Just before Christmas, I visited San Antonio, TX and had my first real rib-eye stake at a restaurant on the Riverwalk! I must admit, it was a masterpiece – you Americans know your steaks!
But then my friend asked for more barbecue sauce… and some chilly sauce, Cajun sauce, Dijon mustard, and ketchup. Why, OH WHY, would you ruin the best steaks in the world with so many sauces?!
And then there is the delicious, fresh, crunchy, natural salad… and you plop on top of it a big squirt of Caesar, Ranch, Chipotle, Blue Cheese, Honey Mustard, Thousand Island, Santa Fe Blend, Lemon Mayonnaise, Jalapeno Ranch, Sesame Ginger, Hot & Spicy, Creamy Style Miso, Romano Basil Vinaigrette, Cranberry Balsamic, Italian, French, Russian, Mediterranean, or Greek Dressings… as well as all their light, reduced fat, fat-free, or organic versions. Does salad really need so many types of dressings?
And then I go to Shaw’s or Whole Foods, and I see entire aisles with sauces, salsas, chutneys, condiments, dressings,vinegars, and marinades. It almost seems to me that you don’t like the natural taste of food because you seem to always want to flavor it with something else.
I have been taught that fish requires only lemon, salad requires only salt and olive oil, and meat requires only salt, if anything at all. Bulgarian food is so much more simple compared to American, and yet I feel like it is more flavorful because you can actually taste the different vegetables or the different herbs in it.
I call upon the readers of this blog to switch the Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing for real crumbled feta, the Fat-free Italian Dressing for freshly chopped parsley and sun-dried tomatoes, and those yellow round plastic containers with real freshly squeezed lemons.
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January 10, 2012 at 6:50 pm
Nzik
For every type of food, or at least for the 50 most common (F) and every mood (M), every person who can chose what to eat (P) should have its dressing. So for the USA the theorethical number of dressings will be ND= 50*5*311800000*90%= over 70 Billion types of dressing!
Obviously there is a great market of dressings out there and if there is a demand, supply will come.
I like many types of industrially prepared dressings and I do have my favourites. You should try!
January 13, 2012 at 12:19 am
zikata
I got it!
Number of dressings = Foods*Moods*number of USA citizens* 90% people who can choose what to eat = in theory, there is demand for over 70 billion types of dressings!
hahaha this is good news for the industry!
January 11, 2012 at 1:36 am
joaquinbarroso
Obviously the answer lies in the multicultural nature of the US. I agree they can obliterate the flavor of food (specially ketchup, yuck!) but used in reasonable amounts they can add or enhance the original flavors; the problem is that food isn’t served reasonably in the US 🙂
While I agree that Eastern Europe doesn’t really have the best stakes in the world and that those you can find in the US are great, I strongly recommend you travel to Argentina and have AMAZING stakes 🙂
Best wishes! Have a great year!
January 11, 2012 at 9:54 am
zikata
I went to an Argentinian stakehouse in London! I know it probably doesn’t compare to the real thing, but still, it was amazing! Can’t wait to visit one day to try even more of those stakes!
January 11, 2012 at 5:43 am
Katley
I think it has to do with vegetables here in the States being mass produced, therefore they don’t taste as good. Which is why Americans have to douse their salads with dressings full of additives, chemicals, and artificial flavors. I, too am amazed at the number of salad dressings in the supermarkets.
I find the best salads come from your own garden, and a little vinegar, olive oil, and feta will dress them up nicely!