After observing and analysing cultures around the world, it became evident to me that the cultural sensitivity and psychological acceptation towards food differed greatly from one linguistic group to another. More often than not the division was really by linguistic group rather than by country, so that, for instance, cultures as different as England, Scotland, the USA or Australia had fairly similar culinary predisposition when compared to Italian-, French-, Japanese- or Chinese-speaking people. Religion sometimes play a part in the acceptation of food. The Muslims don't eat pork, and most Hindus and Jains are vegetarians...
I have thought of an index of "open-mindedness", if I may express it like this, towards food which would be a direct relation to culturo-linguistic groups around the world. The top of the list are cultures which have a greater "maturity" or "open-mindedness", meaning by this that their speakers have in average (the "average" factor is vital in cross-cultural comparison) a greater tolerance, liking or even crave for food which is considered as more or less disgusting in other cultures. Here is a concise ranking of culinary cultures I know well.
1) French-speaking culture
2) Chinese-speaking culture
3) Thai-speaking culture
4) Japanese-speaking culture
5) German-speaking culture
6) Italian-speaking culture
7) English-speaking culture
8) Muslim culture
9) Jewish culture
10) Hindu culture
Explanation : I have ranked French speakers first because French cuisine has the greatest range of products and tastes of any cuisine. Among culture-specific food, we can cite snails, frog legs, pigeon, lamb, horse, all kind of game or wild animals (deer, pheasant, wild boar, rabbit, and recently also kangaroo, ostrich, antelope, etc.), all kinds of fish and seafood, but also cheese, including blue cheese, goat or sheep cheese, and smelly cheeses. Add to that offals and sausages. French speakers tend to be very accommodating of almost all other cuisines worldwide. Chinese, Thai and Japanese food are especially well appreciated in France and Belgium. No particular religious or culture taboo.
The Chinese may use even more exotic animals in their cuisine, but like in other East Asian cultures they lack the culture of dairy products, and not just cheese, but also yoghurts, cream, butter, milk and all its derivatives (cakes, crepes, waffles, bechamel sauce, etc.). Even nowadays many Chinese have a relatively low cultural acceptance of dairy products, all the more if it is not from cow milk, but goat or sheep milk. The huge variety of meat in Chinese cuisine (e.g. crocodile, snake, scorpions) is also mostly limited to Cantonese cuisine.
Thai culture ranks 3rd as it is similar in essence to Chinese food, with more spices, but less variety in meats.
Despite the Japanese's passion for fish and seafood, and some very culture-specific dishes like natto and the consumption of raw horse or chicken, Japanese culture cannot be placed higher than 4th because most Japanese do not like lamb, pigeon or rabbit, and wouldn't try "exotic" meats like kangaroo, ostrich, antelope or camel (let alone snakes and scorpions). Like their East Asian neighbours the Japanese are not big fans of dairy products (esp. goat/sheep or smelly cheese), although it is changing among younger people.
The German food culture is not so distant from the French, minus the most eccentric food (snails, smelly cheese...). It lacks the passion for food of the above to rank higher.
The Italians tend to be among the most fussy eaters in Western Europe. Although they are food lovers, and will eat tripes, offals, or almost any kind of cheese, they are often more critical of anything that is not Italian, and even Italian food that is not done their way. An Italian once told me that nobody in Italy would eat pasta that was not properly strained.
English-speaking food culture has long been associated with poor quality food, or fast-food (be it sandwich, fish'n chips or hamburger). It has long been a culture where people ate to live rather than lived to eat. It is changing and fusion cuisine has emerged from places like Australia and California, but mostly thanks to immigrants - not native English speakers. It is still harder for a lot of English speakers to be totally open-minded anc welcoming of all the above cuisines, especially their more unusual dishes. I have never heard anyone make remark like "how can you eat raw fish ?", or "frog legs seem so distgusting, I don't want to try", or criticise a nation as "cheese-eating monkeys" or the like among the French or the Chinese.
Muslim culture ranks lower because it tends to be very closed to non-Muslim food, and fairly strict and traditional (e.g. no pork).
The Jews are even stricter with their kosher preparations.
The Hindus are the most self-centered for food, and indeed it is very hard to find non-Indian food in India (even French or Italian food).
I have thought of an index of "open-mindedness", if I may express it like this, towards food which would be a direct relation to culturo-linguistic groups around the world. The top of the list are cultures which have a greater "maturity" or "open-mindedness", meaning by this that their speakers have in average (the "average" factor is vital in cross-cultural comparison) a greater tolerance, liking or even crave for food which is considered as more or less disgusting in other cultures. Here is a concise ranking of culinary cultures I know well.
1) French-speaking culture
2) Chinese-speaking culture
3) Thai-speaking culture
4) Japanese-speaking culture
5) German-speaking culture
6) Italian-speaking culture
7) English-speaking culture
8) Muslim culture
9) Jewish culture
10) Hindu culture
Explanation : I have ranked French speakers first because French cuisine has the greatest range of products and tastes of any cuisine. Among culture-specific food, we can cite snails, frog legs, pigeon, lamb, horse, all kind of game or wild animals (deer, pheasant, wild boar, rabbit, and recently also kangaroo, ostrich, antelope, etc.), all kinds of fish and seafood, but also cheese, including blue cheese, goat or sheep cheese, and smelly cheeses. Add to that offals and sausages. French speakers tend to be very accommodating of almost all other cuisines worldwide. Chinese, Thai and Japanese food are especially well appreciated in France and Belgium. No particular religious or culture taboo.
The Chinese may use even more exotic animals in their cuisine, but like in other East Asian cultures they lack the culture of dairy products, and not just cheese, but also yoghurts, cream, butter, milk and all its derivatives (cakes, crepes, waffles, bechamel sauce, etc.). Even nowadays many Chinese have a relatively low cultural acceptance of dairy products, all the more if it is not from cow milk, but goat or sheep milk. The huge variety of meat in Chinese cuisine (e.g. crocodile, snake, scorpions) is also mostly limited to Cantonese cuisine.
Thai culture ranks 3rd as it is similar in essence to Chinese food, with more spices, but less variety in meats.
Despite the Japanese's passion for fish and seafood, and some very culture-specific dishes like natto and the consumption of raw horse or chicken, Japanese culture cannot be placed higher than 4th because most Japanese do not like lamb, pigeon or rabbit, and wouldn't try "exotic" meats like kangaroo, ostrich, antelope or camel (let alone snakes and scorpions). Like their East Asian neighbours the Japanese are not big fans of dairy products (esp. goat/sheep or smelly cheese), although it is changing among younger people.
The German food culture is not so distant from the French, minus the most eccentric food (snails, smelly cheese...). It lacks the passion for food of the above to rank higher.
The Italians tend to be among the most fussy eaters in Western Europe. Although they are food lovers, and will eat tripes, offals, or almost any kind of cheese, they are often more critical of anything that is not Italian, and even Italian food that is not done their way. An Italian once told me that nobody in Italy would eat pasta that was not properly strained.
English-speaking food culture has long been associated with poor quality food, or fast-food (be it sandwich, fish'n chips or hamburger). It has long been a culture where people ate to live rather than lived to eat. It is changing and fusion cuisine has emerged from places like Australia and California, but mostly thanks to immigrants - not native English speakers. It is still harder for a lot of English speakers to be totally open-minded anc welcoming of all the above cuisines, especially their more unusual dishes. I have never heard anyone make remark like "how can you eat raw fish ?", or "frog legs seem so distgusting, I don't want to try", or criticise a nation as "cheese-eating monkeys" or the like among the French or the Chinese.
Muslim culture ranks lower because it tends to be very closed to non-Muslim food, and fairly strict and traditional (e.g. no pork).
The Jews are even stricter with their kosher preparations.
The Hindus are the most self-centered for food, and indeed it is very hard to find non-Indian food in India (even French or Italian food).
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-- although I know of course that under "English-speaking cultures" that's including a wide range of different cultures, such as the US and Australia, as you say. 
However, Britain used to be more eclectic in its tastes; in medieval times people ate a much wider variety of game and game birds, including more meat like venison, pigeon, partidge, pheasant, swan, rabbit, and most likely others I can't think of now! Medieval English cooking (I say English because I'm not sure about Irish, Scottish and Welsh >.<) also made a lot of use of imported spices as well as Mediterranean influence, and used a much wider range of herbs than is common today. Of course, I'm thinking of banquets for rich people, not the plain food of labourers and such... British cookery (I can include Scottish in this because of haggis, yum yum! :liplick: ) also made a lot of use of offal. This did become out of favour, though, partly associated with being a dish for poor people because of it being "low quality meat", and I guess partly during the late 20th century as people became more fastidious about hygiene at the same time as... (ah, but I won't woffle on now... :blush: )... anyway, offal products such as tripe used to be pretty popular here, but less so now... but sausages and burgers are still popular, as is haggis. 
), especially for special occasions. "Cheese and wine" parties are staple, as are cheese and biscuits as an option for dessert, and people like to experiment with different types of cheeses, particularly around Christmas time, when most delis stock a wide range of Stilton with various different fruits, nuts and even chillis embedded in it. ^^ Soft cheeses like Brie are also popular. I suspect dairy products might be getting a bit less popular recently, though, because of their reputation for being fattening. :wary: ... As for calling the French "cheese-eating", pfff, fine ones to talk! :souka: 
kashii: 
Considering it is an island nation, fish and other seafoods don't feature as largely in our diet as you might expect. However, not surprisingly seafood is a lot more common and popular in coastal towns and cities where it is always on the local menus. The most popular are things like lobster, crab, shrimp and shellfish like cockles and mussels. Often, small seaside towns and even villages will have their own "speciality", for example Craster kippers. :liplick: And with the availability of decent storage and transportation technology, people also enjoy occasionally other more "exotic" seafoods like octopus and sushi. 
