Long before South Korean culture went global, the 2002 World Cup, co-hosted by the Asian nation, introduced its crispy fried chicken to the world. Travelers to South Africa for the 2010 tournament sampled its jerky-like biltong. And when Brazil played host four years later, the icy caipirinha cocktail was in the spotlight.
The World Cup has long been a showcase for the culinary culture of the host nation. And this year is no different.
Ranch dressing, a sauce made from mainly buttermilk, vegetable oil and spices, is getting love from tourists experiencing American food and culture for the first time. “Ranch dressing should be a human right,” wrote one Redditor, who identified as a European tourist, in a thread about World Cup visitors’ feedback on the country.
Fans are going so gaga for the sauce that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which manages passenger screening at airports, commented on the trend.
“Yeah sooo your carry-on wasn’t actually made for *checks notes* 4 bottles of ranch …” the TSA said in a post on Instagram last week.
