What are you favour 3 cuisines?

[cacruden]

I am sort of curious about what peoples favourite cuisines are, for me the top 3 would be:
Thai Food (real - not imitation :o)
Italian
Mexican

[jarona]

French
Middle Eastern
Japanese

[juliejulez]

I'm looking at this as, if I had to pick somewhere to go for a birthday dinner, where would I go. So, it would be:

1. American (burgers, steaks, BBQ in general, fried chicken, basically anything with lots of meat)

2. Mexican (maybe tex-mex included, but I generally like the more authentic stuff better. I do not like burritos!)

3. Middle Eastern

Italian would be 4th.

[vonshu]

Thai, Indian, Chinese in that order

[Gastronomos]

Greek
Italian
Southern American

[OhioHound]

1. Turkish
2. Greek
3. Italian

[mamachef]

French, Italian, and American.

[Nanzi]

Mexican ,Japanese(sushi & Sashimi,) Steak!

[Vidute]

traditional lithuanian
thai
maryland

[Perilagu Khan]

And how would you charactarize trad Lit?

[Vidute]

pre-soviet and without substandard ingredients. lithuanian food is basically peasant food, potatoes/pork/dairy, (pork and dairy in short supply) so substitutions were made . lots of elbow grease involved in preparing the food. even though the traditional ingredients are available in the us, many of the recent immigrants continue to use the substitutes.

[staughton]

Given Lithuania's geography, I can probably figure that one out. But I'm from Md and currently living in Md again and I'm curious about anyone whos' clearly been exposed to many cuisines listing Md in their top 3. What are your favorite foods that would qualify as "Maryland"?

[Perilagu Khan]

I can guess, too, but I want to hear from somebody who knows.

[Vidute]

stuffed ham, crab fluff, crab soup, pit beef, steamed crabs, rockfish, smith island cake, oyster fritters, polock johnny's, sauerkraut with turkey for the holidays, chocolate snowball with marshmallow cream

[rosepoint]

These picks are solely based on recent travel and not "Americanized" versions of the cuisine.

1) Thai

It might be close to impossible to not find good food in Thailand if you avoid tourist spots. Everything we ate there blew away any Thai food we have ever had at home. Loved Northern Thai sausages and khao soi.

2). Regional Mexican food

Particularly food from the Yucatan and Oaxaca. Just thinking about moles and salsas is making me hungry. Brought a variety of ingredients home and still cannot replicate many of the flavors.

3) tie: Japanese cuisine and French charcuterie

Can't decide which I love more. The variety of food in Japan surprised me. Who knew it wasn't all sushi and tempura? Lol. However, I have to head to Paris every so often and seek out pâté and other charcuterie items served up with a lovely house red and some wonderful fresh bread.

[makeit_alice]

Korean
Indian
Mediterranean

[Paprikaboy]

Malaysian
British
Spanish

[bulavinaka]

Interesting choices. What would you consider to be British? Not being snarky - am truly curious. Because the UK is home to so many cultures and because of its history as a past colonizer, I think this mix would result in very interesting results in terms of food.

[Paprikaboy]

I understand why you ask the question and the many influences from immigrant food cultures has enhanced food in Britain.
For me though British food means, steak and kidney pudding, treacle tart, potted shrimps, faggots and peas, game, roast dinners, deviled kidneys and dishes of this type.

[chefathome]

I love British food as well and would categorize these foods as very British. One of my favourites is bangers and mash. We thankfully sourced a man who lives three hours away who is from Northumberland and makes superb Bershire pork Cumberland sausage. Each time we have it, we are transported back to a dark pub with roaring fire.

[Harters]

Much as I enjoy the influences on British eating habits that have come from empire and immigration, I'm with Paprikaboy in thinking that "British food" is about our traditional dishes, even if these may have a modern spin to them. It's about local, seasonal produce cooked in a north European style. It's what I eat for dinner most days of the week. A local popular bistro prides itself on only using ingredients grown in the country or imported, as it says, through "traditional trade roots". Means they are happy to use asian spices and Spanish citrus, but you won't find an aubergine on the menu.

It doesnt have to be stuck in the past, though. A traditional dish from my region is Lancashire Hotpot. Like Irish stew, Lobscouse or Welsh cawl, it's a simple long cooked dish of lamb, onion, potato and stock. My mum used to cook it regularly. But I've also had it at a local Michelin starred restaurant. Yes, it's roots were still in the dish but it had become very refined and was lovely.

[alliegator]

Thai
Vietnamese
Italian

[rmarisco]

if I'm eating out, in no particular order:
japanese
ethiopian
vietnamese
(this list is further complicated by the fact that one of my favorite japanese restaurants and one of my favorite ethiopian restaurants are on the same block. sometimes i just have to avoid the question all together and give in to vietnamese..)

if i'm eating in and have to cook it myself:
'merican (we have too many good ideas to overlook!)
french (not the fancy kind, the home style kind)
Indian (not particular to area -i love and cook it all!)

[equinoise]

The quandry of national or regional cuisine complicates this question for me. There are Chinese regional cuisines that I love, like Sichuan and Cantonese, and other that I could never rate them near the top (Hakka, Shanghainese, Xi'an, etc.) This is also true for my home country, where I love the food of New Orleans, for example, while New England and the Deep South leave me wanting. This is different from Italian or French for me, where every region that I know of produces many truly delightful dishes (admittedly I have not tried them all by any means).

Does one take an "average" merits of a nation's cusine as a whole, or does it get credit for the cumulative value of its regional cuisines?

National Average:
Italian
French
Mexican

Cumulative Regional:
Chinese
Italian
Thai

In either case, Indian is a very close fourth.

[redfish62]

European
Asian
American (including North, Central and South America)

[huiray]

Heh.

[Crockett67]

Approve!

[meatn3]

Southern American
Cuban
Eastern European Jewish

[John Francis]

Contemporary American
Indian
Chinese

Several others that would make a longer list, but you've limited it to three.

[staughton]

This is tougher than it appears. While I love SE Asian food generally the best, as well as Mexican and Peruvian from the New World, there's no way I'm making Asian sweets or flan or mazamorra morada when it's time to bake for Christmas. Then I only want German or Scandinavian things, maybe some other European items. But I don't really ever crave most northern European cuisine when it comes to regular everyday food. I suppose you're talking about lunch/dinner food, not holidays or sweets, so...

Vietnamese
Thai
Japanese

But a HOLLAH to Korean, Afghan, Greek, Peruvian, Mexican, Italian, Trinidadian... OK. I'll stop.

[Crockett67]

In no order (I love them all)
Hawaiian
Creole
SE Asian

[basildip]

In this order: 1) Thai
2) Japanese-sushi &cooked
3) Italian

[cpa314]

1. Chinese
2. Vietnamese
3. Japanese

If I could choose a 4th, it would be Italian

[StrandedYankee]

Jewish-American (my soul food)
Italian-American (food snobs often ignore how delicious this can be)
Chinatown Chinese

By Chinatown Chinese, I mean stuff that is more authentic than what you'll get in neighborhood and/or suburban Chinese restaurants, but selected for things that best please Western palates. For example, shredded pork and spicy turnip soup is a huge favorite of mine. So is duck noodle soup. However, a lot of hardcore Asian foods are simply too gelatinous for my taste (this incudes a LOT of the desserts). The textures turn me off so badly, I can't taste the flavors. So, Chinatown Chinese.

[huiray]

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/6299...

[Isolda]

No order here:

Middle Eastern

Mexican (including Tex-Mex)

British vegetarian (yeah, I know that's not on anyone's list of unique cuisines, but I think it should be. They do amazing things with ingredients a lot of American vegetarians don't often use, such as nuts and cream.)

[pinehurst]

Southern Italian (Naples/Sicily)
Quebecois
American Southern

[Toreii]

Thai
Italian
Cajun
And Mexican.
I just can't narrow it down to less than 4!

[LA Buckeye Fan]

My three are probably based on the type of food that is avaialbe, since there are many cuisines I haven't eaten or eaten often.
American comfort (think cornbread, potato salad, Sunday roast, meatloaf)
Mexican (including many of the diffent styles: Sonoran, DF, baja fish tacos)
Italian- probably my favorite.

[gingershelley]

I can't get to 3, have to have 4...

1. French
2. Italian (which encompasses several regional cuisines)
3. Indian
4. Mexican, including American tex-mex, and much more authentic regional Mexican dishes.

[James Cristinian]

I like Texas Tex-Mex. The only Tex-Mex I've had outside Texas was at a ChiChi's. This was truly horrible food, a cheap imitation, kinda like a TV dinner. By the way, there is plenty of below average Tex-Mex down here, but also really good stuff if you know where to look, especially in the old Mexican American neighborhoods, such as Houston's east side.

[Perilagu Khan]

Verily, Tex-Mex outside of Texas seems to be an exercise in futility.

[gingershelley]

JC, I have also had what I take to be in the vein of Tex-mex in AZ; think Chimichanga's.... and in NM, Chili Verde and other assorted Hatch green chili wonders.

Maybe they are not Tex-Mex, but I think they are more Ameri-mex than authentic regional Mexican items.... tho no less delicious!

[Perilagu Khan]

IMO, New-Mex is a distinct cuisine from Tex-Mex. And I love both equally.

[James Cristinian]

ginger, I'm fifty something and never saw a chimichanga on a Houston Tex-Mex menu until relatively recently. Burritos go back just a bit farther. I saw an old menu from San Antonio in the 40's I believe, but after a thirty minute search, I cannot retrieve it. There was not a burrito or chimichanga in site. I associate chimichangas with Cal-Mex. I did pull up this from a local food historian on Tex-Mex.

http://www.houstonpress.com/2008-07-0...

[CookieLee]

Also a fan of Thai! French, BBQ

[Hamano]

Tier 1) Chinese / Italian / French
Tier 2) Peruvian / Mexican / Japanese
Tier 3) Turkish / Brazilian / Thai / Indian

[cacruden]

ไม่เข้าใจ

Is the top three french, chinese, and Italian or three fusion cuisines? :p

[chefathome]

SE Asian, especially Thai
Lebanese, Syria, Turkey
Eastern European, especially Croatian

[delys77]

For me 1st and second place would go to French and Cantonese cuisines respectively. for third place it is a tie between North Indian Cuisines (Punjabi, Rajastani, Mughlai) and Italian. I might have to go with Indian though since so many Italian preparations are very closely related to French cuisine in both technique and flavour profile.

[Big Bad Voodoo Lou]

Italian
Greek/Turkish/Middle Eastern
Mexican

But oh, it kills me to leave off Jewish/Polish/German and American barbecue!

[Bkeats]

European
Asian
American (North, Central and South)

So I'm cheating. I would add the Middle Eastern comes in a close 4th. And honestly African dishes do very little for me.

[E Eto]

Asian
European
North and South American (tie)

[cacruden]

Very funny! Your mocking the question, right? I already find cuisines such as Chinese to be broad, but Asia + Europe + North and South America - your basically saying anything but African :o

[arktos]

And Greenland.

[RUK]

Actually - the cuisine of Greenland/ the villages of Kulusuk and Angmassalik which are those you can visit fairly easily, is essentially Danish.... :-) and it is btw excellent!

Sorry, couldn't resist.

[arktos]

Amazing!! People here on CH seem to know everything food related.

[RUK]

Not really, we just spent a few days there last Summer.
Btw the area has excellent refrigeration capabilities, even in the middle of Summer.... ;-)

[deglazer]

-American (by which I mean regular sort of meat and potatoes stuff, midwestern, southern, meat and three, casseroles. I guess British, Irish and European roots (mixed with native american and african influences of course.) Think thanksgiving dinner. Sunday roast, mashed potatoes and gravy, buttered green beans, simple salad, roll w/ butter, pie. Don't mean to exclude anyone with this definition of American. It's a complicated matter.

-Mexican (with American variants)

-Chinese (does any cuisine even come close?)

-Middle Eastern/Greek/eastern Mediterranean/North Africa/Persian/Turkish. (Trying to be inclusive and not offend anyone.) This is a very close fourth place. I basically mean falafel as well as the more meaty sandwichy sort of casual foods like souvlaki and shawarma. I could seriously practically live on that sort of stuff. (I acknowledge the impressive breadth of these cuisines. Have tried it a lot, cooked it a lot. But I'm talking craving, and that for me means falafel and souvlaki, more or less.)

[Rodzilla]

so broad, but the restaurants I would go to fall under the categories of New American, Japanese, and Italian most likely.

[bulavinaka]

Favorites in their mother countries:

Well-prepared source-centered American - what ever American may include...
Japanese
Malaysian/Singaporean

Favorites in LA:

Again, well-prepared source-centered American
Japanese
Pan-Chinese

Honorable mentions in LA:

Persian
Peruvian
Mexican
Mediterranean

[Miss Needle]

This is a tough question. I'm going to approach it from the standpoint of if I could only pick three cuisines to eat for the rest of my life what would it be.

Chinese -- because of the variety and breadth of cuisine
Japanese -- because of their clean flavors -- and also large variety
New American -- because I'm kinda cheating and New American encompasses so many other cuisines

[arktos]

JAPANESE- Karaage, agemono/ tempura, miso soup, okonomiyaki, nabemono, yakitori /yakiniku.
CAJUN/CREOLE- Gumbo, andouille/boudin, crawfish etouffee, dirty rice, red beans and rice, po'boys, muffulettas, jambs.
GREEK- Feta, oregano, lemons, dill, olives, cinnamon, mint, spinach, lamb.
LEBANESE(a 4th.. I'm cheating)- Fattoush, hummus/tahini, kibbeh, tabbouleh, baba ghannouj, meze spreads.

[sharhamm]

Vietnamese
Chinese
Italian

[melpy]

I am torn between putting Lebanese or Persian on my list.

[Puffin3]

Tuscan daily
Japanese
Chinese

[huiray]

I find it interesting that many folks other than the OP report Thai cuisine as one of their top three - and that they all appear to be based in the US (the OP is based in Thailand, I believe) so far. Perhaps that also in some part speaks to the success of the Thai Government's "Kitchen to the World" project which has been going on for years and has been cited by other nations as a campaign to emulate. Just wondering.

http://www.yorku.ca/ycar/CCSEAS%20Papers/The%20Globalization%20of%20Thai%20Cuisine2.pdf
http://www.thaitradeusa.com/home/?p=9860

[RUK]

Aside from that - Thailand is a fairly cheap and very interesting travel destination, one could imagine that many people have eaten Thai food on location, enjoyed it very much and brought that love home with them.

[huiray]

True - although I wonder about the taste profile preferences of those tourists...the Americanized version of the cuisine, or the Thai version...
It was also a major R&R destination for a *lot* of G.I.s in Vietnam back in the day - G.I.s who came home to the US after having all those meals (and recreation) in Thailand. :-)

[James Cristinian]

It wasn't all fun in the sun for US servicemen. The 8th Tactical Fighter Wing with three squadrons of F4's launched strike missions and dueled with MIGs. The 8th flew out of Ubon Royal Thai Airbase, back in the day, as you say. My two favorites are the much looked down upon Tex Mex and fresh Gulf Coast seafood, oysters, fish, and shrimp.

[RUK]

re huiray/Thai after the edit -
I can not speak for others, but even while traveling with a group, one always has time to sample the local food away from touristy eating establishments, and surely many travelers do that. Also - many parks have vendors with a highly polished, super clean food cart cooking/grilling something looking and smelling delicious. And many give you even a mat to sit on.

Btw do you want to know the real difference between authentic Thai food and the version prepared for tourists, in Thailand? The dishes are the same, except the quality of ingredients like meat or fish are better in the touristy food! The spice levels and preparations are otherwise the same. But as a tourist you will not be served a gristly tough piece of meat.

[huiray]

"Btw do you want to know the real difference between authentic Thai food and the version prepared for tourists, in Thailand? The dishes are the same, except the quality of ingredients like meat or fish are better in the touristy food! The spice levels and preparations are otherwise the same."
-------
Good to know, sounds like any tourist in Thailand will eat better than any native person anywhere there.

[RUK]

"Good to know, sounds like any tourist in Thailand will eat better than any native person anywhere there."

I may need to give an example so general assumptions won't be assigned to my statement above -
If your traveling group of ca 20 people would stop for lunch at one of the nice restaurants set up for that ( other tour buses will stop there too, so that spells for perhaps for you "touristy eatery"), you will eat a very delicious meal. Should you decide to be curious what the drivers, tour guides and non-tourists eat at the same time, you may sample the meal along-side those and you will realize that the quality of the tourist version is a step up in quality of the main ingredient, but not in taste/combination of seasonings, spices and perhaps appearance.
I am strictly talking side by side comparison as by own experience, not wild speculations.

[Kayasuma]

Whatever the taste profile, the "Americanized" version of Thai is nowhere near as bastardized as Chinese food here. I've not been to Thailand, but if the "Americanized" version tastes this amazing, I could only imagine what authentic Thai cuisine tastes like.

[Njchicaa]

Italian
Mexican
French

[SteveRB]

Chinese
Italian
Thai

[magiesmom]

Italian
Indian
Jewish (eastern European)

[seamunky]

Vietnamese
Mexican
American

[INDIANRIVERFL]

Not withstanding my international travels and residences:

Florida: seafood, grass fed beef, citrus, veggies, 5,000 calorie breakfast

Wisconsin: cheese, beer, brats, butterburgers, supperclubs, German

Pittsburgh: Jugoslavian, Polish, Italian, Jewish, Isaly's

[melpy]

What is a butterburger?

[tardigrade]

Mexican - because I can get good ingredients here
Indian - because I like the complexity of flavors and the great vegetarian dishes
The third one's hard: I like the spicy tanginess of Thai cuisine but if I had to pick just three cuisines I'm going to have to go with Italian since it suits my climate.

Interesting that no one's picked any of the Chinese cuisines yet!

[bagelman01]

Huiray who posted three hours before you listed Chinese.

My Three
Chinese
Continental (French-Italian classic cooking)
Eastern European

[huiray]

Thank you.

Within "Chinese" - my preferences would be for Cantonese (real Cantonese, NOT "American-Chinese" so-called Cantonese) over the other of the "Eight Major Cuisines" in "Chinese cuisine". I'm also fond of Hakka/Hokkien/Teochew(Chiu Chow), Szechuan, Shanghainese...

[bagelman01]

I definitely agree with you about Cantonese as my first choice, youngest daughter is from Guangzho. Had lots of great food there.Like Shanghaiese and Hunanese, but not Szechuan (not fond of hot and spicy anything). Also Like Hong Kong style Chinese food, but found it has deteriorated in Hong Kong the last 40 years.

[limster]

Teochew can be technically listed under Cantonese.

[Monica]

Thai(every bite has so much characters and flavors..can never get sick of it)
Korean(because i am korean and I grew up eating it)
French(the technique, sophistication, complexity)

[DonShirer]

Breakfast, lunch and supper--ok, ok, I'll play nice!

American
Thai
Mexican

[RUK]

I would find this very difficult to answer, I like many specific dishes from very distinct cuisines. But, on top of the list are probably
French
German
Thai

[Harters]

British
Eastern Mediterranean/Middle Eastern
South Asian

[thegforceny]

I know this is going to get incredibly pedantic, so I'll just leave this here:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/353002

But I'll play along for fun. My favorites
Mexican
Indian
Thai

[huiray]

:-)

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/305265
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/810275

[huiray]

Chinese (in general)
SE Asian
Italian

[huiray]

Do you distinguish sharply between Thai food and other similar SE Asian foods? If you do, I find it interesting you prefer Italian and Mexican over any other SE Asian foods. :-)

[cacruden]

Yes, I spent 4 days in Cambodia and after that I was missing my Thai food a lot. Just seemed to be missing something. I do like the pho beef noodles from Vietnam, but I have not the depth of knowledge on it. I probably eat 90% Thai food, 4% Italian, 2% Mexican. I eat at hawker stands in Singapore monthly.... And enjoy the food. Italian I eat is mostly pasta and Italian style pizza (homemade).... I have a pasta machine.

[bulavinaka]

I'm a strong believer that many cuisines just can't be replicated in places that have no similarity in climate to the mother country. I don't think it's any fault of the many chefs who are otherwise capable but just can't replicate the real deal. Cuisines like Thai and others from SE Asia can be so complex in sourcing ingredients - fresh or otherwise - that are typically not found in places like the US. Another factor - a big factor to me - is the environment to which it is sourced, prepared, served and eaten. The climate, the settings, the smells - all smells.

[cacruden]

The exact same ingredients maybe not, but the flavour profile can be. When I was working for 11 months in San Diego there was a hole in the wall (cheap) diner that did a reasonably good job - even had the condiments on the table including fish sauce and chilis.

Toronto has maybe one or two good Thai restaurants, and a bazillion poor ones. They all would have to source stuff in the same manner. A lot of herbs are that are sold locally are grown in greenhouses (and if necessary and high power supplementary lighting system). I could source high quality Thai basil for a price. What you put on the menu would have to depend on what you can source - but with such a diverse number of thai dishes - it should not be a problem (fish vs meat etc.).

I learned to cook Thai food for the sake of survival :o

The problem is that most of the Thai restaurants are run by non-thais (Chinese/Westerner) without a proper foundation. Had many pad thais at different locations - it ranged from 0 to 2.5 out of 5. After two weeks of obsessing in getting it right, I was able to make a pad thai that might have been 4 or 4.5 out of 5 (sometimes I get obsessed and do the same thing over and over until I get it right - then don't have it for a loooong time :o). The "Pad Thai ranged from just noodles fried (and that was the better end) to a "special pad thai" which I took one taste of and it and had to spit it out (and that is not something I do often) -- I am sure they just used Chinese Sweet and Sour sauce as the sauce to fry the noodles in.

Toronto has a very diverse population, but only around 2,000 people (out of 4 million) from Thailand (larger populations are Chinese - 300K to 500K, Vietnamese 60K+ Indians 200K+, Philippines, Bangladeshi.

[bulavinaka]

You're describing Toronto, I'm viewing this from LA. We have a relatively large Thai community in LA. I've visited Thailand and although I don't consider myself to be an expert, even with the places that have a strong Chow creed in LA (Jitlada, Ruen Pair), there's a dimension missing (the same goes for Malaysian and Singaporean food in LA). I forgot to specifically mention humidity - I feel it not only sets the mood, but also is a great enhancer of aromas. In my mind, environment plays such an important role.

[cacruden]

If you have a large Thai community in LA, where do Thai's eat? Do they eat at the same restaurants as the "chow creed" -- maybe your following the wrong crowd :o

In Toronto we have some very good Chinese restaurants - but - then most of the customers are Chinese at those restaurants. Of course there are a large number of crap chinese restaurants too...

From what your standards are -- it would be pretty well impossible to find a good Thai restaurant outside of Thailand.

BTW, Have you ever been to Terroni's. LA apparently has a copy of a restaurant I am very fond of in Toronto. There are 4 or 5 in Toronto and one in LA, the one in Toronto that I like (which is closest to me) is located in a huge old courthouse (also suppose to be one of the most haunted buildings in Toronto -- probably because of all the people hanged in the back yard there).
I do adjust my standards based on

[bulavinaka]

>>If you have a large Thai community in LA, where do Thai's eat? Do they eat at the same restaurants as the "chow creed" -- maybe your following the wrong crowd :o<<

LA has a "Thai Town" in the Hollywood area, which then loosely extends into North Hollywood (it's actually in an adjacent valley known as San Fernando Valley). Yes, Thais eat in Thai town, and those two I list are among the many they eat at.

>>From what your standards are -- it would be pretty well impossible to find a good Thai restaurant outside of Thailand.<<

r.e. Terroni - I'm not an avid Italian fan and haven't been but might this be the one?

http://terroni.com/

Just trying to be honest about the experience and how the total package plays into one's memory of taste/smell. I think if a Thai community were to set up in the Southern states instead of LA, the experience might be much closer.

[cacruden]

That is the restaurant. I always thought it funny that they had 4 in Toronto and 1 in LA - I can only guess that some relative lives in LA :o. It is one restaurant from Toronto that I miss, but some people are put off by their "attitude" :o

[gingershelley]

Cacruden, nice job hyjaking your own thread!

[cacruden]

Your welcome :o

[Perilagu Khan]

In no particular order:

Mexican (Tex-Mex and New-Mex inclusive)
Italian
Indian

[Perilagu Khan]

The more I think about it, the more I realize I like American just as much as Mexican, Italian and Indian. I don't have a Top 3; I have a Top 4.

[cacruden]

Your first posting sort of indicated it - Tex-Mex is american :o

[Perilagu Khan]

It's very much a fusion cuisine, but I think it has more affinities with south rather than north-of-the-border fare.

[cacruden]

Food does not maintain borders - China has many cuisine, Thai has at least 5 - America has many as well. Tex Mex foundations use a fraction of the total that makes up Mexican cuisine.

[Perilagu Khan]

Thank you Elie Wiesel. The point is that Tex-Mex employs ingredients and flavorings that migrated--along with people--from Mexico and one (or more) of Mexico's many cuisines.

[cacruden]

They didn't migrate to America - they were incorporated into America, parts of Mexico became parts of the United States :o

[James Cristinian]

What would you call my wife's parents who came here from Guadalajara?

[cacruden]

And they cooked Tex Mex for there children?

[James Cristinian]

Uh no, they did not cook Tex-Mex for their many children. What is your point?

[cacruden]

It may be a small difference. I believe we were talking about Tex-Mex cuisine which was not creation of mexican immigrants into the United States, but of colonial immigrants to the Texan territory -- which would become a state in the United States (the process of incorporating Texas into the US means that those that were already of that territory are Americans by birth - not by naturalization).

The Mexican government has gone to great lengths to distance mexican cuisine from that of "Tex-Mex"....

These two points make me consider "Tex-Mex" an American regional cuisine (just like Cajun is an American cuisine) and not an imported cuisine.

[Perilagu Khan]

Whether or not they were American by birth is beside the point. Their food was much more heavily inflected by ingredients and methods south of the border than north. Outside of the various "Mexes," there is no regional cuisine in the US remotely like Tex-Mex, yet Tex-Mex is very similar to the cuisine you'll find in northern interior Mexico.

[scoopG]

Migrated, moved, turned up, acquired, replanted, incorporated = same thing.

[huiray]

Nope, not the same thing.
If you migrated (or immigrated) from one place to another, it was a conscious, voluntary and deliberate decision on your part.
If you were acquired or incorporated into an entity whereby you had not made any conscious or deliberate decision to do so it was involuntary and not the same thing as the preceeding.

[scoopG]

Yup. Semantics here, not pedantry. Food moves, seeds scatter, winds blow, continents drift, people carry.

[Kayasuma]

Thai
Vietnamese
Steak

[arktos]

lol.. steak cuisine.