Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you the same OP that has the German student who finds his classy too easy? If you’re in this area, you could take him to Lancaster, PA for its Amish culture. They have lots of food options there. We stopped at a little bakery stand on the side of the road being changed by Amish kids. The baked goods we took home were all increidlbe. The whoopie pie was my favorite. It also might be interesting for him to see the culture, especially since it derives from German culture and language.

Amish food is basically the same as German food. Why would an exchange student from Germany find this exciting?

b/c amish food is German food from 150 years ago. germans are more likely to eat Turkish food now (I am currently typing this from 10minutes from the German border).

Exactly. As if going to an Amish community is like being in modern Germany.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanksgiving with all the new world foods.
Turkey
Mashed potatoes
Cornbread
Squash
Green beans
Stuffing
Cranberry sauce
Pumpkin and blueberry pies

This. Remind him that many foods he probably assumes are European actually originated in the Americas. Tomatoes, potatoes, chocolate, pumpkin. None of these are traditionally European foods.

+1. Tomatoes always surprises people.

Also you could serve chicken parm (maybe you ate this growing up and have a recipe?)

What about pork chops and applesauce? I don't think I saw that on the thread yet.

Biscuits and gravy with bacon, eggs, coffee, and juice?

It never surprises me. You know what else is American? Anything corn or corn-based, peanuts, eggplant (all the nightshade family, really.)

Aren't eggplants native to Asia?

Thanksgiving food -

Turkey
Gravy
Corn pudding made with the Jiffy kit
Mashed potatoes
Green Bean casserole with packaged fried onions
Stovetop stuffing
Cranberry jelly from can
Sweet potato casserole with marshmellows

Apple pie with vanilla icecream
Pecan pie
Pumpkin pie

Steak and cheese
Hot chicken wings
Italian beef sandwich
Muffuletto
Donuts/Doughnuts (We invented the hole)

Nachos, chicken wings, make your own tacos night. Sloppy joes (but a better version, not the greasy yuck mess).

I do wonder what it is he's really asking for, though.

Oh, one casserole-type dish that I actually enjoyed eating: spoonbread/corn pudding.

Chicken and dumplings, steamed crabs, go to a diner like Bob & Edith’s, Applebees, a soul food place with chicken and waffles…

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanksgiving with all the new world foods.
Turkey
Mashed potatoes
Cornbread
Squash
Green beans
Stuffing
Cranberry sauce
Pumpkin and blueberry pies

This. Remind him that many foods he probably assumes are European actually originated in the Americas. Tomatoes, potatoes, chocolate, pumpkin. None of these are traditionally European foods.

+1. Tomatoes always surprises people.

Also you could serve chicken parm (maybe you ate this growing up and have a recipe?)

What about pork chops and applesauce? I don't think I saw that on the thread yet.

Biscuits and gravy with bacon, eggs, coffee, and juice?

It never surprises me. You know what else is American? Anything corn or corn-based, peanuts, eggplant (all the nightshade family, really.)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any kind of pie like apple, cherry, sweet potato, key lime
Rice Krispie treats
Whoopie pies
Fruit cobblers
Brownies
Bananas foster
Cheesecake
Boston cream pie
Red velvet cake

Yes I wanted to go down this road, but he doesn't like sweets.

Stop catering to him.

An iceberg lettuce based salad with ranch dressing!

Or you could be fancy and make a steakhouse inspired wedge salad. The presentation is kind of interesting. Make some steaks and thick fries and creamed spinach.

I actually love all the ideas- we are ex pats and miss tex Mex so so much - id take him to eat barbacoa and barrio tacos as well or get the ones from Trader Joes. its also impossible to get wild rice over here- they just eat black rice, so wild rice soup.

I know we think our soft tacos with teh grilled chicken and avocado are "authentic"but they are authentic California food, not authentic Mexican food. I actually think it would be hilarious if you made your american style Italian food and see his reaction to its b/c it has evolved to have such a different taste from "Italian" food he is used to... I mean they sell "american pizza" with fries and hotdogs on it in Italy. they even get upset when americans make bolognese with Italian sausage or start it with parma ham b/c traditionally it is made with only beef. where in Italy is he from?? make the Italian sauces with the "wrong" pasta shapes or american style fettuccine Alfredo with broccoli and put chili crunch on it- this is something americans eat that would be so so weird for Italians.

and I agree that you should bring home a cookbook of "american" or midwestern foods from the library and maybe ask him to choose stuff from it. also take him to eat Korean wings etc...they dont have those in europe. check out that maga influencers books- half baked harvest, her recipes are actually very typical modern "american" and the white chicken chili and flank steak recipes are so so good. and she is ridiculous- she has these Hawaiian shrimp bowls and then goes I've never been to Hawaii but I think this must be what it tastes like (and its quite delicious)

https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/creamy-white-chicken-chili/

How about a chicken pot pie? It sounds like you're a good home cook. You could do a roast chicken dinner one Sunday night, and then make pie crust and put the leftover chicken plus the veggies/creamed soup into the pie.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you the same OP that has the German student who finds his classy too easy? If you’re in this area, you could take him to Lancaster, PA for its Amish culture. They have lots of food options there. We stopped at a little bakery stand on the side of the road being changed by Amish kids. The baked goods we took home were all increidlbe. The whoopie pie was my favorite. It also might be interesting for him to see the culture, especially since it derives from German culture and language.

No, not me. I don't live in the DC area anymore and my student is from Italy.

If you can get to the DC area, both the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the National Museum of the American Indian have cafeterias designed to include the menus as part of the cultural and historical experiences. NMAI has stations for multiple regions of the country — so, salmon at the Pacific Northwest station, as an example.
Traditional Southern foods are very different from New England foods, which are different from Southwestern foods, and New Orleans is a cuisine and culture of its own. Maybe you can do a few theme meals that reflect different areas of the country.

And do some kid foods like Rice Krispy treats, PB & J, American style pancakes and muffins — since the variations might be new to him.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you the same OP that has the German student who finds his classy too easy? If you’re in this area, you could take him to Lancaster, PA for its Amish culture. They have lots of food options there. We stopped at a little bakery stand on the side of the road being changed by Amish kids. The baked goods we took home were all increidlbe. The whoopie pie was my favorite. It also might be interesting for him to see the culture, especially since it derives from German culture and language.

Amish food is basically the same as German food. Why would an exchange student from Germany find this exciting?

b/c amish food is German food from 150 years ago. germans are more likely to eat Turkish food now (I am currently typing this from 10minutes from the German border).

The Germans have adopted doner kebab so thoroughly it might as well be German. You can't walk far without finding a doner shop.

Take him to an Amish buffet. He can eat whatever he wants in one trip and then he needs to eat what your family serves.

Anonymous wrote:Ew. This whole thread is disgusting food. Is there nothing good that’s American?
How about rice and bean burritos? Goulash? Chop suey? Our mayo based potato salad and macaroni salad? Cincinatti chili spaghetti? Reubens? Deep dish Chicago style pizza? Philadelphia turtle soup?

Pretty much all of those got brought up, fwiw.