Transcript
Page 1: The Top 10 Americanized APIA Foods

Top 10 Americanized A/PIA FoodsTop 10 Americanized A/PIA Foods

Joseph YangAMCULT 214.002

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IntroductionIntroduction Many Asian foods that we eat today in America are actually not

found in Asia as we know them to be. This presentation shows that some of the most popular Asian

foods in America have been heavily influenced by, or even created for, American tastes.

Asian foods in America that are very similar to their counterparts in Asia are not included in this presentation. Only those dishes which have either been created in America or heavily adapted in America are included in this presentation. All food items in this presentation can be found here in Ann Arbor, MI.

The food items with the highest rankings are those that I believe to be most popular in America and least likely to be seen in Asia.

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10. Wasabi10. Wasabi What is Wasabi?

◦ Wasabi is a plant grown primarily in Japan. Its roots are ground and used to add spiciness and flavor to foods.

Wasabi in America

◦ Wasabi is often referred to as the “Japanese horseradish” and is commonly served with sushi in the paste form. Real wasabi should not be in a paste form, but instead should be grated. However, since the supply of wasabi from Japan is low and the demand is high, American producers will usually add substitutes to it, like horseradish and mustard, to make it taste like wasabi.

Places you can find Wasabi in Ann Arbor

◦ Sadako, Sushi.com, Totoro, Miki

1. http://www.sushifaq.com/sushi-items/sushi-items-wasabi.htm

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9. Teppanyaki9. Teppanyaki What is Teppanyaki?

◦ Teppanyaki is a style of Japanese cooking in which an iron griddle is used. Teppanyaki in America

◦ In America, teppanyaki is often referred to as hibachi and such restaurants are called “Japanese steakhouses”. These restaurants do not exist in Japan. Hibachi restaurants were first made famous in America by the Benihana restaurant chain in New York during the 1960s. At hibachi restaurants, the customers watch the chefs prepare the food as they perform tricks and serve them directly to the customers. Food items include meats, vegetables, and fried rice.

Places you can find Teppanyaki in Ann Arbor

◦ Ichiban

1. http://bonsaijapanesesteakhouse.net/history.aspx

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8. Ramen8. Ramen What is Ramen?

◦ Ramen is the Japanese version of the Chinese noodle soup dish called lamain. Ramen in America

◦ In 1970, Nissin Foods introduced Top Ramen to the U.S. and since then it has gained immense popularity, especially among college students and young adults who struggle to cook. In America, it is viewed as a cheap, unhealthy, instant food, but in Japan, ramen is actually made from scratch and not looked down upon as an inferior food item. In Japan, ramen is cooked in a meat or fish based broth, flavored with miso, and has assorted toppings.

Places you can find Ramen in Ann Arbor

◦ Blue Apple, Victors, Diag Store, Sushi.com

1. http://www.konzak.com/ramen/ramhist.html2. http://www.ramenlicious.com/encyclopedia/history-of-ramen.html

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7. Pad Thai7. Pad Thai What is Pad Thai?

◦ Pad thai is a Thai dish made with stir-fry rice noodles, eggs, chili sauce, garlic and sauce.

Pad Thai in America

◦ The pad thai made in many restaurants in America differs greatly from that made in Thailand. The pad thai in Thailand is dry and light. However, the pad thai in the United States is much heavier and oilier.

Places you can find Pad Thai in Ann Arbor

◦ No Thai!, Noodles & Company

1. http://www.mahalo.com/pad-thai

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6. Chop Suey6. Chop Suey What is Chop Suey?

◦ Chop suey is a Chinese dish containing meat, bean sprouts, cabbage, onions and celery. Onions and celery are not native to China.

Chop Suey in America

◦ There are many different stories and urban legends of how chop suey first came to America and who invented it. However, all we know is that chop suey began to gain immense popularity after its introduction in the 1890s, especially in New York and San Francisco. Chop suey is virtually unknown in China and bears little resemblance to any dish in China.

Places you can find Chop Suey in Ann Arbor

◦ China Gate, Lucky Kitchen

1. http://www.snopes.com/food/origins/chopsuey.asp2. http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/jb/progress/suey_3

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5. Crab Rangoon5. Crab Rangoon What is a Crab Rangoon?

◦ Crab rangoons are wontons filled with cream cheese and crab meat.

Crab Rangoons in America

◦ Crab rangoons most likely originate from a Chinese restaurant in San Francisco during the 1950s, but the origins of it are not certain. What is certain is that they are not from China, where cream cheese is not eaten. Crab rangoons are served as an appetizer at many Chinese restaurants in America.

Places you can find Crab Rangoons in Ann Arbor

◦ Panda Express, Lucky Kitchen, TK Wu, China Gate

1. http://blog.grubhub.com/the-origins-of-the-crab-rangoon

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4. Uramaki4. Uramaki What is Uramaki?

◦ Uramaki is an “inside-out” sushi roll with the nori (seaweed) on the inside instead of the outside.

Uramaki in America

◦ Uramaki was created because Americans did not like to see the nori on the sushi. The creation of uramaki has fueled the success and popularity of sushi in America, and has also led to many variations of the dish. Uramaki is not very popular in Japan and is not commonly seen at sushi restaurants in Japan.

Places you can find Uramaki in Ann Arbor

◦ Sadako, Sushi.com, Miki, Totoro Examples

◦ California roll, caterpillar roll, Philadelphia roll

1. http://www.sushimasters.com/all-about-sushi-types-of-sushi.htm2. http://en.allexperts.com/e/s/su/sushi.htm

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3. General Tso’s (Tao’s, Tsao’s) Chicken3. General Tso’s (Tao’s, Tsao’s) Chicken What is General Tso’s Chicken?

◦ General Tso’s chicken is a popular dish served in many Chinese restaurants in America. The chicken is flavored with a sweet and spicy sauce and is deep fried.

General Tso’s Chicken in America

◦ This dish was first introduced in New York during the 1970s. A Hunanese chef named Peng first invented the dish in Taiwan as he fled from China during the Chinese Civil War. However, after coming to New York, he added sugar to the chicken and altered the recipe to suit the tastes of non-Hunanese people in America. The dish was never made popular in Hunan and is typically not found in restaurants in China, even though it is described as a “traditional Hunanese dish” by chefs.

Places you can find General Tso’s Chicken in Ann Arbor

◦ China Gate, TK Wu, Lucky Kitchen

1. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/04/magazine/04food.t.html?pagewanted=all

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2. Teriyaki2. Teriyaki What is Teriyaki?

◦ Teriyaki is a cooking technique in which the food is grilled and glazed. In America, it refers to dishes (chicken, beef, etc.) that have the “teriyaki” sauce, which consists mainly of soy sauce, sake, and brown sugar.

Teriyaki in America

◦ The Teriyaki sauce is believed to have been created by Japanese immigrants in Hawaii during the 1600s. Some of the ingredients in the sauce, such as garlic, are not commonly found in Japanese foods. The sauce is commonly served on meats such as chicken and beef, which are rarely eaten in Japan as they prefer to eat fish. In fact, the term teriyaki, to the Japanese, merely refers to a method of preparing fish. Teriyaki sauce is not commonly used in Japan.

Places you can find Teriyaki in Ann Arbor

◦ Sadako, Sushi.com, Miki

1. http://www.ehow.com/about_5251710_history-teriyaki-sauce.html

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1. Fortune Cookies1. Fortune Cookies What is a Fortune Cookie?

◦ Fortune cookies are commonly served as a dessert at Chinese restaurants. These hollow cookies contain a small piece of paper on the inside of them with a fortune written on it.

The introduction of Fortune Cookies in America

◦ Even though fortune cookies are commonly served in Chinese restaurants, they most likely originate from Japan as they have a very close variation of the fortune cookie. It is believed to have started in Japanese bakeries in California and served in Japanese-owned Chinese restaurants. However, during World War II after many of the Japanese were sent into internment camps, the Chinese discovered these treats and took over the fortune cookie business. Fortune cookies are generally not served at restaurants in China.

Places you can find Fortune Cookies in Ann Arbor

◦ Panda Express, Saigon Garden, China Gate

1. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/16/dining/16fort.html?pagewanted=3&_r=1

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Other LinksOther Linkshttp://www.foodtimeline.org/foodasian.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Chinese_cuisine

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ConclusionConclusionThe next time you want to eat some

authentic Asian food, think about how the food has been influenced by American tastes and whether or not it really is from Asia.

Instead of classifying these food items as “Asian food”, the term “Americanized Asian food” or “Asian-American food” is more appropriate.