# What's Your Favorite Ethnic food Category?



## Andy M. (May 20, 2018)

What's your favorite ethnic food *aside from the one you grew up with*?

I've created major categories in the interest of brevity so feel free to elaborate in a post after you vote.


----------



## PrincessFiona60 (May 20, 2018)

Absolutely - Mexican - I could eat it three times a day/seven days a week.  Beans, beef/chicken, along the border food, although I would like to try other regions of Mexico.  I guess I am really a Tex-Mex fan.


----------



## roadfix (May 20, 2018)

I like Mexican, I voted Mexican.


----------



## larry_stewart (May 20, 2018)

I Chose Chinese primarily because , by far, when we go out, thats usually what we get.  Also, for the last 30 years I've had an addiction to hot and sour soup.  I get it at least once a week.

That being said, Indian is a close second.  Due to the intense and unique spices, i dont eat it as frequently.  But, its unusualness ( of thats a word) is what draws me to it.  Each time I get a new dish, its like tasting something completely new, with nothing to compare it too.

I have been branching out to other Asian foods ( Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Burmese...).  Although I like them a lot, I haven't experienced enough variety yet to claim them as my favorite.

Italian is probably what I cook at home the most.   I grow a lot of tomatoes, and got to use them somehow.  Im still working on last years batch.  I froze over 40 quarts of strained tomato puree.

Being vegetarian, and my wife ( now recently turning vegan), restricts me from really experiencing some cuisines.  Therefore, I have to concentrate on those that I can really get a decent variety of flavors.


----------



## Cheryl J (May 20, 2018)

Interesting and fun poll, Andy! 

 Being a native of the southwest, Mexican was definitely the first to come to mind. Love, love, love it - and I never get tired of it. 


edited* I didn't really *grow up* with Mexican food, but in my adult life have discovered a passion for Mexican inspired dishes.


----------



## GotGarlic (May 20, 2018)

Being born in Virginia and raised in Michigan, and having lived in Virginia again for the past 33 years, naturally my favorite ethnic food is - Mexican!  I have developed a taste for heat since I was a kid and, while I also love Italian and Thai, I really gravitate to Mexican


----------



## Dawgluver (May 20, 2018)

Mexican! Love it all, from TexMex to the Yucatan and beyond!


----------



## JustJoel (May 20, 2018)

Indian, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Italian (is that ethnic?), in no particular order. Oh, and Cajun/Creole, tho I’m not sure that qualifies as “ethnic, either. I end up making Mexican food a lot, or what passes for it here in America. It’s cheap, and the ingredients are readily available, but it’s not my favorite, not even on the list.


----------



## RPCookin (May 20, 2018)

I picked Mexican for the poll, mostly because we do it most often.  I'm also quite fond of Caribbean foods.  Actually I just like food, so trying to really pick one off the list as a favorite was impossible, so I just went with the ethnic type that we eat most often.


----------



## Whiskadoodle (May 20, 2018)

When it comes to holiday baking,  I choose Scandinavian.   Probably based on the foods I was brought up with,  Norwegian on my dad's side and then my Danish grandma and her two sisters, one who claimed she  was Swedish and the other Norwegian. How they thought they were different despite their same parents, is a hilarious mystery,  But then they argued about everything, even into  their 80's.  

Therefore,  sidestepping that,  I choose Mexican.  Logic.


----------



## Addie (May 20, 2018)

My kids grew up with Italian and so did I. But my preference has always been New England food. I love fish, scallops, clams, big and small, or anything else that comes from the sea. The only one I won't eat is octopus. Too rubbery. But my favorite of all time will always be lobster. 

When we kids were scavenging the beach for clams or lobster after a Nor'easter, I knew we were going to have a feast that night. And between storms, my mother would send me down to Central Square where the fishing fleet was located at the time. For less than a dollar I would bring home two good size Haddocks in my bicycle basket. 

So other than Italian, I was never introduce to other ethnic foods. I didn't even know that was such foods of other nations. It wasn't until we moved to Chelsea, one town over, that I discovered Polish foods. And that is when my husband began to cook some of the dishes he knew and loved. Then during the time I lived in Texas, I was introduced to Tex-Mex food. It never became a favorite of mine.


----------



## Vinylhanger (May 20, 2018)

Have to go with Mexican.  Chinese would be a close second.


----------



## bethzaring (May 20, 2018)

Even though I am married to a Hispanic, my favorite remains Italian.


----------



## caseydog (May 20, 2018)

I grew up in a South Jersey Italian home (It's Pork Roll, BT). 

My food epiphany happened in the mid 70s in Port Arthur, Texas. That is where I discovered the wonderful thing called Cajun Food. Real cajun food, not what they serve as cajun food in most of America. 

So, my absolute favorite ethnic food is genuine Cajun. In second place, is genuine Italian. 

CD


----------



## buckytom (May 20, 2018)

Funny how one never sees themselves well.

Why not an option for New England, Andy? I love many foods that come from up nawth.

And all of us Squareheads are insulted that Scandinavia wasn't represented.


----------



## Rocklobster (May 20, 2018)

I chose Chinese..I eat a lot of Italian, but I never really considered that as ethnic because it has become such a common part of our North American diet..
What I like about Chinese cuisine is that there is so much variety and if you go to another establishment you get a whole new menu of differently prepared items..I like the thrill of adventure and anticipation that I am going to discover something I have never tasted before..


----------



## caseydog (May 21, 2018)

Rocklobster said:


> I chose Chinese..I eat a lot of Italian, but I never really considered that as ethnic because it has become such a common part of our North American diet..
> What I like about Chinese cuisine is that there is so much variety and if you go to another establishment you get a whole new menu of differently prepared items..I like the thrill of adventure and anticipation that I am going to discover something I have never tasted before..



I got to know a Scandinavian BBQ guy online, and yeah, the food from Scandinavia is not very well understood. But, in fairness, some of their foods are pretty, um, unusual. 

Uh, oh. My plane is starting to descend for landing. This may be my last sentence typed. 

CD


----------



## buckytom (May 21, 2018)

Then, say it with me: TAYLOR HAM!!! (Best Last Words ever!)


----------



## CakePoet (May 21, 2018)

Arabic food, I like kebabs, kebbe and meze.  I guess that is very unpopular cuisine to like , but I love it.


----------



## Kayelle (May 21, 2018)

Not surprising I'd choose Mexican but I don't go crazy with all the different kinds of spicy peppers as SC is a real light weight when it comes to those. 

Rick Bayless is probably the guru of Mexican cuisine but he's way over my head for the most part.


----------



## Cooking Goddess (May 21, 2018)

Decisions, Decisions! I love everything in that list...and Polish food, too, since that is my family's heritage. I've cooked dishes from each of those categories, too. I could have voted Italian, since we do enjoy that. Or joined the crowd and said Mexican; Himself loves it and I've learned to be OK with it. I could have tossed my vote to German cooking since no one had given it any love, but I decided to send love to Southern USA for the same reason. I voted Southern USA since I seem to like and cook a good number of low country, southern, and Creole meals. Especially for a northern Polish girl.  Collard greens and beans with ham is on the menu this week - and it better be soon, too, since that bunch of collards is taking up room in the fridge! 

*Andy*, it's your poll, and you've avoided answering the question. What is YOUR favorite cuisine? Do tell...


----------



## Addie (May 21, 2018)

buckytom said:


> Funny how one never sees themselves well.
> 
> Why not an option for New England, Andy? I love many foods that come from up nawth.
> 
> And all of us Squareheads are insulted that Scandinavia wasn't represented.



You are so right BT. We have some fantastic seafood dishes up here in the *Nawth.* And we cater to the tourist trade with eateries that serve only seafood. And it is a healthy choice for everyone. No fat, and loaded with nutrients.


----------



## CraigC (May 21, 2018)

Of all the ones listed in the pole and even though it has a heavy influence on Cajun and Creole cooking, I could do without French cooking. The rest, I couldn't choose a particular favorite. Maybe if Seafood was a choice, I'd pick that as most ethnic cuisines use it.


----------



## Andy M. (May 21, 2018)

OK, OK, I missed some possible poll options. That's why there is an All Other option. So feel free to use that and explain in your post.

I also forgot Indian, one of my favorites.


----------



## Andy M. (May 21, 2018)

As to my favorite, it has to be Italian. Couldn't live happy without pizza and pasta. Not to mention all the other goodies.

Second may be Indian or Chinese.

Looks like Mexican is the runaway winner in this poll.


----------



## GotGarlic (May 21, 2018)

CakePoet said:


> Arabic food, I like kebabs, kebbe and meze.  I guess that is very unpopular cuisine to like , but I love it.


What makes you think Middle Eastern food is not popular? I love it. Just because Andy didn't include it on his list doesn't mean it's unpopular.

I have a hard time deciding between Italian, Mexican, Middle Eastern and Thai. They're all delicious


----------



## GotGarlic (May 21, 2018)

Kayelle said:


> Rick Bayless is probably the guru of Mexican cuisine but he's way over my head for the most part.



How's that? I love his recipes and I didn't grow up with those ingredients and flavors.


----------



## GotGarlic (May 21, 2018)

Addie said:


> You are so right BT. We have some fantastic seafood dishes up here in the *Nawth.* And we cater to the tourist trade with eateries that serve only seafood. And it is a healthy choice for everyone. No fat, and loaded with nutrients.



Amazingly enough, other places with coastlines are known for their healthy, delicious seafood as well  And it has healthy fats. Fat-free food is not necessarily very healthful.


----------



## Steve Kroll (May 21, 2018)

I love ethnic food. There's very little I don't like.

I voted "Other Asian" because Indian, Japanese, and southeast Asian food is at the top of my list. I guess they are all covered under this category. 

I love German food, too, since I was raised on it. I also like authentic Mexican dishes, most of which goes far beyond tacos, Spanish rice, and refried beans.

Maybe it's just me, but I don't consider "Southern USA" to be ethnic, any more than I would Tex-Mex. It's more of a regional American style, in my opinion.


----------



## Andy M. (May 21, 2018)

Steve Kroll said:


> ...Maybe it's just me, but I don't consider "Southern USA" to be ethnic, any more than I would Tex-Mex. It's more of a regional American style, in my opinion.



Steve, you're correct. It's not an ethnic category. However, if I chose "regional" rather than "ethnic" it would have complicated the poll substantially, getting us into Cantonese vs. Szechuan or southern vs. northern Italian, etc.


----------



## Aunt Bea (May 21, 2018)

I like the Americanized version of all the choices mentioned in the poll.

If I had to limit my choice to one it would be Italian because that's the one that I'm most comfortable with.  I enjoy the little inexpensive family-owned Italian American red sauce joints in my area that are similar to Rao's.


----------



## Kaneohegirlinaz (May 22, 2018)

I voted Italian, which I LOVE and cook a lot of, mainly because I wasn't brought up eating Italian food --- or any other Non-Pacific Rim culture's food really, like German, French, etc.

When I met my American-Italian husband, I had grown up eating:
Hawaiian
Chinese
Japanese
Filipino
Puerta Rician 
Portuguese
Korean
Thai
Vietnamese
Mexican

These are all groups of peoples that immigrated to Hawaii, mostly to work the plantations.  Food was always the common denominator, even when no one understood each other.  
I learned to try anything and everything, you never knew if you'd like it or not unless you tried.  The only thing that I have to watch is seafood.  Having eaten so much over a lifetime, doctor said that the iodine has built up in me and I must be careful, ssshhhh, I still get my share


----------



## taxlady (May 22, 2018)

Couldn't possibly choose. I was thinking Indian, then but, Middle Eastern, Jamaican, Mexican, Italian, Greek, ... I didn't include Danish or Swedish, because I grew up with those. I do really enjoy them.


----------



## CharlieD (May 22, 2018)

I love Chinese food, really do.


----------



## PrincessFiona60 (May 22, 2018)

I have Chinese frequently for lunch because it's buffet style and quick.  Good Mexican around here can take a 1.5 hour lunch period.


----------



## buckytom (May 22, 2018)

I was raised in such a melting pot of cultures that asking me to choose one is like asking me which appendages or organs in my body do I want to keep.


----------



## Andy M. (May 22, 2018)

buckytom said:


> I was raised in such a melting pot of cultures that asking me to choose one is like asking me which appendages or organs in my body do I want to keep.



Sorry, that's another poll.


----------



## taxlady (May 23, 2018)

buckytom said:


> I was raised in such a melting pot of cultures that asking me to choose one is like asking me which appendages or organs in my body do I want to keep.





Andy M. said:


> Sorry, that's another poll.


I just nearly spit my drink.


----------

