Hi, in a book by an American author I read this (asked in Vegas by an US tourist):
"So, lovely lady, what kind of food would you prefer: Italian, French, Asian, continental, steak, or something else?"
I can imaging what is meant except for 'continental'.
A Brit using 'continental' describes anything from the European continent (beyond the channel) that's different from British (English, Welsh, Scottish, Irish), but an American?
Can someone enlighten me?
HM.
A Brit using 'continental' describes anything from the European continent (beyond the channel) that's different from British (English, Welsh, Scottish, Irish)
I've never heard a Brit use 'continental' in the context of food other than the phrase 'continental breakfast'.
Some European countries are proud of their particular cuisines and would object to be lumped into the description 'continental'. Brits, particularly the English, tend to be self-deprecating, although we probably have a wider range of cuisines in our country than most others because of our colonial history. That excludes German cuisine (if there's such a thing) because we still 'hate' the Germans because we lost the Second World War ;-)
AJ
I've only ever heard of it used in "Continental Breakfast"as well. Iirc the breakfast usually had things like pastries, baked goods, fruits, toast, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, juice, jams, cereals, cheese etc.
"American Breakfast" would have eggs, bacon sausage, biscuits, hash browns, toast, coffee, tea etc...and I know I've forgotten a lot lol
SunSeeker
"American Breakfast" would have eggs, bacon sausage, biscuits, hash browns, toast, coffee, tea etc...
Pancakes, waffles...
In more general terms, a "continental breakfast" is a buffet style breakfast with baked goods (not fresh as in fresh out of the oven and still warm) and other cold foods.
An American style breakfast would include hot foods.
I've only ever heard of it used in "Continental Breakfast"as well. Iirc the breakfast usually had things like pastries, baked goods, fruits, toast, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, juice, jams, cereals, cheese etc.
The Continental Breakfast served in UK budget hotels is basically a pastry or bread roll with butter and jam or marmalade followed by tea or coffee. Some places deliver it to outside your room door so it's ready when you wake up.
AJ
Usually it's continental breakfast, but I found:
Continental food refers to dishes made and consumed in the European countries. Dishes of French, Spanish and Italian cuisine fall under the category of 'Continental food'. The key specialty of this food is, they concentrate more on ingredients like olive oil, wine, herbs and minimal spices. Akshay adds, "Continental food involves cooking techniques like frying, roasting and baking. Also, the food is rich and usually high in calories."
I can see how Americans would lump those cuisines together as many of the supporting ingredients are the same or similar.
We Brits do the same with American Cuisine specials in supermarkets. After all, Americans only eat burgers, hot dogs and fried chicken ;-)
AJ
Dishes of French, Spanish and Italian cuisine fall under the category of 'Continental food'.
Thinking about it, I'm not sure that's right. Spanish food can be quite spicy and uses far fewer milk products than French and Italian. I think Europeans would be more likely to lump Italy, France and Greece together under the term 'Mediterranean Diet'.
AJ
more likely to lump Italy, France and Greece together under the term 'Mediterranean Diet'.
They had Mediterranean as a separate category from Continental. I happened to spot it as the next one.
but an American
Many Americans are familiar with the term 'continental', so why is is surprising that an American author used the term.
What I find interesting is the list of foods starts with cooking styles and ends with a specific food item. Sounds like a pick up line from someone who is not a connoisseur of good food. So was it intentional or is the author not a connoisseur?
ends with a specific food item
Beef, lamb, pork, salmon, swordfish, tuna, dolphinfish (mahi-mahi), alpaca, ostrich, venison (just the different ones I've had).
Rump, fillet, sirloin, Porterhouse, ribeye, T-bone for the cuts of beef.
Not so specific.
Many Americans are familiar with the term 'continental', so why is is surprising that an American author used the term.
It's not surprising, just confusing. The OP is not American (or English as first language) so they are asking what context Americans use that term in.
what context Americans use that term in.
I would never have arrived at that interpretation. After rereading helmut meukel's post, I still don't get that interpretation.
Two possiblities:
1) He is saying that it is understandable for a Brit to use the term, but Americans wouldn't use the term.
2) He was comparing Brit and British, but added American as an afterthought.
I also don't understand the difference between Brit and British.
I also don't understand the difference between Brit and British.
Poor word choice. I know the difference between the 2 words.
I don't understand helmut meukel's reason for trying to differentiate between the two groups of people. Does being physically close to the continent mean something when it comes to understanding 'continental'?
Does being physically close to the continent mean something when it comes to understanding 'continental'?
I assumed the other side of the channel was the continent so a Brit would refer to those countries as continental.
I vaguely remember the story of a British newspaper headline from long before I was born. "Fog in the Channel, Continent Cut Off'. ;-)
AJ
I can see that as a reasonable assumption.
What I was thinking was more on the line of - why would a Brit (someone who lives in the British Isles) have a better understanding of the term 'Continental' than someone who lives elsewhere in the British Commonwealth (Canada, Australia, New Zealand, etc.)
I would never have arrived at that interpretation. After rereading helmut meukel's post, I still don't get that interpretation.
I made that interpretation from other posts helmut has made on these fora, not from this specific post. Helmut has explicitly said elsewhere that there are European (I think German, but possibly Austrian) and not a native English speaker.
So when I read the original post, or any other question helmut asks, I do so with the context that they are looking for clarification of detail of language or culture which is not obvious in the original.
By my reading, helmut is confused because the term "continental" isn't used in Europe to refer to a type of food but they understand that Brits use it to refer to Europe as a whole. Thus, a list which includes some but not all European countries as well as the general term continental is confusing.
By my reading, helmut is confused because the term "continental" isn't used in Europe to refer to a type of food
As an American, I've never heard "continental" in the context of referring to a type of cuisine.
"So, lovely lady, what kind of food would you prefer: Italian, French, Asian, continental, steak, or something else?"
Normally I would expect this in context of "American or Continental breakfast" (see definitions in this thread), so it sounds strange with alternatives like Italian, etc. which imply a lunch or dinner. But, in Las Vegas, a lot of places serve full menu all day (sometimes 24 hours/day), so it's quite possible to have, say, a steak in the morning, or a breakfast-type food at night.
Normally I would expect this in context of "American or Continental breakfast" (see definitions in this thread), so it sounds strange with alternatives like Italian, etc. which imply a lunch or dinner.
They talked about dinner together, so it sounded strange to me.
I'm German and I thought I just don't know what an American (the guy came from Ohio) means with continental in this context. So I asked.
HM.
what an American (the guy came from Ohio) means with continental in this context
With the additional information, the context implies to me that the author knew the word and it had something to do with food, but not what it meant.
The average Canadian (and I assume American too) doesn't really know a lot about the food cultures of Europe, let alone the rest of the world. In the public consciousness:
French food is fancy and contains a lot of weird ingredients and complex cooking techniques. Think Le Cordon Bleu and fine dining in general.
Italian food means pasta and pizza. I think most people realize that pasta as it exists in North American isn't really Italian, but they don't much care.
German food, if recognized at all, is limited to a few Bavarian dishes popular as street foods: pretzels, beer, sausages, and schnitzel.
Everything else is lumped together as European and generally assumed to be irrelevant or boring. For example, British and Irish cuisines are usually understood to be spiceless stews and ignore everything that has happened in the past 200 years.
Anyone living in a multicultural area knows that Japanese food is vastly different from Thai food, but note that the author you quote refers simply to "Asian".
I've never seen Continental used in any context other than the breakfast referred to by others, but I can see maybe an uneducated character (or author) thinking that it's a general term for European food.
The average Canadian (and I assume American too) doesn't really know a lot about the food cultures of Europe, let alone the rest of the world. In the public consciousness:
In the US, a lot depends on the specific area and what kind of immigrants they get both currently and historically.
I'm in Wisconsin. Historically, Wisconsin had a lot of German immigrants, so we have more exposure to German cuisine than areas with fewer German immigrants. We have more "German" restaurants too.
Italian food means pasta and pizza. I think most people realize that pasta as it exists in North American isn't really Italian, but they don't much care.
I'll offer a different perspective. These things are adaptations of Italian cuisine made in North America mostly by first and second generation Italian immigrants in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Same thing applies to most other European and Asian "ethnic" cuisines in the US.
Anyone living in a multicultural area knows that Japanese food is vastly different from Thai food, but note that the author you quote refers simply to "Asian".
Anyone living in an area with a significant population of immigrants from one particular Asian ethnic group is more likely to recognize that particular cuisine.
The average Canadian (and I assume American too) doesn't really know a lot about the food cultures of Europe, let alone the rest of the world. In the public consciousness:
I have been to nearly every State in the USA, and most Canadian Provinces, as well as nearly 80 nations around the globe.
Seattle (area), has had for a century authentic Scandinavian, Germanic, Scottish, Japanese and Chinese cuisine, as well as that of the Salish tribes. For the last 30 to 40 years authentic Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Indian, as well as Irish, French, Russian, and even Ethiopian cuisine is available. We have a plethora of ethnic communities, and their foods are available here.
Many of the restaurants the menus are Not in English, but in the native language. Much of my family is of German-Scandanavian-Scottish ancestry, one grandmother was from Ireland, and an aunt was half-Japanese. Our neighbors were Korean. I grew up being able to order meals in German, Japanese, or Korean, although I was far from fluent in any of those languages.
I have seen on TV the stereotypes of ignorant "Ugly Americans" only eating at McDonald's and Dennys.
I found that Vancouver, B.C. San Francisco, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Chicago, and NYC, also have a plethora of authentic ethnic cuisines.
Perhaps because I was brought up experiencing a wide variety of cuisines; then upon joining the US Army at 17 I sought out "authentic" cuisines when I could in CONUS, or when deployed. I particularly enjoyed an Italian restaurant in Port St. George, Grenada 🇬🇩 above a hardware store, and with a spectacular view of the harbor! The proprietors had fled Musolini's Italy, and opened a restaurant in the then British colony. I ate there while training Grenadian Constabulary.
German cuisine in Argentina, or Cuban cuisine in Miami, or Portuguese in Newark. I prefer "ordinary" ethnic cuisine, over "gourmet" versions.
Perhaps I am exceptional... it is not uncommon that I am one of a few, or the only White Guy, in some restaurants...
The average Canadian (and I assume American too) doesn't really know a lot about the food cultures of Europe, let alone the rest of the world.
Apart from the French being cheese-eating surrender monkeys ;-)
For example, British and Irish cuisines are usually understood to be spiceless stews
The iconic British dishes are roast beef and yorkshire pudding (hence the French calling us les rosbifs), and fish and chips.
The winners of most popularity polls are consistently some form of chicken curry (eg chicken tikka masala), which tend to be hotter than genuine Indian curries.
AJ
In terms of cuisine, "Continental" is a dated term that refers to Western European cuisine, Northern and Western France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, etc. Not Mediterranean, nor Eastern European, nor Nordic/Scandinavian, nor the UK.
I recall hearing it as late as the 80's. It was more common post WWII and into the mid 70's. I have seen references in Western novels written in the early 20th century (and may have been used in the 19th century too).
"Continental Breakfast" is related, but not really the same thing. Typically referring to a light Breakfast, fruit, pastery, coffee or tea, not necessarily a buffet.
I inherited my Great Aunt's collection of cook books. Including some by Julia Childe, as well as the Beer and Good Food cook book, published in the UK. Several of these cook books from the 1930's through the 1960's referred to "Continental Cooking" mostly being Germanic and Northern French, but also some "Goulashes" and similar dishes.
Perhaps I am exceptional... it is not uncommon that I am one of a few, or the only White Guy, in some restaurants.
Been there, done that. It's a bit intimidating to walk into a Caribbean restaurant and have everyone go quiet, but it's okay when they get used to you. And it's worth it for the goat curry ;-)
AJ
