You call that ‘cuisine’?

In “From Jaffa oranges to gourmet shakshuka” (Frontlines, March 9), the sub-headline states that “Israelis have developed a cuisine that... has begun to spread around the globe.” The article cites Philadelphia, New York, Florida, New Orleans and Denver, yet these cities are not the “globe,” and the US has never had any relevance to international gastronomy.

Having traveled on all continents except Australia, may I state that there is not a single relevant city where the list of top-rated restaurants includes an “American” restaurant. Nor an “English” nor a “German” restaurant.

In the cities mentioned, it says: “Americans are crazy for hummus, falafel, shakshuka and fried haloumi.” These dishes are good food – but they are not cuisine.

It is easy to name authentic dishes of French (canard à l’orange), Italian (fegato a la Veneziana), Spanish (paella) and Swiss (cheese fondue) cuisine, all of which require elaborate cooking. I doubt whether the writer could note one single dish of American or Israeli “cuisine.” ADOLF WEINSTEIN Shoresh