Global Cuisine on Ocean County Tables

It's almost the weekend and with St. Patrick's Day tomorrow, there's going to be a whole lot of corned beef and cabbage served.  Folks who are celebrating are likely to eat that along with potatoes, a staple of Irish cuisine.

And it's safe to say that real Italian gravy will be simmering in pots over the weekend.  Sunday spaghetti dinner is a tradition that many Italian-American families continue to enjoy in Ocean County.

I want to ask about the foods from  your heritage that you enjoy eating or making.

What about those of you with a German or Mexican background? What recipes from your grandparents do you still like to make?

And let’s hear from those with origins in the rest of Europe, as well as Asia, and the Middle East?

Whatever your background, are you still serving dishes that were inspired by those places?  Do you use recipes handed down through the generations?

I'm also curious about something that's a bit of a hot topic: the use of the phrase "ethnic food."  Apparently some people use it when they're talking about inexpensive, unhealthy food but I've said it when I've simply been craving tastes from another part of the world; Mexican, Chinese, Greek, etc. I don't want to upset or offend anyone but I don't really understand why "ethnic" is a bad word.  Any thoughts?