There used to be something called the Yellow Peril (aka Yelllow Terror) in the late 1800s as people feared the effects of Asian, mostly Chinese, immigration to western countries. The term resurfaced again in World War II with fears related to Japanese military expansion. It's hard to conceive of such times today when Asian flavors, culture, travel, and traditions are red hot popular. Instead of fear and hostility, there's curiosity and appreciation.
Commentator Andrew Lam sums up a few things in his piece Eats Meets West (5/16/09). The LA Times has been running pieces on a story on the Kogi Korean BBQ taco trucks since December and the New York Time's April piece on New York's banh mi sandwich craze got people eating and talking. Korean taco trucks have been spotted and tweeted about in other urban locations such as San Francisco and New York.
What do you make of all this? Are Asians now popular? Have we hit the mainstream or just the hipster urban scene? Or is this part of the 21st century, post-ethnic, Obama-esque age? I'm curious about your thoughts!
Elissa Altman says
Asian has always been in, and food lovers in the know have long had a love affair with the flavors that typify this cooking. But why now especially? Why so much attention? For one thing, it's the promise of "balance." It's also the brightness of flavors in the face of the otherwise murky dreck that passes for generic food these days. There's definitely an economical component, too: a little bit of flavor goes a very long way in Asian cuisine, and more expensive ingredients like meats, poultry, fish and shellfish are usually not the central focus of the meal, but rather are treated like condiments. Ie: bits of pork in a bun; two or three shrimp in a noodle soup, etc etc.
Andrea Nguyen says
Elissa, I recently got a copy of Calvin Lee's Chinese Cooking for American Kitchens (1959) and he discusses things in a matter of fact way but was ahead of his time in many regards. We're in an interesting time now with the confluence of cultures that's being facilitated by the internet, and the notion that personal identities do not have to be fixed. For example, a Filipino man marries into a Korean family and then comes up with the Korean Taco truck concept in Los Angeles. It's not just an LA story anymore. Plus, as you've pointed out, people want a wider, more balanced (yin/yang?!) flavor palate. On top of that, there's less meat in Asian food (too many people, too few resources) and so it can be perceived as being healthier and better for the planet. Animal protein is a side, not a main.
I've often found it funny when recipe developing that so much is done with so little in the Asian kitchen. Thanks for the insights!
Lân says
I think we just live in an age where obsession with food has reached a mainstream audience. The Food Network, localvores, food blogs, and food safety scares are just a few of the forces that contributed to the landscape today. Asian food is "in" right now, but so is anything else that the public finds unfamiliar and exciting.
I can remember during my childhood when people would ask my what ethnicity was. The first two guesses were always Chinese first and Japanese second. I think it mirrored how people identified Asian food in general. Americans are finally starting to understand that Asian food is just as diverse as the many countries that make up Asia. Food from Southeast Asian countries are especially trendy right now because they offer something different from Chinese and Japanese foods that Americans are used to. It is a little ironic since many things in Chinese restaurants are actually Chinese-American inventions (such as beef and broccoli and fortune cookies). Many food writers suspect that South Korean cuisine will be the next wave in the Asian cuisine bandwagon.
In urban areas such as New York City, residents turn to food as a source of comfort. A good meal can relieve the stresses of noise, pollution, crime, and crowded living conditions that are typical of dense cities. The banh mi sandwich craze in New York is typical of a city where bakeries that specialize in giant cupcakes were all the rage.
ted says
Hi Andrea!, I have compiled a list of the top Asian Food blogs, and yours was included! check it out at http://thedailyreviewer.com/top/asian-food
Diane says
I think probably yes. I am very much interested in Indian culture (although I am not Indian) and have noticed this having gone from being a decidedly odd preference for a non-Desi person, say - 10 years ago - to being very "in" at the moment. I think it's the sign of the pace of globalization, and people in the US just being aware of a lot more going on elsewhere in the world than we used to be.
Plus - Southeast and South Asian food - AWESOME!!!
Dennis M Reed says
Is Asian "In"? are you serious? of course, it is, and in the biggest way!!!
Pat says
I believe Americans have always been fascinated with Asian cuisine--first Chinese then Japanese. And with the new wave of immigrants making an impact on the culinary scene, it's only natural that Vietnamese, Thai, South Asian, Indonesian and Korean flavors etc. are gaining favor with the masses. It's no wonder, the food teems with myriad flavors and spices and tastes superb!
I'm curious though, how does Asian cuisine compare with other so-called exotic foods like Morroccan or Lebanese? I'm sure the fact that Asian eateries are so ubiquitous and economical contributes to their popularity as well.
Helene Kwong says
I think Asian food has been pretty popular in the urban areas for awhile now; maybe in recent times suburban/rural areas are becoming more curious about various Asian cuisines as well. The craze over banh mi and the Korean taco trucks may only stay in the metro areas of the US, though. Not sure if the masses would catch onto those two trends.
Andrea Nguyen says
A few things that are in the works: (I'm sure you can all add to this list!)
1) availability of more authentic ingredients
2) better English translations on labels and restaurant menus
3) health and wellness factors
4) travel abroad
5) interracial marriage/dating
It's more or less an urban situation, though I'm always surprised by what I find in the suburbs and people's interest in Asian food in the wee corners of this country. So it's a matter of pushing beyond the exotic, right?
Ted, thanks for pointing us to your blog listing!
Carol Nguyen says
Yes! Not just in food, but in marriage. The Asian fascination hit when I was in high school. Back in the early 90's. I grew up around Asians and married a Vietnamese man (I'm Caucasian). We have 3 mixed children. But the fact here is that most of my Caucasian friends drooled over the Asian men/women AND Asian food. They were obsessed with Asian everything back then. If you could cook Asian and dated Asian, you were "in". Now 17 years later and lots of friends later, my group consists of mostly white and Asian married couples. I have even heard my generation called the mixed breed generation, which I totally agree with 100%. I don't know very many same-race couples these days.
Michelle says
As far as Asian having gone mainstream, it is far more popular to incorporate Asian ingredients than to stay true to the essence of Asian cuisine. My personal pet peeve are folks that include soy sauce, ginger and sesame into their dishes and then tack on an "Asian" to the front of the name of the dish. Which isn't to say that some of this bastardization isn't delicious (sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't) but authenticity often suffers. And of course, there are the restaurants that Americanize their food, trying to make the unfamiliar more palatable.
Asian in general is in but in my experience, it is only specific Asian cultures that have been popularized. I think Vietnamese, Thai and Korean food are the current wave of Asian trendy, with Chinese and Japanese being the forerunners. In contrast, my beloved Filipino food has yet to be really recognized in the modern, trendy food circles, left a mystery to most as to what it is. Its influence stretching only as far as the rising Fil-Am chefs who grew up with it. I'm hoping that will change someday soon 🙂
Andrea Nguyen says
Carol, instead of mixed-race couple, how about the moniker "hybrid couple"? Boy, we're just Americans.
Michelle, you're right. It's easier to incorporate Asian flavors than to get to the root of things and understand the foundations. Who has time in these days? I'm kidding. We need to make time to figure out things like, why does Filipino cuisine rely so heavily on vinegar and what are the many kinds of souring agents used in Filipino cooking? What's with that calamansi?
Diane says
Michelle: You are so right. Even here in the SF Bay Area (Filipino capital of the US, I think), Filipino food has not caught on, and is relegated to a few obscure restaurants near South San Francisco. I always thought this was decidedly odd. It's a cuisine I'd like to get to know better, but aside from the all-star faves (lumpia and adobe), it remains a mystery.
thuy says
Diane and Michelle: I think the reason why it hasn't become trendy could be because it looks like other Asian cuisine, but it taste like Latino food. I remember the first time had Filipino food was in college, (and I was born in the Philippines) I told my friend that I didn't think it would taste that way. She didn't understand what I was saying because she didn't know where I was coming from. To explain myself, I said that visually it looks like food that comes other southeast regions of Asia, but when you bite into it, the favors reminded me of something out of a Cuban or Puerto Rican kitchen. The seasoning is different and maybe it is because of the Spanish colonial rule over the islands.
jtrias2002 says
When it comes to Asian cuisine I love Filipino foods, I would say my wife can cook pinakbet perfectly. I had been to the Philippines and I ate some of Filipino dishes I think most Filipina women knows how to cook.
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marlon says
I think it's the sign of the pace of globalization, and people in the US just being aware of a lot more going on elsewhere in the world than we used to be.
filipino says
Sooooooo love asian cuisine especially the filipino