Mike Devlin On Why We Eat What We Eat: How Empire, Migration and Trade Created Modern Menus

Ever wondered, as you sit down to eat, what your food is based upon?

Where it came from, how it ended up on your plate in your country, and the etymology of it all? No? Doesn’t surprise me in the slightest, to be honest — only oddballs and chefs looking for something to write about would consider it. I’ll let you decide which one I am (but you can keep the answer to yourself).

Some countries may surprise you (or not), while others will go a long way towards explaining why they eat what they eat. We’re not talking about actual ingredients here, because that’s pointless; if your country has a surplus of something edible, then of course it’ll end up on your plate eventually. No, what we’re doing here is exploring the all-round cuisine — y’know, “What is American food?” and “What is British food, and why does everyone say it’s so bland?”

I’m afraid there are going to be a few history lessons within all of this, so you can get your grumbling out of the way now. All done? Good.

The United Kingdom

Britain may once have been the world’s largest empire — encompassing 75% of the planet and stealing as much as it possibly could (please visit the British Museum in London and play a game of “find something that’s actually British”) — but those riches were not exactly distributed among the masses.

Sure, roads, railways, schools, and hospitals were built, and the Brits did that whole Industrial Revolution thing for the world, but for the most part, the population was kept relatively poor, as they had been since time immemorial.

This goes a long way towards explaining why British food was, for so long, considered not that great. Yes, the country had taken over the spice trade (a ridiculously lucrative business, too), but it was more profitable to sell it abroad than to feed it to their own people.

Then there was that minor inconvenience with that Hitler fella, and rationing was brought in (for the poor folk, not the beneficiaries of hundreds of years of invasions). People were forced to eat what they were given — or could find.

While this might point towards boring and dull food, it also explains (similar to British settlers across the pond) why many dishes were simple home cooking. Imagination goes completely out the window when frugality is on the menu.

It took them a while, but the British did eventually get to a place where they could finally make use of all those invasions. That’s why the UK now has an incredibly diverse menu and — despite what the average consumer says — comparatively cheap ingredient costs relative to many other first-world countries.

The United States

Once upon a time, there were people living harmoniously on the land — tribes in tune with nature. This confused the many white folk who turned up and decided to do away with all that nonsense.

Then there were a few skirmishes, land grabs, something about enslaving millions of Africans, a couple more skirmishes, gold, oil… and here we are today.

Most of the people who arrived in the New Promised Land didn’t have much, but they discovered a bountiful place filled with things to eat (and the odd thing that would eat them). Using what little knowledge they possessed, they made do with the edible riches available to them.

This resulted in basic but wholesome food: soups, breads, stews, indiscriminate mushed things — y’know, like British food, because most of the white folk were British.

But there was also slavery. The people — for that’s what they were, actual human beings — brought their own cooking styles, which were undoubtedly better than the British fare being served up, and eventually the two merged into one big crockpot.

Forget the massive fast-food portions of today; authentic American cooking is rooted in one or both of these styles, and much of what’s served now stems from them.

Australia

Oz cuisine is surprisingly extensive, particularly for a nation that’s only been around for a couple of hundred years. Proper Australian food is based on three elements: convicts, the British, and weird animals found nowhere else.

Sure, the British handed out rations with every visit or new drop-off — things like salted pork, which survived the long voyage — but settlers had to use what they could find, while the convicts were being used to build infrastructure. Asians, brought in to serve, also brought their food with them.

Essentially, there was lots of meat. Meat on its own, with things, in things, possibly on top of other meat things, and often cooked outside — not on a barbecue (that term hails from the indigenous people of the Caribbean), but on fire pits.

Today, Australia is one of the most self-sustaining countries on the planet, which begs the question: why is everything so damn expensive?

I should, however, note that Aussies adore — absolutely adore — their desserts. This started with the British bringing their sweet puddings, but it’s since evolved far beyond that. This chef, in particular, loves their pavlova.

France

The history of French cuisine is one of refinement and aristocracy, evolving from medieval banquets to haute cuisine (high cooking).

Contrary to what the French might think, it was heavily influenced by Italy, particularly when King Henri II married Catherine de’ Medici of Florence in 1533. And, whether they like it or not, Italian cuisine was far more advanced than France’s at that time.

Possibly as a refusal to have anything to do with the British, France moved away from heavily spiced dishes towards high-quality ingredients and innovative cooking techniques. The “mother sauces” — such as Béchamel — were instrumental to this.

Of course, this was all for the gentry and not your average French citizen. That all changed when the public got fed up with being poor, eating spicy food to mask its awfulness, and began systematically removing the heads of the rich.

This allowed classically trained chefs to cook for the masses — which everyone was very happy about. Today, France is still renowned for its cuisine the world over.

Italy

After the fall of the Roman Empire and everything that went with it, what remained were city-states, each with its own cuisine based on local produce.

The north concentrated on dairy, while the south — influenced by Arab traders — focused on pasta and fruit.

When the New World opened up, and the British had already taken much of the north, the Italians headed south and brought back tomatoes, maize, and potatoes.

The Risorgimento — the unification of the country — began around 1815, was agreed upon in 1861, and completed in 1870, with Rome becoming the capital once more the following year. This brought together all the different cooking styles, giving us what we recognise as Italian cuisine today.

Mexico

Like other South American countries, Mexico was invaded by Spain for the same reason as the Italians went exploring — to grab whatever they could before the British got to it.

Mexican food had already been heavily influenced by ancient civilisations such as the Aztecs, Mayans, and Olmecs — with staples like maize, beans, chocolate, vanilla, and chillies. The Spanish arrived bringing livestock, dairy, and rice. Without these, the wonderful mole sauce might never have been created — nor all the dishes that stemmed from it.

Japan

Being a large island, Japan’s food has been shaped by isolation and religious practice. Isolation meant using what was available, while the introduction of Buddhism in the 6th century encouraged vegetarianism, leading to shōjin ryōri — “devotion cuisine”: pure, clean, simple cooking focused on vegetables.

Other nations eventually arrived — China and Korea introduced rice, soy, and tofu. The British also turned up uninvited but at least brought curry with them, which inspired the now-famous katsu. Other Western foods and styles were also introduced by the British, becoming known as yōshoku (Western-style cooking). These were incorporated into traditional Japanese cuisine rather than replacing it.

There are so many other countries I could dive into, but we’d be here all day. At least now you have a better idea of why you eat what you eat. However, one element stands out across them all — whether by force or by circumstance: the British.

Yes, that country with the so-called “worst food ever” has influenced pretty much every cuisine on the planet — one way or another. British food, as I said, is now of an excellent standard, but I suppose if everyone else is enjoying great food because of you, you might as well get in on the action.