"Consumer Culture and Participatory Democracy: The Story of Coca-Cola During World War II" and "Eating American"

During a class discussion, Mintz said in passing he “did not think that there is such thing as American cuisine”. Some students took offense. A student pointed out that maybe eating food from all over the world is American cuisine. “Eating American” is a very broad topic, partly because America is large in both size and population. Different regions started to develop slightly different diets, variation of natural environments. Some differences are still there, but they have been diluted due to commercialization. People who move to the US are encouraged to “forgo their traditional cultures in order to ‘become American’”. Even if the first generation holds on to their culture, as time passes each generation becomes more “American”. Foods like hot dogs, hamburgers, ice cream, PB and J sandwiches, barbecues, and pizza may be a part of a “list of favorite foods,” but that does not qualify as a cuisine.There is not much actual cooking takes place in America, leading to a reliance on premade food, take out, and restaurants. There is also too much variety, “class, regional, and ethnic” differences, for us to have a true cuisine.

            Mark Weiner identifies an American food, Coca Cola. Mintz says standardization and commercialization lead to a lack of American cuisine. Coke is American for that very reason. It is ALWAYS the same and accessible. During WWII, coke became an important symbol of America. The best way to make a profit during wartime was to tie product to patriotism. Coke sent things to solders and tried to make it so that every solder could buy a bottle of coke for 5 cents anywhere in the world. Politicians and Military leaders defended this effort. Bottle plants and distillers were set up where troops went. At home, ads showed Coke as a part of American identity and tied daily life to war efforts. Solders, feeling alone and homesick, saw coke as “a symbol of the United States or their own identity.” Coke is something common to the American experience, a truly American food.

So much of our reading has pointed out that there is a priority on efficiency and availability instead of true quality. This focus on efficiency and commercialization in the food industry has made it so that we are left with what Mintz thinks of a lack of cuisine.  In other countries there is pride in their food and time is spent cooking. Americans seem to lack this. America, whether or not we have what can be defined as a cuisine, would benefit from spending more time and energy (and possibly money) into the food we eat.

Do you think there is an American cuisine?

Is not having a cuisine necessarily a bad thing?