Why is the United States so fucking Fat.

  On 5/21/2010 at 11:30 PM, dr lopez said:

  On 5/21/2010 at 11:25 PM, baph said:

I understand the "old world" slow food, local tradition, locally grown culture, and believe it or not, there are analogues in the States, especially in the big multicultural areas. The best part is, there's not just one local tradition at play, there's a whole world of them, and sometimes they remain distinct and sometimes they come together in really interesting, delicious ways.

 

You just have to know where to look. Unfortunately, save for places with strong farmers' markets, places like that can be a little (or a lot) pricey in the States, and they're sort of marginalized in the mainstream as elitist commie hippie liberal food; but mainstream US media is nothing if not heavily pro-corporate in its agenda (this should not be a controversial point given the ownership of mainstream media outlets), and slow, locally grown food falls outside of that.

 

And yeah, unfortunately a lot of the good stuff is closed off to the poorer folks, who are heavily targeted by ads for $1 cheeseburgers. If you look at modern McDonald's commercials, you'll see that they're now very "multicultural" to appeal better to poorer black and Hispanic families. It's sad. And the obestity epidemic is very tied to economic class.

 

It's also tied to overconsumption (of course), and even if the a Big Mac isn't any worse for you than some fried Portuguese sausage thing, or whatever, portion sizes have been pushed upward in a bit of a fast-food arm's race, and it's trained Americans to eat a lot more, even of the good stuff, when they can get it. And to eat it quickly, so that the portion size doesn't register.

 

Ironically, there's still a myth of the local American family farm; it's borderline nonexistent now, and the places that sell in the farmers markets are struggling to survive against a very powerful industrial farm (think Monsanto) lobby, who get ridiculous subsidies in part because they fall back upon the image of the struggling family farm. At the same time, the cheap, environmentally destructive green revolution industrialized farm shit is precisely what feeds poor people, and a huge country, cheaply.

 

I'm not trying to come across as a raging hippie, but I am trying to say the US has a very complicated relationship with food, and it's best not to jump to broad conclusions about it. 'Tis a big, messy place, and that's both a blessing and a curse.

thank god this post occurred.

  On 5/21/2010 at 11:55 PM, hautlle said:

  On 5/21/2010 at 11:44 PM, ruiagnelo said:

  On 5/21/2010 at 11:40 PM, hautlle said:

 

Because you present your opinions like they are the end-all of the subject. You're trying to tell us how it is, when by your own admissions, you don't know... You came off as a prick quite frankly.

 

I won't continue this discussion anymore, not if my opinions are taken as insults. Now you are saying that i don't even understand my own context, where i live. I really lost the will to talk on this subject. Keep doing as you always did and eating like you do. I don't really care.

 

I never argued that you don't know how it is in your own country. My point is this: What is the name of the thread? "Why is the United States so fucking Fat", right? By your own admission you don't know the whole story. I gave a few examples of why obesity is becoming more and more of a problem, and you jumped on one and dismissed it.

 

And now you're judging me based on my eating habits when, surprise surprise, YOU DON'T KNOW THEM. Congrats on being an ass.

And i didn't even make any reference about you. Seriously: end of the discussion here.

Take Sociology 100, and a microeconomics course and see if you can figure it out for yourself.

But generally speaking, suburbs, lack of access to fresh foods for most people, poor education and lack of exercise.

Also european nationalism for great justice! lol

lets be honest, america doesnt appear in any 'worlds greatest club' lists until at least about 25, which basically makes it a write off.

  On 5/21/2010 at 11:52 PM, baph said:

  On 5/21/2010 at 11:47 PM, Lube Saibot said:

 

wazzat? gimme some?

Plum dumplings. They're only around for a very short while in autumn when the plums are just sweet and soft enough to be usable. Around that time I have my granny make me bucketloads. They might as well be cocaine, tbh. nomnomnomnomnom

http://www.grouprecipes.com/67372/plum-dumplings---galuste-cu-prune.html

greatest club, like nightclub?

im being facetious.

large corporations controlling food supplies, natural products being outrageously more expensive than "standard" grocery store food, high-fructose corn syrup being cheaper than the import of cane sugar, general laziness, the list goes on and on.

remember kids, only you can prevent forest fires

  On 5/22/2010 at 12:02 AM, messiaen said:

im being facetious.

cause you could have meant golf clubs, in which case I would have been all like "Augusta" baby, which is the most IDM club of all, cause "no girls allowed"!!!

  On 5/22/2010 at 12:00 AM, Lube Saibot said:

  On 5/21/2010 at 11:52 PM, baph said:

  On 5/21/2010 at 11:47 PM, Lube Saibot said:

 

wazzat? gimme some?

 

Plum dumplings. They're only around for a very short while in autumn when the plums are just sweet and soft enough to be usable. Around that time I have my granny make me bucketloads. They might as well be cocaine, tbh. nomnomnomnomnom

 

http://www.grouprecipes.com/67372/plum-dumplings---galuste-cu-prune.html

I nominate Romania winner of all food threads; you guys retain the right to be properly nationalistic about culinary things; every other country can go write Romantic symphonies about how you remained culturally distinct from invading Russians via a loose allegory involving heroes from your rich cultural mythology, or fuck with Poland again or something; Poland. . . keep on keepin on and know that we understand how abused you are for no reason; Portugal, stop taunting Jews with your trafe food; America, chew some celery for fuck's sake.

Romania wins food.

The end.

Of everything.

edit: Why do you hate mashed potatoes?

LMAO

im eating refried beans in your shit-on-america thread what now

Ban Boxing Day!

  On 5/22/2010 at 12:14 AM, baph said:

edit: Why do you hate mashed potatoes?

We don't. In fact, it's a staple garnish round this parts. Especially to go with BBQ or wiener schnitzel or roasts. We put parsley and simmered green onion in it, nom nom.

And yes, we do win food. We win spirits too, imo. We trail an inch behind France wine-wise. If only we had some half-decent beer... *sigh*

edit: i support the initiative to ban boxing day

  On 5/22/2010 at 12:23 AM, Lube Saibot said:

  On 5/22/2010 at 12:14 AM, baph said:

edit: Why do you hate mashed potatoes?

 

We don't. In fact, it's a staple garnish round this parts. Especially to go with BBQ or wiener schnitzel or roasts. We put parsley and simmered green onion in it, nom nom.

 

And yes, we do win food. We win spirits too, imo. We trail an inch behind France wine-wise. If only we had some half-decent beer... *sigh*

 

edit: i support the initiative to ban boxing day

do romanians drink tuborg? i know it's not romanian but my romanian friend sure drink the everlasting shit out of that beer

lotsa people here drink tuborg, yeah. It's really fucking retarded when there's Beck's and Silva and Carlsberg and Heineken for nearly the same price (like... +15 cents approximately) and they all shit on tuborg taste- and quality-wise.

I myself mostly drink Peroni, Leffe and Guinness and I'm thankful that they've recently become available pretty much in every bar and cafe here.

Apparently in other countries Tuborg is a respectable beer. But here its the worst piss water.

Peroni is awesome.

peroni??? wha????

I dunno how peroni is in the US but down here it's the premium shit. Tasty, rich, wheaty, fucking love it.

MORE BIGGER FASTER CHEAPER!

If it can be done... it can be overdone.

I'm just waiting for the day they make a whopper but instead of using a bun they just use 2 more fucking whoppers.

  On 5/22/2010 at 1:16 AM, Lube Saibot said:

I dunno how peroni is in the US but down here it's the premium shit. Tasty, rich, wheaty, fucking love it.

this

oh my goodness carlsberg is fucking atrocious

I'm fat!

  On 5/22/2010 at 1:22 AM, uptown devil said:

oh my goodness carlsberg is fucking atrocious

you want the Export, pal... THAT is probably the best lager in the World. seeeeeerious :)

  On 5/22/2010 at 12:23 AM, Lube Saibot said:

Especially to go with wiener schnitzel

Did you say "wiener schnitzel" ? sorry but that makes me larf lol