Western Culture has had ethnic food since the early days of the age of exploration. The receiving culture puts it's own spin on the incoming foods and popularizes them as something unique from the source. In 99% of cases, it's waaay better.
Chocolate and tea were just bitter herb drinks before Europe got them. Tacos were just poor veg and grain filled mashed corn flour wraps before the Spanish altered them. Pasta was just another soup dumpling recipe before Italy changed it. Pizza was bread with oil and tomatoes before Italian Americans made it what it is today. Cake was dried fruit and poor flour steamed to a gummy texture before the French changed it to what we know today. Kitkats are only a moderately popular candy here, but Japan has about 100 interesting varieties. And on and on.
Most of the foods we know in the US as as ethnic food would not be recognized in their supposed home regions.
All these only required the trading of new goods and a few travellers who had some small knowledge of how the goods were used at the port town. This is how culture has worked since civilization began.
Western Culture has had ethnic food since the early days of the age of exploration. The receiving culture puts it's own spin on the incoming foods and popularizes them as something unique from the source. In 99% of cases, it's waaay better.
Chocolate and tea were just bitter herb drinks before Europe got them. Tacos were just poor veg and grain filled mashed corn flour wraps before the Spanish altered them. Pasta was just another soup dumpling recipe before Italy changed it. Pizza was bread with oil and tomatoes before Italian Americans made it what it is today. Cake was dried fruit and poor flour steamed to a gummy texture before the French changed it to what we know today. Kitkats are only a moderately popular candy here, but Japan has about 100 interesting varieties. And on and on.
Most of the foods we know in the US as as ethnic food would not be recognized in their supposed home regions.
All these only required the trading of new goods and a few travellers who had some small knowledge of how the goods were used at the port town. This is how culture has worked since civilization began.
I only have one upvote to give but this is an awesome comment.