What are ethnic recipes?

[advoca]

When one hears a reference to ethnic recipes what is meant?

Does it mean recipes from countries other than the USA? In which case, could British recipes be considered ethnic? Or Irish recipes? Or perhaps Canadian recipes? And what about Australian recipes?

Are Jewish recipes ethnic recipes?

 

[Andy M.]

Your questions are more about different countries than different cuisines. A standing rib roast cooked in Canada is the same dish cooked in the USA or Great Britain.

What makes a recipe an "ethnic" recipe is that is from a different cuisine than that of the home country - the USA in this case.

Therefore, dishes from Asian countries are ethnic because they are not part of this country's food history. The same for the distinctive cuisines of European, Middle Eastern, South American, etc. countries.

In Beijing, American dishes would be considered ethnic because American dishes are not integral to China's food history.

 

[advoca]

Hmm.

I agree a standing rib roast is the same in Canada, USA, Britain, Australia, and so on, but there are British Recipes that are not known in the USA. Cumberland Rum Nicky, for example, and Hollygog Pudding, Wumbuswubble Burgers, Busted hands, and so on. Surely these are ethnic recipes?

Just a thought.

 

[Andy M.]

You make a good point.

I don't consider myself an expert on this subject, just offering my opinion.

However, I would categorize the recipes you mentioned as unknown or uncommon recipes rather than ethnic recipes.

In my opinion, an etnic recipe would come from a different cuisine that grew out of a different culture.

 

[velochic]

In my opinion, an et[h]nic recipe would come from a different cuisine that grew out of a different culture.

The OP asks a good question. I would hate to think that it would mean something different than American cuisine, because IMHO, that doesn't exist - American food is a fusion in and of itself. But it's a good question. To the OP - I'd just post in Ethnic if you feel that it is and let the mods sort it out.

 

[The Z]

Interesting discussion...

I would propose that Southern Cooking (aka 'Soul Food') and Cajun/Creole cooking might also be considered 'Ethnic'... and they ARE American and they ARE traditional.

Webster defines ethnic as: of or relating to large groups of people classed according to common racial, national, tribal, religious, linguistic, or cultural origin or background <ethnic minorities> <ethnic enclaves> b : being a member of an ethnic group c : of, relating to, or characteristic of ethnics <ethnic neighborhoods> <ethnic foods>

Therefore, the word is defined as it relates to the MAJORITY which (in the case of this forum) appears to be white America.

 

[phinz]

Then again, not all Southern food is "soul food." I wouldn't consider fried chicken, smothered steak or shrimp n grits to be "ethnic," or "soul food," though they are definitely Southern. I *would* consider cracklin' cornbread, chitterlings and souse to be "ethnic."

I guess it's just hard to pigeonhole.

 

[The Z]

good point

 

[Andy M.]

This is not a question that will be answered here.

 

[htc]

I asked DH to make me an ethnic anniversary dinner once and he made me a green bean casserole and fish a couple other side dishes. His rationale was that American food would be "ethnic" for me. I was hoping he would be created and make something more exotic like Lebanese, Indian, etc.
I found out I don't care for green bean casserole.

 

[GB]

I think this is a very tough. I feel that I know an ethnic recipe when I see one, but I can't define what it is. As far as DC goes, if you feel that something is an ethnic recipe and it fits in the ethnic forum that that is where you should put it. Like many recipes here, they can often times fit under multiple forums. There is not always one right answer.

 

[ironchef]

I consider an ethnic recipe to be solely from the respective country, i.e. Sole with Sauce Allemande would be considered strictly French, Osso Bucco would be Italian, Tom Yun would be Thai, etc.

Now, if you take a French technique and infuse Asian flavors, that recipe becomes fusion, not ethnic, but rather a style of cuisine. Examples using the above would be adding lemongrass and ginger to the Sauce Allemade, adding maybe coriander, cumin, and paprika to the Osso Bucco, adding cream and/or butter to the Tom Yun, etc. JMO.

 

[Robo410]

Southern cooking is regional cuisine to Americans of other regions, as is Tex Mex or Heartland, etc. The defining area historically was NYC and Boston. Even Baltimore and Tidewater, outer Long Island etc were regional. As communication, travel, and transportation of goods became faster and more reliable, seaonality and regionality waned from our culinary consciousness. We all were making Hamburger Helper, lol.

We probably misuse the word ethnic. But when ingredients and techniques come from a different country and/or a different culture outside our own, we refer to it as ethnic. I think the fact that American cuisine has moved beyond its English/German heritage and embraced so many other elements, fusion or some other similar bonding, some of these distinctions become difficult to pin down.

Interesting things can happen. I served beer braised grilled brats with onions and fine mustard to a group of friends from Pennsylvania, (of German origin) who had never had other than a hotdog before. To me a brat is just another sausage, one of many available. To these guys this was foreign imported food from...WISCONSIN or EUROPE or is this CANADIAN FOOD??? So it really depends on one's own perspective as well.

Well I'm glad regional cuisine, seasonal cuisine, and ethnic cuisine, along with fusion are all part of our culinary consciousness again.
Great topic!

 

[Andy M.]

Robo:

Clearly there is a component to this that is specific to the individual being asked (as per your example). I have a friend who repeatedly states, "If it doesn't 'moo' I won't eat it!" Ethnic food to him has a much broader definition than it does to you or me.

 

[kimbaby]

i WOULD only guess and say ethinic recipes are recipes from different cultures...
and also I suppsoe if we were japanese then american food would be ethinic to us then... imo...

 

[kimbaby]

this is the defintion of ethnic:

1. Of or relating to a sizable group of people sharing a common and distinctive racial, national, religious, linguistic, or cultural heritage.Being a member of a particular ethnic group, especially belonging to a national group by heritage or culture but residing outside its national boundaries: ethnic Hungarians living in northern Serbia.
2. Of, relating to, or distinctive of members of such a group: ethnic restaurants; ethnic art.

 

[buckytom]

ethinic recipes is a bit of a grey area. i would say they are specific to a ethnicity or a peoples, such that the dish can be closely associated with an specific area's culture.
it is true that most american foods are from other ethnicities, but there are a few that come to mind that are truely american. if you go back far enough in any country's history, however, you will see how foreign influences have changed that country's cuisine throughout time. think of france, and catherine de medici, circa 1533.

i guess you could say that regional southern cooking is ethnic american, and so would be an array of new england dishes, like chowdah and a clam bake.
california style pizzas are ethnic american too. chilli is definitely ethnic american.

 

[advoca]

Ironchef
I consider an ethnic recipe to be solely from the respective country, i.e. Sole with Sauce Allemande would be considered strictly French, Osso Bucco would be Italian, Tom Yun would be Thai, etc.

I think most people would agree with you, Ironchef. But what about Pavlova, which is solely Australian. Is that ethnic? And Yorkshire Pudding which is solely English. Is that ethnic? And Haggis, which is solely Scottish. Is that ethnic?

And is Jewish cooking ethnic?

It’s complicated, ain’t it?

 

[Constance]

All those are ethnic, in my opinion. If one were from China or Indonesia, he would consider my Southern Illinois cooking ethnic. To me, ethnic means food from a different culture or area from my own.

 

[ironchef]

I think most people would agree with you, Ironchef. But what about Pavlova, which is solely Australian. Is that ethnic? And Yorkshire Pudding which is solely English. Is that ethnic? And Haggis, which is solely Scottish. Is that ethnic?

And is Jewish cooking ethnic?

It’s complicated, ain’t it?

I think Andy already answered your question in his first post.

What makes a recipe an "ethnic" recipe is that is from a different cuisine than that of the home country - the USA in this case.