It's funnt because it's true

The Dutch and British just took home the natives of their colonies as immigrants who opened restaurants. Why try to emulate when you can get the real deal?
- And even better than that, they tailor their flavorful food for our palettes!
  Fantastic.
- 100%
  If I hear that an Indian restaurant locally has been busted by immigration, I immediately head round.
  Also, the reason most British food is bland is because of rationing during WW2. People who grew up back then ate food which was made with limited resources and that was the food they felt nostalgic for and made for their children, who then went on to make it for their own children.
  
  It's a miracle the French still have good food then
  
  rationing during WW2
  Not just during but long after (well into the 1950s). People generally don't understand that Britain literally bankrupted herself holding out against Germany, then got to watch as the former Axis powers rebounded faster than they did.
  
  Always felt that was a weak reasoning. Are there no recipe books from before the war that you can refer to and try to recreate?

The same reason you have all of human knowledge at your finger tips, yet only use the same tired joke over and over.
- Boom. Roasted.
  
  A common British cooking technique..

Fucks me up as a German, too. Globalization gave us all kinds of tasty spices, but go to any public event and you'd be convinced our greatest culinary achievement is sausage with tomato ketchup and curry powder.
- Curry, you said it yourself, a very exotic spice mix!
  Was möchten Sie denn sonst noch Sie Schnösel?
  
  Also wenn du mich so fragst, hätte ich gerne so Döner-style Fladenbrot mit Kümmel, Schwarzkümmel und Senfkörnern im Teig. Das dann von innen bestrichen mit etwas Erdnussmus. Dann das übliche Döner-Grünzeug rein, aber kurz scharf in einem Wok angebraten und in Soja-Sauce getaucht. Darüber frisch gemalener bunter Pfeffer und ein guter Esslöffel kaltgepresstes Rapsöl. Und dann Champignons geschnetzelt + ordentlich angebraten und mit Gyros-Gewürzen mariniert noch darin einbetten.
  Ich denke, das sollte man gut in so einem Imbisswagen zubereiten können. 🙃
  Also habe jetzt natürlich übertrieben. Keine Ahnung, ob das noch gut ist. Aber habe tatsächlich schonmal so Champignon-Geschnetzeltes in einem Fladenbrot gemacht und das war extrem geil. Seither hätte ich tatsächlich gerne mal einen vollwertigen Döner damit...
- As an American, going to any German-themed public event (read: Oktoberfest and uhh... that's about it) convinces me that your greatest culinary achievement is sausage with mustard and sauerkraut. Not too shabby, TBH.
  
  I don't know, if it's more popular in other regions of Germany, but I've only had plain sauerkraut once in my life. 🙃
  Only real dish involving sauerkraut around here is Krautschupfnudeln:
  
  And well, by roasting the sauerkraut, it caramelizes a little bit and some of the vinegar dissipates, so it doesn't actually taste as sauer anymore.
- I agree there. German food is very...white. That is simply the best descriptor.
  
  You mean like beige in appearance or...
  
  it's not. you've met bad cooks.
- i mean the good stuff is not typically served at these events. I'm thinking roulade and gulash that need to simmer for multiple hours.
  Also in central Europe it is difficult to consider foods distinct to one country. Most of Polish, Czech and German cuisine overlap a lot.
  
  Well, yeah, to some degree these are just very easy to prepare. To some degree, they're just the lowest common denominator, though, which is what I'm mainly annoyed by. Lots of these simpler foods could be easily improved by adding some spices, or we could even adopt some of the many street foods in Eastern Asia, to bring in more variety...
- British invention anyway. Curry powder from the British occupying forces in Berlin.
  Gern gesehen.
  
  But "Currywurst" (curry sausage) was invented in Berlin. Indian wouldn't use curry powder without vegetables in this way, or currypower at all (correct me if I'm wrong)

They just wanted control of the spices so they could sell it to everybody else.
- A drug lord doesn't take their own drugs
  
  Don't get high on your own supply
- He who controls the spice controls the universe.
  
  DESERT POWER

The best restaurants in the world are in London. Of course they don't serve English food. The Brits just knew to bring the best stuff home.
- I'll remember that when I want to eat a sack of blood or a plate of liver.
  
  You would if it was covered in butter and high fructose corn syrup
- This is a subjective, but would be pretty universally laughed at in the culinary world especially when compared to France, Italy, Tokyo, or any American city.
  restaurants weren’t even prevalent until the early 1900s, way past the introduction of spices.
  Outside of London the UK has a very low presence of Michelin rated restaurants compared to Europe, the US, and Japan. Not the best metric, but there’s no reason why Britain’s restaurants, who would stand to benefit from such rating, is being unfairly treated.
  Btw I actually like British food, and have spent a lot of time in the UK. Just think your comment is funny, and the upvotes are funnier.
  
  any American city
  You just tried to slip that in there, hoping we wouldn't notice
  
  I get your point number one, but any American city better restaurants than London? You cannot seriously believe that. Sure, NY, Chicago, etc but common.
  
  It's very, very subjective mate,
  or any American city
  is incredibly wrong from the culinary world's point of view, I can assure you
  I think DC and LA are about the only two cities in the top 20 worldwide if we're talking culinary excellence
- That weirdly applies to museums as well. The best museums in the world are in London. Of course, they don't serve English stuff. The Brits just knew to bring the best stuff home.
  Also, what do you call English food in other countries? Prison food.

Legitimately, though: I listened to my sister tell her 4-year about "yummy spices" at Thanksgiving. The example she used was "like salt!" I was horrified.
She also made & brought the absolute worst green bean casserole I have ever tasted in my life. It was like wet, crunchy green beans covered in French-fried onions (which came from a can, which is why it's pretty much the only thing she got right).
She used "no added salt/sodium" cream-of-mushroom soup, the green beans, and the canned fried onions, and added nothing else.
I love green bean casserole, as it's one of my favorite Thanksgiving foods. Even offered to make it for everyone this year! But she insisted that she wanted to do it.
The only thing that was salty this Thanksgiving was me.
- Right, how the fuck can onions be
  french fried
  and what the fuck kind of heathen buys fried onions in a can?!?!??!
  
  Man.. idk.. it was all kinds of fucked up.
  
  they're basically onion rings cooled and sealed in a airtight container, https://www.amazon.com/Frenchs-French-Onions-Original-2-8-Ounce/dp/B000KOQDJI
- she used was “like salt!”
  Japanese?
  
  Is this some weird stereotype that I've been privileged to never hear before?
  Actually, don't answer that. I just want to live in blissful ignorance.

In this thread: people that think spices = spicy
- English is a very confusing language to have this conversation in.
  Also using "hot" as a measure of how spicy it is and also using it to talk about the actual temperature of the food.
  
  True, as a native English speaker, English sucks lol. There are a bunch of similar words but their meaning is different and they’re only to be used in certain contexts.
- Yeah cloves and bay leaves are pretty common in old recipes. For example check out
  https://blogs.transparent.com/dutch/recipe-the-oldest-dish-in-the-netherlands/
  That recipe should come out like this https://miljuschka.nl/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Frietje-zuurvlees-Daphne-Dekkers.jpg
  
  Providing links to solidify the existence of two of them...
  
  Cloves can do a thing if used right. Bay leaves, on the other hand, you cannot convince me add anything to anything.
- i have yet to find a main dish that is not getting better when adding pepper.
  
  Pancakes, the sweet ones

True, my dad calls food "spicy" and breaks out in a sweat when I put black pepper on.
- I recently discovered #16 black pepper. It truly can make things spicey. But table ground? Ha!
  I know someone allergic to capsaicin. I've seen him eat the mildest salsa and turn red. He also sweats to black pepper. Maybe your father has a similar allergy.
  
  What is “#16 black pepper?” Isn’t that just a grind size?
  I didn’t know people used preground at home. Not any cheaper and tastes like actual dust. With a regular old pepper mill you can change that grind size easily. And no matter the grind size it doesn’t have the ability to make food “spicy” as in “hot.”
- Black pepper is a spice, over using it can make things spicy

You had access to the entire spice trade, WHY DIDNT YOU USE IT???
- You can buy paprika at Tescos but British food is still shit.

I'm British. Don't put the Dutch in the same group as us. Our local 'cuisine' truly is a crime to food.
- No, it isn't. I have dined exceptionally well in the UK. Our Christmas dinner is based on an a recipe from an English cook. We have a Scottish cafe/diner in town which serves excellent food.
  OK, I've dined horribly, too, but it is definitely not the norm - I made the mistake of ordering half a chicken in a fish and chips shop. My recommendation: Don't repeat my mistake.
- I'm Dutch, feel free to put us in the same group. They way we drown our potatoes in gravy absolutely is a crime against food.
- Except it isn't though. You have shitty fast food like the rest of the world, but we also have Michelin star restaurants too. This is just yet another excuse for people to be xenophobic to the British.
  
  And there are loads of excuses already. No need to manufacture an extra one! I wonder how many Michelin star restaurants in the UK claim to serve traditional British food though.
  But genuinely, does the rest of the world dislike fish and chips, roast dinners, fried breakfasts, and pies? I know the stereotype has been around forever but I always had trouble believing that most non British people wouldn't really like those foods.

This is quite the circlejerk.

What do you think tea is made of?
- And let's be real, the Brits gave up their own food in favor of Indian food. They love that Tikka masala.
  
  Which is Scottish, allegedly https://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/5972643/Chicken-tikka-masala-row-grows-as-Indian-chefs-reprimand-Scottish-MPs-over-culinary-origins.html

They really did did Kill millions of people to get spices and then decide they didn't like any of them.

Sure, it was for spices, definitely not for money.
It was a different time. We don't do that anymore!
- Like, we bought and sold spice... For money.
  People obviously wanted spice and paid for it.
  That's how trade and industry work. We didn't just bring back exotic rocks.
- Don't get high off your own supply... Still true, we import and export more as we consume.
  
  But those trade relationships are definitely equitable these days, right?
  ...right??
- You should read some educational books, maybe try some Marx ones before you grow up some hair
  
  Isn't Marx the one that never worked nor had any money his entire life? Yup!
  
  It's good to read Marx books, but history books are better. That way you can see examples of how socialism always fails due to human corruption.

Dunno, have you ever had a curry in Birmingham on the mile?
I went with two American colleagues and one of them couldn't finish his 'medium' heat dish because they said it was too spicy.
- It's almost like, in such a huge country, there exist people with different tastes.
  I, an American, went to India once. The hotel restaurant had a breakfast buffet. On one side was a glorious Indian spread. The other was some nauseating English breakfast spread, with like baked beans (that's for summer BBQs not breakfast!).
  Anyway me and my buddy head straight to the good side, when the hotel staff woman came running over to warn us that it was too spicy. She gently walked us to the gross English food. We confirmed with her, numerous times, that the Indian food was very spicy. We then dug in on the eatible food (the Indian side) and made a friend with the hotel staff lady.
  It was somewhat spicy, but amazing.
  Some Americans think black pepper is too spicy, some eat ghost peppers as a light snack, I am in between.
  
  It's almost like, in such a huge country, there exist people with different tastes.
  followed up by
  The other was some nauseating English breakfast spread, with like baked beans (that's for summer BBQs not breakfast!).
  I really hope that's irony
  
  And then everyone clapped, right?
- That may be so, but curry isn't exactly a real British dish. It's Indian food.
  
  Careful, that's like saying that the guy who made it, who was born in the UK isn't really British either.
  Pretty much all food is imported.
  As someone else mentioned. The Tikka Masala was invented in Britain.
  Italian pizza, the most Italian of dishes, didn't exist until America was 'discovered' and tomatoes brought back from the new world.
  Same with the Irish and potatoes.
  
  We are talking about importing spices to use them in the country. It doesn't even matter where the cook is from. Even the most Indian guy can't prepare an Indian meal without the ingredients
  
  Chicken tikka masala is a British dish
  
  Most curries you can get in the UK were invented there.
  As a quick rule of thumb, if it looks like it has gravy or thick sauce someone from India wouldn't recognise it

Yanks on their way to just cover bland, mass produced shite in butter and salt so they can proclaim it "the gradest food in the wuuuurld"
- to be honest, I dont know a single fellow american that thinks that "american food" (whatever that even means) is better than just about any other variety. Yet what you said is true nonetheless lmao
  
  To that I say 'what American food?'
  Because there's a massive difference in quality between a Big Mac and a Philly Cheesesteak
- I don't think Americans claim we have the greatest food in the world lol Cheap? Yes. Fast? Yes. BBQ? Yes!
  
  Yeah we just kind of took food from other countries and made it worse lol

The English have tikka masala, the Dutch have satay chicken.

Theres a lot of great dutch food! I will defend pannenkoek, stampot, oliebollen, Gouda, spekkoek, krokets, poffertjes, stroopwafel... hell, I love pickled herring.
Dutch food is very underrated!
- You forgot the frikandel speciaal.
  
  I was unaware! I will try it earliest opportunity.
- Bruhhhhh whenever I finally start losing this weight I've been packing on, I look forward to a stroopwafel warmed over my black coffee every Wednesday morning.
  Holy fuck people don't know what they're missing.
- Compared with English food it's certainly first class. British gourmets only survive, because in GB are a lot of Chinese, Japonese, Greek, etc. Restaurants
  
  Also you know the mitchelin star British restaurants.
- Pickled herring is Danish, spekoek is Indonesian and Gouda is bland.
  Hagelslag though, that is something I definitely miss.
  Maybe the herring is Scandinavian, but we're not going to credit the swedes with this one, they lost that right when they started with the lingonberries.
  
  Gouda is anything but bland

This reminds me of an old post I remember seeing where it depicted the contrast between anime food and English film food with some eggs. The anime ones were drawn with utmost care to look downright heavenly, while the English film eggs were very scraggly.
- Genuinely I want more foreign food to be more common Like I live in the US so it's pretty common it's just hella expensive
  Unless you get the questionable Americanized version like taco bell and panda express
  
  I agree. That's why foreign import stores are pretty cool.

What about Dutch pancakes? Your choice of toppings, covered in syrup. Divine.
- Sounds nice. What kind of syrup do you use for the bacon ;)

I played too much red dead, I'm like " I don't remember a character named Brits.

That’s why they needed spices so badly

They might have had good foods when they looted. Paying for good stuff is not what they do.
- They paid you with basic education
  
  We had better education before they came.
  The same education which gave you polynomial equations, the concept of zero. Without which Europe will have been where it should be in the dark ages.

My Jamaican friend once said: "How many times do I have to tell you people flour is not a spice".

I'm jealous of the funnt spices they have now. 4-MMC

They got better!
But on a more serious historical note, this stereotype is largely a result of post-ww2 economic reality on the ground in western Europe.

stroopwafels are good

TBF to the Dutch, the regular food they serve you at a restaurant nowadays beats the USA by a mile.
- That's a low bar.

LMAOOOO

Dutch and British food isn’t bad, unless your a yank that only eats things pumped full of sugar.
- dutch and british food is dogshit lol. how many italian restaurants are there in the UK vs. how many british restaurants are there in italy?
  Death to America
  
  You mean you don't want your pickled eggs served by blackface Santa? smdutchh
  
  Spaghetti and pizza aren’t bad but nothing to wank about. Also there’s British and Irish pubs in every city.
- No we asked mainland Europe and they agreed.
- don't make me bring up the mountain of grease-soaked fried foods that brits find acceptable as a meal. even as an american, i haven't seen so much fried food in one place. and i've been to the southern united states many times.
  
  Fat is where the flavour is.
  I also made Puri today, and it turns out deep frying bread makes it taste better.
- Google "Stargazy pie"
  Google "Jellied eels"
  Google "mushy peas over chips"
  
  Google chicken livers, scrapple, hot dogs, deep fried butter, hersheys chocolate. All pretty gross.