes.
Even my most Asian and Indian food loving friends also love western foods. I don't know a single person that thinks all western food is bad.
Écoute moi l'euro pédantique, le BBQ est une tradition qui existe partout dans le monde, c'est vrai, mais les états-unis ont une culture du BBQ qui est spécifique à eux-mêmes, surtout dans le sud des états-unis. C'est une cuisine à eux complètement, avec assez de variations régionales pour le séparer du BBQ consommé ailleurs dans le monde.
Mais ça ne suit pas ton histoire imaginaire des américains qui n'ont aucune culture, non?
Mort de rire, arrête avec ton complexe, bien sûr que les ricains ont une culture, mais penser que le bbq est unique en Amérique c'est une blague, votre sauce sucrée de daube est une blague en Europe ou on laisse juste parler le produit
American bbq is absolutely thing, distinct from all the other versions of bbq. It's about the marinades/sauces you cook the meat with as well as all sides that go with it. Try comparing the flavor and sides of Korean bbq with Texas style bbq, it's VASTLY different.
Sounds like you don't even know what "western" (read: european) food is.
It's not just brittish food. It's slavic. It's germanic. It's nordic. It's Italian, French, latino etc....
Very different food cultures. Just because we don't use 500 different spices, doesn't mean that we don't season our food either. We just use milder seasonings like oragano, thyme, onion and garlic. IMO if you have to season the food to the point that all you can taste is chili, then you don't really like said food.
Nordic food is a lot of fish, pork, lamb and potato. German, Netherlandic, Swiss and Austrian food is also potato, pork and sausages (well seasoned BTW!)
Slavic food has a lot of different, delicious soups.
Latin food (so, Spain and Portugal) rely a lot on fish and local produce and so on.
McDonald's Burgers and pizza, totally healthy and sustainable. Typical "western" attitude. It's not a bad thing to be health conscious and understand putting certain things in your body is not good for you in the long run. Keep being closed minded I guess but don't be alarmed when your body isn't as capable and starts looking really bad when you're in your 40s or so. Not saying I eat perfectly but the fact still remains. It is also all about preference dude it is okay you don't like what everyone else likes.
That's what I got from OPs message too lol. I'm from Europe and afaik were considered the west too and the general sentiment is that we don't consider our food bad (unless you're from the UK lol).
Sporadically sprinkled salt (& maybe pepper) isn't seasoning
There's a reason why the more North you go in the world, the more bland the food gets and the more globally South/East you go is the opposite.
Probably more to do with how meats and other foods were stored in lieu of refrigeration.
Spices served as preservatives more than "ice" did.
Hence the difference.
I really cannot agree with this view and there is really not much logic behind.
Even if Norway is clearly colder than, say, Croatia, the weather cannot materially affect how you could store food in those countries. Whether the outside temperature is 10 degrees higher or lower makes no difference if it's well above freezing. And most of spring and fall are definitely above, not to mention summer. In fact, smoking fish and meat has been around for as long as you have humans, and it has nothing to do with latitude.
The true reason has nothing to do with it. Let's start from salt: apart from few mines, most of the salt is produced by evaporation from the sea. So… southern countries had more of it.
Spices: commercial routes for spices landed in the southern part of Europe part first. It wasn't until the age of great explorations that we started circumnavigate Africa and bypass the middle east as the gate to Asia. Until then, everything passed through the med.
And survival needs.. northern climates have to deal with freezing winters hence the stodge.. British food gets a bad rap but a heavy steak pie with potatoes tastes 50x better after hours out in the cold
I mean... there's a reason Europeans did a lot of that enslaving and colonialism in Southeast Asia. All for those spices, baby.
Lol western food is also European food which is already considered some of the best. I think you meant to say American food.
English food in particular is very boring. And Im not usually into american food either, but I do like a good burger some times
Pizza is western food. Pasta and lasagna too. Also chicken tikka masala was invented in Scotland. And the greatest foodstuffs of all time, chips, are from Belgium. Rib eye steak. Shepherds pie. Basically everything good is western apart from curry.
Also if you go to china the Chinese food is way worse than the version of Chinese food we have. So many bones.
The best food in the world is unequivocally from the USA.
So I hate to break it to you but The best food in the world actually is from the UK
Specifically this is because Gordon Ramsay a Scotsman specialty is beef Wellington an English dish
The best chef's best dish is from the UK
I'm British and I disagree. Although beef Wellington is banging, there is so much better food out there.
What are you talking about? Who says "western food" is bad?!
First of all, the US and UK have some of the best restaurants in the world, and an incredible variety and quality of food in all price ranges. NYC and London, specifically, are foodie paradise.
Secondly, western food in general is incredibly popular and loved. French, Italian, Spanish, Greek, Romanian and Bulgarian cuisines are frigging excellent. German, Dutch and Scandinavian - ok, not as good, but they do have a few brilliant dishes.
Even my most Asian and Indian food loving friends also love western foods. I don't know a single person that thinks all western food is bad.
Maybe the problem is that you're using fast food hamburgers as an example of american food and not, for example, slow braised BBQ ribs
Since when cooking meat is an American thing ???? You do know we had cows before we decided to sail there don't you?
Écoute moi l'euro pédantique, le BBQ est une tradition qui existe partout dans le monde, c'est vrai, mais les états-unis ont une culture du BBQ qui est spécifique à eux-mêmes, surtout dans le sud des états-unis. C'est une cuisine à eux complètement, avec assez de variations régionales pour le séparer du BBQ consommé ailleurs dans le monde.
Mais ça ne suit pas ton histoire imaginaire des américains qui n'ont aucune culture, non?
Mort de rire, arrête avec ton complexe, bien sûr que les ricains ont une culture, mais penser que le bbq est unique en Amérique c'est une blague, votre sauce sucrée de daube est une blague en Europe ou on laisse juste parler le produit
American bbq is absolutely thing, distinct from all the other versions of bbq. It's about the marinades/sauces you cook the meat with as well as all sides that go with it. Try comparing the flavor and sides of Korean bbq with Texas style bbq, it's VASTLY different.
Oh the ignorance…
Tomatoes actually come from America so pizza doesn't exist without us
I worked in a gas station in a major city and foreign tourist always loved the food.
Sounds like you don't even know what "western" (read: european) food is.
It's not just brittish food. It's slavic. It's germanic. It's nordic. It's Italian, French, latino etc....
Very different food cultures. Just because we don't use 500 different spices, doesn't mean that we don't season our food either. We just use milder seasonings like oragano, thyme, onion and garlic. IMO if you have to season the food to the point that all you can taste is chili, then you don't really like said food.
Nordic food is a lot of fish, pork, lamb and potato. German, Netherlandic, Swiss and Austrian food is also potato, pork and sausages (well seasoned BTW!)
Slavic food has a lot of different, delicious soups.
Latin food (so, Spain and Portugal) rely a lot on fish and local produce and so on.
I think your concept of western food is a bit narrow...
McDonald's Burgers and pizza, totally healthy and sustainable. Typical "western" attitude. It's not a bad thing to be health conscious and understand putting certain things in your body is not good for you in the long run. Keep being closed minded I guess but don't be alarmed when your body isn't as capable and starts looking really bad when you're in your 40s or so. Not saying I eat perfectly but the fact still remains. It is also all about preference dude it is okay you don't like what everyone else likes.
You idea of "western food" is just American fast food?
That's what I got from OPs message too lol. I'm from Europe and afaik were considered the west too and the general sentiment is that we don't consider our food bad (unless you're from the UK lol).
You're now the Super Near East. Congrats!
Japan is now the Far West.
I don't make the rules.
That's what most people who make thr claim are doing
I mean isn't that what everyone outside of the US considers "western food"