I don’t have kids yet but I do have little cousins. I do remember being a kid. I was always an inquisitive child and so were most of my friends. I figured that was partly a cultural thing here. We often get a stigma of looking only into our own country but at least as kids we always want to learn about the countries that surround us.
In the USA, we sort of do with Canada. Americans in general are inquisitive people. So if there is a food that’s not part of our every day culture, we try to learn more about its origins.
There must have been something in the water where you lived, Buzz. I have worked with kids my whole life and this has not been my experience at all. Are kids inquisitive? Absolutely! They are always interested in exploring the areas immediately around them and asking questions--checking out the bugs in the backyard, wondering how the toilet works, trying to light sticks on fire using a magnifying glass, whatever. American children have not culturally cornered the market on inquisitiveness.
However, are there 8 year-olds running around the US saying, "I just found out about pierogies! I want to learn all about the Ukraine so I can go and try some!"? No. I have met SO MANY AMERICANS, that when they ask where I'm from and I say, "Saskatchewan," I then have to go on and explain, "Kind of in the middle of Canada, right above Montana/North Dakota." Or when I say my sister lives in British Columbia, I have to say, "Way over on the west coast above Washington state." These people were not very inquisitive about Canada and the world around them growing up.
As an adult, I am much more open to learning about a food and then wanting to go and experience it in its local habitat--clam pizza at Mystic Pizza in Connecticut, Montreal smoked-meat sandwiches at Schwartz's Deli , authentic barbecue from the various regions, fried clams at the Cape, etc.
