Yesterday, we had a going away lunch for Kurt, who will be leaving Scribd for greener pastures. He brought us to his favorite small restaurant in San Francisco — Roadside Cafe — which specializes in South Carolina style barbecue. While chowing down on some ribs and pulled pork, we discussed the finer points of souther cuisine. It really made me realize how alien southern food is around Northern California. Trust me, it’s tough finding a good BBQ place in the city.
This reminded me of a passage in Michael Pollan’s Omnivore’s Dilemma where he discusses the lack of food culture in America. Okay, that’s an extreme thing to say: of course, we do have some strong culinary rituals, like the Thanksgiving turkey, southern barbecue, and Louisiana creole food. But, all of this still pales in comparison to the fanatic food cultures in other countries, like Spain or France. Let’s face it, the general public in San Francisco doesn’t nearly think about their food heritage as much as people in San Sebastian, Spain.
Pollan goes on to explain that we’re a nation of people who eat many of their meals in cars. This is the antithesis of European cuisine, where the food is ingrained into everyone’s life. It’s no wonder that American’s are suckers for food fads, like the low-carb diet and health shakes.
Many times, I’m envious of these older countries that have such a rich culinary heritage.
On the flip side, I’m also glad that we’re young and diverse nation, allowing us to explore more gustatory options. I just hope that someday in the distant future, our ancestors don’t find themselves closely guarding the culture of Frito-Lay chips and Cheetos.