UNIT 3

Listening and Speaking

2 Listen to a radio interview about American food and check whether your answers to Activity 1 are correct.

I:Today our guest  is  Steve  Fox.He's  here  to talk about cultural influences  on  American  food.Welcome,Steve!

S:Thank you.It's nice to be here.

I:When it comes to American food,some say no food was ever invented in America.What do you think?

S:Hmm...That's not really true.For example,some say the hamburger comes from Hamburg in Germany,but they're wrong.The recipe for the meat in a hamburger may have come from Germany,but the final  hamburger  we  know  today  was  definitely  created  by Americans.

I:You mean there was a mixing of cultures?Food from overseas changed when it arrived in the States.

S:Right.And there are many more examples of mixed-culture dishes. Like  nachos,for  example.

I:Oh,I just love nachos!Mexican corn chips covered in cheese!

S:Yes,they're   delicious,but  they're   not  traditional   Mexican  food. The  recipe  was  actually  invented  by  a  Mexican  cook  for  his American  customers.Then  there   are  fortune   cookies.

l:What do you mean?

S:They're not Chinese.

I:You're kidding!But every Chinese restaurant in America has them!

S:Yes,but they're unknown in China.About 100 years ago,someone  in San Francisco put a piece of paper with a fortune on it inside a Japanese-style cookie,and the fortune cookie was born!

I:Wow!That's  interesting!So  they're   like  a   mix  of  the  Chinese, American,and    Japanese    cultures.

S:You  got   it.And  then  we  have  gumbo,the  spicy  stew.It  was invented in New Orleans over 200 years ago,and mixes French, African,Native  American,and   Spanish  cooking.

I:So it's the food of many different cultures,all in one dish?

S:Exactly.American  cooking  often  mixes  things  from  around  the world to make something completely new.