nachos, tacos, burritos, and fajitas are all evolved forms of relatives
back in Mexico. These types of foods all become well known among the general
populace through mass-manufactured products like Doritos or
in Mexican restaurants that serve what American diners expect.
For the most part, there is a standard repertoire of dishes that are
uniquely Mexican-American. Even though the range of fl avors is signifi cantly toned down,
Mexican cuisine is exciting precisely because it’s spicy, well
seasoned, and offers a range of fl avors and textures that are
completely outside of what most people think of as standard
American fare. However, at the same time, it’s familiar and
recognizable. The simplifi cation is the key to its success.Chinese Food
Chinese cuisine is by and large Cantonese cooking that evolved
from 19th-century mishmashes of whatever immigrants could fi nd,
given few of the same vegetables or cooking implements—or much
of anything that would have been used in China. Almost all of the
American Chinese dishes, such as fried rice, egg rolls, and sweet-
and-sour pork, involve a stir-fried meat and vegetables with rice.
Chinese cuisine has a very limited repertoire with a standard set of
fl avorings, including soy, ginger, garlic, and sesame oil—nothing
that would surprise or alarm diners. It became mainstream because
it became codifi ed and predictable. Chinese restaurants proliferated
everywhere, with takeout and delivery options.Denker, The World on a Plate.
Diner, Hungering for America.
Gabbacia, We Are What We Eat.
Suggested Reading