"Boring" countries that aren't boring

[Wyatt Earp]

"Boring" countries that aren't boring

-Its people are polite and introverted

True of Canada and Belgium.

-Bars close early

False of Canada and Belgium.

-Its political climate is stable and free of big scandals and extremist parties

False of Canada and Belgium.

-It's largely devoided of colourful politicians (see above)

False of Canada at various times; not sure about Belgium.

-Not many famous people hail from that country, and those who do you think they're from somewhere else

Ah, yeah; that's kind of a variant of the "But less so" syndrome, I think. Famous Canadians like Mike Myers or Christopher Plummer get thought of as American or British, and famous Belgians like Jacques Brel or Peter Paul Rubens get thought of as French or Dutch.

-Its culture is totally unexotic and boringly western to our eyes

True of both, but also true of everywhere in Europe and North America, surely?

-The food is tasteless

Completely false of Canada, and wildly false of Belgium, where people eat as well as anywhere on the planet.

-It hasn't got a big beach scene - no one thinks Australia is boring, yet many people think Canada is

True of both countries.

-It hasn't recently been involved in any bloody war

True of both countries. But does that mean people thought Belgium was exciting in 1919 and 1946?

-People are well off

True of both countries.

-They're crap at football

True of Canada; varying over the years with Belgium.

-Its cities are clean, green and quiet

Neither country's cities are quiet; the rest is true.

-Not big on gambling, prostitution or street drinking

False of both countries, except for Canada and street drinking.

-It's close to a big country with tons of personality

Ah, yeah, but "personality" begs the question, doesn't it? Assumes what we're trying to explain?

-It's often portrayed as some sort of multi-ethnic paradise - ethnic conflict always makes for 'interesting' countries. Belgium would be the exception to this, but lack of violence meeans they lose points.

Canada is also the exception, surely. Calisse, what about the Bloc?

-Never suffered a civil war or a dictatorship

Again, wildly false of Belgium: the country's history is one of continual wars among princes, dynasties and confessions. True of Canada so far.

[Jimmy Bignutz]

"Boring" countries that aren't boring

Wyatt Earp wrote:

AG, there's also the "but less so" factor, I think. You know: Canada's like the US, but less so. Belgium's like France or the Netherlands, and in each case less so. It's bollocks, really, but it has an influence.

Completely true of Austria though.

[Wyatt Earp]

"Boring" countries that aren't boring

Well, depends what you look at. Austrian philosophy's nothing like German philosophy, Austrian wine's nothing like German wine, and where little pastries to have with your coffee are concerned, Germany is "like Austria, but less so."

[Wyatt Earp]

"Boring" countries that aren't boring

Multilingual countries are strongly overrepresented, aren't they? Perhaps that's a factor. In the absence of a distinctive archetype, maybe people think "Hmm; bit nondescript".

[Otto Katz]

"Boring" countries that aren't boring

Hm, Norway ticks a lot of those boxes.

-Its people are polite and introverted

Some are. Others ar rude and introverted.

-Bars close early

Well, not before midnight, no.

-Its political climate is stable and free of big scandals and extremist parties

Kind of.

-It's largely devoided of colourful politicians (see above)

Check.

-Not many famous people hail from that country, and those who do you think they're from somewhere else

Check. Sweden often gets the credit for Amundsen, A-ha and Sonia Henie.

-Its culture is totally unexotic and boringly western to our eyes

Yup.

-The food is tasteless

That's us.

-It hasn't got a big beach scene - no one thinks Australia is boring, yet many people think Canada is

Yep.

-It hasn't recently been involved in any bloody war

We were invaded by the Germans in WWII, but not much bloodshed, you know, relatively speaking.

-People are well off

We won the natural resources lottery.

-They're crap at football

Touché

-Its cities are clean, green and quiet

Oh yes.

-Not big on gambling, prostitution or street drinking

You got that right.

-It's close to a big country with tons of personality

Sweden's not *that* bit, but they've got Zlatan, ABBA and ganja.

-It's often portrayed as some sort of multi-ethnic paradise - ethnic conflict always makes for 'interesting' countries. Belgium would be the exception to this, but lack of violence meeans they lose points.

Can't say that, no.

-Never suffered a civil war or a dictatorship

Not in modern times, no.

[Eggchaser]

"Boring" countries that aren't boring

Just out of interest, what's the tipping point which makes a war fall into the category of being "bloody"?

[Vulgarian Visigoth]

"Boring" countries that aren't boring

Eggchaser wrote:

Just out of interest, what's the tipping point which makes a war fall into the category of being "bloody"?

I don't know. A whole lot of blood and guts as as opposed to just some blood and guts?

[Vulgarian Visigoth]

"Boring" countries that aren't boring

-It's often portrayed as some sort of multi-ethnic paradise - ethnic conflict always makes for 'interesting' countries. Belgium would be the exception to this, but lack of violence meeans they lose points.

Canada is also the exception, surely. Calisse, what about the Bloc?

I did think of the Bloc, but on the other hand Canada is seen as some sort of United Colors of Benetton, advert when it comes to multiculturalism and all that jazz.

You were spot on about multilinguism. I was meaning to mention it somewhere but somehow failed to do so.

A couple more:

-It helps if they're small, whether in size or population or both.

-Perhaps more controversialy, it also helps if they're some sort of "socialist" state, Scandinavian style, and one with a small income gap. It adds to the subconscious idea of monotony.

[Eggchaser]

"Boring" countries that aren't boring

Insert witty username wrote:

Eggchaser wrote:

Just out of interest, what's the tipping point which makes a war fall into the category of being "bloody"?

I don't know. A whole lot of blood and guts as as opposed to just some blood and guts?

As far as I'm concerned, if you haven't waded through a sea of blood to stand atop a pile of skulls, then it's no victory at all.

[Reed John]

"Boring" countries that aren't boring

"To crush your enemies, to see them driven before you and to hear the lamentations of the women."

The food is tasteless
Completely false of Canada, and wildly false of Belgium, where people eat as well as anywhere on the planet.

Really? What, exactly is "Canadian Cuisine," then?

Sure theres lots of good food to be had in Canada, but a country's culinary reputation usually resides in the food considered native to that country. I don't know what that native food would be in Canada. Poutine? Walleye? Wild rice perhaps? I'm not sure. I'm not saying it's not there, but it seems to be somewhat hidden for now.

Of course, foreigners are often misled as to a place's food. For example, the stereotype of American food is that it's about shitty fast-food hamburgers and fried chicken.

Speaking of that, last night I went out with a visiting friend in Georgetown and had the ultimate American meal at Old Glory. Barbecue pulled pork with red beans and mashed potatoes, (the place is mainly about BBQ), apple pie and a shot of some sort of small-batch Kentucky bourbon that my friend picked out from a massive list. I've got to go back to that place. I'd never been there.

[Wyatt Earp]

"Boring" countries that aren't boring

Reed of the Valley People wrote:

Sure theres lots of good food to be had in Canada, but a country's culinary reputation usually resides in the food considered native to that country. I don't know what that native food would be in Canada.

But then this is an offshoot of the "big neighbour" syndrome, isn't it? Canadian food is like American food, with some local quirks (like halibut and chips, or Montreal smoked meat, or Montreal-style bagels, or Oka cheese or, you know, Nanaimo bars). Similarly, Belgian food is often assimilated, in people's minds, into Northern French food, to which it's pretty similar.

[Gangster Octopus]

"Boring" countries that aren't boring

At least Canadian portions are somewhat more managable...

[ursus arctos]

"Boring" countries that aren't boring

No one's forcing you to eat it all . . .

BBQ pulled pork is one of the absolute culinary highlights of my native land.

[Wyatt Earp]

"Boring" countries that aren't boring

People need to try actual Canadian bacon, in Canada, as opposed to what gets called "Canadian bacon" in the US. 'Kin gorgeous it is. Buy a big chunk of peameal bacon, slice it nice and thick and fry it for breakfast.

[Reed John]

"Boring" countries that aren't boring

I think barbecue is our #1 contribution to food, at least our #1 contribution to meat.

[WOM]

"Boring" countries that aren't boring

Canadian food is like American food, with some local quirks (like halibut and chips, or Montreal smoked meat, or Montreal-style bagels, or Oka cheese or, you know, Nanaimo bars).

I'd argue (possibly foolishly, given your proximity to a culinary authority) that Canadian food is more like British food. Certainly fast food has come north. But I'd say our day-to-day eating (amongst the third-gen ex-Brit masses) is largely UK influenced.

Needless to say, as Canada's multicultural makeup has gone, so has our national palate.

And indeed, poutine rocks. I just wish there were a nice place to get a take-away haggis, a la Edinburgh on a rainy Saturday night.

[Wyatt Earp]

"Boring" countries that aren't boring

Reed of the Valley People wrote:

I think barbecue is our #1 contribution to food, at least our #1 contribution to meat.

One you share with the West Indies, to be fair; their version of slow barbecue's also superb, and there's some evidence you got it off them. But yes, I think you're right. And yet it's less celebrated overseas than Tex-Mex, Creole or even Modern Californian cooking.

[Gangster Octopus]

"Boring" countries that aren't boring

ursus arctos wrote:

No one's forcing you to eat it all . . .

I was brought up to believe that leaving food was rude.

[WOM]

"Boring" countries that aren't boring

Buy a big chunk of peameal bacon, slice it nice and thick and fry it for breakfast.

This is the way I'd eaten it my entire life....until last summer. Now we barbecue the chunk whole, let it rest a few minutes, then slice. You tend to lose a bit of the peamealing (it burns) but the meat is juicier and more tender than I could've imagined.

[Wyatt Earp]

"Boring" countries that aren't boring

WornOldMotorbike wrote:

I'd argue (possibly foolishly, given your proximity to a culinary authority) that Canadian food is more like British food.

It's hard for me to know, really. Certainly that's true to some extent of the home cooking in Wyattetta's family, but then they all come ultimately from England, Scotland and (we're pretty sure) Norn Iron, so you'd expect them to know about Yorkshire pudding and things. I'm never sure how typical they are in that respect.

And you know, they hardly ever eat roast lamb, and I'm pretty cure the missus had never cooked a duck till I showed her how. And by the same token, they'll (quite rightly, given how it tastes there) cook corn on the cob at the drop of a hat, whereas my Mum would (quite rightly, given how it tastes here) never have it in the house.

[Reed John]

"Boring" countries that aren't boring

My understanding is that Canadian bacon or peameal bacon is from the back of the pig whereas what we call bacon is from the belly.
The Canadian bacon I've had tasted a lot like ham. It really isn't since ham is the ass and thigh of the pig. Of course, it's all the same animal.

Is Canadian bacon cured like ham?

[Wyatt Earp]

"Boring" countries that aren't boring

WornOldMotorbike wrote:

Buy a big chunk of peameal bacon, slice it nice and thick and fry it for breakfast.

This is the way I'd eaten it my entire life....until last summer. Now we barbecue the chunk whole, let it rest a few minutes, then slice. You tend to lost a bit of the peamealing (it burns) but the meat is juicier and more tender than I could've imagined.

Ooooh, yes. I'm having that, next time.

[Wyatt Earp]

"Boring" countries that aren't boring

Reed of the Valley People wrote:

Is Canadian bacon cured like ham?

Well, there are various cures for ham and bacon, and they all overlap.

[WOM]

"Boring" countries that aren't boring

Reed, according to RealCanadianBacon.com (of Troy, Michigan, I shit you not):

"Peameal bacon is made from boneless pork loins, short cut from the leaner portions of the loin, to ensure a more uniform product. External fat is trimmed to within 1⁄8 inch. Smokeless and tender, this product is sweet pickle-cured and rolled in a traditional golden cornmeal coating, maintaining the processing tradition of real Canadian peameal bacon."

[WOM]

"Boring" countries that aren't boring

Well, there are various cures for ham and bacon, and they all overlap.

That trial was rendered useless for lack of a placebo.