Chinese Food Essay

Eating Out: The success of Mexican, Italian and Chinese food in America.

The success of a particular ethnic food in the US is part of the very important identity of the multi-national population, and is closely connected to the idea of the melting pot. This success can be attributed to many aspects, from the ingredients in which the cuisine rely on to the presence of people native to the particular culture in an area. Further, the success of an ethic food can be due to the quantity of immigrants in the country, on how diverse and adaptable the particular cuisine is. Other aspects influence how likely an ethnic food will thrive and become part of the American eating habit, like the socioeconomic status of the immigrants and how they are allocated

When cultural diffusion happens, “adjustments are made to accommodate the value of the host society” (Lu & Fine 538). This adjustment, a process in America referred as Americanization, varies among the many cuisines present in the country (Lu & Fine 538). When looking specifically at the Chinese ethic food, some changes occurred between authentic and the Americanized version. As explained by the owner of a Chinese restaurant, Sichuan, in Lu & Fine’s article, Americans are not particularly found of fish head and

According to Sheryl Julian’s article, From Mexico con mucho gusto Mexican-Style dishes may not resemble the originals, but American love them, the success of Mexican cuisine in American can be attributed to the food’s taste and feel: “salty, filling and cheap cuisine was bound to succeed” (qtd. Julian). This supports the claim that certain tastes are more appealing to the American public and they shape how well an ethic food can be incorporated in the society. Tastiness and price of Chinese food in New York was one of the factors that promoted the identity exchange between Jewish and Chinese immigrants, claims Haiming Liu in his aticle, Kung Pao Kosher: Jewish Americans and Chinese Restaurants in New York. He argues that, “with their tasty food and low prices, Chinese restaurants were affordable eateries and popular with all classes and ethnic groups” (Liu 84). Italian, Chinese and Mexican cuisine are appealing because of flavor, which is one, if not the most important aspect of determining how enjoyable a food is. These particular cuisines comprise this characteristic and, summed to affordability and accessibility, have become American’s